POLITICAL NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 206, 1 September 1898, Page 2

POLITICAL NOTES.

(By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, this day.

It is the intention of tbe Premier to move that Wednesdays for the remainder of the session be given up to the consideration of Government business.

The Imprest Supply Bill, No. 3, Avas put through all stages in the Council yesterday.

It is the intention of the Government to introduce a Bill on the subject of lunatics' estates.

Leave of absence for one week has been granted to the Hon. Lee Smith on account of illness in his family.

The First Offenders Probation Act Amendment Bill has been read a third time in the Council.

The Eailways Committee report re the petition of Guard Pratt, who asks for compensation for severe injuries sustained through falling into an excavation in the Parcels Office at Christchurch railway station while in the execution of his duties, that he has established his claim. They recommend that he be paid £200.

The Divorce Bill managed to survive its third reading in the Council on a division by 19 to 15.

The Minister of Lands i.s understood to be suffering from bladder complaint, and it is improbable that Mr McKenzie will be in his place this week.

The University of Otago Leases and Securities Bill has passed its final stages in the Council.

The debate on the second reading of the Advances to Settlers Act Amendment Bill was continued in the Council yesterday and again adjourned.

Air Crowther is inviting the Minister of Mines to tell members of the House what was the nature of discoveries in West-land, to justify the payment of £685 as a prospecting* subsidy during the last financial year.

Mrllouston wants the Post and Telegraph Office at Dargaville removed to a more central position in the township, and steps taken to connect Dargaville with- Tangiteroria by telephone.

Mr Guinness is moving that there be. laid before the House a copy of the documents filed in the Supreme Court by virtue of which Mr J. 11. B. Coates was appointed receiver for the deben-ture-holders of the Midland Bailway Company.

Mr Parata wants the Government to instruct its Native Land Purchase Commissioners to refrain from purchasing the share or interest of any Maori who has not reached the age of 21 years, either through the medium of the man's trustees or by any other means

THE DIVORCE LAWS. In the event of the amendments made by the Council in the Divorce Bill being agreed to by the House, it will be necessary for the measure to be reserved for the Royal assent. The opponents of the Bill, under the leadership of the Hon. Mr Bonar, have prepared a protest which is to be presented to Her Majesty, praying- her to withhold her assent.

A SLANDER OF NEW ZEALAND ENGINEERS. A short while since Mr Morrison, M.H.R., stated in thellouse of Representatives that not 25 New Zealandtrained engineers could hold their own in English shops. This statement has caused a feeling of indignation throughout the colony, ancl the industrial associations have dealt with it, with the result that a letter has been sent to Mr Morrison by Mr S. Brown, President of the Industrial Corporation of New Zealand, covering- letters from some of the engineers of Christchurch and Wellington. Messrs Scott Bros., of Christchurch, say: 'Mr Morrison's speech on the Master and Apprentices Bill has been the subject of very severe criticism here. No one has any hesitation in characterising his remarks on the New Zealand-trained engineers as absolutely false The men resent this far more keenly than the employers. He has gone out of his way to grossly malign a body of the most worthy and intelligent ment ever reared in any British dependency.' Messrs Luke and Sons, Wellington, characterised the statementas a gross libel on the young men of New" Zealand and indirectly on the whole colony; while Mr Cable, of the same city, says: T have before me a list of boys who have served ftheir time at the Lion Foundry, and who are at tlie. presenttime occupying most responsible and lucrative positions in the engineering and mechanical world.' Mr Brown himself complains of the injustice done, and calls on the member for Caversham to withdraAV his statement ■in the same public manner in the House of Representatives as he made it. To this Mr Morrison replies under yesterday's date as follows: —' 1 am in receipt of yours of the 29th inst., in* which you traverse the statemenJts made by me in the debate on the Master and Apprentice Bill. I made the statement referred to from information supplied to me, which I believe to be absolutely correct.' AN OVERCROWDED GALLERY. No fewer than 23 females were refused admission to the ladies' gallery of the House on Tuesday night, in consequence of presenting- bogus tickets. The Sergeant-at-Arms has lately suspected that there.was some irregularity in this direction, so he put a special orderly on the door with instructions only to admit those holding tickets bearing that day's date, instead of those of las* session. The result was as stated above, and it will effectually strengthen the opposition of those members who object to ladies entering the gallery without tickets of admission. The following suggestive notice now appears on the door of the ladies' gallery. —'Members' wives and daughters must in future exhibit their sessional tickets, as there are a great many ladies who pass themselves oil: as members' wives who are not so.'

MINING LEGISLATION,

The Goldfields Committee sit regularly every morning, and are making fair progress with the Mining Bill. Yesterday they reached the clause which seeks to prohibit secretaries of mining companies from acting as sharebrokers. After some discussion a compromise was arrived at, the clause being altered in such amanner as to prohibit secretaries, mine managers, and others from dealing with the shares Of the company they are connected with. It is an open question, however, as to whether the House will agree to the compromise.

MUNICIPAL FRANCHISE REFORM.

A most important amendment was made by the Council yesterday in the Municipal Franchise Eeform Biill. The Hon. G. McLean moved the recommittal Of the Bill for reconsideration of Clause 14, which limits every burgess to one vote at any poll held

under this Ac/t or the Municipal Corporations Act, 1856.'

The Minister of Education opposed the motion, while Mr Stevens thought the abolition of a property plural vote was an almost revolutionary proposal, and that the Council would do well to reconsider it carefully. After debate the clause was recommitted by 18 to 15, and an amendment by Mr McLean to insert in Clause 14 the words 'Except for the purpose of and with reference to the raising of loans,' was carried on the chairman's castingvote. The Bill was then reported, and its third reading made an order for next sitting day.