PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Evening Post, Volume XLV, Issue 146, 23 June 1893, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

+ THE LATE PREMIER. As soon as the House had received petitions and notices of motion yesterday afternoon, it was resolved, on the motion of the Premier, to adjourn till TnesUay, out of respect for the memory of Mr. Ballance. The House listened in nbsolnto and sympathetic silence to the Premier as he paid his eloquent and feeling tribute to the memory cf hia late chief. Beferring to his career, he said he had been of the noble profession of journalists, and every journalist in the colony, no matter what the difference of opinion, had paid meet tribute to the memory of their dead comrade. Mr. Seddon said that ho and bis colleagues owed a debt of affection and gratitude to Mr. Ballance which they could never repay. His life was an example of what any young man in this country might achieve. He had sought not wealth, but the regard of his country, and his country would keep his memory green as the sprigs of acacia which his Masonic brethren had dropped into hi? grave. Mr. Seddon also paid high tribute to the devotion of Mrs. Ballance. UNAUTHORISED EXPENDITURE. In tho list of unauthorised expenditure presented to Parliament appear the following items of general interest :— Salary to (ho Hon. Mr. Carroll, as a member of the Executive Council, from 22nd February to 31st March, £42 10s Gd ; house allowance to the Hon. Mr. Carroll, from 22nd February to 30th November, .£154 ; travelling allowances to Ministers in excess of charges authorised by the Act, A' 100 0; compassionate allowance to the widow of W. Wilson, Inspector of Defence Works, Lyttelton, .£110; six months'' salary to Mr. Bell, Enginoor for Defence, on his retirement, .£3OO. I*ARL AMENTABT OrFICESS. Tho Premier points out that ia 1891 the House of Representatives decided, by a majority of tho two, that the Ministry should have charge of the Legislative estimates. This, he contends, involves control of the Parliamentary officers, the right to ut Use their service*, atiu regulate their salaries, and the right to make such appointments as tho Bpeakcra have recently taken exception to. Uho papors laid on the table yesterday by the speakers, in relation to"iha matter, constitute a bulky document of about SO pages, embodying the views ol all the Australasian speakers upon th« matter which was submitted to them. THK ELECTORAL BILL. Tho Electoral Bi 1, though in the main it will bo the measure ao it came from the Lower House last year, will contain some important new features. One of these will aim at still further guarding the secrecy of the ballot, by enacting that the resnlt of the poll at all polling places where less than 50 votes are cast will not be declared or counted at the polling booth. The ballot papers at all such booths will be sealed up unopened, and at once forwarded by tho Deputy-Ketuming Officer to the Returning Officer at the central polling booth. The Returning Officer will then put together all ballot capers so sent in, open and count them, and declare the resnlt as from " outlying polling places," without specifying the individual places. The object of this is to obviito tho difficulty whioh arises at some small polling booths wherd all the voters are servants of one employer, and who knows from the result declared how they voted, and could, if he deßired, make things very unpleasant for those who voted" contrary to his views. JOTTINGS. The Promier became very much affected during tho delivery of his panegyric on his late chief, so much so that it was with difficulty that he could read the motion of condolence with Mrs. Ballance. Mr. Dnthio has asked for a retnrn of all public indebtedness. Sir John Hall is again to the fore with Ilia v\ oman Suffrage Bill Mr. K. M. Smith ha 3 given notice of his intention to ask Government to appoint him a Commissioner to visit England for the purpose of placing the resources of this fertile country before the British capitalists. Mr. George Fisher' has already given notioo of his intention to introduce Bills to prevent the sale of intoxicants to children, and to deal with the " tied " house evil by prohibiting the holding of publiohousea by browors. Colonel Fox's long-expected report on the Volunteer system of tho colony bos been promised to the House for Tuesday. The Premier sl-o promises to lay despatches respecting the Council calls on the table at the same time. A neatly -bound volnme, containing newspaper clipping* relating to the late Premier, bos been presented to the Parliamentary Library by Mr. M'Lean, member for Wellington. Mr. Taylor wants a State Bank created by Government, and Mr. Joyce has once more tabled a series of questions respecting the intentions of Ministers with regard to reciprocal tariff treaties. The Premier says that be recognises the responsibility of the position he has just assumed, and will leave any fighting to be done by his lieutenants. Hon. members, knowing Mr. Seddon's bellicose disposition, laughed conaumodly at the joko. Mrs. Seddon, in order to be present at the opening of Parliament and to join her hutband on his natal day, undertook a two days' coach journey from Greymouth to Christohnroh, whore she took passage by the a s. Wakatipu, arriving a few minutes before the opening ceremony commenced. The Colonial Secretary was surely out of order yesterday in giving notice of motion on behalf of a member who has not yet been sworn in Such a notice was given on behalf of the Hon. Mr. Al'Gregor, who is to move tho Addrese-in-Beply. No member's name should appear on the Order Paper until he hns taken the oath and his seat. Government this session is to have three full-blown whips, not two and an assistant as previously stated. The new member of the Executive has not yet been decided on. Correspondence is still proceeding with Colonol Fox respecting his report, but it is expeoted that it will nevertheless bo ready by Tuesday. The Railway Bill is to be introduced after ne Financial Debate is disposed of. Yesterday afternoon the Premier was invited by his fellow-legislators to Bellamy's, where his own health and that of Mrs. Seddon wero warmly toasted in honour of his birthday.