PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 226, 29 September 1897, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

NOTES FROM THE GALLERY,

(By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.)

■ WELLINGTON, Tuesday. There was a good attendance when | the House met at half past two j o'clock, and a general expression of , expectation sat on the. countenances of hon. members. After the usual prayer there was a brief pause, when the Premier proceeded to state the attitude of the Ministry in regard to Mr Ward, THE MEMBER FOR AWARUA. His disclaimer of personal eonsid- ■ erations was received with marks of approval on both sides of the House. He explained that the question of the eligibility of Mr Ward to sit and vote in Parliament would be referred j to a privileges committee. Captain Russell contended that the j Privileges Committee should be set, ■ up before Mr Ward took his seat, j but the Premier said he could not see j bis way to consent to that course. Then followed a perfect avalanche j of petitions and notices of motion, i sufficient to occupy the exclusive attention of the House for at least a j week. The next order paper bids j fair to assume the dimensions of a | respectable volume. ! MR WARD SWORN IN. j Ths dreary business over,the Speak- j er intimated that as he was informed I Mr Ward was in attendance, he was i prepared to administer the usual oath Mr Ward then approached the table, accompanied by the Minister for Lands and Mr Morrison, member for Caversham. Amidst profound silence, he signed the declaration, and retired to a seat at the back of the Ministerial benches. It would appear that the hon. member prospers by adversity, for be certainly looked more jaunty and spruce than when his star was in tbe ascendant. CONGRATULATIONS TO THE PREMIER. The speech of the leader of the Opposition in congratulating the Premier was graceful and eloquent. He said Mr Seddon's name had been enrolled on tbe rolls of distinguished English statesmen, an imperishable honour, which his descendants would value for all time. The conclusion of his remarks was received with general applause. Mr Seddon's reply was marked by becoming modesty and a statesmanlike tone. It was noteworthy that he wore a buttonhole of primroses, the Conservative flower. BILLS. A large number of bills were introduced and read a first time. Referring to the Young Persons Protection Bill, the Premier said, the subject being a complete one, it would be referred to a select committee, which would avail themselves of the assistance of clergymen and those noble women who had interested themselves in the question. Regarding the Bank of New Zealand . and the Banking Act Amendment Bill, the Premier stated it would require to be introduced by message from tbe Governor. The Hawkers' Bill, which is to abolish license fees paid by commercial travellers coming* into the country, ■was introduced by message from the Governor, read a first time, and referred to a committee. THE CYANIDE PROCESS. The House went into committee on the Cyanide Process Gold. Extraction Bill, which proposes to empower the Government to purchase the patent rights in the process and charge fees to persons using it on the goldfields, sufficient to recoup the sum so expended in a given term of years. The Bill was read a first time and reported. TRADE RECIPROCITY. The Customs Duties Reciprocity Act Extension Bill, to be introduced by message from the Governor, is to extend the power already possessed by the colony of concluding reciprocity agreements with neighbouring Colonies, to adopt the same course in regard to the Mother Country. QUESTIONS. In reply to Mr McGuire as to •whether the Government intended to make good the 200,000 acres taken from the New Plymouth Harbour Endowment, the Premier said he had failed to find any grievance or injustice in the matter outside the hon. member's imagination, and he thought if any one had a grievance it was the Government, which had spent so much money to promote the prosperity of Taranaki. LOANS TO SETTLERS. In asking the Minister for Lands if he had noticed in the Mercantile and Bankruptcy Gazette the entry "secured Government advances to settlers Supt., £515, secured by mortgage over a section in the Opuawhanga Survey District, containing 297 acres, of the estimated value. of -8500, said he had discovered several instances in which properties had been over valued, and excessive advances had been made upon lands Which had been vainly hawked about to private firms. The Minister for Lands, in reply, said the House must see that if Ministers were called upon to answer such questions it would undermine the confidence of the public in the Department. Mr Lewis: They are losing it now. The Minister for Lands said the hon. member was instigating that feeling. Such questions might be asked about constituents of the member for Christchurch, and he would be the first to cry out that it was improper. He Mr McKenzie) had laid down a rule that he would not answer such questions, and if the House was not satisfied it could test the question as one of confidence in Ministers. Captain Russell: That is going outside the question. The Minister for Lands said he could assure the House that not a single sixpence would be lost on tbe transaction. LAND FOR SETTLEMENT. Mr Massey asked whether, in accordance with a promise made last •session, inquiries had been made as to the demand for land lor settlement purposes in the province of Auckland, and whether he intends to open up Crown lands in Onewhero, Opuatia, and Raglan, and provide access to such lands by constructing a bridge over the Waikato River at Tuakau. The Minister for Lands said some action had been taken to carry out the promise made last year. Six thousand acres of Crown Land would be placed in the market in a few weeks, and other blocks were now being surveyed. The delay was caused through difficulties about titles to native lands. He hoped the House

