PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 211, 5 September 1900, Page 4

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

(By Telegraph—Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, tliis day,

KING COUNTRY LICENSES.

Mr Arnold this afternoon presented a petition 229 feet long and containing. 5051 names of Dunedin residents who are opposed to the granting- of liquor licenses in the King Country. AUCKLAND BOARD OF EDUCATION. The Auckland Education Board has presented a petition to the House in which it prays for legislative enactment (a) that a portion of the rents payable by Crown tenants may ba allotted to the Education Boards establishing or maintaining schools in the' vicinity, to be applied towards the cost of such establishment and maintenance; (b) that the manner of allotting the statutory grants to the Education Boards may be varied so that the number of schools to be maintained may .be ■ taken into consideration, the moneys being distributed according to such number as well as per head of average attendance; (c) that the capitation grant with respect to pupils (attending schools having an average attendance of less than 100 may be considerably increased, the petitioners 'suggest by 25 per cent. DUTY ON OILS. Several of the merchants, dealers, and consumers of petroleum oils, namely stove, naphtha, gasoline, and distillate, ai'e p petitioning the House, through Mr Witheford, that the oils specified may be placed on the duty free list. These different grades of petroleum are all used as fuel for oil engines in the same manner as benzine and kerosene, and in many cases they are more desirable. Now that two of the products of petroleum, kerosene and benzine, are on the free list, it appears to the petitioners that other grades should be placed on the same footing1. NEW BILLS. The Premier gave notice to-day bf his intention to introduce the.following Bills: —The Industrial Acts Extension- to Private Institutions Bill (applying to the Stoke School), the Provision for Members of the New Zealand Contingents Bill, the Shops and Offices Bill. LICENSING ELECTIONS. Mr Palmer will ask the Government whether, in view of the large amounts required for election and travelling expenses of licensing' committees; are they prepared to allow the Magistrates to administer the Licensing Act in lieu of the committees. . ~ STEAM'SERVICES. Mr Witheford is to ask the Premier if the Government intend to give effect to the repoi't of the' Wellington.Lytteltqn, Steam Service Committee, and, if not, will an opportunity be given for the House to discuss the qtiestion and give an, expression of opinion on this important matter? • SPARKS FROM ENGINES. Mr Massey wants to know "whether the Government will place a sum of money on the estimates for the purpose of compensating Mr JTames Wallace, of Papatoitoi, for damage done to his property by. isparlcs from railway engines. ■ . S WORKMEN'S TRAINS AND HOMES. Mr Bollard will ask the Minister for Railways if he will extend the workmen's trains to Henderson on the Kaipara branch of the Auckland railways; also whether it is the intention of the Government to establish workmen's homes in the vicinity; of the city of Auckland during the i present financial year. Also to move for returns showing the area of land purchased for the purpose, of workmen's homes during the past twelve months, as well as the ; areai taken under the Land for Settlement Act Amendment Act' 1899, and to move that there be laid before this House a return showing all correspondence between Mr • Jamies McKerrow, the chairman of the Land Purchase Board, and the Government relative to the purchase of land suitable for workmen's homes in the vicinity of \the city of Auckland, ;-\i '•