POLITICAL NOTES

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2649, 4 July 1889, Page 2

POLITICAL NOTES

(I!Y TULKGKAI'H. —OWN COKKKSL'OXnKNT.) Wkm,in'c;tox, Wednesday. DEFENCE OF THE COLONY. An excited discussion arose this afternoon over a statement made by Mr Hutchinson, the member for Waitotara, last night ' respecting the condition of the colonial : defences. Mr Hutchinson, on that oc- | ension, asked the Defence Minister whether he had not received a memo from Major-General Stewart, the well-known military authority at home, to the effect that, owing to the great advances made in naval armament lately, the New Zealand ports were practically defenceless. Mr Fergus, in reply, denied all knowledge of such a memo, and quoted the opinion of General Schaw that the fortifications of New Zealand were equal to any in the world, a statement which was received with ironical cheers and laughter from the Opposition benches. The Minister, however, promised to make enquiries, and said he should give the House next clay some definite information. Mr Fergus, therefore, this afternoon made a personal explanation with reference to this, and said that Mr Hutchinson was altogether inaenrate in his statement that Major-General Stewart had condemned the fortifications of the colony. Thoonly communication received by the Defence Department from the gentlemen, who had never been in New Zealand and consequently could not report on the fortifications at all, was a letter in which he strongly recommended the Government to supplement their supply of guns with a heavy gun of a higher range than those at present used. The cost of these guns is about iII,SOO each. Mr Fergus, therefore, flatly contradicted the statement made by Mr Hutchinson. He then asked that the letter be read. A lengthy discussion took place, Mr 15allance contending that it was a confidential document, which should not be made known to to the House. Capt. Russell said that from a hasty persusal ho thought there was nothing whatever of a damaging nature in it. The Premier then took up the cudgels on behalf of his colleague, and said that after the damaging statements made about the defences the previous night, the Defence Minister, who was responsible for the defences of the colony, was entitled to soino explanation. He went on to characterise in very strong terms Mr Hutchinson's action in obtaining a copy of General Stewart's memo to the Agent-General and then detailing it to the House without saying a word about it and said no honorable •nan would have acted as the member for Waitotara had done. The Speaker here called 011 the Piemier to apologise for this expression which Sir Harry did most unreservedly, but he added that after the manner in which Mr Hutchinson became possessed of this memo ho was not a man to be trusted in public office. After considerable debate, Mr Hutchinson said he had heard when in London that this memo had been received by the AgentGeneral from General Stewart, and he wrote to the former asking for a copy of it. The Agent-General replied that he could not allow him to ha.e a copy, but that the original one could be soen at the office. Mr j Hutchinson, therefore, contended that he had gone about the matter in a systematic way, and he had only done his duty in bringing it before the House. The whole affair ended by the memo, referred to being read by the cierk. FRIENDLY SOCIETIES. . An interesting question was put in the House to-day by Mr Goldie, who asked the Premier whether, taking into account the fact that a number of friendly societies have been declared by the Registrar of such societies to be financially unsound so that there is no reasonable probability that a member, if he lives to bo old, will receive the benefits which he is being led to expect, the Government will intioduce a Hill this session compelling every Benefit Society to put themselves into such a financial position that the inducements held out to working men to join may be assured to them in their time of necessity. Sir Harsy Atkinson said be had been seriously considering this # question, and ha intended shortly to move 'tor a committee to enquire into the matter. PROPERTY ASSESSMENT DILL. This Bill provides that all machinery in actual use shall be exempt from the Pro-perty-tax, and enables the Commissioner upon receiving the sanction of the Colonial Treasurer to remit the whole or any part of the tax in cases of hardship. Power is also given to the Commissioner to nunit taxation upon a building which has not been occupied for six months, and provision is made for revision within the triennial period upon the , application of the Commissioner or the owner.