Parliamentary Gossip.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 208, 2 September 1893, Page 2

Parliamentary Gossip.

HOAXING THE HOUSE,

(BY TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL UEPORIKR,)

Wellington, this day. Very soon after the House met yesterday afternoon, an unusual and somewhat amusing matter came to light. The Speaker intimated bhab he had received a letter from a resident of Devonporb, Auckland, John J ervis by name, stating thab a potition purporting to be signed by him, bub with which he had no connection, had been presented to the House by Mr Jackson Palmer. This document, tho writer said, was a forgery. Mr Palmer expressed himself glad that tno matter had beon brought up in the House. The petition referred to had been senb to him, and had been presented either by himself or Mr Reos, ho forgot which, Ib was an extraordinary document, making sweeping charges of perjury and forgery against many porsong, including the Government and Lord Onslow. So extraordinary was it bhab ho had heaibated to lay ib on the table of the House. On the advice of the Speaker, however, he did present ib. Although he was surprised at the nature of the allegations made he never doubted the genuineness of the signature. The Speaker said thab there was another petition in the hands of another member purporting to be from the same individual, which would be presented later on. The letter ho had drawn the attention of the House to had been forwarded to the Public Petitions Committee to make inquiries. Soon afterwards Mr Cadman presented a petition, which proved to be the one the Speaker had referred to. Tho document, I believe, was an abtack on certain legal gentlemen in Auckland for over charging. Mr Palmer asked to have ib read in justice to himself. It would show tho nature of the aspersions which the petitioner cast. The petition, however, was nob road to members, their being objection on tho grouud of its length. Mr Palmer then asked leave to lay on the table a letter signed " John Jorvis," in which the writer made another sories of attacks on the Clerk of the House, the member for Waitemata himeolf, and membors in general. The Speaker told Mr Palmer thab the letter should go as evidence before the Petitions Commibtoe. A long rambling statemenb ia made regarding the petitioner's properties at the Lake and North Shore, and complaints are made against a number of Auckland solicitors, whom he alleges misled him into signing a mortgage for £2,200, while ho only got £1,100. Potitionor alleges he suspected foul play and engaged one lawyer after another, but goo no satisfaction. He characterises the proceedings in tho Court as " mockery and insulb on common decency," and bursts into rhapsody on " the glories of a glorious institution of justice in the house of freedom." In conclusion, he desires to be informed whether he is "still to linger in suspense under the hands of the very worsb type of mnrderors, those who torture their victims by robbery nnd slow murder, to death," or whether the New Zealand Parliament will give him rodroas", or whether he musD appeal to the English Government.

RATING OF NATIVE LANDS,

The Native Affairs Committee were engaged yesterday in the consideration oE parb 2 of tho Rating Acts Amendment Bill. This part deals with the rating of native lands. Only three clauses were dealt with. In clause thirteen an amendment was made by which the native land situated within any borough is liable to be rated for any special rato unless held by native owners in severalty. In clause 14, the subscription exempting all native land situated in the counties of Kawhia, Taupo We3t, and Easb, sounds and fiords, from rating was struck out, as wag also the words " open for horse traffic," in subsection 2 of the Bame clause. ,By this last amendment the native land situated within five miles of a public road will be liable to taxation, whether the road bo opon for horse traffic or nob.

dr. McGregor,

The afternoon sitting yesterday was nearly all taken up with a debate raised by Mr Fish on the subjecb of Dr. McGrogor's salary, and his conduct as Inspector of Asylums and Hospitals. The member for Dunedin delivered two long orations in his most forvid style. He warmly championed Miss Finch, who had, he said, been forced to resign the L position of matron of the Aaylum in a stylo that would have boen brutal if applied to a chimney Bweop, and waa much worse when employed towards a lady by the champion of women's rights. In a fiery denunciatory style, he condemned Dr. Macgregor and all his works, and with a characteristic mixture of metaphor ho declared thab the official bead of the Asylums Department wagged the Minister's tail, and applied an occasional plaster of sycophancy to thab gentleman's head. The debate, of course, ended in nothing, and over two hours wero simply wasted.

