PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 162, 9 July 1907, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

(By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Monday. THIS WEEK'S -BUSINESS. The Address-in-Reply debate is" still with us, though it has had a whole week in which to run its somewhat dreary course. It is expected to be completed to-night, but there is never any certainty about the matter. I hear that the Dominion Bill will shortly come down, and that the Colonial Treasurer is' so well advanced with his work that the financial statement may come down this week. If it does, we may expect the taxation bill dealing with the limitation of estates by means of the graduated tax, and also- the Land-Bill-proper, which provides for the various tenures, of which it is clear the optional will be one. While the Financial Statement is being debated, the bills embodying two-thirds of the land proposals "will be considered by the respective committees to which they are -to be referred, and it is'hoped that when the financial debate has concluded, the House will have the Taxation Bill back from committee. THE LATE PKEMTER. iA very fine oil painting, depicting the late Mr Seddon almost life size, in masonic regalia, is standing in the Parliamentary lobby, where it attracts considerable attention. Miss Ellen .Yon Me'yern, of Auckland, is the artist. A PARLIAMENTARY TRIP. Up to the present twenty-six members of the Lower House and ten members of the Legislative Council have expressed their intention of joining the party which is being organised by MrRemington, member for Eangitikei, for the purpose of going over the route of the North Island Main Trunk Railway. More than half of the members going are the representatives of Southern constituencies. » REGULATION OF BOXING CONTESTS. Provisions for the regulation of boxing are contained in a bill-introduced by the Premier. A boxing contest is defined as being any boxing match, competition or exhibition, for admission to which' a charge is made, or at which a collection is taken up, or at which those present are invited or permitted to throw money into the ring, or otherwise deposit it in the building or elsewhere. No contest shall take place except" in pursuance of a permit granted by an Inspector of Police on the -application of some club or association approved by the Governor-in-Couneil, and every contest must be conducted in accordance with approved rules. Any constable may enter any premises where he has reason to believe a boxing contest is taking place, and if he finds a breach of the Act being committed, he may arrest, without warrant, every person present.