Parliamentary. (BY OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Wellington, July 3.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume II, Issue 17, 6 July 1899, Page 3

Parliamentary. (BY OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Wellington, July 3.

The debate on the Address in Reply I is the chief topic of convei'sation, and everything indicates that it will occupy i the biggest part of this week. While j a No Couijdeßtee motion is on, all j other matters are at a standstill, j therefore nothing in the way of legislation can be attempted until the present motion is disposed of. It is anticipated bv many partisans of the Gov-~ •esameat* -that the motion will be

defeated by 6 ov 7 votes, but I am inclined to think that the majoiity will bo smaller than that. It is said that Mr Montgomery, the member for Akaroa, who is one of the Left Wiug, will vote with the Government and some doubt exists as to the manner in which Mr J. Hnteheson the senior member for Wellington, will exercise his tole, notwithstanding that he it was wiio stirred up the Marine Cer tificate sensation. Some few weeks ago he told his constituents that he was elected to support the present minify, and would do so this session but never again would he 'stand for p]pcfcio» on those terms. Burn our says he will vote with the Opposition or else not vote at all. Up to date the speeches have been of a veiy lifeless r haraelei, the chief being those of Mr Hutchison the accuser and Mr HallJones the accused. Our member \ r ;>jor Ktevinid dohvpved his nddio^s but dealt mainly with the Land question. He spoke at length on the Land policy of the Government and made reference to Waikakahi and to the ncices'it^ for moie land. He thought the As-bi'ts Idealisation Board should cut up the Waihaorunga estate tor settlement, as much of it was suitable. Mention was also made of an allegation concerning the small pay given to woikmen ou this station, as compared with that p-iid on sin rounding propexlies : aUo that bhepheids and other employees had their rations weighed out to them as if they were prisoners As the Picmier was a member of the Board, he (Major Steward) mentioned these matters &o that an enqmrv could be held and proper remedies adopted. Mr George Hunter, the member for "\Yaipai\a, slated that a similar state of atfaus existed on stations belonging to the ]3oard m Hawkes Eay. The Premier intci]ected that the General Manage l had informed him that no leduotions had been made. The member for Ashley is asking the Acting Minister for Lands (Hon. HallJones) if the Government has any intention of introducing legislation eaily this session, dispensing with the sen ices of the present Assets Board or compelling them to carry on a moie vigorous administration by calling them to place all agricultural and pastoral lands now under their control ' on the market while such abnormally high prices are ruling for every desciiption of Rural Land and station f.tock. Respecting the purchase of the Waiknkahi estate, Mr G. Hutchenon, the uit'inbei for Patea, h moving that there be laid before the House, (1) the correspondence leading up to the consideration of the purchase of the estate Tinder the " Land for Settlement Act ;" (■2) the proceedings of tha Purchase Board as to the purchase of such estate, and (3) a copy of the transfer of the same to the Queen. The Order paper now occupies 75 pages, and as questions and< notices of motions flow in every sitting day, it will be a very voluminous affair betot-e the vote on the No-Confidence motion is recorded. Babbits claim the attention of seveial members, and the member for Waitaki is asking the Acting Minister for Agriculture, whether he will give instructions to the ri'bbit Inspectors, that in carrying out the duties of their office, the interest of farmers and flockowners must be carefully guarded, especially during the lambing and harvest , seasons, and further, that in districts where experience has shown that the rabbits can lye 1 Successfully kept down by trapping during certain months of the year, poisoning is not to be insisted upon during those months. " ,< The railways seem < tp be a prolific source of enquiry, aud members are desirous of obtaining all sorts of knowledge in connection with their working and management. The senior member for Wellington is anxious to learn when the Minister for Railways expects to have dining cars on long distance routes, and the member, for Temuka wishes to have bogie carriages substituted for those used on the Orari-Tirnaru train. Mr Carneross wants a workman's train to run between Motgiel and Dunedin, while Mr Fisher, the member, for Wellington, wants an_ extra Saturday