THE STOCK BILL,

The Stock Bill waa further considered by the Stock Committee yesterday morning, and several amendments were made. The clause providing that an inspector shall neither possess stock himself nor bo agent for any dealer was excised, and the period of securing compensation for imported stock which had been slaughtered was reduced from 12 to 6 months. It was rosolved that the introduction of virus for scientific purposes should be allowed, on the understanding that the consent of the Minister be first obtained. A considerable reduction was made in the amount of the penalties. Foot rot was struck out aßa "contagious disease,"and a provision making the dressing of sheep compulsory on the order of tbo inspector was also discarded. The time for dipping sheep was extended from the Ist January to the 30th April. CHEVIOT ESTATE DISPOSITION BILL. This measure was considered in Committee yesterday. The first opposition it met with 'came from Mr Earnsbaw, who moved, when clause 5 was under discussion, an amendment to the effect that no part of the estate should be sold. The Minister of Lands pointed out to the member for the Peninsula that it would not bo possible to do as he desired. Ifc was absolutely necessary that a portion of land should be sold in order to provide tmnh for survoying and cutting up of tho estate, which could noD be done out of the consolidated revenue. Mr Taylor also opposed the salo of a single acre of the land. Mr Reevas believed that it would be qnitc impossible to get a Bill passed through both Houses which provided for the leasing of the whole of the Cheviot) estate. His own conviction was thab no Crown lands should bs parted with, consequently he was at one with the member for the Peninsula on the question of not soiling the land, but as ha considered that there waa no chance of the Bill passing should it contain such a provision he would have to eive hia support though very reluctantly to the proposal that a portion of the land should be sold. After further discu3eion,MrEarnshavvcalled fora division, and tho amendment was lost by 50 vote 3to 7. Those who voted for the amendment were Messrs Taylor, Earnshaw, McLean, Kogg, Sandford, Joyce and Tanner. The member for the Peninsula then brought forward a second amendment

providing that nob more than one-third of tha estate should be Eold for cash. The Minister for Lands showed thab this was clearly indicated by the measure. The amendmenb was lost by 50 votes to H, Nothing daunted, Mr Earnshaw made a third attack. Ho proposed as an amendment that tho one-third instead of being leased on perpetuity should be disposed of on perpetual lease. The Leader of the Opposition intimated his intention of voting with Mr Earnshaw. Mr Fish, like hia own self, frankly explained that if he had been guided by personal feeling ho would certainly not go into the same lobby with the member for the Peninsula, but bo did not believe that personal feeling should interfere with a man's political convictions. He was of the same mind as Mr Earnghaw regarding the amendment and would vote with him. Mr Shera expressed himaolf against the amendment, and the Minister of Lands maintained bhab they would nob get) the bosb class of settlers if they proposed to set them down on land thab was liable to be re-valued after a certain number of years, when they had made extensive improvements. On a division being taken, the amendmeub was rejected by 30 to 19. When clause 10 was arrived ab Mr Earnshaw was again on his feet. This time he objected to the rent of five Dounds per cent, on town lands when'leased. He thought 4 per cent, sufficient, and moved an amendmenb accordingly which wa3 subsequently lost like his previous amendments. Later on in the evening, Sir J. Hall complained of his own ignorance about bhe financial proposals of the Governmenb with regard to the estate. He wanted to know how the money was to Ife raised for the paymenb of expenses connected with ib. The Minister of Lands replied that the Governmenb expected to geb £100,000 out of the sale of tho lands, and to issue Treaenry bills for the remainder. This satisfied the Knighb of Ellesmere. There was then a lon^ smooth run of many clauses till bhe 19th was reached. It contains provisions for bhe sale of the Mansion House together with such portion of land contiguous to it a9 the Minister may deem suitable. Mr Sandford moved as an amendmenb that tho land should non exceed 5,000 acres, but his wish was not granted. The remaining clauses were rapidly passed with few unimportanb amendmenbs. The Bill was set down for the third reading on Monday.

