PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 217, 13 September 1899, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

(By Telegraph—Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, Tuesday. The Coal Committee of the House sat this morning, and took the evidence of Messrs Rotherham, Railway Department; Kennedy, Wellington representative of the union S.S. Co.; Joachim, Westport Coal Co.; and Foster, President of the Denniston Miners' Union. Several other witnesses from Westport are to be called.

The Premier, in answer to a question in the House yesterday, said the total Customs duties collected during the past .eig-hteen months on goods imported from Australia amounted to £ 228,530. The result of the trial of Captain Dreyfus created profound surprise and indignation in Wellington, and on all sides were heard expressions of sympathy with the victim and his family. To-day 72 members of Parliament attached their signatures to a letter of sympathy, which will be forwarded iv due course by mail. Meantime a • cablegram in the following words was sent to Paris:—Madame Dreyfus: Deepest sympathy from members N.Z. Parliament." The Premier has givjn notice of the Kauri Gum Industry Act Amendment Bill. Mr Herries is to ask the PostmasterGeneral whether he will establish telephonic communication between Mamaku and Rotorua, or Putaruru. Mr Lawry intends to ask the Premier if he has received any communications expressive of the feelings of indignation felt and evinced by the people of New Zealand regarding the punishment meted out to Captain Dreyfus by the authorities of France. The Rigbt Hon. R. J. Seddon has given notice to move that °" f^e question of the granting of the New Zealand Cross to Harry Wrigg coming again before the House the said Harry Wrigg be heard at the bar of the House through his counsel, Thomas Mason Wilford, barrister and solicitor. Mr Lang is to move that there be. laid before this House a return showino- separately the amount expended in the Waikato electorate for the year ended 31st March, 1899: (1) By the Public Works Department; (2) by the Lands Department; and (3) the amount handed over to the local bodies by either of the foregoing Departments. Mr McGowan will ask the Post-master-General: (1) If he has received n communication from Mr J. H.Witheford having reference to an improvement of the Pacific mailyservice; (2) if such has been received, will the Government favourably consider *he proposals; and (3) .will the Postmas-ter-General lay before this House and the country while Parliament is in session the'views of the Government on this important national question. Mr Lans- is to ask the Minister for Railways if he will take the necessary *teps to have the Mercer Railway Wharf fees removed