PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

Auckland Star, Volume XXI, Issue 178, 30 July 1890, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

(BY TELEGRAPH—OWN REPORTER.)

Wellington, this day. PERPETUAL LEASEHOLDERS AND

LOCAL BODIES,

An inberesting question was raised in bhe House yesberday afternoon by MrMarchanb, who asked bho Minisber of Lands - whether in the caae of a perpetual leaseholder acquiring the freehold of his land, one-third of bhe purchase money is under the existing law paid over to the local body, and if nob, will the Minister introduce an amendment of tbe Land Acb to enable such payment bo be made.

In reply, Hon. Mr Richardson said in bho I case of deferred payment lands one-1 fourbh was added to bhe coab price, and ib waa, therefore, bub right thab one-third of; the purchase money should be banded over to local bodies for road making. In the case of perpetual lease lands, however, the price ut which the fee simple may bo acquired was only the game as a cash purchaser would have to pay. One third of the renbs paid was handed over to the local bodies for fifteen yeara, and nob for the whole term of thirty years. Ho (the Minister) did not think tbat any cases ware likely to arise of perpetual lease tenants acquiring a freehold within that term, and consequently local bodies would, receive all bhat the law contemplated. Should tbe freehold be taken up within tho fifteen yoars, the local bodies would receive none of bhe purchase money. SAN FRANCISCO MAIL SERVICE Tho Government were asked yesterday a-ternoon as bo when they would state their intentions regarding tho continuance or otherwise of the San Francisco service. Tho Postmaster-General, in reply, s&id before discussing the question bhe Government would have to wait for further information from Washington and from London. Thia information would probably bo to hand in a few days' time, and as soon aa it was received tho House would bo informed of the intentions cf the Governmenb. NO LEPROSY AT ROTORUA. Mr Hobbß made an appeal to bhe Government yesterday afternoon to have an inquiry made with reference to the leprosy reported to exist atoong. the natives of Rotorua district, urging that such reports, if nob corrected, would bo calculated to do harm to the colony, both ab Home and in the other colonies. Hon. Mr Hialop, in rep'y. stated that leprosy was certainly nob so prevalent now as in the early days. The reporb made on tbe subject by Dr. Cinders had beon received, and would be laid before the House shortly. There was, he added, no leprosy in Rotorua district. THE STATE OF PARTIES. The greatest reticence is observed with regard to the mosb reconb developmenb of political affairs within the House, and as concerning the relative position of parties. In dealing with the estimabes tha retrenchment party aro not 1 by any means unanimous, for while several of the "Bkinflints " are still determined to cub down expenditure at every possible opportunity, others consider themselves in honour bound to assist the Governmenb as far as appears to them bo be reasonable to resisb the wholesale abback made by the Opposition upon tho estimates item by item as they come before the Committee of Supply. This latbor section have had represented to them very strongly the false position in which the Government have been placed while having consented to meet tho retrenchers of their own side of the House by reductions on the appropriation to the extent of £50,080, and bhe Governmenb havo pow, I understand, meb with a very liberal and sympathetic resoonse. Thia secbion of the rebrenchmenb party have not - foregone their righb to vote for a reduction on the estimates as they go through, bub bhere xnay be expected in future divisions a fuller development of the change of policy which has now been docided upon. VOGEL'S CLAIM. Some of tbo newspaper correspondents havo expressed incredulity in reference to Ibe issue of a writ by Sir Julius Vogel for £13,000 for services rendered as loan agent, and for compensation for deprivation of position as loan agent to New Zealand, as stated Beveral days ago. As a matter of facb the writ haa actually been served and accepted by the Solicitor-General. Sir Julius, by Ms attorney, Harry B. Vogel (his son), served a writ upon the Solicitor-General on Friday last, and bhe cas.e will be heard Shortly in bhe Supreme Court, Wellington. The claimant will be represented by the legal firm of Bell, Gully and Co., and the Governmenb by bho Solicibor-General and Mr Martin Chapman. FEDERAL PACIFIC CABLE. In moving the Government to afford bhe House an opportunity of discussing tho desirabiliby of entering into negotiations ■with the Australasian colonies on laying the Federal Pacific cable yesterday afternoon, Mr Hobbs stated that the subjecb was receiving considerable attention in England, Canada and Australia. " Ihere was an urgent necessity," be said, | bhab Bomebbing should-be done, and he believed thab under such an arrangement as thab now proposed the cable rate? would be reduced fully one-fourth." The PostmasterGeneral, in reply, said he would consider whether the Governmenb could seb apart a time for discussing bhis subjecb, which he regarded as a very important one. He thought, however, it would be advisable to "leb bhe matter rest until after the forthcoming convention has met, in Australia at the end of the present year. If the proposals of the Pacific Cable Company were accepted, the cable charges for ordinary messages would bo reduced to As for bho .first ben words for ordinary messages, and there would also be a considerable reduction in bbc charges for pres3 messages.

