PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

Press, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4637, 11 June 1880, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

[By Tklbgbaph.]

[SHOK OTTR OWS COBBBSPONDENT.] WELLINGTON, June 10.

The feeling in the House has not even yet definitely settled down regarding the finanoial' proposals. The Beer Tax seems to be generally approved, and the majority favor the exemptions in the Property 2 ax, but thelooal finance scheme elicits a wide diversity of opinion, which, however, seems mostly adverse to the proposed Local Works Board. It will be some days before members will have really made up their minds on the matter. The Government appear to have a safe majority of at least ten or twelve, indeed Sir Q-. Grey, Mr Lundon, Mr Moss, and other strong Opposition members in the debate this afternoon on the Native Affaire Committee frankly admitted that the Ministry had a majority strong enough to carry almost anything they pleased. Much comment has been excited by the garbled report in " Hansard " of the debate in the Legislative Council regarding the conversion of the loan, all the strong language used by Mr Scotland and Colonel Brett being deliberately suppressed. There has also been a good deal of talk about the singular fact that two Cabinet secrets have been prematurely revealed, and in both cases at Napier. The proposals of the Government in lieu of subsidies to local bodies were announced "on authority" by the " Hawke's Bay Herald" on the 28th ult., the very day that Parliament met. Similarly the intention of the Government to propose a beer tax was publicly known in Napier on the evening of the day on which this was disclosed to the House, therefore some hours beforehand, thus enabb'ng the revenue to be materially injured. How the people of Napier obtained this valuable information in advance is not yet discovered. Ministers are endeavoring to ascertain who has thus either betrayed their confidence or surprised the Cabinet secrets.

The Royal Commission on Local Industries have sent in an interim, recommendation. They report that they have ascertained that wines of good quality are produced in various parts of the colony, bnfc as there are no provisions by law for retailing colonial vines, except by public-house licencee, the trade is practically suppressed. The Commission are of opinion that the sale ought to be encouraged, on the ground of affording remunerative occupatioa in a new branch of agriculture, and for the purpose of supplying a oheap and wholesome beverage. They therefore recommend that special facilities be provided in the Licensing Bill now before Parliament for the sale of New Zealand wines by retail, for consumption on the premises. The arrears of laud tax are being collected in a very curious manner. To-day a Wellington landowner went to the Cuefcom-house to pay the tax, but the money was refused, and he was told that his name was on a list of defaulters to be summoned. He had received no summons however, but on going to the Court-heuse was presented with one attached to the claim for the land tax, but not signed by anybody, and not fully filled up. For this unsigned and unserved summons he was oharged ss, and Is for having to call at the office.

The new Pharmacy Bill provides for the appointment of a Pharmacy Board for the colony, consisting of six members and a president, being duly qualified pharmaceutical chemists. The Board is to be appointed in the first instance by the G-overnor in Council, and at the expiration of three years to be elected by the pharmaceutical chemists of the colony. The Board will have power to make regulations, appoint officers, and keep an annual register of qualified ohemiets,|f or whom examinations are to be held. The qualifications entitling persons to registration as pharmaceutical chemists are that they must have kept an open chemist's shop for two montbj, acted as a dispensing chemist six monthg, served ac an apprentice for four years and attended a course of lectures, hold a diploma, or have passed an examination before the Board appointed under the Act. Trading as a chemist without a certificate and practising medicine as a surgeon, oi otherwise than as hitherto privileged, will subject the person so offending to a penalty recoverable in a Bummary way before any magistrate or two Justices of the Peace, and all fees, fines, and penalties, which are fixed by the Board's regulations, will go to the funds.