PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 213, 8 September 1891, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

(EY TELEGRAPH, —DWH REPORTER.) W ellixoto:>-, this day, FACTORIES BILL. The consideration of tho Factories Bill as amended by the Legislative Council was | set down for yesterday afternoon's session of tho House of Representatives, but was adjourned to enable members to make themselves acquainted with the proposed alterations. The Minister in charge of tho Bill proposes that the House should disagree with several amendments made by the Council, notably tho interpretation clause describing a factory or workroom to mean any place in which six (formerly throe or more) persons are engaeed ; (35) increasing: tho number of places exempted from whitewashing- ; (3d) giving inspectors acca?3 ordy while work is going on ; (50) Btrikino- out tho provision iniulo in the Bill that boys and females shall not be employed for more than eight houis in any one day ; Til and 52) abolishing the proviso that young psoplo shall not bo employsd in factories or workrooms unlsss they have passed the Fourth Standard ; (56) reducing the minimum at which females may fos employed us ty;>e-soltcrs from 16 to l<l. The Minister further proposes to disagree with the now clauses added by the Council, viz, (81) permitting occupiers to appeal against inspectors' decision and (02) exempt !ho Government railway employees from the operations ot the Act. Ti\e Oihur a'.iifiiuirucMta made by the Council Mr Beeves u.-k- the House Co a ; vrreo to. HCNICJI'AL CORPORATIONS BILLThe Municipal Corporations Act Amendment Bill could not bo proceeded with this session. The second mailing was moved by ilr Lallaucc yesterday afternoon. Ho explained that the Bill contained only a few resolutions passed by the Municipal Coafcreneo, the ins-so important provision being tiv.it tho raiding of loans by local bodies should dopend ti;;on two - thirds of the voto.-t actually polled. Anolhar important provision was to enable one per cent, of thr- local iviftes to be at tho ili;<\:iY.'iion of rho Municipal Council for any piirp;i.<us with a viow oi njcotiny; euch eases as li:ivo arisen in the past, whoro the Audkor-Gt-noral has taken exception Up wiiat appeared i-o bo rc:i£uiui'o!.e expenditure by the lucui boLiiu?. In ii:o debate which j ensued several look exception to j the proposal to ;_'ive the locai bodice yre ;ter i facilities for Liorvowin^ , than they havo ] at tha pvetenr. vime, arid iu-o to a pro- I posal to exempt private school.*, :w;;-oum.s I libraries and jnecliauiofl' in-'iir.iites 1;om j rutin;;, h'.v R'Telil.-iii..' sLrcnuoiifiy c!ijeui-;d j Uj thy Coi.-i-ci!') i'oinjj .-.Mowed to m;o:ii.l ratepayers' i::o..ey i;: b'::>riiK,!.;;n<t Mitii*te:.s and paijiit; i'ICD uf v.oi'j, ,<Mt\ f-.irthei , pro- j tested 10w. , , ln/slics pemnittod I to borro'.i - j'.ir; r.Kifo ■.no'u'V. lie mM;, ' Wyllin-ton i ".,:■)■;;r::! •(•:; iiuc! iLiHwir i:-.:ii-.! : as illusDraii , ..".!-- or Hie C'>:i,U::!>!i of local! bodies p.MK'.;.". :y. ;s::a .-Lutsjtl thuD 1.1.0 Wai- j liiigcnii seni< o:ie-huir ot its ■ annunl revt:;'.io :o Lundou for iiuorcst. ! The second or t.!ic Biii .-.iLcrt'td to, but it is v'.ry uoaiittul indeed v.'iiether ■ il will be pa.-si'jd into iav/ , this PUBLLw 'I'UUrfT OFFICE. \ It ii the iiit.ention .<! Uio (.iovei-nmenfi to make j;ood any i'.>=s thus may hiivo been sustained thruijgh of Ll;e .Public 'i'ruft. Oiiioo, believing that they ara not only morally bound to tlo so, but that it will tend ti-i inspiro public conlidencQ in tho I'ublio Trust' Dopari-nioiit.. It is bfclievu'J chat tho los-so? that may havo been euslsined \'.'ili nut. amount to mors than £5,000, mid that this can easily ba paid out of profits iieeruing from future transactions. Tlie Public Trust- Otlica Aaiiendmcnt Bill was rend a second tinva yesterday afternoon. It is proposed to guarantee tho capital of all money in tho Public , Truati Oiiico. in the course of the debute Mr Fisher expressed the conviction that had tliia Bill been in existence some ye.rrs ago, the Public Trust Ollico would not, liava got into such a state of nojilecb and inelficioacy. Exception was also taken to the proposal to allow 6 per cent, interest on estates up to £3,000 and 