ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT.

Evening Post, Volume XXI, Issue 145, 23 June 1881, Page 2

ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT.

In tho T egislative Council yesterday afternoon, Captain Jb'raser moved for a roturn giving the names of Otago deferred-payment sehctor3 who have paid or still owe arrears, and those who hive abandoned land, in arrear a^d otherwise, those receiving valuat'on allowance on abandoning, and those now in occupation, with terms on which acquired He urgei that the deferred-pay-ment system had brok2n down, giving several illustrations, and advocated tho American homestead system., and the taking of land by lot ;n,st Q ad of auction, which was the Lane of the New Zealand system. The motion was carried. A poi'.t which has beeu s'ronely urged in the columns of the bVENiNG Post, viz , the exp?nsiveuess and comparative inutility of the present normal EcLool sjstem, was then brought forward by Mr. G. M. Waterhouse. The hon. gentl°mati moved far a retarn of tho number of females t*aineJ at normal schools who were now teti"h' r.% or eagaged in other pursu ta. He characterised the schools as most unsatisfactory and expensive, although the Education Boards wished to increase their number. The Canterbury school cost in 1579 £i 292, while the fees received only amounted to There were 9 males and 31 females, so the average nnnual cost of training each of them amounted to .£56 7s. They remained there two yeara. so that each teacher cost the coon try .£ll2 14s. At Dunedin the coat was less — .£76. Auckland was also trying to get a normal school, and

