Political Notes.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), 3 September 1889, Page 2

Political Notes.

[from our parliamentary bepobteb.]

[BY TBLBGEAPB.I

Wklli2<gton, Last night. ME BALLANOB TO GO ON A STUMPING TOUB. Mr. Ballanco has determined to address public meetings in Napier aud Wellington shortly on political questions, so it would appear that the Opposition leader, by stumping the North Island, anticipates, a dissolution during the recess. NORTH ISLAND TRUNK BAILWAY. ! The North Island Main Trunk Railway Loan Application Act 1886 Amendment Bill, a measure with an unusually long title, allocating an additional sum of £120,285 for land purchases, was dealt with in the Council tc-night. A long discussion took place as to whether any land in the Tarannki district should be purchased, seeing that the New Plymouth Harbor Board would be entitled to 25 per cent, of the revenue from it, and members were afraid that if it were withheld as being part of a special fund, the Board's bond-holders would have a claim againot the colony. The Minister for Public Works said that uuder the second clause as drawn, with another clause which he would later on move to insert, the Crown law officers held that bond-holders could make no claim. After a very long discussion this part of the subject was dropped, but amendments were made in a subsequent clause limiting deductions from railway endowment funds to the amounts payahle to' Road Boards and County Councils and debarring any other peraon or body from a claim upon the funds. '

WA.BD-HISLOP AITAIB. I have the best authority for stating that the Ward-Hislop Committee of the Legislative Council will to-morrow report that the conduct of the Colonial Secretary in forwarding the letter he did to Judge Ward, is deserving of the gravest censure. This deoisiou was come to at a meeting of the Committee to-day hy four votes to two. I understand that the Hen. Dr. Pollen, and. Messrs Swanson, Shephard, and Reynolds voted for the motion, and that the Hon. Messrs Stevens aud Oliver constituted the minority. The Hon. J. N. Wilson, being chairman, did not vote. KUMABA SLUDGE CHANNKL. The Minister for Mines has introduced a Bill to validate tho agreement entered into with the miners at Kumara over the sludge channel there. It was in connection with this matter that the Goldfields Committee last week reported adversely on the Minister's action when the recent no-con- ; fidenoe motion was under consideration. It was stated that Mr. Downie Stewart had been induced to vote for the Government by a promise of his elevation to the Legislative Council. The rumor as to' his intended promotion is again revived to-day, and is seriously discussed in the lobbies. The proposal is resented, especially by the Opposition, and Ministers will be given to understand that the" appointment would cause very considerable dissatisfaction. On the other hand, it is conceded that Mr. Fulton would make a very desirable member of the Upper Chamber.

LOCAL BILLS. This afternoon was set apart for, the consideration of Local Bills on ; tbe OrderPaper, all of which were read a second time, committed, reported, read a third time, and passed. They are the Waimate Public Lior-iry Bill, Timaru High School Act .Further Amendment Bill, Queecstown Athenreum Bill (converting tho Athenreura into a Free Public Library, in consequ-mce of tho largo number of tourists visiting the Otago lakes district), Gisborne Harbor Act Amendment Bill, Napier Harbor Board's Amendment and Further Empowering Bill, Waitohi Riverbed Bill, Waimate Public Reserves Sale Bill, Geraldino Racecourse Reserve Act Amendment Bili, Geraldine Public School Site Bill, Riverton Corporation .Empowering Bill, Wellington City Empowering Bill, New Plymouth High School Bill, Masterton Trust Lands Bill, Nelson Foreshore Reserve Bill, and Borough of Bruuner Enabling Bill. Progress was also made before tho dinner adjournment with a number of the Orders of the Day.

NCBTII ISLAND TBUNK LINE. One of tho amendments made limits the deductions allowable from railway endowment funds to be created from land purchased to the amounts payable under the Land Aot to County Councils and Road Boards. A now clause was added seouripg to the Crown, alone the right to purchase native lands in tho district to bo traversed by tho railway for two years from January next. Ministers originally proposed five yours, but the reduced period of restriction was inside in deference to objections by the native members. On the motion that the amendments in the Bill be agreed to, Sir John Hall, who seconded, mado a strong protest against the amendment, contending that they took away from the New Plymouth Harbor Board the 25 per. cent, of land revenue to which the existing law entitlod .that body. This, he argued, amounted to repudiation, and would entitle tho Board's bond-!iolder3 to come down on the colony for compensation. Some debate ensued, and ultimately the debate was adjourned till to-morrow to onablo members to consider tho amendments.

BILLS PASSED. The Timaru Harbor Board Loan Bill, Hawera Borough Endowment Bill, and the Land Transfer Act Amendment Bill were read a third time and passed.