DUTY ON AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS.

• Replying to a question asked by Mr Sobbs yesterday afternoon, the Hon.. Mr Mitchelson stated that the Governmenb -were powerless bo give etlecb to the request made by country settlers and importers of corn or Hour, that mills should be given the same privilege as granted to importers of roller mill flour machinery, viz., thab all such shall be classed as agricultural machinery and should be See. The tariff of 1883 prevented the consideration of the request, and the Government did not intend this year to introduce an altered taritf. i DR. MacGREGOR'S REPORT.

In the House yesterday afternoon, Mr Fish made a severe attack upon the annual report made by Dr. MacGregor as Inspector of Hospitals, especially with reference to She statement made by Dr. MacGregor that one of the least noticeable effects of the friendly societies was to increase the number of hospitais; bhab tbe lodge system is bo prevalent that in nearly every community avery large proportion of even well-to-do ipeople are members for the sake among other objects of getting medical attendance icfaeap, and several of the largest societies admit honorary members who join merely forthe sake of getting medical attendance ab . Mr Fish'said ib was well known that •several of the presenb well-to-do members ! _f the lodges bad joined them when 'poor men, and pointed out that honorary ,! members of friendly societies clainied no .;benefit whatever. These friendly societies jwere doing an immense amount of good, .and Dr. MacGregor should be careful in his statements with regard to them. • Hon. Mr Hislop, in reply, said the Goyernment could not be held for

the expressions contained in the reports of their officers. He did not agree with portions of Dr. MacGregor's report himself, nobably with reference to the outlying hospitals, but he urged thab attention having been drawn to the mabter, all good objects would bave been served.

CLAIM FOR RECOMPENSE,

Tho Defence Minister informed Mr T. Thompson, in reply to a question yesberday afber noon, bhab Mr J. C. Soall, of Auckland, had petitioned Parliament on several occasions since 1870. Soall claimed to have been bhe inventor of an improved system of musketry. £120 had already been expended by bhe Governmenb in making experiments, and of this sum £50 had been paid to Soall as a bonus. The last petition received from Soall claimed the consideration of the Government, bub until he pub his demand in a more definite form he did nob see whab more could be done in the matter. THE ESTIMATES. When the motion to go into Committee of Supply was reached lasb evening no less bhan tour members roue in different parts of the House to movo amendments thereto.

Mr W. C. Smith was the first to catch the Speaker's eye, and moved, "Thab in bhe opinion of bhis House the reductions proposed to be made by tho Government to the extent of £50,000 in estimates, shall not be made to apply to tho Posbal and Telegraph Departments, or to salaries or wagea under £200 per annum."

The Colonial Secretary expressed a hope that tho House would nob pass bhe amendment which he described as only anobher attempt to force a no-confidence motion, tho fourth or fifth of the session. Tho increases now proposed wero on salaries under t2OO, and there wereadditionstosuchsalaries in the postal and telegraph departments to an aggregate of over £4,000. Ho hoped the Houso would nob assist the Opposition in their attempt to cadge credit for what they knew Governmenb were determined to do, namely, to raise small salaries.

