ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT.

Evening Post, Volume XXII, Issue 7, 8 July 1881, Page 2

ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT.

There was a very thin attendance in tho House yesterday attornoon, and tho proceedings were of a very unentartaiuing and nofe particularly instructive oharaoter. In answer to Mr. Barron, the Premier (who id never distinctly hoard when replying to quottionß) was understood to say the Government wero not responsible for the railway aooident »t the Kensington (Dunedin) railway orossing in February last, and were therefore not called upon to give compensation to tho persons injured. Major Atkinson stated that tho Government had received a telegram from the Agent-General to the offecfc that the report of the London actuaries in connection with the Government Life Insurance Department had been postod, and that a sum of .£50,000 would be divisible among insurers. The report of tho department was now in tho priuter'B handß, and would be laid upon the table as soon aa ready. The actuary had been directed to prepare a scheme for the distribution of tho bonus. It was the intention of the Government, if possible, this session to bring down an Aot to hand over the department to a board. Some surprise appeared to be created by Mr. Dick's reply to Mr. Murray's question as to what provision the Government had made to seome pure and sufficient vaccine lymph. The Colonial Secretary said the. Government had telegraphed Home for a supply of pure calf lymph, but it was found to b« so scarce in England that tho_ Agont* General had sent to Brussels for it. > Mr. Uunny was informed that the patients in the old Hospital would be removed to the new ono without delay. Several new bills, including one to amend the Wellington Eesorves Confirmation Act, were introduced, .and several local bills Tero advanced a stage. Among those were fcha Wellington Queen's Wharf Sales Bill, which was read a thirdtime and passed. A number of motions for returns and committees wero agreed to. It was expected there would be a long and acrimonious debate^ on Mr. Wright's motion for a select committae to enquire into tho financial position of the Now Plymouth Harbor Board in respeot to its present and futuro relations to tho publio creditor ; but tho motion fell flat. After Mr. Wright had given a history of the Board's transactions, and Mr. Kelly had expressed an opinion adverse to the motion, it was agreed to. Mr. Andrews succeeded in carrying a motion entitling members of tho Assembly to visit the gaols, lunatic asylums, and industrial schools of the colony. He wanted to mako members " Visiting Justices," bat tho Colonial Secretary thought it bettor not to adopt that term, and the mover consontod to strike it out. The only other motion of interest was one tabled by Mr. Murray affirming the dosirablonoss of amonding tho Stamp Act so as to permit postage stamps up to " a certain amount" being substituted for revenue stamps. This waß carried withotit opposition. The Treasurer announced his intention to make his statement on local government on Tuesday next at 7.30. He also intimated his iutention to ask the House next day (Friday) to pass an Imprest Supply Bill for a quarts of a million through all its stages. Tho principal business of the evening was the discussion of the Publio Accounts Committee's report upon the pension of Dr. Pollen, when it was expected a number of members would take an opportunity of " dancing ronnd " the Hon. Doctor and the Government. The supporters of the motion did not expect to bo able to carry it, for thoy had counted noso3, and felt more of a defect by two or three votes. This was made no secret of, but the knowledge did not prevent them from leading a forlorn hope. Tho discussion, however, though " long drawn ont," wa3 much milder than many people had been led to believe would be the case. Mr. Speight opened the ball by reading the report in question, and moving the following resolution :— " That this Hou-o doth agree with the committee in its roport, and is of opinion that no further payments Bhould be made on account of this pension, until by a special Act the House has an opportunity of determining tho amount of pension, if any, which is fairly payable to Dr. Pollen. ' ' Mr. Speight went rather exhaustively into tho oomplioa* ted history of the ca»e, read the opinions of two Attorney-Generals upon the legality of the pension, and strongly objected to tho payment of it, more particularly in regard to that claimed by tho doctor as paymaster of Imperial pensioners. Mr. Maunders, while agreeing that the pension had boen improperly paid, thought it unfair to the Government and Dr. Pollen to deal only with the pei'aioa of the latter, as it was but ono of a largo number of aim lar oases. The whole system of pensions was bad, ho said, and he proceeded to quote some amusing instances in which Civil servants had been left to settle the affairs of Civil servants in regard to pensions and other matters. He moved as an amendment, " That it is not desirable that the House should come to any decision as to the course to bo taken with reference to the payment of Dr. Pollen's pension until the circumstances under which the pensions were granted to the Hon. W. Fitzherbert, tho Hon. W. Gisborne, and Mr. Domett has been considered by the PnbJio Accounts Committee, and reported to this Honse. Mr Weston, in a nice little speooh, suggested that Dr. Pollen and all interested in this matter should agroe to the question in dispute being reforrod to a legal tribunal to decide whether the pension was grautsd by statute; whether or not the services were performed by the pensioner ; and whether or not tho pension was properly settled. If that course were not adopted, then he would vote for the amendment. Mr. De Lautour's objection to the amendment wa^ that it would prevent the question again coming before tho House till too late a period to deal with it. All the pensions, ho thought, should bo dealt with as they cropped up, and dealt with uponft* their merits. Mr. Reader Wood professed/ the utmost friendship for Dr. Pollen, butf could not be brought to believe he had any right to the pension. The Government should have taken the whole responsibility upon their shoulders, and they ought to have refnsed to act upon the opinion of the law officers if they thought they had taken a favorable view of a doubtful matter. If , aa^f was reported by the committee, Sir Julius Vogol had done what he ought not to havo done in granting Dr. Pollen a pension, why wa3 that action endorsed and extended by the present Government ? He concluded by pointing ont that while tho House could not raißO a few hundred pounds for the construction of roads in poor districts, they poured money in heaps into tho laps of Civil Servants who had boen well paid. Mr. Moss looked upon the pension as one of the most flagrant jobs ever committed in tho House. Dr. Pollen, ho asserted, had re- . ceived jE3OO for doing nothing as paymaster of Imperial pensions, and was now to receivo a pension of .£l5O a year for taking that JB3OO Mr. Johnston defended the action of the Government, and expressed an opinion that Dr. Pollen was absolutely entitled to all he received. Mr. Ballance, while agreeing that the doctor had a strong equitable claim upon the House, thought it desirable that the Government should bring down a bill dealing with the whole question of pensions. A number of other members addressed the House, but brought forward nothing new, and at 12.15 a division was taken upon the motion of Mr. Speight, with the 1 olio wing result:— Ayes, 31; noes, 33. Tho amendment was then about to bo put aa a substantive motion, when Mr. J. B. Fisher moved as an amendment to it, " That until the report of the Public Accounts Committee on the additional pensions has been brought down to the House, no payment shall be made on account of the pension already reported on." The Premier asked the Speaker whether the amendment of Mr. Fisher was in-order, it being similar, h* thought, to the motion just lost. The speaker ruled that it was in order. After farther discussion, Mr. J. B. Fisher obtained leave to amend his proposal to 'the effect that no further payments on account of pensions should be made to either Dr. Pollen, ttie Hon. W. Fitzherbert, the Hon. W. Gisborne, or Mr. Domett, until the Publio Accounts Com-

tnittee reported on tbo pensions of the three last named pensioners ; the committee to re port in three weeks. The Premier accepted the amendment, which was carried without division, and the House rose at 12.40. THIS DAY. Mr. Sutton was understood to give notice to ask the Government why they paid the whole of the cost of tho Wellington Hospital while they neglected other hospitals. Mr. Do Lautour gave notice to bring in a bill to amend th« Armed Constabulary Act. Dr. Wallis gave notice to move on Tuesday next for leave to introduce a bill to extend the Parliamentary franchise to women.