PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Press, Volume L, Issue 8575, 31 August 1893, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

By Teleorai'H. ifeom our special cohbe3pondint.3 WELLINGTON, August 30. CONTROL OF LEGISLATIVE OFFICERS. The Parliamentary Privileges Committee %ill report in favour of the Speaker retaining control of the Legislative officers. The Speaker, Major Steward, has drawn up a memorandum, which shown conclusively that until last year all appointments in the clerical and reporting staffs were made by bis predecessor c and himself. The two reoent appointees to the Hansard staff started with a, year each, with au extra £50 as • retaining fee for recesa employment, when they are to receive a guinea a day if the Government utilise their sorvicea. Now under a previoui decision of the House fresh Appointments to Hansard were to start with £250 with yearly increments of £10 until the maximum £300 was reached. The Reporting Committee will draw attention to the increasing coat of Hansard, and a auggestion will probably be made to increase reporting motions for the adjournment of tho House. The complaints of the ineiticiency of Hansard do not truthfully lie against the reporters, but Mβ due to tho facility given to mombers to correct their speeches, often as many as three revises being furnished. Any practical man understands how that swells the bills. Tho talking power of this'Houee is far in advance of its predecessors, despite the reduction in numbers. JOTTINGS. The Council by 27 to 12 retained the words " or leasehold " in the interpretation clause of tho Electoral Bill. The Cadman portfolio ia still unsettled, and it ia improbable that it will be settled entil the recess. Members are heartily tick of the Liquor Bill, which lias thrown most of them into inextricable confusion. On some of yesterday's divisions members had no idea how or irhy they were voting, and in one instance were seen ruehing from side to side of the House, endeavouring to decide where their votes should be recorded. The Minister for Labour marched into a lobby which he understood his chief had instructed him to march into, only to find when he coutd not get out that the Aforesaid chief was in the other, whereat the Minister expressed his disgust freely. Members feel that thoy have been "in liquor" for an indefinite period and that the "Bill" will have to be paid when ingenious opponents analyse their votea on the various divisions, aud they achieve mental "D.T." in their efforts to explain and reconcile them, The general impression is that tbo Bill will not survive tho

Vp}ter Honso, but that if it does set through h it will be in a condition in which its own father won't know it. The Stock Committee has considered the Fencing Bill and referred it back to the law officers to draft amendments. The Stock Bill will be further considered on Jftiday. The Native Affairs Committee further considered the Reserves Administration Bill this morning aud completed it, with -the exception of a new clause enabling Natives to themselves deal with the reserves of which they wish to retain the management. The Bill has now been altered almost out of Recognition. It originally proposed that the Public Trustee should have charge of all Native reserves, but as it will leave the Committee it will ouly provide for his controlling such as are already administered tinder the Acts. The Industries Committee will, it is exReeled, recommend the appointment of an expert to grade flax, and that a bonus be given for improved machinery calculated to tmise tho quality »nd expedite the production of fibre