PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Press, Volume L, Issue 8598, 27 September 1893, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

—*»» [By Telegraph.] [fpom our special correspondent.] WELLINGTON, September 26. "POLICY ,, BILLS IN THE COUNCIL. The rejection or mutilation beyond recognition of three Government measures at one sitting is probably a record for Nevr Zealand, bub such was the outcome of the afternoon's proceedings in the Legislative Council. The Shops and Shop Assistants Bill was the first measure to come uudei - the displeasure of the Lords, the second reading of which was refused by 25 to 11. Besides the two Ministers, nine of the recently created Councillors were included in the minority. The Hon. E. Rickardsoa, one of the twelve apostles, voted against the Bill. The rejection of this Bill was merely a prelude to further destruction. No sooner had the Council gone into Committee on the Government .Railway Bill than Mr Downie Stewart moved to substitute for clause 2, which gives the Government power tc appoint Commissioners, a new clause, extending the term of appointment of the present Commissioners for auother year. This was" carried by 21 to 14, and, as the Colouial Secretary admitted, the Bill was practically killed. The third measure to receive wholesale mutilation was the Industrial Bill. The Council refusing to go back on their former decisiou to excludo the compulsory arbitration principle from the Act progress was consequently reported. Sir P. ' Buckley, with a fiendish look at Messrs Downie Stewart, Pharazyn and Co., blurted out that " Government may not always be confronted with the strong phalanx they now are," leading to the impression that the hon. gentleman would like to see twelve more ablebodied men put into the Council to strengthen the hands of Ministers. The Minister of Education is very wroth at wnat he considers the Hon. E. Richardson's treachery in refusing to support the policy Bills of the Government which recently called him to the Council. Mr Reeves will have <s a few words " to say concerning Mr Richardson when he addresses his Christchurch constituents.

When leave was refused Sir P. Buckley to report progress on the Government Railways Bill, he addressed the Council very warmly, saying it waa the first time in the history of the Council that a responsible Minister of the Crown had been deliberately insulted as he had been that afternoon. He had been refused for no other reason than because a majority of the Council would-not tolerate anything but what they wanted themselves. While entering his protest he said he could not trust himself to express his thoughts at any farther length. Mr Bdwen replying, pointed out that Sir. P. Buckley wanted to report progress before the Council had said what they intended to do. Had they not insisted it would have been open for the Government to have dropped the BilL After some remarks by Sir G. Whitmore, who alluded to a case in which delay of the same kind had been used to influence votes, Mr Stewart's amendment was carried and progress reported.

THE CHRISTCHURCH NURSES' HOME.

Iα moving in the Council the committal of the Christchurch Hospital Act, 1887, Amendment Bill, -which, ia to provide for the erection of a nurses' home, Mr Montgomery said the Waste Lands Committee had reported in favour of the Bill proceeding no further. All concerned were in favour of proceeding with the Home. Messrs Stevens and Jenkinson did not favour the Bill, the latter stating that the cite the Hospital authorities had at their disposal for the purpose was more suitable, but it was kept ia a disgraceful state .with rubbish, &c. The people of Christchurch had raised £1300 for the Home on that site. He pointed out that the drainage was insufficient, as the level of the section was 9in below the level of a sewer. Hβ had the word of four doctors visiting the Hospital that the site was unhealthy, and the nuraes themselves were against it, Mr W. O.

Walker supported them in their objection. Like them he had bo personal feeling, bat only looked at it from the view of what was best for the Hospital and nurses. Mr Barnicoat, as Chairman of the Waste Lands Committee, defended their action. Mr Richardson considered that one great objection to the site was an open drain that ran close to it. Mr Swanson stated that the Lands Committee had overwhelming evidence against the site proposed in the Bill. Mr Peacock said no harm could be done by passing the Bill, as it would give the Christchurch public another opportunity of discassiug the matter. Mr Montgomery, in reply, read a letter from the Chairman of the Hospital Board, stating that only three out of the twelve members of the Board were against the site. All he asked was to give them the choice of building on one site or the other. The charge of allowing rubbish to accumulate, brought by Mr Jenkinson, was unfounded, and he also denied that the elevation was nine inches below the sewer—it was nine inches above it. The Bill was committed by 21 to 10. On the motion of Mr \V. C. Walker, a proviso was added to clause 3, by which, if the site wa3 not built on within live yeurs, it will revert to the original Tru3t. The Bill was read a third time and pas3ed. A DWINDLING MAJORITY. That Ministers are fast losing control of their party the divisions for the last fortnight have shown. The third reading of the Railways Bill was only carried by a majority of 4 and the privileges report, which placed the Parliamentary officers under the control of the Ministry, was carried by a bare majority of 1, to ensure which Government had to make it a party question aud resort to active whipping. Pairs were refused the Opposition, for Messrs Mills, Fergus, and Valentine, who had returned to their homes, and had these been granted the Government would have been in a minority of two. Sir R. Stout made a most admirable defence of the system in Parliament in which the Speaker has the control and appoiutment of Parliamentary officers, but a more illogical speech than that of the Minister of Education has rarely been heard. His attempt to justify his complete somersault over this question was received with undisguised disgust. The Hansard staff, save two recent appointees, the Native interpreters, and several permanent officers were exempted from those to be employed by the Government during the recess. JOTTINGS. The works on Stephen Island Lighthouse have been carried on during the year with the result that io i 3 anticipated that the light will be ready for exhibition in January next. The light will be a revolving one, showing a double flash every thirty seconds.

The Petitions (A to L) Committee have no recommendation to make concerning A. Nelson's petition asking that the Medical Practitioners Act, 1869, be amended so as to allow herbalists to recover foes, &c.

Mariners urge the erection of lights at Cape Palliser, the eastern entrance to Cook Strait, and at Rocks Point, on the west coasb of the South Island. Both these lights would be of great service, the one near Rocks Point being wanted in connection with the coastal trade to Westport. The cost of their erection would probably be between £6000 and £7000 each.

The petition of the Bay of Islands whalers that a duty be put upon imported fish and whale oil, has been referred by the Petitions Committee to the Government.

The Mines Committee are of opinion that a royalty of sixpence per ton extra should not be charged on coal from the Grey Valley mines, and recommend a petition from the miners to the favourable consideration of the Government.

Ministers talk wildly about further appointments to the Legislative Council being made. No one, however, seriously entertains the idea of the proposal being made by the Premier or of Lord Glasgow adopting such advice should it be tendered to him.

" That latest convert to temperance and teetotalism" is the manner in which the Premier referred to Mr Earnshaw.

The member for Waitotara says thers is no necessity for the Government supporters to criticise the Public Works Statement, which he considers the most nefarious Statement ever brought down; members supporting the Government have their districts "gorged" with plunder.

Touching the "call" of the Council to be made on Tuesday next, there seems to be no special reason for the summoning absent members who would not strengthen the position of the Government in- the Council, so that it looks as though Sir Patrick tabled his motion in a moment of pique, and it is not likely to be carried into effect. The last time a call of the Council was made was in connection with the Speakership.

The case of the Salvation Army arrests is to be again brought before the House by Mr Allen, who asks the Minister of J ustice— (1) If there exists any means for testing the validity or otherwise of any by-law made by the Borough Council other than a Supreme Court action ; (2) aro the Government prepared to test the by-iaw of the Milton Borough Council with respect to parading the streets with musical instruments, &c.