WELLINGTON NOTES.

Waikato Argus, Volume V, Issue 346, 27 September 1898, Page 3

WELLINGTON NOTES.

(FROM OTTK OWN" OOUUESrOUDKNT.) A MAID FN EFFORT. New members, when soaring after the infinite or diving for the unfathomable, generally find Balm of Gilead in introducing a Bill to re-organise society and confer benefits on the down-trodden. Thus Mr John Hntcheson, senior member for Wellington city, found relict for his superabundant legislathe energy iu incubating a measure to provide a Law Bureau, so as to give the poor and needy opinions free. Had it met with any encouragement, it was understood that our Charles Wilson intended going one letter with a Free Medical Bureau. In the Upper House, Mr Lee Smith is endeavouring to justify his upheaval by an Amended Hankruptey Act, and his effort has reached the committee stage, as the poet Campbell wrote of another exile There came up this session a man from Dunediu, And the odour of Ward and Co. clung to him still ; For poor bankrupts he sighed, and he said they were needin' Some one like himself introjuicin' a Bill. His twin-brother, the Hon. Twomey, is frantic with jealousy, and is burning midnight oil in the preparation of something said to be both revolutionary and recherche. Twomey, M.L C. occasionally drops in promiscuously to foregather with the Scribes iu the Press room, and there drops hints of State secrets from another place. The ideas he lias about his Bill are a bit lazy at present, but it is understood that it will either be one for legislating the colouring of meerschaum pipes, or a Bill to encourage the cultivation of red noses. There are about 90 Bills now on the order paper, mostly as likely to become law as those prompted by the pimples on the body politic who waste the time of the House, and it will be neither better nor worse for the country if ample rope is given to one and all of them to legislate to their heart's content. We cannot get any worse now. As for Mr Lee-Smith's bankruptcy effort, it found its way into the regions of ridicule at a very early stage. Clause 2 is intended to make a specially easy exit for farmers from the Bankruptcy Court. It reads as follows:—" Where the bankrupt is a farmer, the Court, in determining whether his order of discharge should be granted, suspended or refused, shall have regard to the following considerations, that is to s»y : (1) That the farmer is justified in expecting that his farming operations will result in an average harvest or other returns ; and also that a farmer, not being a trader in the ordinary meaning of that term, is not expected to keep such full books of account in respect to his farming operationsas would reasonably be required in the case of a trader." Naturally such a relief from ledger and cashbook worries for one class raised a debate, and the Hon. Lee-Smith was good enough to say that he intended that sbeep-farmers should be considered as plain farmers in this connection. Then village settlers, blacksmiths, miners and so on found advocates for freedom from the cares of accountantship. Finally sheep-farmers and miners were incorporated in the clause, and it passed. Now, if this Bill becomes law, it will be a bit tough of interpretation. As for instance —a" friend of mine McTavish, by name, is a miner by profession. He hns given up the active part of the business, and no longer lives in an atmosphere of dynamite fumes ; but, in the words of the clause, " he is justified in expecting that his f; ruling operations will result in an average harvest." In McTavish's case this will mean dividends ; but until that happy time comes " Mac " is dragging out a sort of existence as a journalist. Now, in the event of his not keeping a set of books, and of his getting into the toils uf the official assignee, what will be his status. Being a miner the act exempts him ; but his means of living, or rather his justification for getting into debt, is by reason of his scribbling. Here is an apple of discord for the lawyers at once, and the old story of the lawyers and the oyster would be apropos. Farmers and miners being producers, are worthy of every encouragement ; but they are not alone in disappointments regarding harvests. There is quite a large number of spielers and tote betters resident in Wellington City who hope for, and sometimes reap, their harvest. Why should they not have their claims recognised ; also Justices of the Peace, many of whom poor fellows can barely write their names, much less keep accounts. No doubt the Hon. LeeSmith means well ; but his soul is not comprehensive enough for these progressive days. He must look to it, or the Hon. Twomey will leave him in the rear in his efforts to ameliorate the lot of the deserving but unfortunate Liberals. THE POLICE COMMISSION. The House has now spent three days in discussing the report of the Police Commission. The gentlemen composing that white-washing tribunal reported very guardedly as mignt have been expected, considering that two of them were Government officials and the third a persona grata with the Premier, and with a desire to fill the long vacant Attorney • Generalship. The three inquisitors began their explorations early in February, had a very good time of it in \isiting nearly every town in the colony which possesses a policeman, drew three guineas per day each, and finished their work on July ,28th, the result being a blue book of forbidding dimensions containing more matter than even the fearful Banking Committee's report. Although they showed every consideration for the feelings of the Ministers who alone could have told the reasons why the force had deteriorated, they were allowed to escape giving evidence, but the Commissioners, with all their courtesy and natural feelings of obligations they entertained towards their patrons, could not help recommending that the control of the force as regards appointments, promotions and re» movals should rest with the Commissioner and not with Ministers. This was letting Messrs Seddon and Thompson down as liiditly as possible, and they ought to have accepted the gentle simb as gracefully as they knew how. But the Hon. Thompson, as the figurehead of the Department, was compelled to say something in defence to the House, and what he did say was that the effect of the report would be to restore public confidence in the police, and he moved to set up a special committee to report to the House, with power to call for persons and papers. This proposal to pile Pelion on Ossa is ridiculous in the face of the one " paper " of 1200 pages now in the hands of members, but it is a favourite one with the Ministry. On every occasion when they have found themselves in a tight vlace they have set up a Royal Commission to get them out of it, and then iguored the report afterwards. MiKelly, of Invercaigill, followed with an amendment to adopt the suggestions of the Commission, and it wassoou apparent that Ministers had no desire to part with their valuable patronage. Every one of them uses the police in his own district to harden up his own political status, and if the constables were politically independent the seats of some Ministers would become even more shaky than they are. Ministers are making sorry exhibitions of themselves this session and lurne more so than the Premier himself, for his defence amounted to an assertion that when his Government took office there was great ditcon tent in the force and that there were too many inspectors. It is a notorious fact that the West Coast Inspector, a man of unblemished integrity and every inch a good officer, was promptly sacked as soon as Mr Seddon got into power, the said Inspector having had the courage of his convictions regarding Mr Seddon's rieht. to dictate how he should vote. The Government following voiced by that envuently obedient Liberal Mr Graham, of Nelson, desire to leave the

niattsr in hands of Ministers to adopt the recommendations of Ministers or otherwise as they choose. 1 hat is as it should he according to the attitude of Graham and Co., and it it means anything it is that Liberal members are content to obliterate themselves and their own opinions, and like so many cockatoos, my " I'ictiy Dick " wlun so ordered by tlu'ir owner. AN ALARMING PROTEST. Meantime nearly three months have passed by since Lord Rinfurly was made to promise the consideration of a pie of Labour Bills and reforms of the Legislative Council. These desirable affairs now seem further away, than ever and the ruling powers which pull the strings are losing failh in their tinpot deities. Last night that momentous lever of leaislation the Trades' Council met and solemnly drew up a protest agaicst the continued neglect of the Government in not bringing forward the amendments suggested by them io the Conciliation and Arbitration Act, as well as the neglect of the Masters and Apprentices and other B lis. This is ominous. But how can poor Mr Seddon help himself. He wants to get his estimates and his Loan Bill through, and for all his efforts and long sittings lie finds the road ■ blocked by such paltry obstacles as the police rep-ivt and the determination or the Opposition to have a look in at the public expenditure. As a matter of fact he prefers to save up his Labour Bills for the general election. With them he has a party flag emblazoned with devices. If they were passed this session, lie would then be poor indeed. The Trades' Council is deficient of political foresight.