Dr. Fibchetb said tbe Governmenb had promised to reduce tho estimates by £50,000, and it behoved the House to protect those members of the service who were unablo to protect themselves. If the amendment were accepted by the Government, ho would move thab the education vote be also added to the exceptions. Sir George Grey took thia opportunity of testifying to tho ability shown by the members of postal and telegraphic services, and bheir invariable courtesy bo the public.

Mr Goldio expressed Ahe opinion bhab even in the postal and belegraph departments no salaries above £200 should be raised. From a cursory analysis of the department he found that 51 officers with salaries above £200, were given increases to a total amount of £689 per annnm.

Mr Fisher asked leave to substitute the following amendment for thab proposed by Mr Smith:—" Tbat in the opinion of bliis House the reductions to bo made by the Government to tho extenb of £50,000 on the estimates shall nob be made bo apply bo salaries payable to bhe Postal and Telegraph Departments, or to any other salaries and wages under £200 per annum." Mr Smith agreed to the substitution proposed, but leave was refused, and after further discussion his amendmenb was negatived on bho voices, and tho Houso proceeded to discuss the estimates. AUDIT DEPARTMENT, £5,265. This item, which had been dealt with at Friday's sitting, was passed. REGISTRAR-GENERAL DEPARTMENT £6,610.

Mr Goldie moved to reduce tho salary of tho Registrar-General (Mr Brownie) from £500 bo £4CO. The Colonial Secretary said he could hob accept such a proposal. Tho al was a capable officer, and moreover if bho reduction now proposed were made, be would be entitled to retiring a-tewt__nee-.equa-.to tbe amounb of salary how proposed to be paid him. The Hon. Mr Ballance said the DeputyRegistrar waa quite capable of doing hia chief's work.

Sir Georgo Grey urged .that a re-organisa-tion of the Civil Service was urgently required. It waß altogether overgrown, and reductions should bo made where possible, and tho eflocb would be thab certain mon would leave the service.

Messrs R. Thompson and T. Thompson suggested tbat the Colonial Secretary sMouid consent bo a reduction of this item by £50, and this having been agreed to, Mr Goldie's amendment was negatived by 44 to 33. Mr R. Thompson then moved bhab bhe item be reduced by £50. Mr Seddon seconded, and the resolution was agreed to on tho voices. AGENT-GENERAL'S DEPARTMENT, £5,230. Mr Ballance moved to reduce the secretary's salary (£700) by £300. Ho pointed out thab immigration had almost ceased, and bhe work of bhis officer was consequently much less than ib was a few years ago. Sir George Grey thought the AgentGeneral's Department ought bo be abolished altogether. Ib would, he urged, be preferable for bhe Governmenb to communicate direct, with the Imperial Government rather than bhrough the A gen t-General, whowas continually mixing us up in embarrassments. A claim of £13,000 had recently been raised by an ex-Agent-General, and he was certain that other claims would arise through the residence of bhe Agent-General in London. He moved bhat bhe ibem, Agenb-General in London, £1,250, bo struck off the estimate.. , , ■__, ' . . Mr Seddon blamed the Government for having allowed tho Solicitor-General to accept service of Sir Julius Vogel's wrib for £13,000. , . The Hon. Mr Hislop asserted thab the Government had no option bub to accept the writ..' ■' Sir George Grey moved to reduce the item.by £1,000 as. an indication that the office should be abolished. ■The Colonial Secretary, in reply, said the claim referred to had arisen horn the facb thab ab thab time the colony was nob represented by an Aaent-General in London. Mr Thos. Thompson suggested the advisability of reducing the total vote of the Agent - General's Dopartmonb by £500, allowing tho Govornmenb to re-arrange tho amounts set down against the various items. -,'._• l The motion to reduce the item by £1,000 was then pub and losb on bbc voices. .•,■_•_'- The Hon. Mr Ballance said he was prepared to movo for a reduction on the total vote in tho Agenb-General's Department, 'bub would indicate items on which he I thought reductions could be effected. He I proposed to reduce the items : Secretary, Irom £700 to £400; clerks and messengers, from £920 to £720; to strike out albogebher Consulting Engineer, £800; and clerk to Consulting Engineer £120 ; and to reduce the amount set'apart for ronb and contingencies from £1,140 to £1,000, making the total proposed reductions £1,560. He now moved to reduce the item secretary £700. by £300, aud this was losb on a division by 33 against 26. Mr Goldie's motion to reduce bhe same item by £250 was lost by 33 to 26. A further motion to reduce the same item by £200 was moved by Mr Thomas Thompson. Mr Taylor asked bhe Governmenb bo cay whether they were going to accept bhis amendmenb because ib was moved by a friend. ;,. , . ... , Mr Seddon said ib was now plain thab Ministers and certain members of the retrenchment parby had gone through the estimates togebher, andthattbereduction now proposed was evidently the result of an arrangemenb entered into with the Government. He urged that the House should be placed in possession of the reductions as agreed to &y t* ne Governmenb to seem, the

