POLITICAL.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume XXII, Issue 1676, 6 August 1892, Page 2

POLITICAL.

[By T eleoraph.]

[From our own Correspondent.]

Wellington, August 4

The Premier stated this afternoon an reply to a question on the order paper that the (xovernment had considered the invaluable services rendered to the colony by the late Sir H. Atkinson, and when the supplementary estimates were presented to the House Parliament will be asked to grant gratuities to the widow and family of the deceased statesman. After all the questions for to-day had been disposed of the House settled down for Committee work on local bills, of which there were thirteen. No. 1, Dunedin Ocean Beach sailed into Committtee, and "after a brief stay there it returned to the House and passed its third reading. The second, Napier Harbour Board Loan Bill, had a rough passage in Committee. . One unsuccessfol effort was made ou division to limit the rate of interest to 5 per cent, the maximum sum in the Bill being 6" per cent. An attempt was also made to prevent the Board from selling debentures below > pir, but the Bill came out without being so amended and finally passed its third reading. The Onehunga Cemetery Bill then came to the front for committal, end at 5 o'clock a motion was made for adjournment of the debate, but on division was rejected by 36 to 16. The; opponents to the Bill then allowed their eloquenc9 to flow on till 5.30, when .the Speaker left the chair. It was understood when the House adjourned last night that the Premier at 6.30 this evening weald commence his reply■ to the criticism of several members who had taken part in the financial debate, but upon the Speaker resuming the chair after the dinner adjournment the member for Timaru led off with an attack upon Mr Fish', which will have the bringing of Sir Joha Hall to fts "feet. In all probability tho debate will not finish to-night. The success of the celebration of Arbor Day in Wellington was marred by unfavourable weather, very heavy north-west wind prevailing throughout the proceedings and rendering things very unpleasant for the people who assembled on the Thorndon esplanade. Clouds of dust were carried across the ground, and everyone was extremely glad when the ceremony was over. The Mayor speaking from the rotunda announced that there would be no addresses. His worship expressed pleasure at the fact that Lord and Lady Glasgow had consented to plant trees to commemorate Arbor Day 1892, and called

for three cheers for His Excellency and the Countess. The invitation was enthusiastically responded to. His Excellency then came forward and created alarm by.sayinghe thought the day should not only be called Arbor Day but also harbor day an allusion to the. disastrous weather then prevailing. His Excellency assured those present that he was only too happy to take part in the ceremony because he recognised that the objects for which Arbor Day had been proclaimed were highly desirable. Pohutakawa trees were then planted by the Governor and Lady Glasgow on each side of the rotunda under the directions of Mr Jey, the well-known horticulturist, after which the Speakers of both Houses, the Premier, the Minister for Lands, and the W. M. G. followed suit. Tho trees used were pohutakawa and Norfolk pine. The Governor and party afterwards drove to the botanical gardens where trees were planted by his Excellency, the Countess of Glasgow, the ladies Augusta Alice and Dorothy Boyle aud several others. After the Governor and Lady Glasgow had gone to the botanical gardens a number of trees were planted on the esplande by the general public.