PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 257, 5 November 1897, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

NOTES FROM THE GALLERY.

(By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, Thursday.

THE MESSENGER QUESTION.

In the House this afternoon, another warm discussion took place on the question of the retirement of the Chief Messenger (Revell) at Government Buildings, who resigned recently on compensation allowance.

The Premier laid on the table correspondence between the Colonial Secretary and Revel, showing that the latter retired at his own wish. Captain Russell, Mr Buchanan, and other Opposition members reiterated their former charges against the Premier of compelling the Chief Messenger's retirement from the service, notwithstanding the correspondence. Mr Hogg said Mr Buchanan had made reckless and unfounded charges at a previous sitting, which he had not the manliness to withdraw when they were shown to he untrue. He declared that there was scarcely a public officer in Wairarapa against whom Mr Buchanan had not made complaints, or who did not stand in dread of him.

Mr Buchanan said the statement of the member for Masterton was untrue.

Mr Hogg : If the hon. gentleman denies it, I am prepared to produce names. Mr Pirani defended the appointment, and said there could have been no premeditation in the matter, because Revell's successor was not in the country when Revell retired.

The Premier said he had allowed himself to stand for months under a charge of compelling Revell's resignation in order to make room for a relative, and he would not have produced the correspondence had not Mr Buchanan refused to accept his (the Premier's) explanation. He went on to explain the circumstances connected with Revell's action in forcibly ejecting a member of the House from Government Buildings. Discussion then dropped. FIRST READINGS. ■» The Alien Immigration Restriction Bill was introduced by the Premier and read a first time. GOVERNMENT ADVERTISING. On the motion of Mr Buchanan it was resolved that a return be laid on the table showing particulars of Government advertising for the year ending March last in various newspapers, and of Government printing. THE PERMANENT ARTILLERY. On the motion of the Premier it was resolved that a return be prepared showing the number of men employed in the Permanent Artillery from 1880 to 1897, the districts in which they resided when appointed, and the names of the men transferred during the same period from the artillery to the police. A WASTED AFTERNOON. On the motion to go into committee of supply, Mr Hutchison (Patea), with questionable taste, seized the occasion to make a kind of no-confidence speech, accusing Government of monopolising for Government business the days which, according tothe standing orders, belonged to private members' business, with the deliberate object of blocking various returns, such as the Premier's travelling expenses and similar matters. The Premier: No other Ministry lias been asked to furnish such returns. Mr Hutchison ; Because they were not so corrupt. He proceeded to charge Ministers with favouritism in granting clemency to prisoners in connection with the Queen's Jubilee... He was expatiating on wickedness of a certain Roderick Mackenzie, who commenced an interesting criminal career at ten years of age, when members glanced across the House at the member for Motueka with deprecating " Ohs," while he looked shocked at the dreadful pecadilloes of his namesake of that ilk. In course of his rambling and incoherent diatribe Patea insinuated that the Premier's conscience had been demoralised by ragouts, pate de foie gras. and other unwonted luxuries, and which caused a faint smile to suffuse the otherwise melancholy visage of Mr Rolleston. The Minister for Lands characterised Mr Hutchison's speech as a mere re-hash of his no-confidence motion, and his arguments as the hair-splitting of a pettifogging lawyer. He indignantly scouted Patea's insinuation that the Government had purchased the political support of certain newspapers by giving them the printing of electoral rolls, and said it was merely a reflection of the honourable member's own small mind to suppose newspaper proprietors were to be bribed in that way. As for the allegations regarding " Roderick MacKenzie," could the member for Patea deny that the man's real name was not George Hutchison ? Everyone knew that prisoners were in the habit of assuming respectable names to hide their real identity, which accounted for the prisoner in this case calling himself MacKenzie. He must have known that if he had assumed the name of Hutchison he would have received an extra sentence.

This discussion gave Mr McGuire another chance to re-open the Taranaki bondholders question, concerning which he read a shoal of correspondence, with the view of getting it recorded in Hansard. "Oh don't" was the fervent protest of members on all sides wheu McGuire declared his intention of taking another opportunity to deal with the correspondence. Mr Montgomery having ventilated a trifling grievance, Mr Richardson proceeded to unburden himself of another noconfidence speech. Mr Lang accused the Government of favouring certain newspapers in Waikato in connection with Government printing. Mr Moore followed, the gravamen of his charge against Government being the fact that the Premier went down to Kaiapoi during the election to assist the Ministerial candidate. Mr Carson, who speftks with " simulated ferocity," as Massey put it, accused the Premier of refusing a return in order to conceal his political sins, and Mr Monk, who unctuously dwelt in certain "sumptuary items" in the Premier's travelling expenses, challenged the accuracy of Government valuations.

