Parliamentary Gossip.

Auckland Star, Volume XXV, Issue 231, 27 September 1894, Page 5

Parliamentary Gossip.

HOTES ¥MM THE GALLERY

(BT IELEOBAPH,— PARLIAMENTARY RE],l PORTEB.) f' Wellington, this day. THE CHEAP MONEY BILL. Therk are questions on the Order Paper, bub, they are mere trivialities compared 'with the Cheap Money Bill, which ata»d 8 fi rab on the Order Paper, and bhey are swepb aside. We lefb the Bill ab three o'clock ia the morning. We return to ib ab three in the afternoon, bub the twelve hoars which have elapsed have by no means lessened the opposition to the measure, and it is at once clear that the battle is to be as stiff as it was in the early hours of the morning. We begin with parfe 3of the Bill, which deals wibh the nature and functions of the land bond. The first clause provides' that the Colonial Treasurer' may raise auma by land bonds. After much discussion, Mr Rusaell, of Riccarton, declaring that it will be batter i to do away with land bonds altogether, moves an amendment to substitute debentures bearing four per cent, per annum. With bhia amendment the Treasurer cannot agree. He believes in a land bond system, which be considers will prove most successful. For a good hour the question turns on the poinb whether in the ] case of the mortgagor,paying off his mortgage before the expiry of 36^ year bond, if still current, be can be considered to have the security ot land on which ib was originally issued, m* The Treasurer explains that in the case of a mortgage being paid off before_ the date when currency of the bond expires, the bondholder will have the security of the money which the borrower has paid off, as such money will bo placed in a separate fund under the Public Trustee, as provided for in the Bill. A division is taken on Mr Riccarton Russell's amendmenb, which is lost by 34 to 25, and the much-debated clause ia pub through without! any opposition being ©tiered. .

We pass on to parb four, which treats of the advances on mortgages. Ib will be remembered thab the Bill provides thab the amount of advance shall nob be lesa than fifty pound 3 nor more than five thousand. There has been a strong feeling tbab the £5,000 limit is too much, and Mr Smith, of Christchurcb, voices this opinion by moving that the maximum amount of the advance ahould be reduced to one thousand. He holds that people who are in a position to borrow £5,000 can't be classed aa amall settlers.

To this the Treasurer replies thab the Government have fixed the maximum so high in order to take advantage of good and sound securities. At the same time, he reminds the House that ib is the intention to give preference to email borrowers. Mr Thompson, blunt and outspoken, declares bhab the evident intention to stick to £5,000 makes ib clear to him thab the Government has no intention to benefit the email settlers. The Bill will benefib the large loan companies, says he, bub nob the pool', struggling settlers. Mr Button announced his intention to aupporS the Treasurer on the ground thab ib would be easier and less expensive to deal wibh large mortgages than with smalli ■ :., ,r, ~;,; •• , .*,.-., ,■ ~,, ~>,';

, ,Jsi Premier, $}js?!»gh jQ.calayly suspicious of supporb coming from the Opposition (he fears Greeks evenwben they bring gifts), ttfkeSj the opportunity to^ give his own strong support to hla colleague. ' He aak's if the larger settler, < who haa done as much for the advancement of the country aa bis smaller brother, who pays taxes like t>ho other, should be deprived of the benefits of the Bill. The Government must) not give assistance to one small clasa only, aaya he. They must be prepared to help struggling settlers even when they may nob be on the lowest rung of the social ladder, provided always the security they offer is good and the district is to be benefited. . , After more talk Sir R. Stout risen, and declares he has no intention to move an amendment. Ib is useless to do to, says he, for he understands thab ab the caucus the other day the whole matter waß settled to the satisfaction of the majority of the House. Ab half-pasb nine a division is taken on Mr Smith's amendment, and his proposal tc limit the amount to £1,000 is negatived by 37 to 26. The following is the division list: For the amendment (26); Allan, Buick, Buchanan, Carncroas, Duthie, Earnshaw, Fraaer, Graham, Green, Hall-Jones, Heke, Houston, G. Hutchison,- Lang, T. Mackenzie, Maslin, MeGuire,; McNab, Meredith, W. R. Russell, Saunders, G. J. Smith, Stout, Tanner, Thompson, Wilson. AgaiDßt (36):—Bell, Buddo, Button, Carncll, Carroll, Collins, Crowther, Duncan, Flatman, Hall, Harris, Hogg, Joyce, W. Kelly, Larnacb, Lawry, Mackintosh, Maauey, McGowan, J. McKenzie, R. McKeuzie, McLachlan, Mills, 0 Rep;an, Pinkerton, Pirani, Reaves, G, W. Russell (Riccarton), Seddon, E. M. Smith, Stevens, Steward, Ward, Willis. _ Pairs:—For, Mitchelson, Te Ao, Kelly, Newman; against, Cadman, VYi Pere, Hutchison, Parata. Immediately after this Riccarton Rusboll moves the insertion of a eub-clauae providing thab applications for loans of £500 shall have priority over applications for assistance on a larger scale. Mr Bell and Sir R. Sboub, ridicule such a clause, ib is the blankest of blank cartridge, says the former, and Sir Robert asks the Riccarton member to define what priority means. That gentleman replies by submitting to the senior member for Wellington an Act passed when he was Premier, in which the word ib used. \ • '■"■-■ Finally the amendment is carried on the voices. .

