PARLIAMENTARY NEWS

Wairoa Bell, Volume IV, Issue 161, 2 September 1892, Page 6

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS

The Unclaimed Moneys Bill now before Parliament proposes to secure the pa into the Public Trust Office of all moneys in the custody of companies, Including insurance and Banking Associations, or persons and firms acting as agents for others, that have not been operated niton for six years. The Electoral Bill which has about passed through Committee in the Lower House fixes Ist June 1893 as the date for the coming into operation of the Female Franchise- The date was deferred to avert the necessity for a dissolution before that date on the ground of the large extension of the franchise. Mr Robert Thompson has presented a petition to Parliament from the residents of Matakohe and Tokatoka, praying for Government aid to make a portion of the road connecting Whangarei and the North era Wairoa River. Mr Ballance states that Earl Glasgow had Dot complied with the request of Ministers to submit the whole correspondence to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, three or four letters which Ministers consider material having been withheld by Earl Glasgow, and the Government were not made aware of his action until a few days before the papers were presented to the House. Ministers have since forwarded the full correspondence to the AgentGeneral, who would likely place it before the Secretary' of State, The Premier has received the following resolution from the Secretary of the Rawbiti Knights of Labour, Christchurch : —‘‘That this Assembly protests against the delay of the Midland Bail way Company with their contracts, the Canterbury lands having been given away, and no work done We therefore urgently request the Government to compel the Company to finish work or give it up, so that the Government can do the work, and thereby give employment to hundreds of men that are now seeking work in the colony.” The Hon. R. Seddon has prepared a bill dealing with the management of our railways. The term of the present Commissioners expires on the 28th January, 1894 and the future method of dealing with the railways will have to be decided upon in this or next session of parliament. The Chief Commissioner’s salary is £ 1,250, and that of the other two Commissioners £I,OOO each. The Bill proposes to reduce the salary of each Commissioner to £BOO. The Senior member’s Inebriates’ Home Bill seems to have afforded the House two evening’s amusement, or as Mr Fish described it “ exquisite fooling.” In the course of the absurdity, the Hon. Mr Fergus said Mr Shera could not see that the House reporters in the galleries and the public were making game of him. (Mr Shera, emphatically : '■ No ”) The spectacle, added Mr Fergus, was one of the most ridiculous eyer witnessed within Parliament-, The member m charge, of the Bill was being flattered up to the top of bis bout and it was surprising that he could not see it. Sir George Grey’s Law Practitioners Bill, which is the same measure tuat he has brought before Parliament for many years, and which, last year after passing the House of Representatives, was rejected by the Legislative Council, came up for its second reading in the House last Thursday week, and passed that stage without opposition. On the suggestion of Mr B. Thompson, Sir George Grey agreed to the insertion of a small fee for the admission of barristers to practice, with a view to assist in the maintenance of Law Libraries. The Bili was set down for committal on Thursday last,