would support the Government in voting a sufficient sum to construct the bridge, which is tantamount to saying that it will appear in the public works estimates. REPAIRS TO GOVERNMENT I HOUSE. \ Mr Holland asked the Minister for j Public Works if it his intention to ' take immediate steps to renovate the j interior of Government House at j Auckland, in order to make it habit- | able. He said it was well known that ; the Governor when he visited the j place, in company with the Minister j for Justice expressed dissatisfaction i with the dilapidated condition of the * \ interior of the house, and said while it was in that condition he could not I live in it. As the Governor proposed ; returning to Auckland in February.it ; was necessary renovaton should be I commenced at an early date. j The Hon. Hall-Jones, in reply, said I the Government had ordered the re- : i port and estimates to be furnished as . !to the, requirements. I ALTERNATIVE TELEGRAPH LINE, j j Mr Holland asked the Postmaster- \ | General if it is his intention to erect j ] an alternative telegraph line to Auck- | I land. He said the matter was one of \ | great importance. Great loss had j I been sustained by the business and ! mining community of Auckland for j ! want of an alternative line connect- , ■ ing with the South.- Three times durj ing last winter telegraphic communi- j | cation between Auckland and the out- ! side world had been cut oil' for days. i Business people in the South also suffered from the interruption. For a small amount the line could be connected with Te Kuiti. An alternative lino was also necessary to relieve pressure on the existing line. A second line was promised by Mr Ward when he was I'ostmaster-General. The. Premier said he was sorry the hon. gentleman bad accused the late. Postmaster-General of a breach of faith when the matter rested with the House. lie admitted the line was necessary, and that great loss was caused by interruptions on the present line, and the Government would give the House an opportunity of voting the necessary amount to provide alternative telegraph communication. ADVANCES TO SETTLERS. Discussion on this question was revived by Mr Lewis moving the adjournment of tlie House in order to express his indignation at the refusal ! of the Minister for Lands to answer ' his question regarding advances to ■ settlers. Mr McKenzie, in reply, still more strongly reiterated his determination to "put bis foot down" on any tittempt to expose the names and circumstances of borrowers, though he would be willing to inform the House in cases where actual losses were incurred. Mr Pirani made a fierce attack on the Minister for Lands.and denounced his action as one of the evils of party Government which disgusted so many people with the whole system. At one stage of Mr Pirani's remarks the Minister for Lands interjected, "Newspaper scribe," which raised the gorge of the member for Palmerston North, who retorted, "It is a pity the hon. gentleman did not graduate as a newspaper scribe, because then _he . would have had more consideration for the feelings of others," a sally which excited general laughter. Mr Kelly (Invercargill) followed Mr Pirani's attack, which brought the Premier to his feet and drew from him a powerful defence of the Advances to Settlers Department. He accused members of damaging public confidence in the department by demanding that the private affairs of individuals should be divulged. It was, he said, merely laying out ground for future attack in the appointment of valuers. In the case of Isabella Bank's property, it was sold at a price some hundreds of pounds over the valua-

tion. Captain Russell declared that tbe Opposition had no intention of being bullied by the Government when they desired information, and they were strong enough to resent any such conduct. Discussion was interrupted by the half-past 5 adjournment, and the subject was therefore talked out. THE ADDRESS IN REPLY.

