TO-DAY'S PARLIAMENT.

Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 125, 29 May 1888, Page 3

TO-DAY'S PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Speaker took the chair at 2.30. The Attornoy-Generol brought up the report of the committee on the Interpretation Bill The oommitteo recommended that the Bill be permitted to proceed. The Hon. Sir G. S. Whitmore gave notice <rf his intention to move next day that, in -view of the critical condition of foreign affairs, the colonial militia should bo enTolled at onoe. The Hon. Mr. Richmond asked the Hon. Mr. Sttvens whether the Government propose to take any, and what, action in the matter of the report of Mr. Commissioner A. Maokay on the subjeot of native land purchases in the South Island ? The Hon. Mr, fitevens replied that the •Government did not intend to take any jujUod at present. Tbe Connoil went into committee. In ithe schedule, Mr. Watorhouse moved as an amendment that the Ministerial residences, Wellington, Ibo included in the schedule. Hon. P. A. Buckley objeoted to the Amendment, and moved that progress be .reported and leave given to sit again. Progress was reported accordingly, and leave to sit again given. [Left sitting,] HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, The Speaker took the chair at 2.30 p.m. Mr. Pyke gave notice respecting the pvivato Schools Bill. jPr. Newman intimated hia desire to learn from t h 6 Colonial Treasurer whether it is true that the interest on oertain debentures oonneote'i with the trust funds of the colony have not b'flen paid, and if so, will he Btate the reason. Mr. Seddoit gave {notice of a motion for the appointment of a committee to examine the journals of the Legislative Counoil with reference to proceedings relating to the Chinese Immigration > Bill, and report to the Bouse on the subject j al*o of his intention to introduce the Employment of Chinese on •Goldfields Bill and the Gold Duty Reduction Mr. Hutohison gave notice that he will sak the Premier to-morrow whether the remuneration of the Kditor of the recently revised Handbook of New Zealand is deterrainable within any limits, and if so, what these limits ore ; and whether the amount of remuneration is likely to be fixed before the Estimates are brought down ? Some disonssion took place in reference to the report of the Publio Petitions Committee upon the petition of Mr. E. C. Shearman, to the effeot that in their opinion the petitioner hia no further olaim upon the oolony. Mr. Seddon moved that the petition and papers on the wbjeot should be printed. Mr. Fish reviewed the • oiroumstances of the recent retcenohmeotin the Police Department, and said he believed that no real reduction had been made, while a considerable amonnrt of injustice, had been inflioted, through no systematic course being followed. Mr, Bruce supported the report of the Committee, and censured the petitioner tor having made statements reflecting upon Inspector Thomson, who, it had been •toundaatly ehown by evidenoe, had proved himself to be an exceptionally efficient offioer. Tho f*et of the distrust being too large for one man to manage was the only oiroumstanoe whioh offered a slight groundwork for the statement made in the petition. Mr. Crawford Anderson, another member of the Committee, spoke to similar effect. Mr. T. Thompson, Chairman of the •Committee, explained, in justice to Mr. ' '.Shearman, that he had withdrawn the state- • :ment whioh refleoted upon Inspector Thor- 1 •son. Mr. Shearman had been treated more Jiborally than other Civil Servants. • [Left sitting.]