Parliamentary Gossip.

Auckland Star, Volume XXV, Issue 226, 21 September 1894, Page 3

Parliamentary Gossip.

WeS FROM THE GALLESiy WM'*&&&***.*?. yABfUatEKTAB.Y BE- I* x" ;> ■ , WelijlNOxok, this day*. > '"'the consols .bill. ■ >:*x4 TmMnitt the Wellington winda, are howltog r"ctand the House, and the WellingZ* r«» is pouring down on _ the roof ianeath," where are gathered thotie that make and tinmake our laws. Afteryqties. £oo« WegGOit with «he debate oft the ConLgjjll, which efienpiea the greater parb If tfao evetirig, and the) meaduife meets with T great deal of opposition ffdm a number %f njeniljefs who "are pledged themlalrestd their eobstttuentfl against borrow|D2;W>iiy sbape, «<* ■ who fear thai il?t,'gtrgil fchis Baone-y is to ba obtained lasfdelW^Biany, «Ueynjay by according Midori to Inch a measure come in fora SuHuae..**' *he band* of irate electors.; A nsmber of speakers urge thab the Tost Office Saving" Bank ii sufficient for all the needs of those who,might desire tojnveßt in New Zealand consols, and strong exception^* also taken to the fact that the Bill does nob sei out ipecifically to what purposes the money bo obtained is to be «p; plied. At length ' Mr Wifd rise** iffild cheera, to reply. The' Trelsnrer begins by ._ reminding the Houao that at thai time "of the eleption there wai a caneeniue of opinion thab something ohould be.d6ne to, prevent afl excess ef the capitilbi «He people1 of the country fr«m BBidg 6tit oi thtf country, but now when the GoterHmeiifc bring down a measure wiktt 3tbftl' object fcbete aria* members who m out kgaffliK li>. ThMe gentlemen would naostrceiftaißly' have opposed the MMtiti # tb^PtfStbffiCe Savings BMk, cries M* Ward* _*< tfo, no," crie ß tho OppoiiMonj Bufi Mr Ward* rushing on with lightning rapidity, will nob heed the protest!. There is no intention Co issue these eonldH'fCr.anybbheif purpose than that he mentioned in his speech, viz., to give a tafe investment for the Surplus savings of the.people. The TreSsafer does not for--goti Captain feuaaell'a speech or that wanb-. of-cbntidonco motion, nor does he forget 'Captain Russelljs great Bcheme to borrow ! twenty miilionsTaUhoagh it ia many years since it was proposed. . The Captain hears a j good deal about that scheme, about the misrepresentations which he was guilty of in his speech. To Maraden Thompson, who told the House tbab he had not como there with a rope round hii neokj the Treasurer tap Him ift le"if¥«rit hope that Matiden'e coaiisitiifenfea will noi put the rbpe round hid neck when he goes back to the North. As to what has been called the *' borrowing proposal!" lathe Bill, the Treasurer poiwfcfl fflat thab ihe opinion of Mr Ballauco ia 1891 was that borrowing was nflceaaary for the carrying on of the Government of the couftiryi and! thib ib was his intention 'to' bring down borrowing proposals. He abeolutely denies thab the Bill proposes borrowing for the pdrpo36 of Carryidg on tbe public works of tbe colony, but, in order to remove the scruples of «y moDflbtirj he is prepared to have the same ruloa Applied to consols as apply to money in"the ?osb dffica Savings Bank. Thitftj he dddsidered. Will offecfcually remove the fajeney froid th« dfditidry disposition of ihei Treasurer of She day. Abthia the' Hottao exprosset approval. Sir Robert .Stoub asks what about the conversion of cdrisols into ifcodk ?

