PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIV, Issue 166, 14 July 1903, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

(By Telegraph.— Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, this day KEW -MINING LEGISLATION.

Mr. Colvin's Coal Mines Act Amendment Bill provides for an eight hours' day underground from bank to bank for miners, but this is not to affect, any award under the Arbitration Act. It proposes also to legalise the establishment by the Miners' Association of a medical fund for a district, the formation of which must be notified to the mine owners, who must deduct the subscription from the wages of the men, and pay the amount into the Post Ollice Savings Bank, to the account of the fund. The fund may be operated on by the persons appointed for that purpose by the Medical Club. State coal mines are to be subject to these provisions. DEVELOPING ROTORUA. The Estimates this year will probably provide a largely increased vote for the Tourist Department. Besides the new baths now being erected at Rotorua, a sum of about £2000 will bo asked for other works there. OLD AGE PENSIONS. During the year ended March 31st last £210.144 was paid in old age pensions in the colony, as compared with £207,248 in the previous year. The record so far as numbers of pensions are concerned is held by June, 1002, when the total was 12.451." FAVOURING THE TOTALISATOR. There are 19,970 signatures -to the petitions which have been presented to the House favouring the retention of the totalisa-tor. ELECTIVE COUNCIL BILL. The bill promoted by Mr EH, providing for direct election of the Legislative Council, is set down for second reading to-morrow, and at present occupies a position only second on the Order Paper. As the debate on the Address-in-Reply, however, is still proceeding, and it is not likely to be finished by then, there is no likelihood of the bill being discussed at this stage of the session. The result is it will have to take its chance among private members' bills later on, but it will lose the position which its early introduction secured for its second reading. ELECTIVE EXECUTIVE. The Elective Executive Bill is set down for Thursday next week, and it is reported the measure will nieet with considerably more support than has been accorded it in the past. THE LAND BILL. The Land Bill, which it is understood the Government will bring down, is being awaited with considerable interest. There is every prospect of an attempt being made by supporters of the freehold to so amend tlie law that all leaseholders shall be enabled to acquire the. j freehold of their leases. That proposal will, as lias been indicated by several speakers during the present debate, be strenuously opposed by upholders of the present system, and there is every appearance of a long and fierce debate taking place on the second reading, while proceedings in committee should prove highly interesting. So far indications are that the freeholders are iv a majority of from four to eight, and that knowledge is likely to spur opponents ot change to "stonewall," which will eil'ec- | tually block legislation on the subject, j and, in order to get bis bill through, the j Premier will probably be glad to settle j the matter by leaving things as they are. hi that event the contest will be continued during the recess, and even now arrangements are being made for j a campaign which will be carried ot; by supporters of the present system by I means of public meetings from one end I of the colony to the oilier. LABOUR LEGISLATION. Speaking on the Address-in-Roply debate this afternoon, Mr Arnold, a prominent labour representative, expressed Ihe opinion that no labour legislation would be passed this session. He accused the Opposition of having stuffed \ the Labour Bills Committee with the object of making labour legislation inipossible.