PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIV, Issue 179, 29 July 1903, Page 8

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

(By Telegraph—Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, this day

THE SECOND BALLOT.

A Bill amending the existing Electoral Act is to be introduced this session, and perhaps the most important clause will be that ordering- a second ballot when the candidate who secures most votes has received a minority of the total poll. When the Bill comes down, the Colonial Secretary says he will leave to the House the question of putting in a clause providing that shearers" seamen's, and commercial travellers' votes may be recorded at local elections by means of electors' rig-hts. RAILWAY CONCESSIONS. The answer to Mr. Duthie's question as to the dates between which the concessions to farmers totalled £415,000 was a pretty laconic one. "Between June. 1595, and March, IDO3. all of which is since the Government resumed control of the railways." said the -Minister. LETTER DELIVERY. Kavangahake is not likely to have a leter delivery for a while/Sir Joseph Ward states that deliveries are based nn revenue, and that received from IVarangahake did not reach the minimum. RAILWAY MAINTENANCE. The Minister for Railways gave a very complete answer to a question by Mr Duthie as to why the railway truck maintenance per mile in this colony was higher than in Australia. Sir Joseph pointed out that, in the first place, the New Zealand railways had not been so substantially constructed as those in Australia. When established, the weight of locomotives intended for use was only j 15 tons, and the lines, especially during the last ten years, were almost being rebuilt. Besides this, there were a large i number of bridges in the colony an which i laige stuns were expended, while wages . and material were more costly. WHANGAREI WANTS. Mr. Mander yesterday asked the Minister for Railways whether lie would take into consideration the question ot f recting a postmaster's house at V\ hatgarei. Sir Joseph replied that the Department only constructed residences in isolated districts where no rented hoi:?e3 could be obtained. The idea of provid- i : ng each postmaster with a house had j beta abandoned long ago, and would not be reverted to. In reply to another question, the Minister replied that ■, it ?as not intended to make any additions to the Whangarei railway station, because the extension of the line to Gra'iiU:ii=Unvn was in progress, and it was ; not yet certain where the main sta- j tion would be situated. There was. he j said, no shortage of coal trucks on the \ Whangarei-Hikurangi line. In asking j for the erection of a new post office at (• Whangarei, Mr Mander said the present i accommodation was inadequate, and j that since a new block had been erected j next door, he trembled for the reputa- ! tion of the Government for respeeta- j bility in the district, the post office look- i in"- so mean by comparison. Sir Joseph i Ward said the question had often been j refore him. and he believed that the , last statement of Mr Mander summed j up the position. They wanted a nice brick building. The report of the Chief Postmaster was that the accommodation j A\a& quite sufficient. A MORAL OBLIGATION. "As lon- as we are making so muck! money out of the drink traffic, we have a j rioM to establish houses tor the treatment of the victims of that traffic. — Hon. Geo. Jones. M.L.C. TEMPORARY DIFFICULTIES. j Replying to a deputation of Canterbury member* who urged the mlulmen., of promises in connection with the Wai-| para-Cheviot railway, the Premier said that it was a question ot money, fhere must be a considerable reduction in ■ loan money expenditure. In Ins opinion; the difficulty which had arisen regarding j the colonies raising loans was only ten-: tative and the colonies were not responsible for the situation. If the construction of the line took longer than was; anticipated it would be because the money was not available. He was in: the happy" position of having sufficient in hand to go on with a moderate public; works expenditure. RAILWAY SUPERANNUATION j FUND. ! In the House yesterday afternoon the Minister for Railways stated that there was no intention to amend the reguia-j tiona regarding the Railway Servants, Superannuation Fund, but under no circumstances would they be altered to! make provision for payments wmch I would go to the widow of a member go-j in* to his mother if he had been her j sole support, or that the allowance to ai widow of a member who had been super-; annuated be the same as if he had died.j nreviou, to retirement. The stability oij the fund had to be secured. In answer; to Mr Alien, the Minister said it was impossible to allow compensation to be calculated on this basis of broken time. The Cabinet was considering the matter of allowing the time of those who were cai'ed out at the time of the maritime strike to count in estimating the amount of their superannuation pay. PARCEL POSTAGE. The Postmaster-General does not intend to reduce the postal charges on parcels under 51b in weight. He pointed out that at the present rate many parcel? did not pay for their carnage. Very large concessions had been made recently by the Department, and when it was possible the suggested reform would be carried out. COUNTRY TELEPHONES. In asking the Postmaster-General to introduce a cheaper system of telephone extension in- country districts, Mr Harding stated that a line of forty miles had been constructed near Gisborne at a cost of £3 a mile. Sir Joseph Ward, in replying, said that he recognised the importance of the matter, but the cost stood in the way. He would be glad to have details of the expenditure on the line mentioned by Mr Harding, and would be only too glad to extend the telephones at that rate if it could be done. In reply to a question by Mr Massey yesterday the Postmaster-Gene-ral stated that the cost of a telephone service connecting Glenmurray, Waerarama. vrith. the Auckland system will be £950, and the estimated revenue was £12 a year. He understood that the residents were willing to guarantee up to £S0 a year, and would look into the matter. Sir Joseph pointed out that the difficulty in the matter was the amount of the vote for telephones. He was very anxious to extend the system through" the country districts, but the rote" Granted by the House were barely sufficient to carry out the ordinary work