. Wellj the treasurer is prepared to strike ' put tkaii elaaaa; way, he will strike out icltujse 7 alao.- Clause 7 provides thab all , deposits" snalfiba paid into the public.accounji, 'and form part of the* consolidated fuid bifehd 6610.ay,«a6d when the fioose heafa of the Treasurer's willingness to « strike ib outi, applarisa ia heard, i "Will that satisfy you?" aska the [3 Tteliufer of Sir Rebflrn Stout. f "No," replioa Sii? Rdbetft. The Treasurer baa not time to reply to bioJ, for htf has onljr a few moments, and allhia enomies are there before him, He must give one stroke ad them collectively, and hS ddeiii with admirable spirit. . I'heir vthalt tftcbics, he says, hare been to cripple the finance of the Crovernmen't add : to ibf6w discredit oh them, but if they

thifik to conquer Or even intimidate the i tanks or the Speaker's right by that I' moini, they have dotado the greatest mistake of thoir lives. An applauding majority approves the rrdaStiirir, and a few moments later mem--4 ibars are filing into the division lobbies. { The result fir Else division ia that the I lecond reading is carried by 33 to 23. "jj T?he following ia the division list :"— Ayes? 39.—Buddp. Carncross, Cafnell, ! * Carroll* Collins, Bjtinean, Flatman, Guinnesß, Hall, Bogg, Houston, W. Hutchison, Joyce, W. Kelly, Larnach, Lawry, Maslin, !. Mc,Gowan, J< Mcjlenzie, R. McKenzie, | McLacbiari, McNab, Meredith, Millar, ' Mills, Montgomery, Morrison, Paraba, * Pinfcerfcon, Pirani, Reeves, G. VY. Russell, , Seddon, E. M< Smith, .Stevens, Steward, Tfagtopsgnj Wardj Willie, Noas, 23,: Bail, Buchanan, Buick, Crowfcher, Dtithie, Eafhshaw, Eraser, Green, Hall-Janes, Heke, G. Hutchison, J, W. Rally, Lang,- Massey, MoGuire, MitchelMon, KeWmaßj W.'R> Rußsell, Satiriders, G. J; .Smith, StOUtl, Tanner, Wilson. Paira (ayes): (Jadman, Tv*i_Pere, Mackintosh. Noes * Allen, Button, T. Mackenzie. fo&Mn insurance companiesl deposit bill. #ive tainntes iafcer the Treasurer is again on his feet explaining the provisions of the Foreign Insurance Companies Deposit) Bill. Ho ia brief. The object of the measure ia to enquire that people doing business with iaiuranca companies BhalT be protected. It v nob the intention of the Government, however, that the Bill should apply to certain large foreign life insurance companlei carrying on bußiifeas here, although, through an error in the drafting of the Bill,' ib has been made to Beem So, for tho Government does nob wish in any way to interfere with companies which are in * J.troag position. Their only object " to protect people from weak compafcfen, The Treasurer does not anticipate that members will object to the measure on the score that it is brought forward with the Objecb of raising money, aa some did in the eaeo of the last Bill, for companies nave the option of giving eecority in the shape of bonds. Very lull criticism of the Bill comes from SirK. Stoub. He Objects to ita provisions being apfiliod to fire and marine insurance on various grounds. First, he points out that there is no analogy between life inBuranee and fire insurance. The firsb deals with an event thab rriusb happen sooner or later, the second with an event that may sever take place; Ib is purely a commercial transaction extending over a year or leas. If ib is eecuriby to the fulfilment of a contract on the part of a company thab the Bill is aiming ab, Sir Roberb cannot understand tho limit o! £10,000. - Why, one large fire would swallow up thab security, and if ib is sec'uHty^ thab ia wanted why should local companies be exempt, bub Sir Robert holds thafi it U lidiOUlotta to epaak of proteefcing people in this way. The reaulb of the Bill will be to injure them, for, by limiting the number of companies doing badness in the colony, it will raisd premiums. Further, ib will injare local Soffijpanied by inducing other countries in which they may dp business to retaliate oh them and, lastly, ib will injate Government revenue, for the com panics exdkded frOni the colony will still take risks on buildings and shipping here, bob Government will nob get the stamp duty, lipenge fees, etc: i' Dakhie followed very much in the lines of eu Robert, wfailt McGowan and Plrani

both express their concurrence with the proposals contained in the measure. Mr Buchanan, an Oppositionist to the core, condemns the Bill. . Mr G. J.i Smith holds that the effecb of the Bill, it passed* will be that several offices trill withdraw, and close corporations will be formed to raise rates..

