PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Evening Post, Volume XLVIII, Issue 24, 28 July 1894, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

*. WOMEN IN THK PUBLIC GALLERY. One of the ladies excluded from the Publicr Gallery of the House of Representatives on rhursday evening sends us the following iccount of tho occurrence :—": — " I, as one cf a >arty of female electors (three of us beinjr >vor 50 years of age), went into the public rallery of the House of Representatives last . light to listen to the members, and while 3ir Robert Stout was speaking to the proposal to postpono all orders down to No. 6, jrderlies Oftine and ordered all the women >ut of the Public Gallery. I enquired. Why?' They replied, 'The Speakor has leen you and you've got to go. I said, 'Where are vo to ro to?' , Reply, That irallery,' (voiaiL-.g to the Ladies' Gallery)- I replied, 'Wo b..>e no tickets.' "ou must got tickets ' was the response. ' But where ire we to get tiieia from? There ia only one tioket for* eaoh member. Can t help that; yon wai got tiokets downstairs, and you've got to go. Then the question, 'Who fiont the order? was pnt," amd they replied, ' The Bomlardier. As they seemed to be actL>if under orders we left the Pablio Gallery bjUT went downstairs, and at onoe wrote to thß& 1 5>««H> t -» t - Ar nM for tiokets, and he replied a.' follow* :— I am not now allowed to gitV T ax \ v tlok °ts except on order of raembere.' \ ™> en wrot ° to several mombers in orderr to «*»* * ne needed number of tickets. Failing in-th*/ V'Fw thon wrote to the Speaker askingfifc ' taoKets, and failed thero also. We then «* • ln tnQ waitingroom /or a few minutes a»' 1 ..°2?' sidered tho situation, after whioh we fa, s *™ building. In conclusion, I must add thti no 6 one of us oan assign any JQBt or reasoMV l 0 cause why we were thon and thero treated v. ' such a manner, aud so ousted while exurci*ing tbs common rights and privileges of eleotors by being prosent in the Publio Gallery of the House, while tho Speaker occupied tho ohair, as tho House was opeu for the transaction of public business, and tba Publio Gallery not more than half full of people, if that." A PARLIAMENTARY EXCURSION. The arrangements for the legislative ex* cursion promoted by Mr. C. H. Millu ara completed. The Hinemoa will leave on the rising of the House on Friday next for Pioton, thettce by rail members proceed to> Blenhdiin, after whioh there will bo a drivo round the town. A smoke conoert will be given on board at Picton in tho evening. Pelorus Sound n ill be steamed dp on Sunday,, and Nelson visited on Monday. THX CHEMIS CA&E. The resident Italians are baokiug up MiV Mills' efforts to secure a new trial for Louis Chemis, at.d are to wait on members on Monduy. Every menibor who has been aijkcd to atleud to receive them has agreed to be present - a good augury for Mr. .llfil*' proposal. TLOT AND COUNTER-PLOT, There is a rather amusing development in tho matter of tho North Island Trunk Railway. 'J he Auckland Ministerial supporters, realising, as their Otago confreres recently did. that they made a tactical blunder in holding aloof from the meeting of Auckland and Wellington members yesterday, havo now asked Sir Maurice O'Korke to call a. meeting of Auckland and Taranaki members — warranted, no doubt, of tho right oolonr, lost aßsooiaiion with Oppositionists fhould bring contamination —for Tuesday next, to consider the quostion of the Trunk Railway. DtFEKBED PAYMENT. The Piomier loudly protested that he mv not proposing to make up in any way to th« Sergeant-at-Arms the salary whiob he wn« prevented by the Disqualification Act from receiving. Tho Estimates tell a different story. The late Sergeant-at-Arma rooeived. .£2OO a-year. The salary of tho new officer is set down at £250, and is to begin four months before the end of the finanoial year. CHARITABLB AID. Mr. Bell yesterday asked the Minister for Eduoation, without notice, whether he would give power to the Hospital aud Charitable Aid Boards to make a further levy, in view of the fact that what is now happening ia the case of the- unemployed oould not have been expected on 31st Maroh last, when the levy for the year was made. Tho Minister said the question was so important that he must ask that notice of it be given. A DIFFICrLT TASK. Mr. Goo. Hutchison tried hard yesterday* to get a straight reply from the Premier as to what had passed between the Premier, tbe Governor, ar.d the Secretary of State on the subject