4 per cent, on estates over that value, but the Premier urged that the line must be drawn somewhere. Tho second readiug having been to, the Bill was referred to the Public Accounts Committee. NAVAL AND MILITARY SETTLERSCLAIMS. In moving the second reading of the Naval and Military Sottlers' and Volunteer Land Act Amendment Bill, which is to give effect to all bho recommendations made by tho Crown Lands Commissioners, and to enable further claims to be received and dealt with on their merits, the Hon. Mr iSeddon expressed the belief that twelve months would sco a finality to these claims. Land is to be set apart for the purpose of satisfying, these claims and for the encouragement of settlement, but the scrip issued will not be exercisable except over land set apart for that purpose. Otherwise ib ia feared land settlement will be disorganised and the land funds of tho colony interfered with. Holders of scrip, however, will have the right of free selection in blocks- sec apart in various parts of the colony. In the debate which took place objection was taken to the provision made in the Bill which requires occupation and improvement' of lands ?o seb apart. It was deemed obvious that persons could not possibly make a living out of land of £30 in value, probably situated far distant from their customary occupations and placee of residence. The position was put yery concisely by Colonel Fraser, who said these old soldiers did not want their lands under conditions embodying all the new - fangled notions Di the present Minister for Lands. What they wanted was to get their land without any restrictions and occupy it it' they desired to do so, or, if too old or too feeble to occupy, to sell the land. Mr 11. Thompson regarded the Bill as a cruel hoax on the old soldiers of the country. They were for the greater part too old to carry out settlement conditions. What was given to them should be given without any conditions whatever. Sir Geo. (irey believed .the objectionable clause could be so altered in Committee as to make tho Bill a very good one indeed. He insisted that what was now being given to old soldiers was not a boon, but moral and legal obligation, which they wore bound to fulfil. Referring to these objections, the Defence ilinister said ib was the intention of tho Government to do what was just and right in this matter. They desired, however, to guard, againab permitting scrip being bought up by speculators and used to increaso large estates. He admitted there were cases deeervins; of special consideration, and they would receive most careful attention. The second raiding of the Bill was agreed to on tiiio underscaudiujr. THE VALUE Oi' LIGHT. The Light from Crown Lands Restriction Bill is apparently not t«uch an inaocent measure, as it looks. In moving its second reading yesterday evening the Minister > for Works s= t a ted that the object was to prevent any person from claiming , the rijihb to from Crown lands;. lfc j had been suggested that there should have been a general Bill dealing with this question, as at present the lav/ gave the right to li'-hfc to any property only after twenty years' occupancy. Objection was taken to the Bill on the ground that it was proposed to put the Government on a different footIng to private persons. Tho second reading was eventually, agreed to on fche voices. NEW ZEALAND .TIMBERS. The Railway Commissioners, while ad-

nutting the usefulness of New Zealand timbers for railway purposes, say tftere is no New Zealand timber in the market which can equal the hardwood of Australia j for the combined advantages of strength, hardness and economy. They think au expenditure of £1,500 or £2,000 on hardwood sleepers to make railway transit n'afe and secure, is scarcely a transaction which can bo deemed to prejudice or afiece colonial progress. The total expenditure during the past two years on all classes of imported timber used for sleepers, piles or other special purposes has been about £11,000, while the expenditure on local timbers has been £54,000. COLONIAL DEFENCES. In a comprehensive report on the subject oE New Zealand defoncos, it ia stated that although nob upon formal credentials, the whole of tho defence works of the colony liavo quite recently been carefully