PARLIAMENTARY NOTES

Press, Volume XLV, Issue 7141, 31 August 1888, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES

[By Telegraph.] [from oxtr special correspondent.] WELLINGTON, August 80. The session concluded this afternoon, when the Premier moved the adjournment for a week, and stated that Parliament would be prorogued by proclamation tomorrow. Several questions and grievances were brought up during the last moments of the session, but nothing which calls for special notice. One rather pecu. liar matter was, however, brought up by the Premier. It appears that through some extraordinary oversight a sum of £38,553, which had been advanced to the Greymouth, Hokitika, and Westport Har bor Boards during the current financial year under the unauthorised expenditure account, had not been put on the Estimates and voted by Parliament. This was a pure oversight, due to pressure of business, and the irregularity will be got over by creating debentures of those Boards again9t the money, pending the rectification of the matter next session. It is a little curious that this session aa well as last there should have occurred awkward oversights like this one and that in the Loan Act. It shows the mischievous working of the present system of conducting public business with alternate obstruction and rush. This wears out everybody concerned, and until drastic means are taken to prevent a recurrence of such deliberate obstruction as that of the last two sessions, these muddles will be sure to take place. At the same time I am bound to say that from conversations I have recently had with many members, I have grave doubts of the new rules ot procedure giving better results next year than this, unless they be so largely modified as to destroy half their usefulness. [from our correspondent. WELLINGTON, August 30. The closing scene of a wearisome session jxtending over sixteen weeks was enacted this afternoon, when the House specially met to reoeive the Governor's assent to a lumber of Bills. It is satisfactory to note bhat his Excellency did not find it necessary to reserve a single measure for the signification oi her Majesty's pleasure. On the Premier Krnjully moving the House do adjourn for a week, Mr Hobbs and a few others called for a division with a view bo having recorded the names of those hon. members who remained at their post of duty till all the business was finally disposed of, but Sir M. O'Borke deciared that the ayes have it, and refused to allow b> division to be taken. It may be worth mentioning that thirtyone members were present at the final sitting. It will be recollected that when the Protectionist banquet, held in this city a fortnight ago, was mooted, the promoters boasted that as the feast would consist of New Zealand products only, and as eatables had been promised from all parta of the colony, no expense would be incurred in. the demonstration, which was intended to celebrate the great Protectionist victory, It now appears, however, that those getting up the banquet have found it necessary to canvass for subscriptions towards liquidating the expenses, incurred. Two prominent members of the Protectionist party have been going round with the hat among their fellow embers, and a goodly sum was collected in this way. After the House had finally risen this afternoon, the membew of the Press gallery passed a vote of thanks to the officers of the House, to the oflicers in charge of the telegraph here, the operators, and the counter clerks of the Parliamentary Bureau. I have much pleasure in adding my eed of praise to the hard-worked and, unfortunately under-paid, operators, for the excellent manner in which the Press messages have been sent by them during the session, and to the other subordinates for their uniform courtesy and attention. The honor of putting the lost question to a Minister fell to Mr Barron this afternoon. The hon. gentleman asked the Premier whether he proposed to do anything to compensate iron industries, such as that of Smellie Brothers, at Burnside, for the loss they had sustained by the passing of the tariff. These industries, he said, had been established under freetrade conditions, and while the tariff this session gave them no protection, it had placed them at a disadvantage by increasing the cost of production. 'Xiie .Premier hud, he understood, Undertaken to consider the case, and see if it could be met by a bonus, and he no-vv desired to ascertain what the Government had done and what thsy proposed to do in the tmatter. The Premier replied that the matter had been. brought under notice, and that he had given it consideration. The iron, the milk, and probably other industries were apparently deservin4 of encouragement by means of bonus. The Government bad intended to submit a proposal to the House on the subject, but they had been pressed with business as to be unable to do co. They would make inquiries during the recess, and if they were satisfied that it was desirable to encourage the industries by a bonus they would make proposals to the House next session.