The Premier, in reply, deprecated the unprecedented course which had been adopted of discussing a motion for imprest supply as if it were an ordinary Committee of Supply, which would create difficulties in the future. As to the complaints of the New Plymouth bondholders, he said the late Colonial Treasurer was willing to refer the matter to arbitration, though Ministers thought it was undignified and would establish a bad precedent to submit questions of this kind to a third party. He pointed out that the bonds were selling largely above par and the interest was paid. Why was the House to be constantly worried with questions raised by the member for Hawera. The real secret was that Mr McGuire desired to get political support by reducing the rates paid in his constituency. He (the Premier) had frequently met Sir John Lubbock and travelled a considerable distance with him during his visit to England, and yet during the whole time Sir John never dropped the slightest hint about any grievance of the bondholders. (Laughter.) As regards the Ministers'travelling expenses, he said quarterly returns would be invidious to some members of the Ministry, besides a quarterly return had never before been asked for. If Ministers did not exceed the amount allowed by Parliament what did it matter whether the returns were quarterly or yearly. In refusing to publish the names of the prisoners who had

received the Crown's clemency, he said it had been done for humane reasons, because it was cruel to expose men to persecution and throw obstacles in the way of their leading a reformed life. After the wasting of the whole afternoon the Imprest Supply Bill was passed through all stages. The effect of the afternoon's discussion was that ten local Bills, some of them of importance and urgency, which stood next on the Order Paper, were not reached, and are put oft' until next Thursday. THE WOMEN'S FRANCHISE. During the afternoon the Premier took an opportunity of making a furthur explanation of his attitude towards this measure. He said the women of New Zealand were chiefly indebted to Mrs Ballance for the privilege of the franchise. When the late leader of the Liberal party announced his intention to confer the franchise on women his followers recognised their duty was to carrry it out, and they did so. At the time the Bill was passed tli ere was an agitation to advise the Governor to reserve the Bill for Royal assent, and if, as was charged against him, lie had any desire to defeat the measure he could have adopted that course, but the chief credit of the measure was due to Sir John Hall, Mrs Ballance, and the women of the colony. COLONEL FOX AND THE "FREE HAND." At the commencement of the eveningsitting of the House this question cropped up again on the statement made by the Premier, which differed very little from the version of the affair I sent you yesterday. The Premier said Colonel Fox had ordered the arming of the colonial forces with the Martini-Henri rille, which he (Mr Seddon) was informed was obsolete. He did not intend to imply that the late Commander of the Forces had a free hand in everything. For example, he recommended a permanent paid force, which was not approved. The leader of the Oppesition said he was strongly under the impression that Colonel Fox had not a free hand even in the purchase of rifles. There could not be a shadow of doubt that, whatever he recommended, he was controlled entirely by the Minister of Defence. On the motion of Sir R. Stout the discussion was adjourned until next day. HARBOUR BOARD DEBTS.

