PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIV, Issue 228, 24 September 1903, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

(By Telegraph—Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, Wednesday,

KAURI GUM.

The necessity for putting, an export duty on unsorted kauri gum was emphasised by Mr Baume to-day, the member for Auckland pointing out that New Zealand held a monopoly of kauri gum, but gum sorters were in a measure deprived of their means of livelihood, increasing quantities of unsorted gum being exported. The Minister for Lands, the Hon. T. Y. Duncan, said that it was a matter worthy of consideration, whether there should not be an export duty on all gum. and expressed the opinion that the imposition of a duty would not reduce the price from the digger. The only gun. sent away unsorted was a small quantity of poor quality gum, including black and white sugar and poor chips. If the whole of the gum exported Were subject i.o a duty, then it would be worth considering, bat it would not be if a distinction were made between sorted and unsorted. MATATA LANDS. The Crown lands at Matata are shortly to be opened for selection, but theMinister for Lands does not intend to set apart a special settlement 'm the district, for tin: reason that this would give an unfair advantage to a small number of settlers. STATE FIRE INSURANCE. The Legislative Council this afternoon considered the postponed clauses in 'ihe State Fire Insurance Hill.

On the clauses dealing with the subject of sinking funds, and the application of profits, the Attorney-General (Hon. A. Pitti said these were practically money claused, and he did not think the Council could deal with them. He did not wish to give the House of Representatives t lie opportunity of saying the Council had not minded its privileges. If it wa.s found that these clauses could be amended with advantage, then it could be done by Governor's Message. .The Hon. A. Lee-Smith recognised that the Council' could not deal with the clauses, and he withdrew the amendments of which he had gin notice. The clauses were then passed, and the bill was reported, the third reading being set. down for to-morrow. PAYMENT OF GOVERNMENT WORKERS. Mr Harding to-day asked the Minister for Public Works whether he is aware that men working on Government works near Kaihu are eighteen weeks without pay. He stated that the grievance was a long-standing one. On a former occasion he had referred the matter to the Premier, with the result that the arrears had been paid off, but the old state of things was being reverted to. The Minister for Public Works replied that nothing wa.s known of the complaint in the departmental office. He would have inquiries made at Auckland, and if it were proved that Mr Harding's statement was correct then there was going to be a row.

SCHOOL BUILDINGS. The vote for school buildings in new-ly-settled districts shows a considerable increase over the past year's.total. and the Minister for Education intends to see- that the vote is more evenly distributed. In the settlers in the vicinity of Wellington have taken advantage of their proximity to the seat of Government to press their claims, with the result that the province has secured the lion's share, obtaining one fourth of the total vote last year.

VOLUNTEERS' RIGHTS. In the House to-day Mr T. E. Taylor brought up the case "of Captain Fisher, of Christchurch. who was placed under military arrest by Colonel Porter, after having published" a letter relating to patriotic- funds. Mr Taylor stated that after the Patriotic Funds Act had been passed representatives of each of the South Africa contingents met the committees of the patriotic funds, it being decided to ascertain, before the funds were diverted , if there were any deserving ease_ in which payments from the funds should be made 1 . Captain Fisher wrote a letter, which appeared in the Christchurch papers, desiring information which would guide the committee. Captain Fisher had then been suspected and placed under military arrest for a breach of the King's regulations, the letter containing a relleet : on on the Defence Department. Mr Taylor contended that, as the funds did not belong to the Government, Captain Fisher had not exceeded bis duty. In reply, the Premier read a mas* of correspondence on this matter. which showed that Captain Fisher had written in an insubordinate tone to Colonel Porter when asked for information as to the letter he had written. For this the suspension was ordered, being eon•uirred in by Lieutenant-Colonel Day, in command of the Canterbury Battalion, and by General Babington. The Premier considered that Captain Fisher had committed a breach of the regulations, and supported the action of Colonel Porter hi suspending Captain FisheT until an inquiry had been held.

COMPENSATION PETITION. The case of an old railway servant, E. Faulkner, whose petition for compensation was referred to the Government for favourable consideration, was mentioned in the House by Mr Massey to-day. The Premier stated that all such claims were considered together, and where possible the Government stretched a point to assist its old servants. The .Cabinet's' decision would appear in the Supplementary Estimates. FRIENDLY SOCIETIES' FUNDS. The.. Friendly Societies' Amendment Bill, introduced by the Premier, was read a first time yesterday. It provides that where a valuer has reported that any society or branch, at the last valuation, possessed a surplus, and the scale of contributions of new members have been certified as adequate, the society, or branch, may, after debiting any of its benefit funds with 5 per cent, interest on the capital moneys properly belonging to that fund, transfer any balance, or part of the balance, from that fund to any other fund. PAEROA-WAIHI RAILWAY. The proposals laid before the Premier by persons interested in Waihi to advance the money necessary to complete the railway line from Paeroa to Waihi have not yet been considered by .Cab-, met. The statement that' the proposals had been accepted, which was current in Waihi a day or two ago, was accordingly a little premature. KAWHIA'S WANTS. Mr S. Wake, of Kawhia, has been go-

ing the rounds of the Ministerial offices this week, impressing Kawhia's needs on the attention of the Government. The I Minister for Education was asked for a vote for a school —the present accommol datiou being in an insanitary hall owned |by the natives, and iieid at their pleasure. The Premier, while reminding Mr j Wake that votes were being, reduced I this year, gave him to understand that I funds would be provided for the school. ! and also for the construction of a road to the wharf. Mr Duncan, when waited on with reference to the Government providing assistance for a medical man for Kawhia. acknowledged the urgency of the matter, and will recommend that a portion of the vote for doctors in out lying districts be devoted to subsidising a doctor for the Kawhia district. Mr Wake lias been endeavouring to organise a Parliamentary picnic to Kawhia. and the suggestion may bear fruit. MAORI LAND LAWS. The Maori Land Laws Administration Act Amendment Bill is a measure introduced with the object of improving the machinery of the Maori Lands Administration Act. which ..has su far prove I a rather unworkable measure. The most important clauses of the new bill are introduced with tho object of facilitating the subdivision of blocks of native lands and clothing them with valid titles, the time occupied under the present' Act being too long and the expenditure proportionately heavy. . JOTTING?. '•The hon. member for Wellington is a political Jeremiah. He is always crying. 'Woe. woe to ye.'"—Mr Laurenson.