arid critically inspected by Captain Moore, of the lioyalNavy, the officer specially despatched to Australia by tho Imperial Government to confer with the authorities of tho Australian colonies upon tho defences of Thursday Island, Albany and other strategic harbours. Captain Moore will, no doubt, officially communicate to the Government his opinion as to tho departmental officers. Ho has freely stated Ins approval of the majority of the works. It may bo of interest to record that Capb. Moore was, by permission of tho late Minister of 'Defence, supplied with figures in the minute detail kept by die department of the cost of each battery and work, and he expressed his surprise at their lownesa and economy ac compared with practically similar works constructed in Australia,, as to which Kβ bad obtained the figures from authorities on the other side. The total expenditure on harbour defences up to 31st i.larcli, 1891, together with the liabilities at that date, mr.ounts to, in round numbers, i' 475,000, of which £240,000 represent-; the cost of material from England and miscellaneous charges thereon, and £235,000 the cost of works in tho colony. Of this latter sura about £36,500 represents the coat of land, and the balance, £11)8,50'.), tho cost of fort.*, batteries, sub-marino defences, steam launcher-, reports of Royal officers' supervision and all of her charts. AUCKLAM D PETITIONS. Petitions have been presented from deferred payment settlors of To Aroha, prayii:K for reiief ; from W. cluiinj i:;<r compensation for damage done- to i !'iih.:kiihe bu?h property i.'.V locomotive J pif.arks ; and from J. F. .Boycl, sotliiu; out I claims io laud as an old soldier. I VAILT-VS RAILWAY SCHEME. ! The proy ,r >".'d to ijivo a fair tn-'.l of Vnile's j railway ?c'. -:> to i'.sivo p.'i.-sci out of the: re>>'.C!!> •:,: pr.-.oi.ie.-i! polities for Uio proFend i-c.-.-i"! , ., l)!.iu it hi-till frequently aii iiiii'.;f' i,o in ijencrnl di.-eusr-ion. iSpe;i!:i!i<; I in t! , . , .' L n .;.;islorivn Council Vf.r--tevdny. in i doniu'.ciavinti of the L-iud Bill intr<j;:uc;:d ; by I.hi) prosfMir iU:vr:nmr iVl t, ]<:•. I'oi'iii i said : ''Tliorc; is i , . , . Tim >Ti;rv ii ;■. ;_-roa( railj way relonnor. who hi.* a potent tuilh ' that if what. Ik.- calls liis sfhwino, tho zoiw ] system, were i imply oslubliwhed in district.'? i i:i which there ;ire no po«pl'\ tr:;iiio und ! frticrhc wuulil ?pvin<£up mirnciilosisly, in tho skijiis v.'.'-y m> ijuiiil and manna liiil on' {• certain well-known occasion. I And so it is with tho land. We think we ! can mitUe on paper a mnjrnificenfc scheme j of land laws that will promote tho set.tlcj nient of the country." The honourable gentleman prncoodsd to demnuice the land policy of tho pnst Governments, and I lie asses'ttd that so the Governments \ are composed of tiadoa unionists and I people til.at do not understand what they [ were talking about they would discourage, and not encourage, settlement. LOANS TO LOCAL BODIES. Tho motion for the third reading of tho Rill enabling the Government to spend j £50,000 a year from loan for opening up land for petfclenieiit vna debated at grwit length last evening, and excited strenuous opposition from members of the Opposition, who contended that this was simply a proposal to give the Minister of Lands authority to spend £50,000 a year as lie liked without reference to Parliament. As a final protest against the passing of the Bill, Sir J. Hall moved to strike out all the words after " an Act," and to insert the words " to enable tho Minister of Lands to expend £50,000 yearly without ordinary appropriation by General Assembly." This amendment having been disposed of on the voices, the third reading of tho Bill was agreed to. PROPOSED POSTAL REDUCTIONS. The Postmaeter-Genei-al made cut a very strong case in favour of tho proposal for a halfpenny newspaper rate to Australia last evening. In moving the second reading of the Post Office Act Amendment Bill, he quoted figures extensively to show the enormous increase that had taken place in the number of letters posted in New Zealand and elsewhere in deerreo corresponding with the reduction of rates. In ]BSO the lotters posted in New Zealand totalled 11,861,456, and in 1890 the number had increased to 