PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Evening Post, Volume XLI, Issue 138, 13 June 1891, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

SIR W. FITZHERBERT'S FAREWELL. The Hon. tho Speaker of the Legislative Council at the sitting of that body ye3terday laid upon the table a document signed by the Hon. Captain Baillie, M.L.C., on behalf of himself and the Hon. W. Swanson, M.L.C. The lettar referred to an interview which the hon. gentlemen named had with Sir W. Pitzhovbert on the 30th January last. The two hon. gentlemen were commissioned by the Legislative Council to deliver to the Hon. Sir William Fitzherbert a resolntion agreed to by tho Council, on the motion of tho Hon. Dr. Pollen seconded by the Hon. E. C. J. Stevens, on the previous day, conveying to him the rogret of tho Council on his retirement from the high office of Speaker of tho Legislative Council of New Zealand. Tho writer says :— '• Sir William asked us to receive and convey to the Council his last words, and he further said he wished them to be considered the mature thoughts of a dying man. He said that tho Council, though in theory not perhaps tho most perfect form of a legislative body, had carried on ita business well (and an experience of eleven years and presidency over its deliberations lod him to say this), and in the way best calculated for tho benefit of the whole colony ; that tho impartiality of its members, the absence of party feeling, tho evident desire of ovory member to decide questions purely on their merits, had been conducive to the highest interests of fair government; and that, therefore, he did not see how the Council, though theoretically bad in constitution, could be practically improved with advantage to the State. Ho said he had enjoyed great opportunities of seeing the working of tho Council, and had endeavoured to do all ho could to use those opportunities to the very best of his ability, and he had also carefully observed the effect of its deliberations on the public mind ; and ai a result he felt perfectly convinced that the Council as at present constituted had the support of tho thinking part of the community. These opinions, he repeated, were the outcome of 11 years of close watching of its methods of procednre and debate. Sir William further said that ho believed this country to bo the grandest in the world of all those not yet fully populated, that it had a great future before it, that it was a country worth working for and fighting for, and. if need be, worth dying for, and its destiny was a high one. Ho spoke earnestly, and it was plain to see that tho feelings of tho statesman and the patriot woro still animating him. Indeed, it is a loss for all time, and much to be doplorod, that the weighty words of a venerable colleague could not have boen delivered by himself on tho floor of the House over which he so long and so ably presided. Never was a speech made, more patriotic in sentiment than the eloquent words which were addressed to tho whole country throngh us tliis day, and we regret exceedingly that we can but render an abstract, and we are unable to convey the oxact language and the impressive manner in which our late Speaker uttered what we may venture to hope may not be his last words to New Zealand. I havo the honour to be, Sir, &c, W. D. H. Baillie." railway commissioners' report. The annual report of tho Bailway Commissioners shows that the net profit for tho year, .£420,998, is equal to a return of £2 18s lid per cent, on tho capital cost, and is the largest net profit yet realised, while tho cost of working the traffic has beon lower than in any previous year. Both passenger and live stock traffic have increased, the latter very largely. The Commissioners complain that their past recommendations as to espendituro_ upon permanent plant, &c, have not received attention, and say that for tho prosent year the least provision that should be made to meet liabilities and pressing wants is .£40,000. They estimate tho net revenue for tho current financial year at £414,000 only. This reduction is duo to the fact that thero is no Easter traffic to be taken into account, while the grain and flax traffic will bo smaller than usual, and extensive reductions in rates and fares have been made, the most important of which are those affecting brown coals and firewood. The Commissioners set down the cost of tho concessions made to the railway servants at per annum. Tho strike troubles are passed over with a few dignified words to the effect that disturbances arose through " some of the employes olecting to obey the orders of irresponsible persons outside tho railway service." Defining their own position, the Commissioners statothat, "The Government Railways Act constitutes the Commissioners tho tribunal to sco that proper service is oxacted from the employe's on tho one hand, and that fair treatment is accorded to them on the other. The interference of both well-intentioned persons and agitators is mischievous and injurious to efficient and safe conduct of the public service, and should not, therefore, be countenanced." i JOTTINGS. Ministers have informed Mr. Fishor that they intend to legislate for the pnrposo of giving effect to the awards of the Commissioners on old soldiers' and volunteers' land claims. Mr. O'Conor approves of the idea of taxing exported wool and mutton. Mr. Marsden Thompson is again raking up his notorious Atkinson-Sperrey charges, by enquiring whether the Government has yet appointed the proposed Commission to enquire into them. A brilliant idea has struck Mr. E. M. Smith. He wants tho Post Office Savings Bank to bo so extended that it can do the Govornmept's banking business. The Civil Service Bill is to bo introduced by tho Premier on Tuesday. Sir John Hall proposes to again enter the lists as champion of the femalo franchise. The House has set up a committee to report npon the state of New Plymouth Harbour and the position of tho Harbour Board in regard to the .£200,000 loan. It is rumoured that the Government scheme of taxation will, in oonnootion with tho land tax, provide for the exemption of all improvements up to the value of £3000, the scale above that to range as follows : — £3000 to £5000, Id in the £; £5000 to £10,000, ljd; £10,000 to £20,000, lid; £20,000 to £50,000, ljd ; £50,000 to £100,000, lid ; over £100,000,1fd. The Coal Mines Bill prepared by the Government is to embody somo of the provisions of Sir George Grey's Interests of Labour Bill of last year.