In course of the discussion on the second reading of the Otago Harbour Board Bill, the Premier condemned indiscretionate borrowing by Harbour Boards, which he said imposed burdens on producers. When he was dealing with the freights question in England his attention was called to the high port charges in this colony. With in-, creased indebtedness there must be a corresponding increase in charges. It was necessary, in the interests of commerce, to keep the port charges on shipping within moderate limits. Producers in the district of which the harbour was the natural outlet were interested in such proposals as were contained in the Bill. He moved that it be referred to the Public Accounts Committee. This waa agreed to. WELLINGTON TAXATION. When the House resumed at eleven, Mr J. Hutchison moved the second reading of •the Wellington City Empowering Bill, which was strongly opposed by Mr Fisher, who said Wellington was already taxed eightpence in the pound higher than any of the chief cities of the colony. Ultimately the Bill was passed, and the House rose at 1.20 a.m. PETITIONS. The Petitions Committee has reported as follows :— In the case of J. H. Dyer, Hokianga, praying for redress against the decision of the' Stipendiary Magistrate that as he has not exhausted his legal remedies the Committee has no recommendation to make. Re J. H. Kelly, Ngaruawahia, praying for compensation for sheep destroyed by the Rabbit Inspector, no recommendation. 11. G. S. Maxwell, Auckland, praying for relief for a fine of £20 inflicted for an unwitting ollence against the Stamp Act, no recommendation. 11. E. Crofts, Auckland, praying for compensation for loss of office, no claim against tho colony. A petition was presented to-day by Mr Scobie McKenzie from Murdoch McLean, of Auckland, and Neil McLean, of Wellington, who were the successful tenderers for the Makerau contract for the Helensville northwards railway at £26,616, which contract they completed, praying for compensation and for losses through errors in Government borings as contained in specifications, removal of site of tunnel, etc. The Petitions Committee in the case of Detective Henderson recommended that as the former investigation was incomplete he should be enabled to have the charges inquired into before a public tribunal. Wi Pere to-day presented a petition from Hona Tuahiahi, of Orakei, praying for inquiry re the ownership of the Waipapa reserve, Mechanics Bay. NATIVE LAND LAWS AMENDMENT. The Hon. Carroll has introduced a Bill to amend the Native Land Laws Amendment Act, 1596. It provides for repeal of the word ' Mortgage 'in the act of .1.896, the inclusion of which word, according to the Premier, prejudicially affected 30,000 acres of native land. The Bill also contains a retrospective provision repealing section 13 of the Act of 1895, as from the date of the passing thereof.' The section provides that a confirmation' order under seal of the Native Land Court or certificate under section 55 of the principal act endorsed on any deed shall be conclusive evidence for all purposes of title that such deed is not in contravention of any of the provisions of the principal or amending act. TECHNICAL EDUCATION BILL. The Premier's Technical Education Bill was brought down by message from the Governor. In regard to payments in respect of classes established, in the case of manual instruction or practical domestic economy, where the instruction is given for two hours or upwards eacli week through a term of ten complete weeks, a payment in respect of each unit of the average attendance at the class during the term shall he at the rate of Is 9d, multiplied by the number of hours of instruction given in each week of tbe term, provided that in every case where the length of the term exceeds ten weeks the aforesaid rate of payment shall be increased by one-tenth of Is 9d for each complete week of such excess. In the case of technical instruction, where the instruction is given for one hour or upwards each week through a term of ten complete weeks, the payment in respect of each such unit shall he computed afc'the rate, in the manner, and on the basis aforesaid. In the case of a continuation class, where the instruction is given for one hour or upward each week through a term of ten complete weeks, the payment in respect of each such unit shall be at the rate of Is, computed in the manner and on the basis aforesaid, provided that in the case of a continuation class no payment shall he made in respect of any public school subject, the standard whereof is lower than the standard of education as prescribed by the regulations under the Education Act; nor in respect of any other subject the teaching' whereof is not sanctioned by the Minister, nor in respect of any pupil under the age of 13 years. The rate of payment prescribed may with the consent of the Governor-in-Council he increased to the extent of not more than one-half in the case of any class under this Act, which is established and conducted for practical work in any special branch of technical instruction. Voluntary contributions received by the Education Boards for the special purpose of encouraging classes under the Act are to be subsidised

at the rate of 10s per £, provided that no subsidy shall exceed £500; and at the rate of £ for £ of voluntary contributions other than bequests.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL,

In reply to the Hon. Reeves, the Minister said the Treasurer would during the present session bring up the question of the renewal of the San 'Frisco mail service. _ The Coroners Bill and the Defamation Bill were read a second time, and the Imprest Supply Bill passed through all stages. The Hon. Shrimisk gave notice to insert a clause in the Coroners Bill in Committee that in future all coroners' inquests shall be open to the public. The Council will to-day probably adjourn for a week to enable members to attend the Christchurch carnival. The Minister of Education will be the Minister in attendance on the Governor during His Excellency's first visit to Canterbury. JOTTINGS. The Premier intends to move the substitution of Mr Massey's name for Mr Richardson's on the Agricultural and Pastoral Committee. The British Reciprocity Bill proposes to extend the power to enter into agreements with the Australian colonies to the United Kingdom and British possessions. The number of horses imported for the year ending the 13th of June, 1897, was 936, of which 909 were from Sydney; cattle, 3. .