train on the Hutt-Petone line, also railway policemen, for the protection ef Government property, and of passengers who travel on the Government lines. Respecting volunteers, the member for Ashley wishes to be informed if the Government intend to amend '"The Defence Act, 1886," so as to provide for the forming of volunteer corps which, while having a legal status to enforce discipline etc., shall not be entitled to the capitation allowance, and thereby encourage the dovelopement oi a patriotic spirit among the young men of the colony. The member for Nelson, Mr ''Graham, has drawn the attention of Ministers to the fact that his district has neither a Colonel, Major, nor Adjutant in command of the volunteers, and wants to know, you know, whether stepe are j being taken to fill these vacancies, | which have been caused by resignations ; aloo, when will new appointments be made, and what temporary nnangements, if any, have been made lor tho contiol and management of the volunteers m the meantime. Local bodies and loans in connection Kith the same have been touched upon by a few members. The member for Ashley wishes to ascertain if it is the intention of the Government to introduce legislation this session dealing with tho question of local bodies loans, and pioudwg that by a Government guarantee or otherwise the loans ot local bodies bearing a high rate of lutorcfet might bo converted into loans beaiing a much lower rate of inteiest, and thereby giving relief to the ratepayers ot the colony. Mr McGiure aUo wishes to kno v if it is the intention of the Government to reduce the interest under " Tho Government Loans to Local Bodies Act, 1885," to 3 per cent., in order that local bodies may participate in the reduction of interest which has taken place since the passing of the said Act. The question of " thh-ds " and " fourths " have also arisen, and the member for Patea wishes for a return showing the amounts winch had accumulated on the 81st of March last, and the local bodies to which such moneys may be handed o\ er, and the lands to he sei ved by the expenditure of such moneys in terms of section 120 of the Land Act. Mr Pirani wishes to know when the Government will move in the direction suggested by the Minister of Public Works on a Timaru platform and make 1 ! pensions universal. Messrs O'ilegan and Graham want the law amended so I that unnatmalised persons may obtain | pensions, providing they fulfil the other j conditions. > j The prousions of Major Steward's | Roads Obstruction Prevention Bill, mentioned in previous notes, are as follows : — (1) From and after the passing of this Act, it whall not be lawful for any local authorities to grant permission for the erection or placing of any gate, fence, or other obstruction across or upon any public i road line in general, or frequent use I for horse or wheeled traffic. (2) If shown to the local authority by petition of ratepayer or ratepayers that any I existing gate, etc., has become a public j inconvenience, the local authority shall .forthwith send notice in writing to the owner or owners of such obstruction ordering removal within a time not exceeding 14 (Says, and in deiault of compliance owners shall be liable to a penalty of £.1 a day for every during which such default shall continue, and the local authority or ratepayer may remove such obstruction and recover from such owner or owners by sutnmary process in any stipendiary magistrate's court the] co,st pf such removal together with - %he ponalties aforesaid and costs of court. (3) X after receipt of petition any local' authority shall decline or neglect to issue a notice the petitioner or ratepayer may apply to 'a stipendiary magistrate for the issue of such notice, and upon the receipt of such application the magistrate shall fix a date for the bearing thereof, and shall notify all concerned when 'all objections will be heard. (4) If upon the hearing of, the application the magistrate shall find that the obstruction is a public inconvenience, he shall make an order directing rbe issue of a nbticja to the owner- or owners to re- ( move the same/acd thereupon the like

consequences shall ensue as in the case of an order made by the local authority. Provided that such lpcal authority shall be liable for all costs attendant upon the obfcainment of the magistrate's order, if such is granted, and that if such order be refused then the applicant or applicants shall be liable for such costs. The second reading of this Bill takes place on July 20th. Upon the off days of the present session many of the legislators will address meetings at various up-country places. It is stated that Mr T. E. Taylor is booked for the next six weeks, and' the Hon. Rolleston will address a meeting in Haw era.