votes of two or three secedefs from the skinflint party, in order to save talking and useless divisions.

Mr Thos. Thompson denied thab there was an agreement bebween himself and Ministers as to any acceptance of the reduction he had proposed. Mr Cadman asked whebher the Governmenb would sbate whab arrangemenb had been made, bo save further delay. The Colonial Secretary denied the existence of any arrangement such as bad been asserted. The furthest he waß prepared to go was to accept a reduction of £500 on the total vote of £4,170 for the Agent-General's department.

Mr John McKenzie moved to reduce the item by £225, and thia being a larger reduction bban thab proposed by Mr Goldie took precedence.

_bir George Grey appealed to Mr T. Thompson bo say whebher there had nob been some, arrangemenb bebween himself and Ministers ; and the member for Auckland North replied that ho had repeatedly said ho had been no party to any arrangement. As his word seemed to' ba doubted he would noc answer any further question on tho point. Sir George Grey said it was a perfect farce for tho House to go on discussing the estimates on bheir merits when there existed some arrangemenb bebween bhe Governmenb and certain members of bhe skinflinb party.. Mr Moss aIBO protested against the arrangemenb so-called ; and urged that ib was a very wrong thing for the Opposition to be kept there discussing the estimates as a perfect farce. The Governmenb were nob only jockeying the House, bub were also jo. keying the counbry. In the divisions taken so far, Messrs R. Thompson, T. Thompson, Monk, Lawry and Hobba, of the Auckland members, had voted with Government.

The Hon. Mr Hislop said he failed to see anything dishonourable in hon. members meeting to discuf.3 matters and facilitate business, and charged the Opposition with showing very bad temper because they had repeatedly been defeated.

Mr Goldie eaid tho economists had nevor met together and gone into the estimates in detail since they had induced the Governmenb b_ consent to the reduction of £50,000 on appropriation. He did, however, charge tho member for Marsden with having borrowed his (Mr Goldie's) marked copy of tliß estimates and shown them to Ministers. Mr R. Thompson admitted having borrowed Mr Goldie's ..estimates, bub denied having shown them to Ministers or informed Ministers of their eontenbs.

Mr McKenzie's motion was losb by 32 to 25, and Mr T. Thompson's carried by 32 to 25.

Consequently the Secretary's salary was reduced by £200.

Mr J. Is]cKenzie moved, "Thab bhe item accountant £400 be reduced by £100." This was carried by 31 to 26. .Mr Duncan moved to reduce by £200 the item "Clerks and Messengers £920." Tbo Colonial Secretary said he would accept the reduction of this item, though he admitted frankly that ib mighb bo necessary to spread it over the general details.