21,501,937. or an increase of 9,640,481 letters in a period of ten years The normal increase of tho lotters posted in this colony was about live per head, and to bring back the whole of the revenue now proposed to bo given by the adoption of a penny postage it would require an increaso of fifteen letters pet head. He thought it was not an unreasonable thing Io expect that such an increaso would bo brought about within the next three or four years. The time was not far distant when they would have an ocean penny postage, and ho felt strongly the advantages that would accrue to the whole people by the adoption of an inland penny postage. He also stated that it was intended the Bill was to come into operation on the 31st of March, 1892. Sir John Hall finally summed up what could be urged in opposition to the Bill when ho asserted that if £40,000 could bo spared from our revenue it might be more usefully applied to the benefit of tho whole community. Sir Geo. Grey, on tho other hand, strongly supported the Bill as tending to relieve everyone in the colony more or less, and he paid a very high compliment to the Postmaster-General for the admirable manner in which he had administered the Department placed under his control. Colonel Fraser characterised the Bill as a liberal measure to tho commercial classes only, a liberality that would havo to bo paid by the working classes, and urged the postponement of tho Bill until ib was seen how the linancia.l proposals of the Government would work out. Eventually the motion for second reading was agreed to by 26 to 4. LAND BILL BEFORE THE COUNCIL. As was anticipated, the Land Bill met with a very critical reception at the hands of the Council, and it is certain to be very seriously emasculated beforeit emerges from that Chamber. With the exception of the Colonial Secretary, who is in charge of the Bill, and MrShrimsld, not a single voice was raised in favour of sither the ono-man-one-run principle, or for the proposal to abolish the right of acquiring freeholds in case of perpts'ual leases. Tho tendency to land nationalisation shown by the present Government was very severely denounced, arid the penal clauses of the Acb came in for severe criticism. Objection was taken to the clause which prevents married women taking up land, and to the enormous powers proposed to be given to the Minister of Lands to determine what class of land selectors should take up. Id was urged that to prevent a person taking up more than 2,000 acres of land was co say that a number of the most experienced people in the colony with a large amount of capital were to be debarred from using either in acquisition further lands, and improving; the same for the benefit of the ' country as well as themselves. It was

freely asserted to be the duty of the Council to restore tho of purchase hitherto attached to perpetual leases. Tho assertion was made and denied that this Biti waa prompted by tho trades unionists of the colony, and io was asserted on the contrary that tho l>lll was the result of a demand made by. the people of New Zealand for reform in the land law?. In tho matter of the special settlement it was pointed out that tho IVlinister of. Lancia was omnipotent in that ho couldsay whether he would grant tho application from an association or not. Objection was taken to a nominated Land Board as being liable to be utilised by tho Government for political purpose*. The Colonial Secretary in reply said there was no more experienced man in lutid than tho present Minister. The Bill was a cardinal feature of tho policy of tho Government, and any undue interference of the Council, seeing that the chauco3 of tho Bill had been carried by such a laryo majority in another place, would not bring tho Council into that favour which it had a right to expect. Tho second reading of tins Bill was agreed to on the voices, and it, was referred "to tho Waste Lands Committee. TAKAHUE SPECIAL SETTLEMENT. There has been laid on tho table of tho Houae correspondence on the subject ot the distress at tho Takahue special ieuleir.on;;, together with clippings from tho Acoki.anu Eveninc; Stah. in reference thcrufco. ;\U" Menzios, Road Inspector, states that on Llie occasion of his visit to Takahue in .July la-:!, he mado inquiry of every settlor, ami that, wibhoneexecption, they doniodthooxistonc;) of any distress. AMr Kisssell had written to i\ir French, in Auuklwid, and Mr French had published his letter in tho i\i:r.