Mr Bell puts the question whether ib will be safe to insure with the New Zealand offices if they stand alone and large foreign offices.aro driven out. . "■After Btippei? the Treasurer replies ma few- words, end the Bill pass'ls its- eteeOnd reading. INSPECTION OF MACHINERY. It is then proposed by the Premier to go into Committee on t>wo small Bills,'viz.y Inebection of Machinery Acl Amendment Bill and School Attendance Bill,* and one large one, the Licensing Bill. Captain Russell objects to the last being taken, and maintains his objection as far as a division. Mm which he and hii friinds emerge beaten, and we go into Committee on the three measures, Tbe first evokes a. long discussion, chiefly among representatives of the farming community, the first division taking place over an amendment proposed by Mr 6. W. Russell, to the effect that it shall nob be necessary for drivers of traction engines to be certificated. The amendment ia lost. The entrance to examination fee ib reduced from one pound to ten shillings, and after an extended debate on other points the Bill is reported. - - ■ SCHOOL ATTENDANCE BILL." * The School Attendance Bill then gets under weigh, and seveful amendments are proposed and diecussed. At length the chief .changes effected are that School Committees, instead of Bducation Board's, shall have power to issus certificates exempting children from attendance, and that Committees, and hob Boards, shall take action for nen-afatendance and be paid tbe penalties^ exacbed. Tho Licensing fiili is laid on the _table, and the Premier takes his seat beside it. Alter bha first) clauee has been passed pro' gress is reported on the measure. Tho Inspection of Machinery Bill and School Attendance Bill are then reported, read a third time and paaaed, and the Houso adjourns at 2 a.m. , r , ICLECfORAL DISTRiCTS RE- | ADJUSTMENT. . II is the intention of the Government to introduce*- a Representation Act Antand* metit Bill this session,- although they do not anticipate that there will be time to go on with the measure. In connection with this Bill it is intended to appoint) a special Commission to re-adjuit tho whole of the electoral districts of the colony, which, as Mr Mills points out, are very often absurdly and ridiculously divided. The Premier believes thab frequenb changes in boundaries have been made by persons having no knowledge of the matter, hence the necessity for careful revision-of their work, and he hopes to see the Bill through before tbe next census. '..:.! THE PRICE OF GUM. -"-'' The Treasurer told Mr Massey that the cause of .the downfall in the price of gum was probably to be found in the recenfe financial upheaval in the United States. The commissioner lately sent to England, he said, had been instructed to inquire into the1 causes affecting tbe price of gum, and other matters, and thab as soon as he sent his reporb id would be made public. PROWNCIAL SCHOLARSHIPS. -' | Revision of the present provincial system of scholarships will be dealb with in the Education Bill, which Mr Reeves intends introducing next session. » - •■ JOTTINGS. In answer to Mr La wry, the Premier said that tho Railway Commissioners do nob expaeb that they will be abla to pub men in thd various railway workshops on full time before tho 15th of October. . The Government intend to take into consideration the granting: of rslief, by means of road works, to coal miners at Mokihinui. During the lasb two years there Ms been a considerable excess in working expense over revenue in the Telephone Exchange* of the colony. There are said to be over one hundred amendments to be proposed when the Licensing Bill is in Committee, and thab a division will bo taken on each.

The Pfenliei'Stated to-day thab nearly all the lessees of coalmines on the West Coasti had failed ko comply with conditions of lease, and thab if they did nob do so the Government would have to determine their leases.

There are now 4,244 telephone connections in the colony. In 1883, when-the telephone was firsb established here, there Were 116. The total working expenses of the Department lasb year was £22,217, and the reventie £21,771. , ,