of further appointment-tto tbe Counoil, but tbe Premier, an usual, bo determinedly evaded the point that the questioner ironi' cally suggested that he had made a mistake"Ho is evidently replying to the wrong: qnest'on " Mr. Hutchison said he " would repeat the question next Tuesday." Thy Premier protested against the same question* being repeated when it had been answered. " I say it is not answered," retorted Mr, Hutohison. The Premier again appealed tothe Speaker, and the Speaker told the member that if the Premier said it was answered he would have to a'ooept that ; Mr. Hutchison might,- however, somewhat altar hi* question. Mr. Hutchison repeated that he wonld repeat the question and have something to say regarding it, whereupon the Speaker said that tho questioner oould not compol Ihe Premier to give an answer which he did not choose to give. Mr. Hutohisou subsequently divided bin question into two, and gave notice of it again. The division will enable him to note, in asking the second question, the Premier's evasions in regard to the first JOTTINGS. Mr. Piiani ii introducing a Native Land* Administration Bill. Mr. SteTens wants to know why Mftßgrs. M'Phee and Johnston are not paid for extra work done in the ereotion of Mangaonoho Btation buildings. Mr. Piraui did not ask his question as to tennis gronnds attached to Courthouse!. Be said he had fonnd there was only ono suoh ground, and that had been dosed. The Sergeant-at-Arniß says that he did not give any orders preventing the Legislative Council olerks from passing through the lobby. It was simply that the. sentry happened not to know them, Mr. Morrison is enquiring what'ooncession is being made to Bell and Co. in connection with the establishment of a- match factory at Wellington. The Premier warned members this morn' ing that they mubt expect muoh later sittings for the rest of the session, and especially on Friday nights. Members talk of resenting this, but their resentment in such cases usually ends in talk, ihe Whip settles them. " Under the present regime, Civil Servants have not souls they can call their own." — Sir Robert Stout. Members oomplained loudly of the timelimit in oonneotion with last night's debateSir Robert Stont'a excellent speech ma ont short by it. The Premier told Mr. Dutbie yesterday that he was of opinion that much greater savings than the Railway Commissioners recently effected oould be made without impairing efficiency. The Labour Bills Committee has reduoed the number of days in the year upon which a factory employ^ can work three hours' overtime, lrom 40 to 28. Mr Houston says that Miss Wrigley, the Northern sohool teacher who recently reoovered .£75 and costs from the chairman of a sohool committee for defamation, is proceeding now against each member of the committee. The Miniftorfor Education will not interfere, and the House Baid, by its applause, " Serves 'em right.'* Mr. W. Hutchison iB beginning his annual attack on the New Zealand Institute. The following pensions are to be pa.id by way of ( ivil Service retiring allowances :— Harland Ward (Postal Department), Mi Bs, as from Ist April, 1894; W. J Morpetb (Justice), £195 4s 9d, as from 4th Aotruat, 1891 ; James Smith (Defence), £49 5s <fd, aa from let June, 1894; Peter Hoddell (Cue* toms), .£9O, as from -Ist October, 1894; Charles Rowe (Customs), £109 16s, as from Ist October, 1894. The Minister for Lands says tho Government intends to provide 000 l storage for dairy produce at the principal ports. The Department is now making enquiries as to the best and cheapest means of carrying out the intention. The Minister for Labour has given notice of his Masters and Apprentices Hill No. 2. "No Civil Servant now dare give any opinion opposed to that of Ministers."— Sir Robert Stout. The Minister for Edncation says that the crime of whiob Mi->a Wrigley, the Fairbnrn. road sohool te acher , was accused by the Chairman of the School Committee, was walking down a road with the ex-Chairman. The Colonial Treasurer propoeos to amalgamate the Manufactures and Industrie* and Tariff Committees. Mr. Flatman is asking that books be supplied free to primary school children. Mr. G. W. Russell last night expressed himself as dead against the eternal lease, and announced his intention of dividing the House upon it when the Bill gets into Committee. The Midland Railway Committee was set up yesterday. The Petitions Committee has referred the petition of Captain Jackson Barry to the Government for consideration.