Mr G. J. Smith then moves a proviso that no application for a loan of over £1,000 be dealt with until the expiry of one month from the date of the application.

A BREEZE ARISES.

As Mr Smith is handing his amendment to the Chairman of Committoe, ttio Minister of Lands mokes some remark. Neither members generally nor gallery hear it, but to Mr Smith's sharp ears every syllable is audible, and when he resumes his seat be complains of tke Minister's remarks, which ho took to be aimed at himself. It> was, "We do not allow traitors at the caucus." The words are rankling in the member's mind. With regard to his not having been invited to the caucus on the previous day he will have something to cay ab another time, but he wishes to state then and there thab " He is quite prepared to meeo either the members of this House or the members of the Liberal party, ■or-—" ' ' ' ' He is interrupted by Mr Hall-Jones, who points oub thab the words cited are against the forms of the House, and if necessary he is quite prepared to move thab they be taken down. On this the Chairman of Committee sees right to interpose. If the remark was made use of, says he, of course he musb call on the Minister to withdraw it. - "Did you hear the remark? asks Mr McKenzie. The Chairman replies in the negative. Mr Smith thereupon appeals to the Colonial Treasurer to say if they were used, bub Mr Ward does nob reply. Then up rises cool George Hutchison. Ho sees chance to geb a cub ab the Ministerial benches, and seizes it. George

reminds the House that on a previous occasion an honorable genbleman used language of an improper nature bo the Premier which the Chairman did nob hear, and there was a proposition to take the words down unless an apology were made.

Mr Guinness understands thab the member for Christchnrch has complained of the remark " We do not allow TRAITORS IN THIS CAMP," and he asks the Minister to ab once withdraw the words. Mr MeKenzie parries the order by saying that he did not use the words to the member for Christchurch.

Mr Smith, however, is not to be pub off, go he demands whether tho Minister used the words, ." We do nob allow traitors ab the caucus." If he did, Mr Smith believes he had a righb to take the words to apply to himself, as ho was the only Liberal member nob invited to the caucus.

Mr Guinness holds thab as the Minister baa denied that he used tho words to M r Smith, he must rule such was the case.

The matter ia about to drop, but cunning George Hutchison wants the Minister to say to whom the words were used, and Mr Hall-Jones supports him by urging thab if they were used to.any honourable member they should be taken down. Mr Guinnesa, thus assailed, rules thab the word 3 were decidedly disorderly, if made use of to any honorable gentleman. He understands that they were nob used to the member, for Christcnurch, bub in the course of conversation ; but, having ruled, he declines to.allow any further discussion on the matter. BUSINESS RESUMED. . Mr Smith's amendmenb is then pub, and negatived by 42 bo 21. . . An amendment by Marsden Thompson to provide thab no amount exceeding £25,000 should be lent on any one electoral district, until all applications received from other districts are considered by the Boards, is rejected by 42 to 15, and then we adjourn for supper.

DISTRIBUTION OF ADVANCES,

After supper, Mr Smith, of Christchurcb, moves a proviso to the effect thab all monies to be advanced under the Bill shall bo distributed amoug tho various provincial disbriebs in proportion to their population. This is defeated by 41 to 6. Mr Thompson moves that advances may bemaiie to the extenb of one-half of the value of tho security instead of two-thirds as provided for in the Bill. The Treasurer ab once declares thab he cannot accept the proposal, and Marsden's suggestion is thrown oub by 32 to 19.

AMOUNTS OF ADVANCES,

The Treasurer then moves bhab in the case of urban and suburban property advances should be to the amount of one-half of their value.

Tho discuesion on the point is brief, and the addition is carried by a majority of 44 to 8.

An amendmenb by Mr Russell thab the period for repayment of the loan be reduced from 36^ years to 10, meets with no support in the debate, but with a pertinacity only equalled by his loquacity ha demands a division, and getß very badly beaten. The history of the proceedings for the next hour is one of a series of amendments moved by adverse crictica of the meaeuro, and defeated.; Other technical verbal amendments are moved and carried by the Treasurer.

Ono of Sir R. Stout's amendment that no funds in the. Government Lisur&nco Uopartmenb and the Public Trust Office should be invested in land bonds is defeated by 26 b0?.4. On the mofeidh of the-Treasurer, in tjje clauses dealing with bhe appointment of district solicitors and valuers, the duties of these and th.oir. .salaries are struck oub on the understanding that" the provisions contained in them shall be dealt with in the regulations. In clauee 75, power is given to tho Go-vernor-in-Councll to make regulations specifying the rules of good husbandry. Sir R. Sboub takes exception to bhe lasb clause of the' Bill, which lays down thab bhe borrower under the Bill shall nob be able to take shelter under tho Bankruptcy Acb, should he fail to pay his debb to the Crown. He denounces fche clause as unfair, and he moves to reporb progress in order bhab ib may be discussed in full House. This motion being lost on bhe voices, Sir Robt. Stout calls for a division on tho question that the clause do pass, and is defeated by 24 toll.

