Parliamentary Gossip.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 223, 20 September 1893, Page 8

Parliamentary Gossip.

NOTES FROM THE GALLERY. THE MIDLAND RAILWAY. (by telegraph.—special reporter.) Wellington, this day.

When the Public Accounts Committee's reporb on the Midland Railway proposals was presented yesterday afternoon, the Premier stated that the Government considered the matter of great importance and would give the House an opportunity of discussing the question. On hi 3 motion, the debate was made an order for to-day. PROSPECTS OF THE RAILWAY . BILL. The passage of the Government Railways Bill through ics second reading is recognised to be only a prelude to its troubles. Ib is reported that the Opposition is prepared to keep up a determined stonewall on it in Committee, which it is threatened will be a more serious and organised affair than that on the Estimate?. Even should the Government succeed in forcing the Bill through Committee it will likely emerge with considerable alterations, and when it reaches the Council it has a prospect of being mangled past recognition by its author. There appears to be a feeling that the Bill might meet with general eupporb if the Minister were made simply an ordinary member of the Railway Board, bub an opinion aho prevailed favour of the present Commissioners being re-appointed for six or twelve months, leaving the now Parliament to deal with the whole question of railway control. Ministers are understood to be in favour of passing the Bill in whatever shape the House may approve, and they are said to have made sure of a majority of tivo or six on their side of the question. THE LIQUOR QUESTION. The Hou,se has approved of reasons drawn up for dissenting from the Council's amendments in the Liquor Bill, and a conference on the subject will meet shortly. GOLD AND SILVER. Mr McGowan wishes the Government at an early date to take into consideration the advisability of making arrangements in the principal mining centres for taking over gold and silver from miners at its full value, AUCKLAND PETITIONS. The petition of Henry Smith and obhora, of Devonport, praying that Constable Rowles should not bo removed from that district, has been referred to the Government for consideration. Richard Carr, of Papakura, who has been difcharged by the Railway Commissioners at tho age of 56, is petitioning Parliament for relief. The three petitions of A. J. McCluskey, of Auckland, have boen all adversely reported upon by the Committee. In the first of these he prayed for compensation for injuries received while in tho service of the Prisons Department, in the second for compensation for loss of office as a poliro constable, and in the third for inquiry into a grave charge that had been made against him. The Committee cannot recommend granting the prayer of the latter petition.

OLD SOLDIERS' CLAIMS. Auckland continues to maintain its reputation as the home of old soldiers with claims against the colony. Petitions from a dozen of theee old warriors were presented in the House yesterday, including tho following:—Mr Lawry presented the joint petition of Charlos Crozier, W. H. Clark, and J. O'Brien. Mr Cadman presented the petition of J. C. RobinRon and Mr Shera the petition of Robert Hathaway and seven other discharged soldiers irom the sSth Regiment, all praying for land grants for military services. THE FENCING ACT PASSED. The free Conference on the Fencing Ac*l Amendment Bill has resulted in tho council managers agreeing to strikeout tho amondment that brought native iands under the operation of tho Bill. Other amendments have been accepted by tho managers for tho House and tho Bill has been passed through its final stages. AN EXPERIMENTAL FARM. The Agricultual Department has taken over 5,000 acres of tho Waverley State farm, to be used aa an oxporimental farm, whore tree 3 and plants may be tested and diseases of stock investigated, The first experiments are to bo carried out under Messrs Ritchie and Gilruth, in connection with diseases prevalent amongst sheop on the West Coast. ALLEGED TYRANNY. Mr Tanner says his blood has boiled o n being supplied with details of acta o' tyranny in the Government railway servicoi when he found he was powerless to do anything through Parliament to obtain redress. COST AND EARNINGS OF RAILWAYS. An instructive table throwing light on this question is attached to tho report of the Public Accounts Committee on the Midland Railway Company's proposals. This table cover?, a period of ten years from 1883 to 1893, and shows that in that time working railways have produced a not loss of £2,638,796, principal items of loss aro £1,218,788 on the Hurunui-Bluff section, £517,950 on tho Napior-Taranaki, £477,772 in Auckland, £225,630 in Wellington. The total cosb of the railways of the colony is given ab £14,733,120, and during tho past ten years tho interest paid on this amounted to £6,306,729. The net earnings of railways over working expenses were £3,667,933, and to this the Hurunui - Bluff section contributed £2,387,593 ; Napier-Taranaki, £482,076 ; Auckland, £327,559 ; aud Wellington, £22G,7'15. The difference between the net profit and tho amount of interest gives a net loss from railways.

THE FLAX INDUSTRY. Tho Manufactures and Industries CommiUeo to-day considered tbo question of appointing an expert) to give instruction to flax millers on the working up of waste material into paper, felt and similar substances. It was finally resolved to recommend the Governmont to place £150 on the supplementary estimates in order that tho services of a gentleman whose samples were bofore tho Committee might be obtained. The Committee had no definite information as to whether tho material was of any real commercial value or not; but thought that the experiment was worth making, and reported accordingly. The " finisher" from the Petono Woollen Mills gave evidence before the Committee re the desirability of ro-imposing 25 per cont. ad valorem duty on imported teasles. He said that in his opinion there was not more than £1,000 worth of teasles imported into the colony annually. He highly approved of the samples grown on the Peninsula. After some discussion it was decided to recommend tho Governanent to re-impose the duty when they tewk into consideration a revision of the iasfSff. TAIRUA LAND BitL. After a lengthened discussion, the Wasto Lands Committee passed the Tairua Land Bill without amendmervs. WORKMEN'S WAGES BILL. Tho Labour Bilfe Committee of the Coun" cil after full consideration of the Workmen's Wages Sill has affirmed tho principle of the moCanro, but, not being satisfied with the ESVmner in which the Bill is drawn, has rfisolved to have ib redrafted.