LATER.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3933, 6 August 1881, Page 2

LATER.

Wellington, This day

Mr Saunders thought the ten per cent, resolution of last year should be reaffirmed.—Mr Mongoraery did not think the Committee would do any good, and Mr Gisborne condemned the proposal as taking away Ministerial responsibility. —J. T. Fisher did not approve of the Committee, but urged the necessity of reduction. ■— Mr Moss thought the House should insist on the reduction of a certain sum.—Mr Andrews supported Grey's proposal, and Levestam opposed it.—After some further discussion, Grey's amendment was negatived on the voices.

On the motion for going into Supply, J. T. Fisher complained of some remarks attributed to him in the no-confidence debate by the correspondent of the Timaru Herald. He had not spoken at all.

J. B. Fisher said the paper on the following day had said the remarks were intended for him, not for the hon. member for Heathcote. The remarks as attributed to him differed widely from those he had made in his speech. It would be impossible to conceive a greater tissue of falsehoods than the statement of the correspondent in question. The same correspondent in 1866 had grovelled on his stomach before the House when making an abject apology for his slander on members, and as he had no wish to see a repetition of that scene, he would treat the matter with contempt, rather than as a breach of privilege. The House went into Committee of Supply on the Estimates. For Post and Telegraph Departments the first vote was Postmaster Generals office £6703, which was agreed to after some discussion, in which Mr Saunders expressed the opinion that the reductions which had been made in this Department were satisfactory. On the vote, Chief Office and Sub Offices £101,441, several members brought under notice individual cases of hardship or inequality in the salaries of postmasters and telegraphists. Mr Sheehan said the officers in these Departments were underpaid and overworked. Mr Johnston admitted such to be the case to a great extent ; and other members expressed similar opinions. The vote passed as printed, as also the votes Maintenance and Repair of Telegraph Lines £32.008, and Telegraph Cable Subsidies £5,350. Progress was reported, and the House rose at 1.45.