PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Evening Post, Volume XLIV, Issue 47, 24 August 1892, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

THE LABOUR DEPARTMENT BILL. The Labour Department Bill of tho Minister for Labour gives full powers to demand information from employers and employed aa to wages and all matters pertaining to tho industrial position of tho workmen, under a penalty of from J620 to JCIOO for rofusal. The Bill creates tho Labour Department, and gives power to appoint a secretary, officers and clerks. The hoad of tha Dopartnionfc will bo tho Minister for JL>abour, who may also hold the portfolios ot' Education and Defence. The Mi&ister and his officers aro to have the power* ' of Commissioners under the Commissioners' Powers Act, and are to investigate all du'putes between employers and employed, and require both parties to furnish written statements of thoir cases. The Railway Commissioners are specifically brought within the operation of the Act. Tho> Governor-in-Council is entitled to make, revoke, and alter regulations under the Bill. WAITOTARA'S BUMMARY. Said Mr. Hutchison last night : — The eorrospondence might bo thus summod np in dialogue : — Tho Premier — I need not resign. The Governor — If not, then you should not interfere. Tho Premier — You cannot act alone. The Governor — All right, but I won't act with you. The Premier— Then I will tell—Downingstreet. And he might have addod (concluded Mr. Hutchison)— l will telegraph Gladstono. (General laughter and applause). THE FIRST OFFENDERS' PROBATION ACT. Tho annual report of tho Inspector of Prisons strongly commends the working of tho First Offenders' Probation Act, which is described as " one of tho wisest and noblest Acts of modern days." Of 72 persons who came undor its provisions hist year, 30< satisfactorily fulfilled the conditions, and were discharged, 38 are still completing their terms of probation, and only 3 were re-arrested and committed to prison, and 1 absconded. The cost of keeping these persons in prison would have been .£1741. Of 448 persons who have been given tha benefit of the Act since 1886, only 21 havo been re-arrested, and 7 have absconded. JOTTINGS. Bible-reading in sohools petitions continue) to come in. Members of the Arawa tribe in tho Bay of Plenty are petitioning against the Dog Tax. Patrick John Bqllett, of Dunedin, manufacturer of writing inks, prays for assistance for the industry. Thomas M. Newth, of Fox ton, asks for a, land grant for military services. Mr. Seddon says that to a great oxtent Sir George Grey has been his political guide. Mr. Houston wishes the Government to establish a railway accident insurance scheme. Sir John Hall says the Premier told a public meeting in Auckland that if his advico was rejected it would be undignified to continue to hold office. "No sophist was ever so caught in tho meshes of his own not as was the Premier in this correspondence" — Mr. G. Hutchison speaking of the Council difficulty. "If tho hou. member will withdraw the stigma which he placed npon the memory of one now passed away, I would be more disposed to believe him now" — Mr. Seddon referring to the member for Waitotara. " Tragic flapdoodle, Sir," is Mr. Seddon's summary of Mr. G. Hutchison's latest speech. A special committee of the House has been set up to consider the Criminal Code Bill. Reporting on the petition of George Allen for reinstatement in the Torpedo Corps, tho Ato L Petitions Committee have no recommendation to make. Mr. Fisher is to move for the appointment of a Select Committee " to enquire into the manner in which the auctioneering business of the Official Assignee in the City of Wellington is not distributed among the auctioneering firms of the city." Says Sir John Hall : — " Pope said of a certain politician that he ' foamed a Liberal, to subside a Peer.' The Government have promised to 45 gentlemen who ' have foamed as Liberals ' that they should ' subside as Peers.' " '"Throughout tho whole of this correspondence the Premier is like a cockchaffer spinning on a pin."— Mr. G. Hutchison last , night. The fullest galleries of the session listened to hut night's debate. Many had to go away without being able to get in, and there was a full muster of members. Government House was represented during both afternoon and evening, Lady Glasgow being present. The cost of removing Crown Land Commissioners from district to district has been, as follows.— J. H. Baker, Christehurch to Wellington, JE2O3-, J. W. A. Marchant, Wellington to Cbristchurch, .£178; total cost of removing six Commissioners, .£991. The Hon. Mr. Cadman is moving to set up a Select Committee to enquire into and report as to the buildings, management, and working of the Government Printing Office, and to make such suggestions as may appear desirable in the interests of the Department and colony; such Committee to consist of Messrs. Fisher, Hogg, Carncross, Tanner, W. Hutchison, Sandford, and the mover. '• The Governor was approached two dajs after he landed — probably, if the troth wero known, two days before he landed."— This is Mr. G. Hutchison's suggestion, which tickled the House consumedly. The Premier made mnch of yesterday's division on the Eight Hours Bill last night,

