POLITICAL GOSSIP.

[Fbom Oob Pabliamkotaby Rnoaann.]

WELUNGTON, Jtter 10.

Trad* V-tlMts.

The return of the carats oi the associations registered under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act and the names of the unions contributing shows the following : In Otago: New Zealand Federated Boot Trade, Danedin Operative Bootmakers. Invercargiil : Bootmakers' Amalgamated Society. Railway Servantt>' branches at Invercargiil, Duuedin, end Oamaru. The New Zealand Federated Toiloreeses and other Clothing Trade Dnnedin Tai'oresses, Prea-era, and other Clothing Operatives, the Otago Trades and Labor, Dunedin Operative Bootmakers, Otago Typographical, Dunedin Operative Tailors, Presses and other Clothing Factory Opera* tives, Dunedin United Furniture Trade, United Boilermakers and Iron Shipbuilders of Otago, Duuedin Bakers and Pastryoooks. Tbe names of the unions registered as industrial unions of woikers: Southland Trades and Labor 51, Invercargiil Bootmakers 23, Society of Railway Servants—lnvercargiil 234, Otago 381; Pressers, etc., iDun. edio, 18 ; Dpnedin Operative Bootmakers 226, Dunedin branch of Amalgamated Society of Eogineers 71, Dunedin Coal Miners 166, Dunediu Tailoresses 536, Dunedin Operative Tailors 60, Dnnedin Stonemasons 23, Invercargiil Wonvn Workers 13, Otago Typographical 124, Dunedin branch of the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners 58, Dunedin United Furniture Trade 77, Dunedin Bakers and PaHry Cooks 70, Dunedin Painters 59, Oago United Shipwrights 66, Dunedin Carriers 9, Dunedin United Plumbers and Gasfitters 23, Boilermakers and Iron Shipbuilders of Otugo 16, Dunedin Wharf Laborers 104, Otago Fishermen 67, Otago Miners and Laborers 17.

Popularising tbe Railways.

Otago farmers will hail with satisfaction the intimation that, by way of experiment, it is proposed to carry lime over the railways free for a period of two years. Increasing the pay of the platelayers and laborers, etc., by sixpence per day will mean an increased expenditure, roughly speaking, of £15,000 a year to the department There being no allndon in the Railways Statement to doubling the MoegielDunedin line or doing works of a kindred nature is explained by the fact that provision therefor will require to come from capital account, and not out of the £200,000 which it iB proposed to be riised for general railway purposes. Death or the Clerk of Parliament. Mr George Friend, clerk of Parliament, who has been in ill-health for some months, died this morning. The fact will be announced to the House by Mr Speaker to-day, after which a resolution expressive of the House's appreciation if the service which the deceased has rendered to the colony and of sympathy with his family will be moved by the Premier. The deceased gentleman was born at London, and was the son of Mr George Friend, for many years Accountant-General for India. He took hfgh honors at King's College, London ; came to New Zealand in 1853, and the following year joined tbe Governmentservicein the Auditor-General's Department. From 1858 to 1862 he was UnderCommissioner for Purchase. In June, 1862, he was appointed aßEistant clerk to the House, and oa October 1, 1887, on Major Campbell's rtthement, he became cleik to the House.

It is anticipated that Mr 11. Otterson will be appointed clerk and Mr A. VV. Ratherford assistant clerk.

A gratuity of £1,200, equal to two years' salary, will probably be voted Mr Friend'a widow.

In announcing the death of Mr Friend, after a long and painful illness which wu borne with great fortitude, Speaker O'Rorke said deceased was a most zealous and painstaking officer, who could always be relied on with the fullest confidence to perform his work.—The Premier referred to the advice and assistance readily given to him when a young member by the late clerk—advice which has r.lways proved to be most serviceable. Every member of the House would sympathise with Mr Friend's widow and only daughter. He mtved—"That this House desires to place ou record its high sense of the faithful services rendered to the House of Representatives during thirty-five years by the late Mr George Friend as clerk assistant and clerk of the House, and respectfully tendereto his family an assurance of iu fymnathy with them in their irreparable loßf."—After reference hid been made by Mr Rolleston to the los.s that the House had sustained, and he had borne tribute to the courteous aud obliging character of the deceased, the motion was put, and the House adjourned till half-past seven.

Enlarging tlic Municipal Franchise.

The Premier says that as the Municipal Franchise Enlargement Bill has been amended the franchise has been broadened beyond his hopes. The excision of the reference to parliamentary franchise prevents any voter who has failed to exercise his vote at a General Election being struck off the roll and continuing off it for fifteen months; this is of itself a great gain. The residential occupation, with a £lO limic, is practically universal franchise. Mr Seddon anticipates no difficulty in the way of the Bill passing the Council. The mayors of the six centres, together with Mr Martin (solicitor to the Municipal Association), interviewed the Premier thii morning with iespect to the Municipal Franchiee Reform Bill. It was explained that the Municipal Conference approved of the vote being given to a residential occupant, but they thought that the limit should be six months, to which the Premier replied if the £lO qualification were taken away he did not object to the residence limit being increased. He warned the deputation that if the Bill again got back into committee the £lO limit would go out, as £5 wm only defeated by a msjirity of three on Friday night. In that case he himself would support Eix monih->'occupany being inserted in place of three months. If they were going to make it a two-shillingsper-week tenancy they might as well have no limit.— In answer to questions the Premier made it clear that only the tenant in chief would be entitled to vote, according to the law officers of the Ciown, a: d that the member for Patea's words "tub-tenant" were mere surplusage.—The Mayor of Christchurch suggested the introduction of the words "legal tr " before " beneficial" in clause 4, so as to provide for trustees having a vote.—The Premier promised to take the advice of the law officers on the point. He, however, maintained an unbending attitude on the proposal that voters might exereiße the vote in more than one ward in the case of ward elections. He pointed out that the object of the Bill was to entirely abolish plurality voting, and so far as he was individually concerned he did not recognise property as having a right to vote at all. He wished that to be made very clear. He did not see bow the deputation were poing to discriminate between the man who had a hiystack end the householder. Interrogated as to whether a person who was on more than one ward roll could exercise a vote for each ward in the case of loan proposals, the Premier said it was not intended to restrict votes in regard to loans, but merely to amend the law. In reply to another question he said he meant to put the Local Government Bill through, and to put it on the Statute Book. He did not think any question was of greater concern than an improvement in our system of charitable aid, which at present was simply rotten to the core.

Tlie Worker*,' Compensation for Accidents Bill

was under the consideration of the Labor Bills Committee to-day, when evidence was given by Mr Vaney (secretary of the Trades and Labor Council, who voiced the opinions of the Trades Conference) and Mr Mumne (secretary of the Cabinetmakers' Union). Both approve of the Bill. Importation of Fruit. Mr Millar h»s given notice to a*k whether the Government will rdti the regulation applying to citrus fruit so tar as it regards the South Island.

A Split In tbe Prohibition Banks*

The temperance advocates iu the House are understood not to be in accord as to tbe action to be taken in regard to Mr Millar's Licensing Bill, which is the main business for Thursday evening.