Exception was taken to this statement on the ground that if tbe Mintaber had this power ib was no use bhe Houee voting on the subject. The reduction was agreed to on the voices.

Mr Ward moved, " Thab tho item ' Consulting Engineer £800' bo struck oub." Lost by 30 to 27.

Colonel Eraser moved to reduce by £750.

The Colonial Secretary stated that nearly £10,000 had been paid in commission in four yoars, as against Mr Blackett's salary of £800.

Colonel Fraser's motion was lost by 31 to 24.

A proposal mado by Mr Reovos td take off £700 waa also lost by 30 to 23, and a similar fate befel tho proposal to make a reduction of £400. ....,_,

Mr Jno. McKenzie moved to reduce the item by £100.

This was lost by 29 to 23, and then tho attack on Mr Blackett's salary was discontinued.

Clerk to Consulting Engineer, £120: Motion by Mr Feldwick to striko this item out was lost by 27 to 20.

Mr Feldwick then sought to reduce the vote for the Agent-General's rents and contingencies of £1,140 by £340. This was negatived by 27 to 21.

A further proposal by Mr Walker to reduce the item by £140 was also lost by 27 to 21.

The balance of the Agent-General's vote, £4,730, was then passed.

Progress was reported ab 5 a.m. and the House adjourned till 2.30 p.m.

BATCH OF PETITIONS.

Auckland..a are well represented by tho batch of petitions now before the House.

Mr Cadman presents a petition from James and Emily Bennett, of Tapu, Thames, asking for compensation for injury alleged to have been sustained through miners .repassing on their lands. J. P. Campbell, of Tapu Creek, Auckland, petitions bhe House bhrough Sir G. Grey for aCrowngranb and £750 compensation for loss sustained through occupation of certain land by miners by permission of the mining authorities. Sir George Grey also presented a monster petition wibh 523 signatures, urging upon the Governmenb tbe desirability of establishing a system of sound finance, of imposing taxation solely for revenue, and for absolutely necessary services of the State, a simplification ot bhe bariff. careful readjustment of local and colonial taxation, and consideration of whab proportion of such baxabion should bo pub on the land, and whebher such taxation of land should follow in any degree the principle of death duties in their progressive character, and also bho desirability for carefuladministration of bhe Crown lands and railways of the colony. Mr W. P. Moat presented a petition from tbe Hobson County Council, praying for relief in respect of recent proceedings in relation to bbc ealo of a piece of land, part of section 14, Parish of Omaru. The petition sets oub thab in a return prepared by the Property Tax Department, this land was set down as belonging to T. Motidh-Oliver. The petitioners woro by action of the Registrar of the Supreme Court in selling the land for rates, involved in an action in the Supremo Court, Auckland, viz., Finlayson v. Hobson County Council, and cast in damages and costs to .he amount of £330. They now ask for an inquiry into the circumstances of the case. Several numerously- signed petitions, praying for a trial of the stage system of railways have been referred be bhe commibtee previously set up to in - quire and reporb on similar petitions, which have been reported on favourably and recommended by the Public Petitions Committee. ,

In reference to the case of J. Fyne, of Coromandel, who claims to have been dismissed from the Prisons Department without sufficient cause, the Public Petitions Committee report that the compensation asked for cannot be recommended. JOTTINGS. Mr Cowan is moving for a return showing the financial results ot operation of tho Selectors Land Revaluation Acb, 1889. Mr Fish wants to know from the Governmenb if bhey have received an account of £60 for bwelve days' hire,of a vyaggonebte and four horses for the use of one of the Ministers, and for what purpose this expense was incurred. . Mr Rhodes is moving for a reduction of charges made for children committed to the Indusbrial Schools.

Mr Goldie is moving for information as to the number and cost of cadets in the Surveyor-General's Department, and also for a return '.showing- the number of men employed on the relief works in the colony from 3JO Jfe*. I*.?, *9 5M May, 1890. --■■■•