POLITICAL NOTES.

Waikato Argus, Volume V, Issue 323, 4 August 1898, Page 2

POLITICAL NOTES.

(BY TKLEOUAI'II SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT) Wellington, Last Night. A DISCOURTEOUS ACT. Tin'. Premier tins afternoon treated Captain Russell with marked discourtesy, which lias coked considerable comment. It may be explained that the Oppo-it'on leader had had a motion on the Order Paper for some days, asking that Mr Buchanan's name should be substituted on the Public Accounts Committee for that of .VI r James Allen, who has been unavoidably detained in England owing to his daughter's serious illness. Captain Russell simply asked the pcrmi.s-.ion of the House this afternoon to move his motion, as owing to the position it occupies on the Order Paper it may possibly be a week or two longer before the motion is reached. In asking leave of the House to-diy (.'apt. Ruesell said he feared that Mr Allen would be unable to tike his seat in the House this session, and as he merely asked to substitute one Opposition member for another one who is detained in England through illness in his family it was never expected that the Premier would be so discourteous as to oppose such a reasouab'e request, especially under the circumstances. When tin Speaker, however, put Captain Russell's motion cries of assent were heard on all sides of the House, but the Premier uttered an emphatic " no," which prevented the motion bein« put from the chair, it being necessary to have the unanimous consent of the House before a motion can be taken out of its turn. It has become quite a common occurrence for the present Premier to accuse the Opposition of obstruction ; but an exhibition of feeling such as he displayed to-day over this matter is not likely to facilitate the passage of business for th-i rest of the session. It is urged in the extenuation of Mr Seddou's churlish conduct that the Opposition were from the first determined to put Mr Allen on the Committee ; but they were surely justified in this action, as Mr Allen is one of the few members in the House who is acquainted with financial questions, such as arc investigated by the Public Accounts Committee. It is, there fore, only reasonable when it is foundthat Mr Allen is not likely to take his seat this session to substitute another member on the same side of the House for the member for Bruce ; but the Premier is solely responsible tor the prevention of this being done. THE CYCLING BILL The Public Petition Committee reported to-day on the petition of T. Thompson and 50 others, T Tanner aud 30 others, C. Margolion and 21 others (all of Napier), who prayed that the Cycle Traffic Bill now before Parliament may not be passid. The committee report that in their opinion the petitioners have made out a case worthy of the consideration of the House when dealing with the Cycle Traffic Bill. NATIVE LAND POLICY'. The Native Lands Settlement and Administration Bill introduced to-day by the Premier embodies the native land policy enumerated by the Premier on several occasions recently. It is proposed by the Bill that the settlement and administration of native lands shall be accomplished through the medium of District Boards. These Boards are to consist of the Commissioner of Crown Lands, in whose land district the greater proportion of'the native land district is situated, two natives elected by the native land-owners in the district, and two Europeans appointed by the Governor. The Bill is permissive, and can only be brought into force in any particular district if a majority of the natives decide in its favour, in case of the Act being brought into force, the whole of the native land in the district still remaining in the hands of the natives is to lie administered by the Board for the benefit of native owners. Another Bill introduced by Mr Seddon is to provide land for landless natives. This Bill proposes to set aside areas of Crown lands for natives who have not sufficient land for the reasonable support of themselves and their dependents. No Dative is to be allowed to hold more than sufficient to maintain himself and his family, and he cannot I dispose of the land in any way. Conditions are to be imposed, probably in the direction of ensuring that the natives placed on these reserves make proper use of the opportunity given them by this Bill. AUCKLAND 'BUS ACCIDENT. The Railway Committee reported this afternoon on the petition of James Ness and others, of Auckland, who asked for compensation for injuries sustained by them through a 'bus on which they were riding having been ran down by a railway train at Auckland on Ist October, 1807. The report is that the committee are of opiuion that the petitioners have no claim on the Colony.