PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

Press, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4638, 12 June 1880, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

[By Tblegsaph.]

I—Bo— OUB OWN COB-—HPONDBNT.] WELLINGTON, June 11. In the House to-day, Major Atkkuon an*, nounced that a new and greatly simplified Property Tax form would be issued if the House approved of the changes proposed by the Government, and that the time for sending in returns would be extended. Mr Bryce positively denied that any officers or persons in the Government service had been authorised to act as Press correspondents. In answer to Mr Bowen's question, Mr Oliver said that the cost of working the Christchurch passenger railway station during the quarter ending 31st March was £1221, and the number of passengers 45,070 ; the cost of the Dunedin station, £979, passengers 45,072. The Controller-General has advised the .Government that the £300 paid to Mr Bees last year must either be voted by Parliament or else recovered as a debt from one or all of the late Ministers.

Mr Stewart's Evidence Amendment Bill provides that a priest shall not be required to divulge any information received by him under the seal of the confessional, or be liable to be committed Jfor contempt for refusing to do so. It also provides that a wife may give evidence in favor of her husband or a person on his own behalf. Mr Fyke's Party Processions BUI makes it a misdemeanor for persons to meet aid parade in procession for the purpose of celebrating any festival or anmveßary connected with ''religious or other dutmc_on or differences." Justices of the Peace are empowered to instantly disperse suoh gatherings by repeating the following:—"Our Sovereign Lady the Queen charges and commands all persons being here assembled to disperse themselves, and peaceably to depart to their own homes. God save the Queen?' And that any person refusing to disperse shall be liable to a penalty of -60 or imprisonment not exceeding three

I months. The Pharmacy Bill is promoted by I the chemists and druggists of New Zealand aa a protection for the publio against the danger which necessarily attends such a business if carried oh by incompetent persons. Mr Sutton has given -notice that on the 23rd inst. he will move thai; subsidies to local bodies be paid at «_te usual rate for tho next half year, in view of the proposals of the Government to provide other revenues whioh, in the present state of the law, cannot be available before July, 1881. Reeves* annual motion relative to the imposition of a tax upon imported coals will come up for discussion in a slightly different form next Thursday, when he is to move that " Taking into consideration the present state of the Treasury, and for revenue purposes, it is, in the opinion of this House, desirable that an import duty should be imposed on all coals coming into the colony." The rate of the proposed tax is not mentioned, but I presume it will be the same 5s per ton as on former occa- J sione.

Dr. Wallis' Women's Franchise Bill is to be read, subject to the provisions of the Qualifications of Electors Act, 1879. The operative portion runs as follows : —" Every woman of the age of twenty-one years or upwards, having of her own right and to her separate use a freehold estate in her possession situate within any electoral district of the value of twenty-five pounds, whether subject to encumbrance or not, and of' or to which she has been seized for at least six calendar months next before the registration of her vote, is entitled to be registered as an elector, and to vote at an election of members of such district for the House of Representatives; but no woman shall be entitled to be registered as an elector or to vote at any suoh election in respeot of any other qualification. No woman, although registered as an eleotor under this Act, shall be qualified to f.he {elected a member of the House of Representatives for any electoral district."