PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 263, 29 August 1888, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

, . (BY' TELIGBAPH — PABLIAMENTASy. KEPOBTEB.) j **«•' . Wellington, this day. • DISTRICT RAILWAYS. In the House last night, in answer to Mr Stewart, the Premier said he was eorry to have to abandon the District Rail, ways Purchasing Act -Amendment Bill owing to the late period of the session. The Government would introduce a similar measure next session, and in the meantime would hold the ratepayers liable for their yates.PETITIONS REPORTED QN. The reports of the Public Petitions Committee, on the petitions of John Lundon and Isbister, and Malcolm and Carmichael and Sons, are to be considered by the House to-day, as money payments are involved in the recommendation. The Premier expressed the opinion, on the petitions being presented last night, that it was a public scandal that in such cases the Committee did not directly state whether the payments should be made, instead of leaving that to the consideration of the Government. Claims against the colony were allowed to stand over session after session, eimply because Ministers had not time to look into them. THE GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. Attention .was called by Mr Seddon last night to a serious defect in the staircases leading to the upper floor of the new Government Printing Office. The hon. gentleman said he Had no hesitation in saying that the stairs were uttei'ly inadequate to the requirements, and in case' of fire or earthquake or any extraordinary occurrence, loss of life would be certain to occur. _ They were, moreover, so constructed that it was absolutely indecent and' improper for young girls employed in the department to have to go up a»)d down them. Any person competent to judge would Bay that the whole thing was wrong in every sense. Mr Seddon asked the Minister for Public Works to inspect the building for himself. The Hon. Mr Mifcchelson said be was glad the hon. gentleman had brought the matter under his notice. He had not seen it himseif, but he would make it his business to inspect the building personally, and if the alleged defects' existed he would see that they were remedied. Mr Buchanan also rose to call attention to some matters in' connection with the General Post Office, but as the Speaker would not allow him to address the House unless he moved a resolution, he gave way. SALE OF MINISTERIAL FURNITURE. It transpires from a return presented to the House that the amount realised by the auction sale of tho furnjture, at the big Ministerial residence on Tinakori Road was £494 16a 6d, while furniture estimated to ! be worth £73 ss. was removed to other I Ministerial residences. THE PENSION AND . COMPENSAv TION LISTS, The Government propose to pay a pension of £300 per annum to Mr J. T. Stewart, of Public Works Department, . from April next. i , The total- amounb paid to ex-Civil ser- • vants as compensation for loss of office and gratuities, between April lat and July 30th of this year, was £7,974. IMPORTATION, OF STOCK. The Live Stock Committee have reported j that in consequence "of the late period of the Bessioh at which the subject of importation of stock was supplied! to ; them, it was impossible to deal with it as its importarice : Reserves. ' They recommended 6hit, with a view of obtaining evidence oh which,to base legislation next session, the Government shallj communicate early in the recess with agricultural and pastoral associations throughout the colony, seeking information I as to the, directions in which, in their opinion, an amendment of the law is desiri able. . . •"' -.- ' I ... SHEER RETURN. . ~ It is estimated thab;on May 31st last, ,',. there were-15,000,825 sheep in the colony, as against 15,155,625 in the previous -year— a decrease of 114,801. DESERVEDLY SNUBBED. ' ) Mr Seddon, as Chairman of the Goldfields i Committee, committed a flagrant irreguI larity last night, and fesfproperly snubbed L for it by Ministers and the House. The > ' hon. gentleman brought up certainspapers L received by the Mines Department fromtlie f Agent-General relative to the treatment of { refractory ores, and moved that they belaid on the table of the House. Tho Minister i of Mines objected to the proposal, and inj dignantly reminded the hon. gentleman that the documents had been handed to the !,; Goldfielda Committee by the Governmen b, i who ought to have been. left to present them in the ordinary course. The Premier severely dressed down Mr Seddon for his discourtesy to Ministers, and advised him to withdraw his motion, as did also the Speaker and one or two other membersV Mr Seddon, however,, persisted in his motion, which, was put to the House and emphatically negatived. - ! APPROPRIATION BILL. On the motion for the third reading of this BUI, Sir G; Grey moved, as an amendment, to.add the words "but this House is of opinion thab the property tax should be amended early next session with a view to establishing an income tax and a land tax, exempiting improvements.", Several hon. members sympathised with, the objections to the property tax, but did not think it advisable to delay the passing of the Bill by adopting the amendment After a lengthy: debate the Premier said it was to be regretted that the question should have been brought up after numbers of members had stained for home on the understanditlg that no business should come up. He I thanked those hon. gentlemen who, while I honestly believing in the principle of aland I and 'income tax, had refugee! to be tfappeS into a mere bogus vote. Mr Moss denied that it was any bogus vote, and censured the Governm'Snt for hating lsopt back.tjle business of the session. The motionkfor the third reading of the Bill was- carried by 35 to-14, ■ and the amendment wasconsequently ■■■. lost. '': ' ;■' :; ■■ ■■ -' . ' ■ '.' ■ AUCKLAND LUNATIC ASYLUM ' ' • ' TROUBLE. "" ' ' I learn that as soon as possible after the ; ■''- session elose'si the" Colonial; Secretary I t pay a visit' to Auckland to inquire into the difficulty that has arisen; there in connection with tha. Asylum, i Dr.. liJacQ regpr is now int the Noftliern ciiy. I - . THE MOKAUCASE. •■ ! -The Premier intimated: lsist.e#nin^ that he had been in consultation v/ith Mr Joshua Jones, solicitor, with regard to the relief ' "which, might Ibe considered, reasonable., upon. I the Commissioners' report. It was hard to ' ti'ndßrstarid'what the CbmmissioWeririallir meanC; but it seemed to the Government only ffair, .that they should', .if, .possible, legislate this session to. remove doubts which appeared to exiat as.to Mr Jones's rfo-ht to go on under the Special Powers and CoHtlkots Act, 1885. The Bill eufr ■ mibbed by Mi* Jones, soliditor, jras, in the OBinioa of the Government, impossible r ashe asked for what the Government could not possibly give him. drafted a Bill to meet the 'Case, ■ and,-as Mr Jones Had maoy'-fne'ads fn thd'Hcmse^ ihey would rjofcbui-ko the fullest'discussion, bub won id c nMit?.' any BUggestioor thafc might be.o(i'eieii. $Jio .Bill was then mtrodaced, , and :"■!--. d thi-uugh its various fiHaiges.;';