POLITICAL NOTES.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 5214, 8 May 1888, Page 2

POLITICAL NOTES.

_SPECIA_ TO DAILY TELEOBAPH.J

[OWN COEBESPOSTDENT—BY TELEOBAPH.]

Wellington, Last night. THE HUMORIST OF THE HOUSE. The member for Sydenham, who last year earned the soubriquet of the " Jbo Miller" of tho House, bids fair to retain tho title this session. • Already ho has tickoted off tho seat in tho loading Opposition benoh formerly occupied by Sir Julius Vogel, and intimates his intention of putting some awkward questions to Ministers in tho absence of any recognised leader of the Opposition. Mr Taylor probably thinks the opportunity presents itself for his filling that onerous position. COLONISING NATIVE LANDS. I learn that Messrs W. L. Roes (Gisborne) and Wi Pere intend paying a visit to England shortly with a vitw of floating Mr Rees's scheme for the colonisation of native lauds. . , M. PASTEUR'S SCHEME. Experiments are likely to be made in the colony at no distant date with a view of testing M. Pasteur's scheme for the extermination :of rabbits. Mr Valentino, member for Waikaia, has forwarded to tho Minister for Lands tho following communication, wliich explains itself:—"With the view of assisting the Government in their efforts to suppress tho rabbit pest in the colony, and for tho purpose of providing the necessary ground for a thorough test of M. Pasteur's schemo of destruction, I have now the pleasure of intimating that I am prepared to fence off any suitable portion of tho New Zealand Agricultural Company's estate whero the rabbits aro troublesome, and in every way possible to facilitate auy experiments which the Government may desire and undertake with tho object of ascertaining how far M. Pasteur's mode of destruction may bo safely extended to other parts of the country. After carefully reading all the available evidonce in this' schemo of destruction, I am convinced that the danger of communication of tho disease through the rabbits to stock is more imaginary than real. Tho almost incalculable loss which tho country annually sustains through tho scourge of the rabbit pest is sufficient to warrant .us in running some risk, even if wo were to admit tho existence of danger in our efforts to overcome tho ravages of tho pest, but as I believe there is no risk in the matter, I am quito ready to afford every possible means in my power to assist the authorities in ascertaining whether M. Pasteur's plan will enublo us to overcome our troubles, in respect to tho rabbit or not. I am aware tho subject is under consideration by a conference in Sydney, but, at the same time, I think no time should be lost on tho part of tho Government of this country in taking steps to prove as speedily as possiblo the efficiency of the cure proposed by the great scientist. In connection with this matter, I may say that the general manager of the New Zealand Agricultural Company is as well qualified to speak as to tho great loss occasioned by tho rabbit pest as any porson iv the southern hemisphere. He has, however, successfully coped with tho difficulty by using phosphoriscd grain, shooting, trapping, and fumigating burrows by bisulphuto, and as a result of theso efforts the company now set a much greater number of sheep on a smaller territory of country than for for years past. Li addition to this, the character and quality of tho sheep havo steadily improved, so that tho company's fat stock now invariably realise the highest price obtained in the Dunedin market. The clip of wool has also gone up over one penny per lb in the average weight during the past four years." If the Government decide on making an experiment Mr Valentino is willing to set aside any portion of tho company's property that is ] largely infested with rabbits. I

EARLY ARRIVALS, Signs of the early meeting of Parliament aro manfested by the arrival iv Wellington of Messrs Pyke, Taylor, McGregor, and Valentino, M.H.Rs. Tho Auckland and i Taranaki members will put in an apI pcaranco on Wednesday evening. | FREIGHT ON CHEESE. The N.Z. Shipping Company, in response to representations made by southern shippers on the subject of the excessive rates of freight on cheose and butter exported to England by direct steamers, havo forwarded the following important communication to Mr H. S. Valentine, M.H.R., chairman of directors of the Gore Dairy Factory, who has takou a prominent part in the negotiations:—"Dunedin, 4th May. Dear Sir, —This company has decided to reduco tho freight on choeso after tho Ist July next to f d per pound, with tho usual 10 per cent primage, gross weight, payable in the colony; the freight on butter to bo Id per pound, gross weight, with 10 per cent primage, payable in tho colony. Wo shall bo preparod to carry cheeso in a well ventilated part of tho steamers at 80s and 10 per cent per ton gross weight—Yours faithfully, w. B. Boyd, local manager. THE SEACLIFFE ASYLUM. The evidenco taken before tho _ Royal Commission respecting tho foundations of die Seaoliffe Asylum is being printed, and will bo circulated next week. It is of a very voluminous nature, and will take eomo days to print.