When the House resumed at 7.30 p.m., Mr Wilson, member for Wellington Suburbs, moved the Address in Reply. Being a prominent pressman and 'a young man of the party, considerable interest was taken, especially in the press gallery,in his maiden effort. It was characterised by a somewhat aggressive tone.but strongly supported the Government. He declared his intention to oppose the CD. Act, and, speaking on the subject of juvenile depravity, he declared his disbelief in the idea that it was the result of an absence of Bible teaching in schools. Mr Symes, member for Egmont,who seconded, exhibited only mediocre ability as an orator, and his commonplace style soon tired the House. The Leader of the Opposition, who made an all-round attack on the Government policy as expressed in the speech, paid a graceful compliment to various parts of the colony which had responded so liberally to the appeal made on behalf of sufferers by the floods in Hawke's Bay. The Hon. Hall-Jones replied to Captain Russell in a very thin House. Sir Robert Stout continued the debate in special pleader style, but scored some strong points. PREMONITIONS OP A LOAN. It is not only in the railway stateing a loan to meet the requirements ment that pretty broad hints are given of the need that exists for raisof the country. In quite a number of cases this afternoon Ministers, in replying to questions, gave plain indications that if the,wishes of the people in the matter of services of various kinds are to be met Parliament must provide additional funds. For example, when Mr Meredith asked if the Government were going to acquire the Glenmark Estate for settlement purposes Mr McKenzie replied that nothing could be done till Parliament provided more money. The same reply practically was given to Mr Buchanan by the Minister for Railways when the Government was asked to supply more insulated trucks for dairy produce. "It is all a matter of £.5.d.," said the same Minister when Mr Gilfidder meekly requested that passenger trains between Invercargill and Riverton should travel at a slightly faster rate than twelve milfes an hour. Am-ther member wished rates reduced on the Eketahuna line, but Mr Cadman said there was more need to raise them, as some £6000 was about to be spent on that line. And still the demands of members are unsatisfied, for notice has been of a question as to whether Ministers propose going on with the building of a new railway station at Dunedin. These urgent claims, it is noticeable, are put forward by members of all shades of political opinion, so that the demands for public works

and extension of services seems thor- j oughly bona fide, and not in any way ] artificially stimulated. Added to this i c there are' additions for light railways ' c in various parts of the country, which , . must in due course produce a crop of ■ < questions from members. It is uu- j doubted, if there is to be a policy of s railway extension and funds are to be found 'for the more vigorous prosecu- , tion of the land settlement policy, that there must be a loan of a million ; or two raised in London. Even to : carry out the improvements of ser- ( vices that are demanded, and to ex- j ecute minor public works that are necessary the alternative must be faced of a small loan or increased taxation. The feeling in the lobbies ! clearly inclines to the conclusion that i borrowing proposals will inevitably ' be brought down this session. The absence "of any reference to such a ; policy from the Governor's address is no more positive evidence against ' this theory than is the absence from ; " I the railways statement of allusion to ; j the light railways proposals. It is ! not customary to disclose the whole , Ministerial policy in the Speech from ,■■ | the Throne, and it is well to remem- I 1 j -ber that railway construction pro- i ' ; posals would not be mentioned in the !, ; statement of the Minister of Rail- ; ! ways, but in that of the Minister of \ ' i Public Works! For once I agree , ! with lobby gossip on the subject of I < j the financial probabilities of the ses- j I sion. Ani* considerable increase : taxation would be highly unpopular, ! and the House will certainly support ' a borrowing policy rather than incur the odium attaching to the other ■ method of finding money for further j works. \ ART UNIONS. The Hon. Jennings gave notice in | the Council to-day that the Government consider the advisability of altering the Gaming and' Lotteries Act so as to enable all registered bodies such as friendly societies, eight hour leagiies.trade unions and other registered under the Unclassified Societies Registration Act to dispose of articles of use other than works of art in their art unions. Most of the Auckland members have promised to support the proposal. Communieationsonthe subject have been received from Mr H. Garrett. WELLINGTON SELFISHNESS. As an example of the selfish desire of the Wellington people to monopolise every public advantage at the expense of tbe colony at large, Mr Jenkinson (Wellington), in the Council to-day, strongly condemned the San Francisco mail service as useless, de- j daring that the Vancouver service is i all that is necessary. MR WARD'S' ELECTION. During the progress of the Liberal caucus this morning the Minister for Lands explained, regarding his speech at the Invercargill banquet, that he had not meant it to be construed that Ministers intended to restore Mr Ward to his former position in tbe Cabinet. He had merely spoken to the effect that Mr Ward was still a young man with a future, and he (Mr McKenzie) hoped the member for Awarua would soon regain his position and become a Minister of the Crown. Mr Morrison, member for Caversham, who was present at the banquet, corroborated Mr McKenzie's reniarks. PUBLIC SECURITIES. A return of public securities held in [ the colony or elsewhere on March 31 ; last has been prepared as follows: — Held in the colony: Post Office, £2,671,866; Government insurance, £1,476,228; Public Trust Office, £820,801; Government advances to

