PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

Auckland Star, Volume XXI, Issue 178, 30 July 1890, Page 8

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

(BY TELEGRAPH.—PARLIAMENTARY RE-

PORTER.)

Wellington, this day. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BILL.

This Bill was further considered in Committee of the Legislative Council yesberday afternoon, when the .Hon. the Attorney-General moved the insertion of a new clause, the effect of which would be to secure the seats of the present members of the Council during life, notwithstanding the Bill becoming law. Hou. J. N. Wilson thought there should be no invidious distinctions bebween life Ministers and others having tenure of office for ten years. Hon. G. McLean expressed the opinion that if ten years' tenure were agreed to they might jusb as well have an elective Chamber. Ho regarded the Bill aa the deathblow to the independence of the Legislative Council. Hon. Mr Miller said as a matter of facb if the Bill became law it would not affect any one member of the present Council, because in tho course of nature they would, ere ten years had expired, be all dead. He did not believe ib was bhe will of the people of the colony to have the Legislative Council swept away. Hon. Dr. Pollen urged thab the other branch of the Legislature was in such a domoralised state that no Bill of this kind should be allowed to pass during tho present Parliament. A motion to report progress was lost by 17 to 13.

The motion of the Attorney-General relating to the retention by tho present members of their seats for life was agreed to.

The Attornoy-General moved a new clause restricting the tenure of future Councillors to ten years, and providing for the re-appointment of such members ab bhe expiration of their term of office. Hon. Buckley moved, as an amendmenb, " Thab no ex-member be appointed until ono year shall have elapsed after ho has vacated his seat by effluxion of time," and this was lost on the voices. Another new clause repealing section 38 of the Constitutional Acb and providing for the election of future Speakers by the Council was moved by bhe Attorney General and on division was agreed to by 23 againsb 3.

Hon. Mr Shrimski then moved a new clause providing bhab no new appointment be mado to the Council until tho number of members bo reduced to 37, and the motion was lost by 26 to 2. Hon. Mr Reynolds moved a new clause to the effect thab life members after sitting for ten years may retain the title of " Honorable," have acces. to the Parliamentary Library, and have free railway passes after leaving the Council. Hon. Mr Swanson said he had never heard such extraordinary proposals before. If anything waa calculated to kill the Bills elsewhere this proposition was. This clauso was opposed by several other members, and progress was reportod at 5 p.m., when the Council adjourned until the following day.

NEW PLYMOUTH HARBOUR LOAN,

There has been presented to the House a petition eigned by numbers of English residents interested in tho'New Plymouth Harbour debentures, praying tho Governmenb to place them in as favourable a position as they would have been if the mode' of disposing of the waste lands had remained as it was in 1879. The Government had endowed the Harbour Board with onefourth of tho gross revenuo arising from the sale, occupation or disposal of the waste lands of the Crown within tho provincial district of Taranaki, the value of which was represented to bo £1,400,000, and it is claimed that the value of this property has been seriously decreased by more recent legislation. ,

KAIHU VALLEY" RAILWAY.

There was quite a scene at one stage of the proceedings in tbe Houso of Representatives lasb nighb. Mr Fisher, speaking to an amendment moved on a motion to go into Committee of Supply, went oub of his way somewhab, and made a vicious onslaughb upon bhe transactions pasb and projected with reference to the Kaihu Valley Railway. He referred to tho Kaihu Valley Railway as ono of bho greatesb public swindles ever perpebrated, and condemned the report made by tho Royal Commission appoiuted lasb session to inquire into tho matter as calculabed bo commib bhe colony to a further expenditure of. £1,000 upon the extension of bhis railway. As soon as Mr Fisher had resumed his seat, Mr Monk, who was ono of bhe Commissioners, jumpod to his feeb and made a scathing attack upon bhe member for Wellington East. He quotod tho reporb made by the Commissioners, and urged that this was a full and complete refutation of the charges jusb made. Speaking wibh considerable warmth ho proceeded to say that in Shakspere there was a quotation •• unmeasured liar," when he was promptly pulled up by the Speaker, who explained bhab on making a quotation and applying ib to another hon. member, a member musb be a3 guarded as bhough he were using the expression himaelf. Mr Monk regretted that he had been provoked into using unparliamentary language, and unreservedly withdrew the offensive quotation. In further explanation of the position taken up by bhe Commissioners, he stated thab bhey had recommended bhab whatever arrangemeubmight beentcredintoforthecompiebion of the Kaihu Valley Railway Company's line, under no circumstances should ib be ab bhe expense of the colony.

THE RETRENCHMENT MOVE. ' The Ho use sab until 3 o'clock this morning dealing with tho Estimates, bub made vory little progress. The .reductions made were invariably" by" conseiit''of' the Governmenb.and were passed on the voices, while severe retrenchment proposals were made by bhe Opposition. Members were defeated by substantial majorities. This is the" result of whab has been bermed an arrangemenb arrived ab .bebween' Ministers and certain : Auckland R.Thompsoh.and T. Thompson, who, together with. Harkness havo practically severed connection with the " skinflint" parby and adopted a scheme of reasonable retrenchment, to which" Ministers have consented, thus turning. the balance of power against the Opposibion. Mr Wibhy pursues a similar policy,bub is eaid nob bo be a parby bo the arrangement, while Messrs Goldie and Saunders, two other members of bhe late retrenchment party, are going in for the greatest possible retrenchment Under bhe arrangement arrived ab, I understand very large reductions will be made on certain items, but otherwise bhe Opposibion proposals are likely to meeb with defeat by a substantial majority. There is likely to be anobher late sitting of the House to-.night. It is understood the members of bho moderate retrenchment party will move a reduction of £1,500 on the printing aud stationery yote, and the Governmenb will agree bo this on the understanding that they are allowed a frgp hand in reductions. The Opposition will probably divide the House item by item, and will be subjected bo repeated .defeats. Tho moderate retrenches will atbempb bo strike oub bhe new vobe of £500 for New Zealand and Australian Science Association, bub bhe Governmenb will resist thi3, and its fate is uncertain. - The moderates, I understand, are willing to continuo tho vote of £250 grant in aid of Fire Brigade annual demonstration, and £270 f or railway passes to members attending the same.

THE HUTCHISON CHARGES. The Hutchison Committee this morning passed a resolution calling upon bhe Bank of New Zealand bo state when* they will be prepared to submit* their books for examination. The consideration of the order of reference occupied the resb of bbc morning. Mr Hutchison was heard on one side and Mr Hislop on bhe other. The final consideration was adjourned, and ib was also agreed to ask the House to suspend the standing orders to enable press representatives to "bo presenb ab fubure meetings of bhe Committee.