\-\,,\\i> EvJiNiNCJ SxAii. When aomo of the Rotilera saw Russell's letter thoy were very wroth. They did not deny that Russell was in pool , circumstances l , nor question lira riii'iit to make an appeal for help lor i>.nd family, but objected to Ilussull for help for other Bottici'ct without consulting them. On inquiry J!cii;dca found that the Takaluio aettlcr.-s were nob in what could be callod good circumstances ; tnc-c of them admitted that they had coiioi'.'c-r----able difficulty in inakin;.:. , l.ioi.ii end.') meal. They did not v/i./ii fur ci.-irily from Auckland, bui: would be ;;ratuful to ;;el; any description of work-. Mon/ies, do.-;cribii!jr hi-s vi-it to itiU'.seU'.H hoii.se, wiy.-i i> , .; fuund '.I 'i fairly yood ono oi : tlu> .--oir.— u:\vl watilo nr.d daub. One rno;n ejiitanu..! a kutnaia [jib nearly empty, and in a;i :xdI ji:ii:in;4 room whoro two rovigh tji..-d-.i.i.:. , t.'.!:-: ) lin which the whole j';iri'.i';.y i-lcpt, liu.ir duiy cuvoi'in;; , being one biaiji.os ;\=hl b'..,'.:!0, i,M I ba'.:> : . liusf'C'il siate , .! they had i;ii o!;!i'. :• coveriiijT, and Iroijiicntly ;;<•■:. up in tJio ami lnadu si (ire on I'.io mud Ui.'ijr ;o kcxn) Ui'-mnjivcH \viii-!!i. Jin had im nut seldom i'LiW iu;y, iuu.l )iu;at v,;-?, ;t n.i\t-y. it was not, ln;o t!:af lie '!;.u! found a rivr.iy j sale for iiis produce. Jli.-j wilo '.vciifc v/H.'iouf. Ijools for i/.ui iiiondis, a:n: in; uisi-'ld ix..t ■ work at, tfc:v(.-rai j'J'' ; i;!i:ii \;i>> ■!■•-■• (:i')ii:c-;> wci-c si:Mb liir"! :y i:\:-i. fit. Ai γ-ij'-:--.:- :-:iV.- 1.0 i-5 .-Hi')-; Jitij!.-i(j!l mid liiDily :\y(i i:i (Ui p o c . i-:;s-, a;id i,ii.-it tliougii fcim; oi t'io .-ut ti'.-.r.- : an.) ot opiiiii.'ii tii.it this di.-..ti'fit-3 !.'■> Culls'.'.; ! >y w;;tit ct yticiyy, the opiiiiuii is very liiv.dcd on i thi.;. point. JOTTINGS. The Ly'telton llurliour Bonvd L.md Bili, Ito certain pi overly in the l-:i:il'.i-;'.y I CouuilirisioiKTS, was read a soo'j::d tiuio i;. tlie Ilou.so yesterday. Captain Kussell ank'i that a selccb commibtto beset up to inquire into cho Ed war/is petition. Jh J'rtlrner is inQuirintj when t'uo 110pi'- , . ,- ---t-.entation Conimissioner? will r : it: to readju.-i, the bouiiditrit-ri of the electoral dinlriots. It was stated in the Council iasl- evening that ono Southern company, which P"V d i" wages £40,000 a year, wilt havo to s.-.o into I liquidation if tlie ouo-man-ouo-run proposiil contained in the Bill bo adopted. Tlie amctiuißi.'iUs uiacfo in the LegJ^l;.- ,- tivo Council Keform Bill by tiie vi Koprcsentatives will bo laken into consideration by the Upper House to-morroiv. The Council will ob.jeat to t!ic proposal to make tho Bill retrospective, and to the: proposal giving- tho Government of tiu: day fcbo privilege of electing the tipcuicr ol the Legislative Council. When the Female Ku'i'rajio Bill is Ijefore the Council the lion. Mr 'Bowen will move that the Bill bo read a second time that day six months. The Council is undoi- ,- stood to b9 very evenly divided on the question. lions. Kenny and Morris, two of tise strongest supporters oi women's rights, are at present absent from Wellington. Sir Georgo Grey's Lav/ Practitioners Bill was called for second reading in tho last evening, and the liOn. Mr Reynolds roso to move that it should be read a second time that day six month. It was agreed, however, owing to the lateness of tho hour, that the Council should adjourn, and ib is probable the Bill will nob again reach the head of tho order paper. Mr Buckland has expressed anxir-ty to know whether protection has been granted to the Royal Oak, Tokatea and Harbour View mines, Coromandel, and if bo, whether such protection was granted in the ordinary way by tho Warden, and what special provisions, if any, were attached tc such protection. It has been suggested by Sir John ft all now that a permanent rifle range lias been secured in the neighbourhood of Wellington, that tho Government will provide free transit to tho annual meetings ol Rifle Associations of persons taking part in the rifle competitions at those meetings.