POLITICAL NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 172, 23 July 1898, Page 2

POLITICAL NOTES.

(By Telegraph.—Parliamentary- Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, this day.

At the meeting of the Joint Statutes Committee yesterday it was resolved to obtain an opinion from the Stipreme Court judges through the Chief-Justice on the proposals contained in the Juries Act Amendment Bill abolishing grand juries and doing away with the distinctive features between special and common jurors. The same Committee had sent to the Official Assignee in Wellington for his views on the Companies Winding-up Act. In the Legislative Council yesterday afternoon a petition in favour of putting a sum on the Estimates in support of the proposed Antarctic Expedition was agreed to. The Official Documents Evadernee Bill and the Inebriates Institute Bill were read a first time in. the Legislative Council yesterday; also the Road Districts Validation Bill. The Labour Bills Committee report in the Workers Compensation for Accidents Bill recommends that the Bill proceed with certain amendments. In clause 3 'Does not include domestic servants' in the interpretation of 'worker 1 is struck out. Another proviso that claim for accident must be made before the worker leaves the employment in which he was injured is struck out. Where the iworke'r who is killed • by1 accident leaves dependents the compensation is to be equal to the amount of his Avages for the three years next preceding the accident, or £200. In cases of total partial incapacity through accidents the weekly payment is not to exceed 30/. Where the injured person is dissatisfied, under the head of 'conditions,' a proviso is inserted that where the injured worker objects to examination 'by medic appointed by the employer or is dissatisfied with the certificate of such medical practitioner he may submit himself _to examination to one of the medical practitioners appointed by the Governor for the purposes of the Act; and the certificate of such doctor shall be conclusive evidence of the worker's condition. The Joint Acclimatisation Laws Committee has recommended that the Fisheries Conservation Act 1884 Amendment Act 1898 be alloAved to be carried on with certain amendments. A new clause, 4a, is inserted to the effect that in any regulation hereafter made under the principal Act the Gov-ernor-in-Council may, upon the written request of any registered Acclimatisation Society, make provision for the sale of froutor other acclimatised fish within the district of such Society upon such terms and conditions as shall be specified in such regulation; but the provisions of such regulation shall apply only to trout or other fish taken from such streams, lakes, or waters as shall be so specified. In the provision preventing exportation of trout or other acclimatised fish the words 'for the purpose of sale' are inserted. In lieu of clause 10 the following is substituted: — 'No person shall be deemed to be the owner of 'water and no water shall be deemed to be the property of any private person in any case where such water shall form part of the stream of any permanent stream, or water which is not wholly contained throughout its entire length or area within the lands of the owner; but nothing- herein contained shall extend to authorise any person to commit a. trespass.' The Railways Committee, on the petition of Messrs Bull, Gubb and others, praying that the railway may be extended further north from Helensville, report that the Committee are of opinion that as the subject matter of this petition is a question of policy it be referred to the Government for : consideration.

. The Petitions Committee, in the petition of G. S. Scott and 42 others, of Mahurangi Heads Wes^t, recommend it for the consideration of the Government. The Railways Committee, on the petition of Thomas Wilkinson and 77 others, praying alteration "may be made in the rate of freights charged on farm produce and that a weighing machine be provided at Pukekohe Railway Station, recommended that it be referred to the Government for consideration.