THE FLAX INDUSTRY,

Tho Manufacturers and Industries Committee to-day reported on tho question of encouraging the flax industry. It recommends that an export grader be appointed by tho Government to protect the interests of producers, his salary to be paid from grading fees charged to manufacturers. The Committee strongly urges the necessity for offering a bonus of £4,000 for the encouragement of the flax industry, to be distributed as follows :—£3,000 for a machine or process which will materially reduce the cost of production ; £500 for a machino or process which will materially increase tho value of dressed fibre ; £500 for a mode of utilising the waste products of the industry. Regulations are appended to the report naming tho conditions to be complioa with before a bonus can be earned. An application for bonus must bo mado before the 31st March, 1894. and the merits of the inventions are to do decided upon by a Committee of three or more experts. Machinery or processes are to be tested by the treatinonb of 20 tons of green flnx.

FLOWERS FOR SIR JOHN HALL,

A number of tho fair sox last ovoning sent down to Sir John Hall from tho ladies' gallery a bouquet of rare flowers and ferna in recognition of his able championship of the causo of tho ladies.

JOTTINUS.

The Commibtoo has no recommendation to make with regard to the petitions of Russell Bates and Mr3 Harnlin, of Auckland. The petition of Mrs Buckworbh, of Whakatano, is referred to tho favourable consideration of the Government). The Committee, remarking on the facb that other relatives of James Fullon had received compensation for his murder by the Maoris on board the Government cutter Kate, expresses the opinion thab his daughter should also receive an allowance,

Mr Cadman yesterday presonted a portion from Jesse Sage, of Alexandra, praying for a land grant for military services. Mr Taylor is moving the Government to pay its employees fortnightly instead of monthly. An Infanb Life Protection Bill is to be introduced by Mr Reeves next week. Mr Joyce has given notice to ask the Minister of Lands if Sir James Hector hus within the last week been to the Cheviot estate examining a seam of coal recently found on thob estate, and when will Ilia reporb be laid before the House. A return is to be moved for by Mr McLean showing the number of hotels closed by Licensing Committees since 1381. Mr Palmer has a question on the paper asserting thab the prison authorities are in the habit of forcing all accused persons to be photographed and if they resist sentencing them to solitary confinement on bread and water. He wants to know if this ia in conformity with the Prisons Acb.

Tho Minister of Justice, in roply to Mr Shera, said it was impossible to state when the Native Lands Court would resume its sitting at Otorhonga.

The Government has not yeb come to a resolution as to whether or nor legislation on the linos of the Gumfields Commission report shall bo introduced this session. The Premier informed Mr Palmer yesterday thab an opportunity would be given for discussing the matter, but he could nab fix a date for the dispussion at present.

The Premier informed the House that he hoped to be able to announce on Tuesday next thab the portfolio ot Native Minister had been filled up. This is understood to foreshadow Mr Uadman's return to his former position in the Cabinet.

Contrary to expectation, no announcement has yet beon made by the Government as to when the session may be expected to close, and what Bills are to be proceeded with. In reply to the Leader of the Opposition, the Premier said that tho Public Workß Statement would bo brought down as soon as the buaineaß was sufficiently advanced. The rule of tho Housa now soemed to be " one nisrht ono Bill," and though ho did noo blumo members for giving full consideration to important meaeuros, it was evident that tho business was not proceeding Bwiftly. Some prophets elate that tho session may extend over four more weeks.

An Imprest Supply Bill No. 3 wan in troducGd and passed through all its stages,

The Miniate? of Justice, replying to Sir Robt. Stoob.atated that the Government did not at prosenc intend to prosecute the Sydenham hotelkeop6rs for selling drink without ft liconse. He reminded the member for Inangahua that any private person was at liberty to prosecute.

The .Miniscor for Defence doaa not think there is any necessity for increasing the police force of the colony. He will nob promine to bring in a superannuation and pension scheme for tho police force, as lie thinks that euch a scheme should apply to all Government employees.