PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 231, 27 September 1905, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

NOTES FROM THE GALLERY.

(By TelegrapU,—Parliamentary Eeporter.)

WELLINGTON, this day.

PAKJjIAMENTARY RETURNS,

"The expense to the country of having htterminable lists of returns furnished to the Honse at the instance of members, and the congestion caused thereby in the Government Printing Office, have often been remarked on. Mr Flatman, Government Whip, gave notice a little while back to move that there be another return laid on the table of the House. It was a case of wheels within wheels, for his return was to show the total number of returns supplied to the order of members during the present Parliament, the total eOL*t to the colony for preparing and printing such returns, and the total number of returns applied for by eacdi member and the cost.

When the Premier notified yesterday afternoon that the Government agreed to direct this return to be furnished, the Leader of the Opposition indicated that he was opposed to it.

Mr Speaker notified that it was necessary for seven members to rise to oppose the return before the matter could be put to the vote.

The front Opposition benches thereupon rose as ova man to oppose the motion for the furnishing of a return, being no doubt suddenly seized with a simultaneous feeling of modesty about secrig their names in print.

However, when the Speaker put the question, they did not divide the House over it, their abhorrence of having their names printed evidently extending also to the noes side of a division list over such a matter. CIVIL SERVICE STATISTICS. Returns have been presented to Parliament showing that during the year ended 31st March, 1904, the total number of Civil servants employed, exclusive of those in the Post and Tele graph Department, was 2100, and their salaries £376,977. The temporary clerks numbered UOl, and drew £9G,854. The persons permanently employed in the Railway Department numbered 8654, and their salaries amounted to £1,109,749. The Civil servants in the Post and Telegraph Department, numbering 2089, were paid £290.570. "All persons other than Civil servants, temporary clerks. and school teachers, but including persons employed in the public works," are given as numbering 92°5, and the stun paid to them aggregated £956,512. AUCKLAND RAILWAYS. A meeting of Auckland mevrbers wil! be hold in a few clay? to discuss the resolutions regarding railways carried at the recent; meeting in Ih p Auckland Chamber of Commerce last week. AUCKLAND PETITIONS. A petition from the WaPomata County Council and others was presetted to the House to-day by Mr- Harding, on behalf of Mr. Alison, praying the Government to reopen the former road across lots 12 to 20, between Henderson and W aikuntete. The petitioners point, out that the closing of this road involves a detour of three miles, and that some of the settlers pay for the right to cross the block. \ petition was presented asking lor a grant of £ 1000 for the improvement of the llelen.sville hot springs.

. THE VOUCHER INQUIRY. It is announced that ex-Chief Justice Prendcrgast, under medical advice, has informed the Government that he cannot conduct the proposed inquiry into the case of the four (Jhristchurch Civil servants at present under suspension in connection with the voucher affair. It will therefore be necessary to appoint another person to act with Mr H. S. Wardell, and some delay will probably result in opening the inquiry. In view of this Mr T. E. Taylor to-day waited upon the Premier to urge that prompt action should be taken to make another appointment. He pointed out that the four men have been under suspension for a considerable time, and that until the inquiry has been concluded they arc not in a position to look for other employment. If they are retained in the Government service their salaries Avill run on as usual, but if they are finally dismissed the salary will cease as from the date of the suspension. Their position, be said, was therefore very unsatisfactory, and they claimed that they should be dealt with finally as quickly as possible.

A statement has been in circulation to the effect that Willis, one of the four men concerned, had sent in his resignation, but it is understood that this is not correct, and is at least premature.

The M to Z Petitions Committee of the House met this afternoon, and considered the petitions received, praying for a full public inquiry into the matter of the voucher. The committee decided that Willis should be instructed to appear before the committee tomorrow, in order that his evidence might be heard. DENTISTS' ASSISTANTS. The Public Petitions Committee of the House, reporting on the petition of several Wellington dentis+s, recommend the Government to this session an amendment of the Dentists Act. 1004, removing disabilities imposed by that Act on dentists' assistants, who, though having long experience, may not be registered unless they hare been principals for three months. The committee state that the disabilities have evidently entailed serious injustice on many persons. A DULL DEBATE. The debate on the second reading of the Workers Dwellings Bill was of nn exceedingly dull and ragged order. The House appreciated its own dreariness to such an extent that there was seidom a ■q". irc-.u present, while, when the House r-.-umed after =upper. there w rr- but two members in the Chamber —Mr Willis (who had the Hoof) and Mr Aitken (who called the Speakers' attention to the state of the House), this formality being necessary before the bell may be rung as a signal for members to "make a House." DILWORTH ULSTER INSTITUTE. The Dilwortli Trustees Act Amendment Bill was before the Legislative Council to-day, when the Hon. James Rigg moved '-That this Council disagrees with the opinion expressed by the Joint Committee on Bills 'That the Dilworth Trustees Act, 1902, Amendment Bill is a local bill,' and is of opinion that the bil is a private bill." The mover stated that he was not hostile to the bilk but wished to record his protest against a private bill being treated as a local bill. He pointed out that the bill dealt with persons in Auckland and also in the North of Ireland, while the Standing Orders provided that a local bill should deal with the locality only. He contended that the province of Auckland could not be held to he a

locality, and declared that, private property being interfered with, the bill must be held to be a private bill. The bill altered Mr Dflworth's intentions expressed in the bill to ia very serious extent; so much so that some of them would not -be recognisable after the passage of the bill.

The Hon. Jehkinson seconded the motion.

Mr T. Kelly said that the Privy Council had decided that the institution was a public one, and this had guided the Committee iv ecmuig to the decision arrived at.

The Hons. Thome George and Thos. Thompson opposed the motion, whieb was defeated after Mr Rigg had replied by 22 votes to 2.

The Hon. T. Thompson then moved the second reading of the bill, the HonFanwick seconded, and the motion was carried on the voices. JOTTINGS. Messrs. Baume and Alison, M.HJL's, returned to Wellington from Auckland last night. Mr. Massey is to ask the Government whether they will look into the position of the setlers at Lockerbie, near Morrinsville. with regard to their roads with a view to bringing :< boat some improvement either by legislation or ofherwise? Mr. Massey adds the following note: "The settlers in question purchased their land from the Assets Board on the understanding that the sections of the Public Works Act which are intended to provide for the forming of roads in the case of subdivision of properties would be complied with, but so far the Assets Board refuses to form such roads, and the local body in consequence declines to take them over.