NOTES ON PARLIAMENT. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Wellington, July I6.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXX, Issue 5275, 21 July 1874, Page 3

NOTES ON PARLIAMENT. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Wellington, July I6.

Like Canning's needy knife-grinder, I might almost say " Story t bless you, I have none to tell." At Iea8t, the gist of it has been told by telegram. Sauce piquante appears to be a popular condiment for telegraphic pabulum ; but there is little of that going on at present in the bright legislative halls. Peace and plenty in the shape of an apparently large majority for Ministers deprives the debates, such as they are (and there is not much in them a9 yet), of that little element of energy which springs from marshalled forces and the din of war. Until the financial atat< ment is mido — and it is promised ou Tuesday next — there is not much that will place the House in anything like party array. Business is going on, and a singularly rare abstinence from talk marks a largo number of members, while judicious brevity generally characterise those who do address the House. It may be the weather, which is »imply abominable, and has been for six or seven weeks ; but the wind and the rain seem to have blown and washed out the vigour of many members, while the cold, like chill penury, has repressed their noble rage and frozen the genial curront of their souls. Many of the Northern members go about the lobbies muittad up, or hang listlesRly about the cheerful (ires of the library and reading room. In the House the draughts are frightful, and some members take in thoir overcoats as a protectiou. I telegnnhed ahout Mr. Gillies' question respecting the Cross telegram respecting Dr. Featherston. Of course he got no satisfaction, and the despatches are severe as many have been. But if I might hint a fault (and it is done with diffidence, because in private life Mr. Gillies is kindly and genial), I should «ay that meddling with such minor matters i3 beneath the position which Mr. Gillies on»ht to ocenpy. It is that very spirit — the spirit of sneering in small matters, *hich UBfits him for the place of leader. Strango to say, he knows it, does not disguise it, yet indulges i«-. But for that he might easily gel; a following, for he knows more, though he pretends less, than Mr. Stafford ; and would be more readily trusted than either that ex-Minister or Mr. Fitzherbert, who is quietly watching events, and who, with his tru«ty lieutenant, Mr. Bunny, is prepared to let off nmall fifeworks or blank cartridge in the absence of shotted guns. The Civil .Service Bill provides for peniions to be paid to the Cinl servants after their retirement from office, each person paying 2\ per cent of Ins salary into a pension fund. A discussion took place on the subject, and it was averred by some that it would be far better to pay the Civil servants such a salary as would enable them to provide for their old age than to create a pension system. But would the money be saved ? — would the pronsion be made? Human nature is frail, and money fleeting. For there are few who understand tha advantages of saving the small sums, and few who do not live up to their incomes ? Say how m»ny who insuro their live», and also for years have paid the pr .'miuni, would hayo been much better off ha-1 tliev othprwisi spent the money ? Some would, but the majority would not. So with thp Civil servants' contribution to the pension found It is a provision for their old age absolutely paid out of their salaries, and the fact of such annual payments removes the general objpetions to pensions which the public at large entertains. The most important part of the measure respecting Government assurances is contained in the 43th section of the new bill, which provides that as soon as convenient .ifUr 30th June, 1880, and at the expiry of every live years thereafter the Government shall appoint an actuary to report what (if any) is in the opinion of such actuary the net surplus of profits arising under the Act which he would recommend to bo divided among policy-holders after allowing such sum as reserve fund as may be recommended, The actuary's report, whioh is to be based on the same system as that on which bonuses are calculated by reipectable insurance oflices, ii to be laid before the Assembly, and the sum proposed for division — or any less sum the Assembly may deviie — shall be apportioned as bonuses in the ordinary manner. Mr. Keynolds got into a little bit of a fog last night in proposing the additional whisky duty resolutions. Mr. Vogel was absant, said to be either preparing his financial statement or entering an official appearance, at a State dinner given at Government House — (how much time must be sacrificed for official form's sake !) — and in the Premier's absence, the House got into r playful mood and mystified the Commissioner of Customs by proposing amendments. The result was that the resolutions were adjourned until to-morrow. The New Zealand Forests Bill is on« of the most important of the Bession. There is likely to be a good deal of discussion respecting it, but I believe that it will be carried pretty much in its present shape. Mr. V ogel's speech in introducing the measure was careful and elaborate. He showed that the forests of the world were really exhaustible ; that they had a most important effect upon climate ; and that in all countries from which we had information, the destruction of the forests have been most detrimental. Ho also showed that that foresting paid, and that it might be expouted that any money spent upon the forests, of New Zealand would be fully recouped hereafter. The speech was listened to with great attention. Tha bill provides for three per cent of land in each province being taken for the establishment of State forests, and for their management in every respect under a conservator. The Governor is also empowered to make regulations for legulating the seasons at and under in which the lessees of forests may fell trees, fto. By one cluise it is provided that the land may not be taken in any province in the North Island if there is a prospect of more advantageous land being purchased from the natives. The Act will bo of great benefit tc the South Island, where there are large expanses of land at present bare, which might be advantageously planted' with forest trees under the provisions of tho Act. I do not think, however, that the Act will be operative in the North Island for some time. It does not propose to interfere in the least with the riijhts of owners of forest", and as nearly every available known bush is in the hands of private parties, either as owners of the land or as lessees of the bush, ''no interference need be feared. Undoubtedly there is a waste of kauri at present under the nomanagement system, but Parliament cannot interfere, and I fear wo must make up our minds to the extirpation of the kauri as a forest tree. Perhaps the Con»ervator may get a piece of land to the north of the Coioinandel peninsula on which to experiment on growing the kauri, but I should not feel sanguine as to his success, although I should like to seo the experiment tried. The grandest tree of this coloay has an exceedingly we<k life in youth, and requires conditions of shelter which it will be found difficult artificially to produce. 1 may say that the papers laid on the table aie perhaps the most complete ever put before the House on any fwbioct. Valuable details are given respecting the forests of every proTince in tho colony, and information is collated from almorit every country in the world. You will eeo from the papers that the Hon. Mr. Chamberlm has put questions in the Legislative Council with respect to the rail way plant for tho Auckland and Mercer railway, and also as to the coal district at Raglan. As to the railway, Dr. Pollen was not v. ry dofinite, saying merely that " if the contractors did their duty no inconvenience would result to the public through tho noncompletionof the contract." The Minister for Public Woiks gets great credit here for the waym wbioh he conducts his department, but the Government are none the worse for b ing occasionally "poked up" about the public works in the Auckland provinoo They are kept pretty well up to the maik as r'spect-n the South I may say that Mr. < hamberhn was apparently stimulated to a<k the question by some paragraphs which had appeared in the Cross on the subject. In the House of Representatives on Wednesday, Mr. K. Wood asked the Minister for

Public Works whether it was the intention j of tht Government soon to open for general traffic the finished portion of the Auckland and Waikato railway between the Peurose Junction and the village of Otahuhu. Mr. i Richardson explained the reasons for the dei lay, namely, that the ballast for the further portion of the line had to be convey* d over this portion, and that there was a want of engine power. Ho said, however, that if a satisfactory arrangement could be made the line would be opened shortly. As to the Kaglan coal dutrict, it appears that the survey has not been made becanst Dr. Hector has been busy in th« South. Thia is hardly a sufficient excuse, and the Go»ernmmt must accept some blame in the matter, when it is cousidored how important a matter to the whole colony is the supply of coal. [Owing to pressure on our space wo are comp -lied tc hold ever tho remainder of the letter.]