one had been established in Wellington. The number of male students was small, but tho females excessively numerous ; for this reason ho wished to know if they all became teachers. Mr. Watorhouse hinted that ho believed the majority of them got married, a"d added that the probability was ovory foinalo teachor co6t the country at least £200. One well-arranged normal school should be sufficient for the requirements of the whole colony. Colonel Brett said the Christchurch Normal School was big 1 enough for a regiment of 1000 men. He believed that it contained over 20 unused rooms. These normal schools wero a large wastn nf money, when thoro were over 100 mou with University degrees unable to get employment. 'Jhe motion was carried, and the Council adjourned shortly before 4 o'clock. Before tho ordinary business of tho day was proceeded with a number of questions had to be answered by the Government, though the information in most cases was of no very goneral interest, and might havo been obtained by the questioners, on application at the " Big Building." Mr. Speight was informed that plaus of the elec f oral districts, proposed to be formed under tho new Representation Bill, would be prepared as soon as possible ; and in connection with tho bill Mr. Bowen was told that tho mea9uro would bo brought down without unnecessary delay. Mr. Tawhai appeared to be interested in the prevention of an outbreak of smallpox, for he asked the Native Minister to instruct the " heads of departments " in tho districts north of Auckland to vaocinate the natives livine in thoso parts. He received a favorable reply. In answer to Mr. Reeves, who wished to know if tho Government intended to proclaim Newcastle, and all Chines© ports infected, Mr. Dick stated that information had been received from the authorities in Sydney stating that small-pox . was not on the increase, and that the two patients were now convalescent. Tho Government did not therefore think it necessary to declare Newcastle an infected port. With regard to Chinese ports, tho Sydney Government had taken sorno Rction, aud when information had been reooived from them, the matter would be countered. Regarding his question anont Government Life Assurance, Mr. Hamlin was iuftrmod that the report of tho actuaries would leave England iv July, and would arrive hero about the end of August, when tho Government would lose no time in bringing it before the House. Mr. Brown wished tho Premier to take the House into his confidence, and state whether the Government intended to fill the Workß portfolio X He said he asked the question in a purely disinterested manner. The Premier was auro of this— so sure, indeed, that the Government had never considered the question till Mr. Brown had arrived. He had no hesitation iii * taking that gentleman and tho House into his confidence, and candidly informed him and them that it was tho intention of tho Government to fill the office. This oxcoodingly satisfactory answer '• brought down tho House." Seven private bills wore introduced, aud went through thoir initial stages. Tho principal feature of the at tor noon was tho ueteat of tho Government on a motion that had a very innocent appearance. It \va3 moved by Mr. Andrews, one of tho ( hristchurch members, and was to the effect that when any person in the Government employ should become liable to fine or dismissal, tho investigation, if any, should bo open to tho Press. A question of this kind cropped up last Bossion, and tho Government did not think tho courso then suggested a convenient one. They did not think so now. Mr. Andrews sir >ngly urged the necessity of adopting 1 is motion to protect Civil servants and tho public, and he had a majority at his back. Amnnq thoße who argued in Bupport of tho motion was Sir George Grey, who hoped that tho motion wonld be passed or that the privilege accorded to Civil servants of trying Civil servants would be abolished. It was true, ho said, that in the army men wero tried by their own offioers, but tho casog were not analagous, as there were not thoso friendships or relationships ia tho army which characterised the Civil Service of New Zealand. Tho sorvice here had fallen into family groups, and would ultimately bocoino a family Civil Sorvioo. The opening of the doors to the Press could do no harm, while it would tend to check abuse. Whether the Press was a good or bad one was not for him to consider, but ho felt sure tho reporters would do their duty faithfully, aud public advantage would acorno from their attendance. Ultimately a division was taken, and the motion was carried by 35 to 28. Tho following is the division list : — Foe the motion : Andrews (teller), Ballanco, Birron, Brown, De Lautour, Fisher (Buller), Fisher (Heathoote), Fox, Georgo, Grey, Hamlin, Harris, Hutchison, Jones, Levestaoi, Lundon, Maoandrew, Montgomery, Pitt, Reeves, Reid, Shanks, Shephard, yhrimski, Speight, Swanßon, Taiaroa, Tawhai, Te Wheoro, Tole, Tomoana, Turnbnll (teller), Wallia, Wood, Wright. Against tho motion — Atkinson, Ba ; n, Bowon, Bryoe, Colbeok, Collins, Dick, Fulton, Hall, Hirst, H. .(Wallace), Hursthouse, Johnston, Levin, Mason, M'Loan, Murray, Oliver, Orinond, Rollo3ton, Hussjll, Saunders, Seymour, Stewart, Studholmo, Sutton, Trimble (teller), Wakefield, and Whitakor. The remainder of the afternoon was taken up by the discussion of two motions tabled by Mr. Hutchison— one to amend the shipping legislation in a way that would prevent small steamers oarrying passon gor a while insufficiently manned ; the ot'-ier calling for a return conneoted with artisans employed in tho Lyttclbon Gaol. With regard to the first motion, Mr. Hutohison bad, some days previously, been informed that tho Government did not bco any reason for amending tho Shipping Act ; but he now mide a stronger effort, evidently recognising tho force of the ditty about trying again til success is achieved. Tho Treasurer objected to the motion as it stood, doubted Mr. Hutchison'd sincerity in bringing it forward, and suggested that it should bo roforred to a committee. Tho motion was subsequently amended, at tho jnstanco of Mr. Shephard, in the direction indicated by Major Atkinson. The motion for the return waa oarried without much discussion, and the House rose for dinner. In tho evening, the Premier stated that tho Colonial Secretary wonld represent the Government at tho Danodin. Kxhibitiou, and Mr. Diok informed the House that Dr. Hector had bent appointed to report on the Exhibition. Mr. Murray's Drainage Bill and Mr. Stevens' Fire Brigade Bill — both measures introducd last tsessi<m — were read a second timo without much debate. The Licensing Bill was resumed m Committae at clause 63, and no important alterations were made, nor was any great difficulty experienced till clause 108, regulating license foes, was reached. Where the clauses gave magistrates and justices power to deal with cases they were amended in the direction of giving the power to the Licensing Committee, in order to conform to Sir W. Fox's amendment on clause 12, which placed ia the hands of tho ratepayers the election of tho committee. In clause 108, however, a host of amendments were proposed in the section fixing the fee to be paid for a publican's license outside a borough at £30. Ono member wanted tho foe fixed at £20, another at £29, another at £35, another at "any sum not exoeoding £iO," and another any sum not exoeoding £35." Other amendments woro proposed, and suggestions thrown out, and it seemed as it the Committee had, from, tho frequency of amendments and divisions, reashed the " larking stage." Mr. John Lundon pointed out that hotels in aomo districts wero heavily mortgaged, and the proprietors could nob afford to pay a license. He had one hotel whioh he had to pay a m%n to keep. Tho House looked sad at this misfortune of their brother politician, and might, for his sake, have been inclined to make an exception in his case, or, at loast, to have u'xod the fee at a very nominal figure ; bat when he added, somewhat triumphantly, that he kept up the insurance in the hope that the building might one day bo burnt down, he lost the ground he had gained, aud hilarious laughter succoedod sighs and ruoful countenances. Eventually the fee was fixed at £25, and progress being reported, the House rose.