of the department. He was prepared to carry out such works when the votes given were sufficient, and if a guarantee was given. MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE. After conferring with the Premier Mr Kirkbride has moved for the setting up of a committee to which will be referred the Mutual Fire lusuranee Bill. REGATTAS. In answer to a question by Mr Witheford, the Minister for Railways stated that war canoes and rowing skill's intended for use at the Auckland and j llotorua regattas would be conveyed free by railway when accompanied by their crews. The same concession would be granted in other parts of the colony. POST OFFICE AT GREY- LYNN. The Postmaster-General does not favour the. establishment of a post oiiice at Grey Lynn, considering that the needs of the district are sufficiently met by the post offices in Newton and Ponsonby. SHORTAGE OF COAL TRUCKS. In reply to questions by Mr Massey, Sir J. Ward stated on the authority of the General Manager for Railways that there was seldom any shortage of coal trucks at Hiuitly. The chief difficulty arose through the absence of a storeage bin at the railway station. ANOTHER SPARK ARRESTER. Mi". Massey asked the Minister for Railways whether he would arrange for | a trial of the spark arrester invented by Mr. Haines, formerly manager of the i railway works at Newmarket. Sir Joseph Ward replied that Mr. Haines could have the use of engines on the | usual terms, lie pointed out that a very | large number of arresters had been submitted to the department, all of. which had been inferior to the pattern now in use. Mr. Massey: Have you seen this report on Mr. Haines' invention? ♦Sir Joseph: No; but 1 have a report Tom the general manager of railways recommending Mr. Haines not to spend any money in patenting it. The pattern was. said Sir Joseph, on the iincs of that in use before the present style was adopted. FREEHOLD QUESTIONS. By invitation of the Wellington Trades find Labour Council. Messrs. T. A Taylor. A. W. Hogg and H. D. Bedford, ' M's.H.R.. and P. J. O'Regan. will address j a meeting in the Trades Hall here on ; Thursday night, in. favour oi the leasehold system of land tenure, with periodic ; revaluation. ANTHRAX i This afternoon Mr Harding put a ques- 1 lion to the Government without notice j: as a matter of urgency, asking what mi- ' mediate steps were being taken in view!' of the outbreak of anthrax in the Auckland district, and also what steps were j I being taken to prevent the importation I« of the disease through the introduction ! of non-sterilised bones. j ' Sir Joseph Ward said that the matter 1 was receiving the attention of the Government since, it was intimated that an- j< Mi rax had broken out. Last session authority was given for the erection of a < plant for the sterilisation of manures at j< Auckland. The Government recognisedP the importance of the matter, and would) give it every attention. ' THE BURGLARS j This afternoon Mr Baume risked the!] .Minister for Justice without notice, as 1 a matter of urgency, if his attention had j 5 been drawn to the number of burglaries: ; committed in Auckland recently, andii whether he had taken any steps to aug-ji ment the number of police there. The Lion. Mr MeGowan replied that; , he had rend the accounts of the burg-1 laries, and had also seen that several|i arrests bad boon made in connectioni with them. Provision would be made!' PS soon as the House voted the money; for increasing the police, not only hi: Auckland but throughout the colony. | i JOTTINGS. The Hon. W. Beehan wishes the Go-!, vernment Life Insurance Department to i, he brought into line with societies grant-! . inir annual bonuses. i ) The Minster for Railways has no present intern ion of making further rail-! way rate concessions to pupils of socon-j, dary schools or to University students, j , Til a present session promises to pro-i , vide the bulkiest "Hansard , " , and the;. smallest Statute Book for many years, i Already, with practically no work.done.; the ''Hansard , ' reports * occupy 200:. columns more than in any past sessioni at the same sf;ia<\ Instructions have been issued for thei, extension of the Mount Albert railway J, platform. The Railway Department has no.intention of providing an extra railway!, train between Onehunga and Auckland;, between 8.15 and 10.15 a.m., the Minister' . beina of opinion that the increased expenditure would not be justified by re-; suits.