WELLINGTON NOTES.

Waikato Argus, Volume I, Issue 41, 13 October 1896, Page 3

WELLINGTON NOTES.

[rnoji our owx cokresi>ojjdext|. Wellington, October 2. A CROWNING FEAT. The passing of the Liquor Bill just before breakfast time this morning adds another jewel to Mr Seddon's crown for versatility. When the third reading had passed and most of the members had hurried out, tho Rev. Walker, organiser of the temperance party, who had sat out the two nights debate, walked rip to the Premier, and, shaking him warmly by tho h*ind, congratulated him warmly on his victory. Oh! for a painter of battle scenes like Meissonier to depict on canvas the expression on the faces of the tactician and the general. Yon Moltke and Bismarck when Napoleon tho little came before them as a prisoner, Cetewayo paying homage to Lord Chelmsford, and a hundred other instances in history will suggest themselves to readers of these notes as similar to the occasion when Mr Seddon, the 'erstwhile champion of Brother Bung, lowered his standard to the man who has preached the gospel of prohibition so long. The situation was dramatic and unique, and is worthy of immortality. Yet there is a feeling pervading the country that things are not what they seem, and that the whole thing was a put up job. There is so much evidence in corroboration of this. Mr W. W. Collins, who led the stonewall, is the selected candidate of the Christchurch brewers; tho Christchurch brewers are the backbone of the Liberty League now working heart and soul in Mr Seddon's interests ; the Government paper in Wellington is calling on the people here to form a branch of the Liberty League ; the said paper has on its directorate Mr Martin Kennedy, and its plant is mortgaged to Mr Macarthy, and these two brewers monopolise the beer trade of the Wellington district, and when the publicans speak of the Premier's sudden conversion to the cause of prohibition they calmly wink the other eye and grin knowingly. The people who are most furious about the matter are the members of tho Workingmen's Clubs; the others don't care much about the matter. But the democratic horny-handed club men talk of treachery and Dick going back on his friends, while the prohibitionists are very well pleased to think they have used him as a tool while not pledging themselves to help him. The stonewall v. as ably engineered and would not have been so successful had there been any real desire to stop it, for the two chairmen, who took turn about, permitted language to be used without check which would have never been allowed on any other occasion. Some members slept, others visited Bellamy's frequently in search of inspiration and grew thick of speech, and the trade done over the bar during the two nights was tho best on record. THE END OF THE SESSION.

Last week the Premier promised that the Southern members should bo ullowcd to leave by Wednesday, and the others on Friday, but this hardly seems possible now. The Banking Committee asked for another week this afternoon to draw up the report, but objections were raised on the very obvious grounds that this might be on the last day of the session, and no time would be afforded to consider, much less debate it. Mr Bell said the Committee had never touched the subject of the real enquiry, for the Committee had carefully refrained from enquiring into accounts on the grounds of " no writings off'," when there had been writings off which had been protected by a technicality. His opinion of the report to be presented to the House was that it would be a bale of waste paper ; he hoped the Committee would recogniso that the House had set them certain work to do, and the country exjiected the Committee would do that work conscientiously. Captain Eussell protested that it would be unfair not to give the House an opportunity of criticising the theatrical performance of the past three months. Mr John MacKenzie replied very impressively that the report of the Committee would only end the first act of the drama. The second would be when the people of the colony demanded to know where that four millions went to. What he meant by this allegorical threat is not very clear, for the people of New Zealand have nothing to do with it. That is n matter between the unfortunate shareholders and the directors they selected to look after their interests. Mr Graham said he thought the sub - committee would have their report ready to submit to the General Committee on Tuesday and to the House on Wednesday. Then the Copyright Bill Committee asked for another week to report There is something queer going on in this connection. About ten days ogo it was known in the lobbies that a report was drawn up and then the Minister of Lands, who started this little game, had it kept back so that he could give further evidence. That report recommended that all newspapers should be admitted to the Press Association without paying any entrance fee and should have equal privileges with existing members. Seeing that the present combination has a reserve fund of £-1000 for contingencies, it would be a rather one Bided bargain to admit them to a share of other people's savings, but that is the tendency of all our modern legislation and should not cause surprise to anyone. But as there are always two parties to a bargain, making it only natural to conclude that the present Association would divide their nest egg and then dissolve and let the country wait for its news by mail, instead of getting it daily by wire. There was a minority report drawn up also, recommending the maximum entrance fee to be fixed at X'oOO with a sliding scale. But, as theCommitteo is still asking for time, it is bard to say what new wonders its members will evolve. THE FACTOItY'S ACT. This is not yet stringent enough to suit the Trades' Unions, for further stringent provisions arc demanded. As an example of how this meddlesome piece of legislation affects people, the following instance will give evidence of its absolute cruelty to the poor. A family which a few years ago was in affluent circumstances became reduced to poverty, and there being young children to look after, the mother applied for work to an old friend in the clothing trade, which she could do at her own house. He gave her some to do of the better paid sort, and sent a skilled workman to instruct her. Down swooped one of the numerous inspectors the employers are pestered with here and told the poor woman that if she did work in her own house that she would be required to register it as a factory, and to ticket all goods she delivered with a number corresponding with that ou the register.

This she was unable to do, so she lost the right to labour and is now on the charitable aid. ANOTHER CASE. An employer has been fined more than once and is particularly scrupulous in observing the minutest provisions of the Act himself and impressing on the forty odd workers ho lias that they shall leave no loophole for a prosecution. A few weeks ago all hands dropped their needles and scissors as the clock tolled "one" on Saturday afternoon. One girl had retired to an ante-room and the boy was sweeping the workroom out when the girl came up. Informations were laid against the employer for having the girl on his premises after the stipulated hour, against the girl for daring to be on the premises, and against the small boy for " obstructing an inspector in the execution of his duty." The fines amounted to £7 4s, and the problem arises in one's mind if this labour legislation is beneficial to anyone at all. It is a new way of raising revenue certainly, and, judged from that standpoint is, perhaps, a real goodthing in tho estimation of a hard-up treasurer, but it ennnot be said to promote enterprise.