A new clause is inserted in bhe Bill. Ib provides thab the Governor-in-Council may from time to time appoint valuers. After this the eight schedules are passed and the Bill reported, and amendments are set down for consideration at the nexb sitting of bhe House.

MR SMITH'S GRIEVANCE

. When the Chamber is about to adjourn at 3 a.no., Smith, of Chrisfcchurcb, rises to make a statement to the House. The Speaker demands whether it is a personal matter or matter connected with the business of the House. It is the latter, replies Cbristchurch's member, and he proceeds ab some length to state that he was returned for Christchurch in opposition to the wish of several members of the Ministry, and since thab time he has been subjested to certain inconvenience. When a meeting of the party was called on Tuesday, he was not invited to attend, and in reply to the letter asking whether he was neglected from an oversight, he learned from the Government whip thab there was no oversight, bub that his actions since he came into the House had not been compatible with that of the member of the Liberal party. The only Government policy Bill which he has nob supported is the Government Consols Bill. Action has been taken in order to damage him in the eyes of his constituents. Ib has been stated in • the lobby thab the Ministry has found their party too .large and are anxious to get rid of some of the. more j troublesome of their supporters. He concludes that ib- ia for that reason he was so treated. . Mr Smith next endeavours to refer to the remark passed by the Minister at an earlier stage ot the sitting which the member for Christchurch took to apply to himself, bub the Spoaker will allow no such reference, and. Mr Smith bos to cofine himself somewhat. He wishes to say that though he has come here to support the Liberal. policy he has no intention to sink his individuality and will not do so for anyone. The Hon. McKenzie replies thab he is nob conscious of having said or dono anything againsb Mr Smith. He never looked on the honourable gentleman as a member of the Liberal party. Sir R. Stoub declares tbab ib is very unfair of the Minister for Lands to Bpeak of Mr Smith as nob being a member of the Liberal party. Sir Roberb has always regarded him as a Radical. Mr Hall-Jones and Mr Collins endorse tkese sentiments. The Premier considers thab ib is well thab Mr Smith Bhould have referred to this matter. Whoever comes bo Parliament as a member of the Liberal party is received as such by the Ministers, and if the hon. member feels himself aggrieved at any action of any of the Ministry, he should have complained to him (the Premier), but as on Bbcty. different occasions he haß voted against the Government, ib is sorely unreasonable that the member should affect to be considered one of the Liberal party. If members are to claim to belong to that party let them not consistently vote against it. With these remarks, and the expression that if the delinquent member wishe9 to return to the party he may easily do so, the Premier concludes, and the House adjourns at 3,30,

THE FACTORIES BILL. Important amendments were made in the Factories Bill in Council yesterday. Clause 64, which gives all factory handß a weekly half-holiday, was struck oub. In moving to do so Mr McGregor pointed out that the Bill was designed to deal with women and children snly, and he characterised ac an excrescence this clause which sought to give a half-holiday also to adulb males. The clause was struck oub by 16 to 7, bhe Hone. Bolb, Swanson, Kerr, Rigg, Jennings, Jenkinson and Feldwick vobing for ib, and the Hone. Bonar, L. Walker, Reynolds, Whitmore, Pharazyn, Barnicbat, Kelly, Dlgnan, Ackland, Bowen, Ormond, Stevens, MacGregor, Richardson, Montgomery and Buckley against. JOTTINGS. ■'"■' ~;' ' The Railway Bill and Shop and Shop Assistants Bill were read a third time and passed in the Council yesterday. Of course there will be a conference between the two Houses on bhe latter measure to consider the amendments introduced.by the Upper ! Chamber, which have unllified the whole principle of the measure.

The Treasurer believes thab there is bound to be a greab lowering of the interest in New Zealand as there has-been in other countries. ,

The Public Petitions Committee had no recommendabion to make on the petition? of a number of paraons who pray that the existing liquor law should not be disburbed until it has had fair trial.

The... New Zealand Company's Land Claimants Acb Amendmenb Bill passed the final stages in the Council yesterday. t ' .- Major Harris is going to aak the Government if they will approach the Railway Commissioners with a view of obtaining a reduction in the charges to road boards in the Auckland province for the conveyance of scoria ash.

Mr Mitchelson has given notice to move for a return, showing the amounts that have been taken from the North Island Main Trunk Railway loan for the following purposes, viz. : (1) Purchase of native land; 12) construction of roads and bridges; (3) surveys ;, (4) snagging and cleariag the Wanganui River; and (5) postal subsidies. •.

The Minister of Lands has given notice to introduce the Water Supply Act Amendment) Bill.

The Public Works Bill, as ib has issued from the Statutes Revision Committee, contains a new provision enabling the Ministry or the local body to make by-laws regulating the pace, mode or. manner in which bicycles or tricycles may pass any vehicle. •

The Committee has struck oat the authorisation to the Minister to enter into a contracb for munitions of war as well aa provisions regarding the vesting of colliery railways, and permitting Harbour Boards to contribute towards the construction of streets on reclaimed lands,