■as showing tlio mannor in which tho " ConBorvativo " majority crushed Liberal measnroa. An analysis of tho division is thoroforo intorosting, as showing that six of tbo 10 majority were nominated by tho Groy.Ballanoo and Stout-Ballanco Ministrios, and two of tho fivo who voted for it wore nominated by so-called " Conservative " Ministries. Although Ministers absolutely rofused to tako up Mr. Hutchison's Eight Hours Bill as a Government mouHuro, thoy now, after it has boon thrown out by tho Council, profess the greatest admiration and affection for it. Last night they several times alluded to its fato as an illustration of tho troatmentaccordedbythoCouncil to Liberal measures. If this was o. Liboral policy moasnre, why did not Ministers introduce it or tako it up ? Tho Inspector of Prisons (Licut.-Col.Hume) reports tliat as soon as tho cook-house is finished and tho drainago and gas-pipos laid down, tho Mount Cook Prison will bo ready for oconimtion. Tho Minister for Labour the othor night assured tho House that we didn't want poors as Governors ; all wo roquired was that " tho Governor should bo p. gentleman and his who a lady." To avoid misapprehension ho vory kindly added that tho present occupants of Govornmpnt Houso fulfilled theso requirements. This was suroly a very cruel allusion to somo recent additions to tho Houso of Poors, but we prosumo the Labour Bureau inigut bo empoworod in tho new Labour Bill to issue cortificatos to all persons for whoso qualifications tho Minister is prepared to vouch. Tho not cost per head of prisoners to tho colony last year was £36 9s 3d, as against JJ39 10s in 1802. Of this, maintonanco acoountod for £12 11s 2d. Tho receipts from prisoners' labour amounted to J27210, aH against .£3920. Of tho 2t82 malos, and GlB females, only 90 malos and 58 fcmalos could not read or write Colonel Hnrao coinmonts htrongly upon tho practico of sending children under 10 years of ago to prison. Last year 10 wore sent. THE LAND DILI*. This mcasuro was finally dealt with to day by tho "Waste Lunda Cominittoo, and was ordered to bo roportcd to tho House. Clause 150, which fixos the rental of lcaseb in perpetuity, was again altered, and the rental finally fixed at 4 per cent., a* originally provided. Tho 'amount had lately boon altered by the Committee to 5 Sor oont. Tho leading foaturos of the iill as it stands, in connection with agricultural lands, aro as follow : — Limitation of holdings to 320 aoros ; leases in perpetuity at rontal of 4 per cent, on cash value ; occupation licensos at rental of 5 per cent., with right of purchase between ton and 20 years from occupation, or exchango of lioonao for loaso in perpetuity ; compulsory residence, oxcopt on cash lands ; and in tbo oaso ot cash lands improvements to tho value of 20a por acre boforo tho Crown grant is isauod. BUILDING SOCIETIES AND TAXATION. A deputation, consisting of several momhors of tho Hotiao, accompanied by two Chriatchuroh gontleraon, interviewed the Premier last night on bohalf of the Building Societies of tho colony, and urgod that mortgages should be oxemptod from taxation to tho extent of tho doposit monoy invested by theao institutions. It was contended that as depositors vroro liable for Incomo Tax, a tax on their mortgage investments constituted double taxation. Tbo loss of rcvenuo from the exemption was estimated at between £1300 and J214U0. Mr. Ballanco romarked that many of tho Building Sociotios wore aimply loan coinuanios, borrowing from investors nnd re-londing at a profit. Ho promised, howovor, to give tho roprosontations made hid careful consideration. WK3LEYAN METHODIST BILL. This Bill was boforo the Seloot Cominittoo of the Logiblative Gounod again this morning, whon ovidonco was givon by the Roy. Mr. Lowis and Mossra. Moxham and Tillor. Mr. Kirk, solicitor, presented potitions from 49 trustees of Church property in Auckland, and from trustees in Christohurch, in favour of tho Bill. Tho Hon. T. W. Hislop, who appoars for thol objectors, presented a largo numbor of lottora and tolograms urging tho insertion of a fivo yeara' itinoranoy limit. Evidonco was givon by Messrs. Sandford, Joyce, and Merodith, M.H.8.'8, who wero all of opinion that tho itinerancy shonld not exceed fivo years. Tho Committoo approved of tbo proamblo to tho Bill, and decided to tako tbo clauses seriatim at thoir nost sitting.