Parliamentary Gossip.

Auckland Star, Volume XXV, Issue 235, 2 October 1894, Page 2

Parliamentary Gossip.

notes from thelalleryi " (BY TELEGBArU.—PASUAMJiSTAKY BE- .■ : rOBTEBi-'j '" * . .., I *"'■ "■■ ■' "'■"■■ " '!: Wellington; Mondays.;•■■. In the, Opera, House,; afc. the other^end o I the town, the Musical, festival has begun, I and in.' the sublime strains of Haydn's " Creation," well-trained" v.oices are telling how,- " in?*the beginning-, the heavens -and earth rose bub of, chaos." Here, in this j House,' whichj^according to the young and very iuexperienced Mr Pirani;Jconsists of the- wisdom: in the./colony, ,we are once more ato- ib, trying in-this Parliamentary, sphere, to - the best of our power, to evolve some order oub of whabis now so chaotic in tbie poor'distracted old world. There is very little music in our proceedings. The '• tuneful nine" are at the other end of tfie town, anil come members are. intending to be with them soon, I" 'judge from 'the' ,;white s dress, ,shirts, which peep out beneath closei- buttoned jand* would-be aU'-concealing overcoats. These patrons bf High, art are,' however, likely to be detained here for some (time; amid; this atmosphere of sordid politics, for there is work before us of a, kind that will.cause a division. First comes 'ir I ;/ Vv

1 -;TH?3,FACTQRIES lilLL^-^J down from the Legislative Council;, for the House to consider amendments, which the Upper Chamber; has made in: ife.! .This isJ Mr; Beeves'! measure,:; and he therefore speaks ,for.ifc. He, expresses his sensetof the fair, reasonable, and 'business • like manner in which the Bill has.been treated, and to most of these amendments as • being good and an improvement to the measure.; He aska the House to agree, but heat the same time desires that; they sHould/differ fronj.a few.. The chief of these are; the amendments made in clause 63, which the owner of a factory connected with a shop to give bia ■ factory hands a half - holiday on the same day 'ias shop bands, and the striking out bi clause: 64', which givea a half-holiday to adulb workers. If the Council meet the House in a conciliatory spirit in regard to those amendments we shall have the best factory act.in the world. The amendment's specified by the Minister are disa&re'ed with on the voices, and Sir R. Stout, Mr- J. Kelly, and. Mr Reeves himself are appointed a Committee to draw up reasons for disagreement to be presented to the Council. ::,;;'

CHEAP MONEY. BILL

The Colonial Treasurer then proposes to re-commit the Government. .Advances to Settlers Bill; for the purpose of reconsidering proposals as to mortgage on leaseholds under tbo Bill and some other points. Bub before we geb Jnto Committee there are many amendments'which other members would liko to have considered with those of the Treasurer when the Bit! is in Committee.1 '■ '■>" ~"■ '': ':- .<■', ~'? ■: "i

Major Steward .is the-firsb to seek admittance for his amendment; which is that the minimum of advance to settlors,should be £25, instead of £50. The-Treasurer grants his request, and then' others attempt to get equal favour, bub they are disappointed. ■ j, Mr Guinnesa wishes to include, some West Coast leases, Clutha McKenzie to prevent members of Land Boards being employed as valuers, Mr Maseey to exempt from the mortgage tax persons or companies who lend money at 5 per cent;; or. less, Sir 11.-Stout to provide that.besides interest to bie charged for loans to settlers under the Bill sums snfficienb to pay mortgage tax on loans shall be coarged and paid; to the Land Tax Commissioners: "■ All these amendmentaiare-lost. >•■; **£ ■-■ • ;,<.'/>'■■>. ■ 7 '■■''•.■...;•.■.

The Bill thon gets iufco Committe, and Major Steward's amendment substituting £25 for £50 as the minimum amount that may bo lent under the Bill is carried. , • Then come the' Colonial Treasurer's amendments. The first discussion is occasioned over the addition of a proviso to.the last clause of tho Bill to give power to fcho Colonial Treasurer to dischareo a -bankrupt from debts payable under the Act. Ultimately the opposition, which ;is on technical points and cornea fromVSir R. Stout, is overcome, and the addition 13 agreed to. > A clause improving the.machinery of tha Act, and providing additional safety for the State, is added on tho voices, and without discussion, as is tbo case with several other ainftU amendments. The Bill is then reported, and the question of its third readingpub.; ■ •■ ';. ,'"•'■. ''~:':'. Sirß. Stout rises at fchia point to pufc.'qii record his objection to the Bill. It isa class Bill, says he, and do6B not give to all persons a like chance of benefiting by its provisions. If we are going to lend money we Bhould not; havo confined our loans to the classes mentioned in the measure. Again, he objects to the retention of the high limit for advances set down in the Bill. £5,000, Le gives us to understand, is too much. He congratulates the House on having limiteii the amount to be raised to three millions for two years, and is the next moment condemning the provision which offers 4 per cent. to. London lenders when only 3£ is offered to New Zealand lenders. Then he protests against the Crown taking priority over other creditors jn the event of the borrower becoming a bankrupt, and also against the Crown paying mortgage tax. It is nob right, says ho,, to forgive State borrowers vundsr the' Bill this tax. After a great deal condemnabpry of the Bill, which considers mischievous and unnecessary, and one which will bring ruin to many and injure the colony as a whole, he finishes aba quarter to eleven. Dr. Kewthan thought the rate of Interest in the Bill had been fixed too low to pay expenses, Mr Steward agreed with the general policy of the Bill, and said he should bo glad when it was passed into law. ,' Mr T. Mackenzie held thab bufc for the interference of the Government rates of interest would have been reduced in bhe ordinary way by the operations of trade. Messrs Lang, Massey, Earnshaw, and o'Regan epoke against the Bill. In the course of his reply Mr Ward said the mortgage tax would-be paid by tho mortgagee.'per 6e, bub in case he was nob liable the superintendent would have to provide the mortgage tax, The money required under this scheme could nob be obtained from,the public trusb, and Government life offices, because these departments could not even now meet the demands of settlers for loan money: He believed the Bill would do more to add to the prosperity of the country thai) any measure ever introduced in any colony.

The third reading was carried by 36 to 11, and the Bill passed.

The House rose at 1.20 a. m, JOTTINGS.

Mr Reeves declared to an interviewer today , that he understood the Government had no intention to Bend him Home as Agent-General, and that he had not in-any way sought the position. ■ , ; :;.'■':'