PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 179, 31 July 1888, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

(BY TELEGUArn. —PARLIAMENTARY

IiEPORTER.)

Wellington, this day. KOHIMARAMA LAUNCH.

Success has attended the efforts which Mr Goldie has been making to obtain a grant from the Government towards the purchase of the steam launch for Kohimarama School. The Government have promised £25 towards the object on condition that tho launch is a proper one, and suitable for all purposes for which it is required. AN ERRONEOUS IMPRESSION. There appears to be an erroneous impression in Auckland relative to the quantity of land to be given for the construction of tbe Otago line. The cost of the line is estimated at £850,000, but the land to be given is 33 per cent, of that amount. MANGANESE AT WAITAKEREI. Tbe Ministerof Works was interviewed by Mr Goldie yesterday relative to the roads necessary to open up the manganese deposits at Waitakerei. MrGoldie submitteda letter from R. Crowe, of Auckland, urging the construction of the Kirikiri Road between Mcll wain's junction and Breakneck Hill, the cost of which ho states at £200. The Minister replied that if it were represented that tho money already granted was not sufficient to complete the work, he would have it done. SAN FRANCISCO MAIL SERVICE" I believe the Government have received cablegram from the Agent-General relative to a subsidy for the carriage of mails across the Atlantic, whioh the Imperial Government has declined to pay. It is, however, of an indefinite character, and non-commit-tal. Mr Peacock waH actively engaged last nightwhippingfor support for the San Francisco service, and he is fairly well satisfied with the feelings of all his friends. However, many members are inclined to vote against both service-, and if the San Francisco service is abolished the same fate is almost certaiu to attend the direct service. Mr Peacock expects that the San Francisco service will be made part of the Government policy if tho reply from tho Imperial Government relative to the Atlantic subsidy is favourable. SLAUGHTER-HOUSES BILL. This measure passed its final stages in the Lower House last night. -Mr Fitzherbert mado a strong protest against the Bill on tho motion for third reading, and said it was unfair in its legislation and was introduced in tho interests of one or two members of the House. An amendment on the proposal for third reading was lost by 31 to 12. INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS ACT AMENDMENT BILL. Some time was occupied last ni_.ht in discussing the motion on second reading of this measure, which enables neglected and vagrant, as well as poor children, to be sent to charitable institutions, and to provide for the maintenance of imbecile or crippled children of fifteen years and upwards, and to make the putative father of an illegitimate child liable for its maintenance, notwithstanding any composition made with the mother of.tho child. Messrs Goldie, Jones and others objected to the fresh burdens sought to be thrown on tho local bodies by the first provision of the Bill, and further consideration of the measure was eventually deferred for a fortnight. FAIR RENT BILL. This Bill finally passed tho Lower House last night. In Committee, the period within which a rent once fixed should not be altered was changed, on the motion of Mr Peacock, from three years to five year_. Mr Carroll moved to strike out the words applying tho Bill to the lands vested in the Public Trustee for any public purposea. and to the West Coa?b settlement reserves. He, however, withdrew his amendment on the assurance by the Premier that it was intended, after adjusting the rents of the reserves, to hand over the land to tiio natives to manage for themselves. The Premier also promised that the Bill should not apply to native lands after a commission had fixed the rent for the first period of five years. On the motion of D. Stewart, tho word "public "was inserted before colleges, so as to make the Bill apply to the land of public colleges only.

CARRIAGE OF LIME. Satisfaction does not appear to have been given by the reply of the Minister of Works to the question relative to the free carriage of lime for the Waikato, and Mr Goldie is now asking the Minister for Public Works whether thellailwayDepartment is carrying limestone from Te Kuiti to Huntly or other districts free of co3t. If so, for what reason aud to what extent will such a custom bo allowed to prevail .

HARBOUR BOARDS IN DIFFI CULTIES.

Tho Premier intends to introduce a Bill to amend tho Harbours Act. It is understood tbe measure is intended to meet the difficulties which have arisen in connection with tho Waitara and New Plymouth harbour admiuiatration, but the Thames is not being dealt with. It is not intended to legislate in connection with the Westport and Greymouth Harbour Boards this session,

THOSE PENSIONS. It has now been ascertained that the total amount of pensions payable to persons who have not yet commenced to draw their pensions is £9,082 15s, When these are provided for one great obstacle to retrenchment will be removed. ANOTHER "STONEWALL." Another " stonewall" is threatened, the West Coast goldfielda members declaring their intention of resisting the repeal of the Crown and Native Lauds Rating Act. MINISTERIAL DIVISION. Some very amusing chaff was directed against the Government by Mr W. P. Reeves in the discussion on the Otago Central question yesterday afternoon. Ihe member for St. Albans, taking up an attitude of mock commiseration for the Government for their "deplorable position, said the object of the promoters of the Bill in proposing an adjournment was to keep Ministers out of their difficulty. At present one half the Ministry was stonewalling the other half. The promoters of the Bill wanted to be able to go to the Premier with a distinct assurance that the Bill was now acceptable to the majority of the House. Ihe Premier would cautiously ask "Are you quite sure it will be acceptable ? and they would reply in the affirmative. The Premier would theo take heart of grace and would say that he thought the arguments now used in favour of the Bill were irresistible, and would accordingly do hi 3 best to get it passed.

JOTTINGS. Mr Valentine is asking the Government if they will assist to have a third vessel employed to carry out the Pacific cable as quickly as possible. . The Disorderly House Suppression Bill has been read a fiftt time. The State Forests Act Amendment Bill has been passed by the Lower House. Mr Izard is calling the attention of the Government to the excessive mileage charges for delivery of telegrams. The Hon. Mr Hislop has given notice of a District Court Act Amendment Bill. Mr Taylor says the Government do not intend to give the tea duty to local bodies. Dr. Fitchett is asking the Government if they will protect loral labour by imposing en export duty on rough or unsawn kauri gum.

Mr Fish is interceding with the Government for a week's holiday ouce a year for telegraph message boy 6. Air Taylor is asking Government to substitute death by electricity for banging.