POLITICAL NEWS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1916, 16 October 1884, Page 2

POLITICAL NEWS.

[BT TKLKGRAPH.— fIPKCt VL CORJIKSPONDRNT.I Wj:m.inc rox, Wednesday SlB Geouge Gkry'h Cruelty to Animals Bill has been withdrawn m consctiuence of the press of ther business in the House, but it has been introduced in the Legislative Council by Mr Waterhouso. This bill authorises the convicting magistrate to order that any fine inflicted for cruelty to animals shall either in whole or mpait be handed over to any society for the prevention of such cruelty and any Resident Magistrate or two Justices, m<vv appoint any officer, agent, or servant, of such society to be a special constable within any district or for any peiiod to enfoica "the provisions of the law m the oidinary manuer. The Bill also gives power to order the killing of any animals in a pound or found in any other place in a weak or disabled state. It it made an offence for any persona having the custody of any animal to neglect to supply it with proper and sufficient food drink atid shelter, and local bodies who own m pound must have a portion of it covered in so as to afford shelter to the animals confined.

Sir George Grey. Sir George Grey is growing a little fractious. It is generally felt that should anything like a serious breach occur between Ministers and Sir G. Grey, Mr Tole would at once retire from the Cibinet. He has always been one of Sir George's warmest bupporters.

Mr Pyke. Mr Pyke this afternoon caused great amusement in the House by . asking Government " whether they would make arrangements with the Wellington City Corporation or the Gas Company to keep the street Limps alight on dark nightsduringthe sitting of Parliament until one hour after the rising of the House, or, in default, if the Government will provide members with lanterns, so that they may bo able to find their way home without incurring danger to life and limb." He gave a mo«*t laughable aicount of his endeavour to find his way home on Monday night, which was unusually dark. He said he could not underatand that in Wellington, the so-c.illed metropolis of the colony, the gas was put out at 12 o'clock at night. In Auckland the gas was kept alight all night ; at Dunediu it was allowed to burn until 4 !v.ni M and even the workmen of Dunedin complained that it was not kept .ihglit long enough to enable them to proceed to their Work in the morning. Mr Pyke re.id a letter from the Wellington Company (Limited), " very limited I should say " s>aid Mr Pyke amidst a roar of laughter, to the effect that it was the corporation that should be blamed in the matter and not the Gas Company. Several othei members contributed to Mr Pyke'n leniarks, as to the difficulty they experienced in reachirg their homes after leaving the House owing to the daikness of the street. One member characterised thu Wellington City Council as the meanest corporation in New Zealand. The matter eventually dropped on the suggestion of the Piemiei that it was not a proper one to bring befoie tile House,