settlers, £1,201,763; Commissioner of Public Debts Sinking Funds, £115,630; Treasury, £208,997. Total, £6,595,285. Securities held in London —Post Office, £1,414,816; Government insurance, £538,516; Public Trust, £20,400; advances to setttlers, £139,908; Commissioner of Public Sinking Funds, £44,100; Treasury, £1,044,700. Total, £3,202,440. Grand total, £9,797,225.

PETITIONS. The following petitions were presented in the House to-day: — By Mr R. Monk from settlers of Puhoi, Makerau Eoad, praying for a

grant of £200 for new bridges. By Mr Crowther from John Lawson, Auckland, praying that asum of £13S 19s Bd, with interest, be paid to him for the creditors of Oliver Mason Creagh. By Mr Monk from John Thomson, Kaipara Flats, praying for compensation for encroachment upon his property by the department of Lands and Survey; also from ratepayers in the County of Waitemata, praying for relief in making the Waiuui-Kau-kapakapa Station Road available for vehicular traffic from Wainui to Kaukapakapa Railway Station; from Arthur Maxwell, Auckland, re bis connection with the Maoriland Gold-min-ing Company. By Mr R. Houston from Daniel James McEwan, Paparoa, sheep farmer, asking compensation for losses sustained in connection with a land purchase; also from settlers in Okaihau, Kerikeri, and surrounding districts in the Bay of Islands, praying for a vote of £250 for better road communication between Okaihau and Kerikeri; from J. H. Dyer praying redress for an alleged unjust decision of Mr Clendon, R.M., in acase against one Captain Jones; from Eru Toi and Hori Karwea, natives of Hokianga, relative to a land claim; from settlers in Kaitaia and Ahipara Districts,praying that the sum of £150 be granted to cut a canal to carry off the overflow from Tangoni Lake; from settlers in Avoca Special Settlement praying that £1,000 or other sum be voted for construction of a main road; from settlers praying that Parliament will take over an Auckland endowment block from the Auckland City Council under the Land for Settlement Act and open it for settlement under the system of lease in perpetuity; from Jas. Stewart, civil engineer, Auckland, as representative of the late firm of Stewart and Hunter, praying for compensation re losses sustained in an agreement with the Government for a railway survey from Putaruru to Rotorua; from E. W. D. Matthews apd others praying that revenue required for charity purposes be made a charge on the consolidated revenue. By Mr Bollard from Foster Yelverton Goring, formerly commandant of the Auckland forces, praying compensation for injury to his eyesight caused by military service in the field. By Mr Herries, petition of James Lancey, of Cambridge, Waikato, for compensation for deafness, etc., sustained while in the service of the colony. By Mr W.F.Massey from members of the Pollok Settlement Road Board, praying for a vote of £350 for improving the main road. Mr Henry Kaihau, from certain natives asking for investigation regarding Tauwhe block, -with a rehearing of claims by two judges of the Apel-

