PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Press, Volume L, Issue 8557, 10 August 1893, Page 6

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

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(FROM OCR SPECIAL COERESPOXDEXT.)

WELLINGTON, August 9. THE GOVERNMENT RAILWAY BILL.

The long-promised Government Railway Bill has at length been circulated. It gives, as has been already stated, tie Ministerial Chairman a deliberative aad a casting vote, but two other provisions are that instead of the Commissioners holding office during good conduct, to be decided by Parliament as at present, the Minister is to be the judge of good conduct, and it will take a joint address from both Houses to gei one of them back again when the Minister has exercised his power. The determining of sites for stations, that fruitfdl source of strife and patronage, which was expressly placed in hands of the Commissioners with directions to consider nothing but the interests of the railways and settlements, is to be at the sole discretion of the Minister, and after the model which proved so disastrous in Victoria, the Minister is authorised to at any time request the Commissioners to prepare a scheme for increasing or decreasing the expenditure (no matter how profitably their particular department may be working), and if he approves may have it carried out, or he may prepare such a scheme himself. While Ministers are themselves requiring all. their Departments to abolish, as far as possible, the tender system the Commissioner, are to be required to call for public teuders for all work above £100 in value, and their estimates must be submitted to the Government before they are submitted to the House. The Minister is to be the sole arbiter of promotions and pay, as the Commissioners must not increase any salary over £200 a year or promote any one to a salary over that amount without an Order-in-Council, and they must no longer avail themselves of the williugness of the expert officers to gain knowledge of what is being done on the most advanced systenrs of the world for the benefit of our railways as they are not to grant leave except as provided by the Civil Service Act. Moreover they are not to touch the more than sacred lines of Westport and Greymouth, ac on certain of these railways they must not increase tariffs without the sanction of the Minister. The Bill is not likely to become law.

MR CADMAN AND THE MINISTRY.

Shortly after his return to Wellington, Mr Cadman was seen by several members as to his intentions with respect to rejoining the Cabinet. He stated that, personally, he was very much disinclined to again accept the cares of Ministerial office, but would place himself in the hands of the Auckland representatives, and if there was a general desire on their part that he should accept a portfolio, he would probably comply with their wisnes. It may therefore be assumed that the hon. gentleman will again join the Cabinet at an early date, and thus relieve his colleagues of the difficulty they were in, in substituting in his stead an acceptable Auckland member. That the vacant portfolio would not be filled up pendiug Mr Cadman's re-election, and that he would then under pressure again take office, I have all along maintained.

SIR R. STOUT'S LICENSING BILL.

As was anticipated the Government by agreeing to bring in a Licensing Bill, and by joining forces with the representatives of the iiquor'trade, succeeded in defeating Sir R. Stout's Bill. The measure, after a couple of hours' debate,' Was allowed to go into Committee, whereupon' the Premier moved thatprogress be reported. He explained that he considered this a question .on which legislation should be conducted by the Government, and as there would be a Minis terial measure before the House for its second reading on Friday be had moved to report progress. The motion was carried on a division by 30 to 28, whereupon Sir R. Stout asked leave to sit again on Thursday, August 17th. The rsjsult r>i the motion Will of course be to shelve Sir Robert's Bill. He and those friends of the temperance cause who voted with him will probably have "a few words" to say when the Government Bill comes down.

An ingenious member has been working out tbe results of Sir R. Stout's Bill should it pass in its present form, which is, however, unlikely. The member with an enquiring turn of turn of mind began his investigation at Sir Robert's own electorate, Inangahua, and this is the result:—To enforce the provision of one . hotef for every 750 inhabitants would permit Reef ton alone in all Inangahua coiiaty to luxuriate in a public-house, while five ridings' licenses now existing would have to be abolished. In the Grey county eight ridings would have to he " pub-less," and only one spotin the whole county would be entitled to a licensed house. Coming north to Taranaki province licenses would have to be done away with in twentythree licensing districts in which they now exist; and applying the principle to cities, Wellington would lose twelve houses and Dunedin thirty out of seventy now existing. It is not surprising that the publicans' and brewers' party propose to support the Government against Sir' R. Stout. ' . JOTTINGS. The Local Bills Committee recommend that the Christchurch Hospital Act Amendment Bill be allowed to proceed with verbal alterations.

Ann Keast, widow of Stephen Keast, petitions the House through Mr Taylor for relief, owing to the death of her husband— formerly employed on the Canterbury railways and in the Addington and. Christchurch workshops. The Labour Bills Committee in the Legislative Council consists of Messrs Bolt, Bowen, Jenkinson, Jennings, McLean, Oliver, Richardson, Rigg, Shrimski, Stevens, Swauson, W. C. Walker and Montgomery.

Ministers continue to flood the Order Paper with new Bills, and the work of the Parliamentary Draftsman cafanot be a sinecure. In answer to a member on the Opposition benches as to when this incessant pouring in of measures was to end, the Premier said his Government were disproving the assertion made at the beginning of the session that they were wanting in constructive ability. So long as the House was in good /humour and willing to work the Government would supply them with ample matter.

The Alcoholic Liquor Bill will be read a second time on Friday. Though its provisions yet known, there is a general feeling that it will not find its way on to the Statute Book.

During the year ended June 30th, 1892, the number of publicans' licenses issued in the'colony totalled 1431, and the license fees paid to local bodies amounted to £6299.

The Industrial Conciliation Bill was under the review of the Labour Bills Committee to-day. The Committee haVe not yet reached the compulsory arbitration clauses or that portion of the Bill Which brings Railway employees under its operations. A number "of owners and managers of steamers have gathered in Wellington from different parts of the colony to discuss the obnoxious features of the Shipping ; and Seamen's BilL They have had a preliminary meeting, and are to give evidence before the Labour Bills Committee to-morrow at a special meeting called for the purpose of hearing them. Among them are Messrs K. Ramsay (owner of several steamers-in Dunedin), Mr A. Cock {representing the Anchor line of Nelson), Mr J. Ramson (manager of the Northern Steam Company of Auckland), Messrs Earle and Levin (representing Wellington owners). ■■):■'■■■;■• '

(PRESS ASSOCIATIOS TELEGRAM.) AUCKLAND, August 9. _At the Rev. L. M. Isitt's meeting tonight, at the Auckland Tabernacle, on the ditect veto, 1400 were present..•"*- Ths following resolution was unanimously carried— "That in view of the Bill now being considered in the House* of Representatives, this meeting urges the House to give the people control ol the liquor traffic by means of the direct vote." *- • - '•» ..■-

Wx advise our readers to -drink "Ceylindo" Teas, there is no .other brand to compare with them. No 1, Is 6d; No. 2, 27; No. 3. 2s 4d ; No. 4. 2s Sd. Supplied at ELuscaxd's G.LC— [Advt. Uxß_o___r Teas ore aore Economical than 1 Tea* put through a Blending Mill. All JAJdtEso.v, Axdbosos akd Co.'* Teas are Unbroken.—tAnvT],