PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Evening Post, Volume XLI, Issue 139, 15 June 1891, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

WEtMNOTON HARBOUR BOARD. An alteration in the constitution of tbo Harbour Board is Bought by Mr. Fisher in | hi-i Wellington Harbour Board Act 1879 Amendment Bill, which, by tho way, is a ro-introduction of his measure of 1885. Ho proposos to increase the strength of the Board from ten jnombors to twelvo, to be elected or appointed as follows : — Throo by the Governor, one by tho Chamber of Commerce, five' (instead of two, as at present) by the city ratepayers, ono by the Hutt County Council, and one by tho Wairarapa County Council, with tho Mayor o\ Wellington ex officio. No mention is ma&'o in -the Bill of tho representation of payers of dues. THE OAB MF.TKB PROBLEM. Another Bill resuscitated by Mr. Fis.Hor is J his Wellington Gas Company 1 * Act Am endmont Bill. By it he proposes to givo the company power to sell tho gas meters (insto ad of renting them) to consumers, upon terms to bo mutually arranged. vaile'r railway system. The supporters of Mr. S. Vaile's irroch-talked-of sohomo of railway tariff are sangnino that they will bo able to get the House to agroc to give it a trial upon tho Auckland railways, which, boing isolated from the rest of tho colony, could bo separately worked. Mr. Recs intends to move a resolution in favour of such a course, and if lie succeeds will introdnco a Bill giving effect to it. TAXATION PROPOSALS. Ministers, wo understand, havo finally adopted tho graduated scalo of land taxation montioncd in our last issue — viz., an oxomption up to .£3OOO, and gradual advances from a penny to lSd beyond that. Now stamp duties aro also under consideration, and amongst thorn it is understood aro proposals for small levies upon shipping companies' tickots and totalizator investments. NEW PLYMOUTH HARBOUR COMMITTEE. By an oversight tho Honso omitted to decido what should bo tho quorum of tho Now Plymouth Harbour Board Committee. A meeting of tho committee was to havo beon hold this morning, but as every member could not bo present, as was necessary undor thcHO circumstances, no busiiwaa could' bo done. THE BANKRUPTCY BTL£, A deputation from the Wellington Cnamber, of Commerce, consisting of Messrs. J. Duncan (President), T. W. Gale (Vice-Prosident), J. Dnthie, M.H.E., J. B. Hareourt, E. W. Mills, and tho Secretary (Mr. S. Carroll), waitod upon tho Minister for Jnstieo this' morning in reference to the Bankruptcy Bill. The question of bankruptcy laws was discussod at length. Tho principal suggestions made by tho deputation were that elauso 79 of tho Bill, dealing with fratidulont proforonces, should bo altered in tho direction of assisting honest tradors ; that a new provision be inserted to enablo absconding debtors to be detained : and that »he business hours at Official Assignees' offioe3 should be tho same as those of the Eegisirars of Supremo Courts. Tho Minister promised to carefully consider all tho matters submitted to him ; and said he hoped to have 'ho second reading of the Bill agreed to without dobato, after which, ho would proposo to refer it to a Select ! Committee, of which Mr. Duthio would bo a. membor. JOTTINGS. The Hon. Sir Frodorick Whittakor, M.L.C., ; has applied for leayo of absonco for tho so > s sion. His hoalth is stated to be voryprc-J carious. i Mr. Speaker Stoward has received from i Homo, by cable, tho. sad news of tho death., { of his mothor, who has fallen a victim to lriV grippe. Tho blow is particularly distressing,, j as Mr. Stoward had hoped to see Ins aged. , p.ronfc at tho ond of this session, and had. mado arrangements for tho trip Homo. The labour members met' this aXternoon.l at Mr. Eoos' invitation, to consider his pro-,! posal that tho Government tako tho intiativo; in arranging for a conference of English-'i speaking State 1 ? dnring the Chior.go Exhibition, to consider tho relations between, capital, labour, and tho Stito. ' Tho late Mr. Mackay's soparato report on tho Nativo Land Laws will be presented to; Parliament in its incomplete form, it being' already full enough to show his views.

The position of ouch club competing for tho championahipH is as follows ; —