late Court; petition from Robert Ernest Lestor, Hokianga, praying compensation for loss through action of the local body and the Chief Surveyor of Lands in regard to his land. GOVERNMENT LIFE INSURANCE. The accounts to December 31st last show that the revenue received last year, including £2,428,245, amount of funds on January Ist, 1896, is £2,823,229. Claims paid and Land and Income Tax, expenses of management, etc., left a balance on December 31st of £2,823,220, and liabilities £2,648,157. INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS. The annual report on industrial schools shows an increase during the year of 1545 to 1559 inmates. The number in Auckland at the end of the year was 81, a decrease of 11 on the pre- ; vious year. The net cost in Auckland was £880; Burnham, £4547; Caversham, £1793; total, with contingencies, £7625. THE KAIPARA RAILWAY. A return of the total of value received for freight of round and baulk timber on the Kaipara railway line from March 31, 1896, to March 31, 1897, shows:—Kanohi to Auckland, 455,000 ft, freight £430; Helensville to Auckland, 2,306,300 ft, £2110; Helensville to Onehunga Wharf, 1,813,300 ft, £1687; Waimauku to Auckland, 64,400 ft, £48; Taupaki to Auckland, 120,100 ft, £97; total, 4,759,700 ft, freight £4375. MARINE DEPARTMENT. Tbe annual report of the Marine Department laid on the table of the House to-day by the Hon. Hall Jones shows that the cost of maintenance. |of light houses during the year ended ,March last was £15,644; steamer serI vice, £7000; collected for light dues, £15,995, an increase of £-130; pilotage and port charges, £1633. The question of buoys for Kaipara Harbour will be considered with the estimates. LAND TRANSFER RETURNS. A return of land transfer and deeds registration for the year ending March last shows that in Auckland district the value of applications amounted to £61,016; transfers to £502,12.1, and mortgages to £405,504. The fees received under the Land Transfer Acts in Auckland amounted to £2203. The amount remaining secured by mortgage under the Land Transfer Act in Auckland at the end of March, 1896, was £1,020,620; seI cured by mortgage during year endI ing March, 1597, £405,564; paid off i during the same period, £1,454,825; i amount remaining secured on mortgage at the end of iMarch last, £2971,550; total amount for the whole colony secured on mortgage on 31st March, 1897, £31,112,921; at the corresponding period of 1895----96, £31,639,849; securities held by the Public Trust Office on the 31st March last amounted to the nominal value of £841,201, cost price £841,974. THE HAWKERS BILL.

The Hawkers Bill introduced by Mr Seddon provides for two forms of licenses — general and pack ; the former being limited to certain local districts in which holders may carry on business, the amount of fee pay-

able being ten shillings. Pack licenses authorise the hawking of goods in districts, the goods being* carried about the person on foot only

Lb-en."*' hawkers must be, British or naturalised British subjects. Applications for lic-enr.G.s must be accompanied by a certificate of character, signed by four ratepayers. A magistrate may bear objections. Hawkers are not to carry alcoholic liquors. MINING BILL AMENDMENTS.

Mr Guiness is to move, contingent on the motion for the second reading of the Mining Bill being agreed to, that it be an instruction to the Committee on the Mining Bill that provision should be made in the Bill (1) for repeal of the rates on mining property, (2) for the reduction of the rental of all licensed holdings aud special claims from 10s per acre to 5s per acre, (3) for reduction in the

fee paid for miners' rights from 10s to ss, and (4) for payment of a royalty of 2s per ounce on all gold won from land. JOTTINGS.

Mr Hogg wants to know when the j Government will give effect to the ! recommendations relating to claims ' under the Naval and Military Settlers and Volunteers Land Act. Mr Massey wants to know why youths who have passed the Civil Service examination do not get the first chance of billets. Mr Monk wants a change in the Crown Lands Act to enable Civil Servants to obtain land without actual occupation. He also desires that certificates be issued of competency to persons driving marine oil engines on sailing vessels. He wants particulars of sales of kauri forests and information as to what has become of the receipts. Mr Joyce will move, for a committee of inquiry into Industrial Schools and the establishment of a naval training ship. Mr Crowther will ask the Minister of Lands what steps he has taken ** plant ironbark and other hardwood timbers. Mr Lawry will ask the Minister for Justice to authorise hotels at Otorohanga and Te Kuiti. Mr Crowther is anxious to discover what portion of the money allocated to be spent in the north end of the I Main Trunk Railway in 1896 remains : unspent, and whether a junction with the northern end at Stratford has been effected. It has been found that the effect of the time limit in the House instead *of curtailing the loquacity of members has increased "Hansard" by two volumes, and Mr Fisher has given notice of motion to revert to the old system. Mr Pirani's First Offenders Probation Amendment Bill provides that when the report of the probation officer is adverse to a prisoner the I judge shall have the discretionary | power to inform the offender of the J grounds on which the officer refused Sto report, in favour of probation, in j order that the offender may have an opportunity of refuting any matters in the report which are ad.verse to him.