PARLIMENTARY GOSSIP.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 211, 3 September 1908, Page 2

PARLIMENTARY GOSSIP.

fiAILWAY CLASSIFICATION

(By Telegraph-— Parliamentary Eeporter.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday. AUCKLtAXD HARBOUR LOA^~. The Auckland Harbour Board Loan and Empowering Act was recommended for procedure in the House of Representatives, this .afternoon by the Local Bills Committee. A few technical alterations are recommended, otherwise the provi■Bionsof -the bill are unaltered. The measure aims at the empowering- of Auckland Harbour Board to raise a sum of one million pounds at a rate of interest not exceeding 4A per cent, for the construction of harbour works specified in the schedule accompanying the bill. AUCKLAND STATISTICS. In reply to a question by Mr. Gray, Arising out of an article appearing in the "Lyttelton Times,"' the Prime Minister stated- tnat he had been informed by the Registrar-General that the article in the Lyttelton "Times"' does not state the case-correctly. The population of Auckland, quoted as at the beginning of the year (71,816) is distinctly stated as that of Auckland with it* suburban boroughs only. Below that was given the population of Greater Auckland as at the census, 52,101 persons. The June return in the "ttazette" shows Auckland and suburban boroughs 73.032. Northeote having been created since January, and Greater Auckland 89,577-. This is estimated, allowing for an increase since the census .(except for a portion in road districts )-. The notes to the "Gazette."' table Clearly explain thai the death rates can only be correctly given for the ruuni--cipalised aresu Thus, to compare 71.010 trith- 59.577 is utterly misleading, and net justifiedA ROADING r«OBLEir. "The. . member for. Ohinemnri. Mr. Poland, -this afternoon asked the .Minister of Mines -what steps-, if any. he is taking to complete the formation of the Waihi Beach-road, through Tauranpa county-, in order to enable, the residents of Ohinenniri and Waihi to make use of this road during the coming summer'/ In reply. the Minister sakl the Tauranga County Council had stated in reply to a communication on the subject from the Mines Department-, that they -pould not undertake the construction of that portion of WaiH Beach-road that ran through their, country, and as there was also a difficulty 'rcith regard to the direction, in -which the road line should be -taken, at. had bean decided that some adjustment mnst be made between the -local bodies interested before any further Expenditure can be undertaken by the Hirfe's Tjepartment.

■ ■"■ •yrVRTHKH.X AFFORESTATION. SJr. Stallworthy this afternoon asked. the Minister of Lands whether he did not. consider the time to have now fully arrived for a largely increased •expenditure in. the -work of afforestation, and whether, in view of the fact that the export of timber from the Port of Kaipara had for very many years exceeded the combined export from all the other parts of the Dominion, he -did not consider the Kaipara district -entitled to some consideration in the matter of reafforestation. The Hon. Mr. ilcNab, in reply, said the large amount of native forest still existing North of Auckland did not show the necessity for the establishment of more than one forest nursery - alid plantation, and this had already been met. by the starting of a nursery at Ruatangata, near Whangarei, whilst the burnt portion of the PuhipuluJState forest was now being reforested by the planting of trees grown at Rnatangata. UNEMPLOYED CABPEXTERS. In reply -to 3lr. Kidd's request that the lack of employment for carpenters and joiners throughout the district of Auckland should be relieved by the finding of •\voi"k on the Ham Trunk line, the Minisier for Railways said there was a fairly isrge amouob of building work to be done on the Main Trunk railway, and a large number «rf men eniploy-ed to do it, as many, faiiact, aeeonld be kept supplied ■with timber. In the Railway Dep.irtwhich n3so tad in hand a certain smou-nt of building work, consequent upon the opening up of 'biie Main Trunk traffic, instructions had been given under which as many carpenters as oonld profitably be employed would be takfn on to assist in "ttie" completion of unfinished and the erection of new on?*, Onlj- a limited nom-ber of carpenters could, however, be engaged.

Refen-ing to the ) M ai,U?F of Railway Classification ill tils Hsuse to-day. the Prime Minister said iiiat membprs knew of the innumerable difficulties which had arisen in connection witlj such a difficult problem as had confronted them in the matter of a railway classification scheme. Ailalcmg he had been open to reasonable frojn any Department of the public service,, but'it wad not fanto endeavour to disseminate the imjpresison thai the Government; had been under pressnrp from a party which was a minority of the House. He did not believe that the people pf New Zealand would be led io such a belief. The samp thing occurred "wherever there was an increase in the consolidated estimate?. From an Opposition standpoint it was no doubt "fair game"' to make out that the Government was either swelling up the consolidated estimates of not swellin-T them up enough, just as the occasion demanded-

JOTTINGS, - -In answer to Mr LawTy, the Minister for Railway? says it i≤ intended thai railway employees -whq haxe been continuously employed in the railway service for -orer five years ihall be placed on the penn«neiit staff.

' "The Prime Minister is the very best friend the railway men of ?Jew Zealand Save ever had."—Mr £11.

"It is admitted that on the political horizon there is -an indication of a third party developing."—Sir Joseph Ward.

The Public Petitions Committee have no recommendation to make regarding the claim of A. J. McClnskey, of Auckland, for compensation on account of loss cf office as a police constable.

"I -hare been re-cliri.-iened: I am a Tory. an€ the Leader of the Opposition is my godiatlier."' Hornsuy. Mr Bollard is to ask the Minister for Railways whether he will immediately give instructions for the erection of a ne-w and up-to-date- raiJway station at Mt. Albert, to replace the station lately destroyed by fire.

A rare gem fell from the lip.= of Mr Tanner to-night, when he vouchsafed tlie information: "I do not believe in loading up my speeches with mere "words.'*'

'■We had members of this House representing not more than 750 people; ihat is anything but right."—Mr Thomson on tne Second. Ballot Bill.