PARLIAMENTARY NOTES. A DERELICT.

Evening Post, Volume XLVIII, Issue 48, 25 August 1894, Page 4

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES. A DERELICT.

Tho lato licensee of the Railway Hotel, l-yltelton, forwards a petition for compensation for the losi of his license, "through no fault of his," which should soften the heart of the moat ossified Prohibitionist He in one P. .T. Gilmore. The act of the Cotr•r.ittee has, he writes, "cast adrift on the world a family composed of eight members and two servants, penniless and hopeless. The patriarohal head of this heterogeneous and unfortunate family states that he has been a quarter of a century in the Railway Service, and is unable to do other mannal work, " being old, and his sight failing. ' His annual loss he sets down at i! 500. THE MARCH OF TEMPERANCE. There are people who ate fond of proclaiming that this is a drunken generation. On the other hand, those who have observed, and not merely theorised and generalised, know that intemperance is not a vice of the native-born New Zealander. A return laid on the tablo yesterday shows inferentially how, as our fathers disappear, the consumption of liquor falls off. In 1878 the consumption per head of spirits was 473 gallons, of wine 0*26 gallons, of imported ale and beer 053 gallons. In 1880, the first year given, the oolonial beer consumed was 14 18 gallons. The decline has been steady and uninterrupted ever since, till laßt year the figures were respectively 240 gallons, 0*26 gallons, 053 gallons, and 113 gallons. Strange to say, tea, coffee, and cocoa also sbow_ decreasing consumption. What do we drink P WHAT WK BAT AND DRINK. Last year each unit of the population of New Zealand drank 2 40 gallons of spirits, paying 10s per gallon duty, and valued at £1 10s lid ; smoked 6'591b tobacco, paying 3s 6d por lb duty, and valued at £1 2s 8d ; 0 831b cigarettes and cigars, paying 3b and Is 6d duty, and valued at 5s lid ; drank 0*26 gallons of wine, paying duty at from 5s to 9s per gallon, and valued at Is 61d j 0"53 gallons imported beer, paying 1b 6d duty, and valued at Did ; drank s*72ib tea, paying 6d per lb duty, and valued at 2s lOJd ; 0791b coffee, cocoa, and chicory, paying 3d to 5d per lb duty, and valuod at 2Jd ; used 83'31b sngar, paying id per lb duty, valued at 3s 5Jd ; drank 11 3 gallons of oolonial beer, on which the duty was 3d, and of which the value was 2s 10a. Besides this he or she consumed other dntiable goods valued atl3s9Jd, and paying 5 to 25 per cent, ad valorem duty. TWIEDLEDUM AND TWEEDLEDEB. The differenoe between Mr. Seddon on the Atkinsonian " exodus " of olden time, and Premier Seddon on the Seddonian " exodus " of to-day, is rather amusing. Then we heard in pounds sterling and pounds avoirdupois of the terrible loss of bone and muscle and human oapital to the colony, applicable only to bad Government. Dr. Newman ye&terday wanted to know what was being done about the 1300 departures more than arrivals during the past three months, and the Premier assured him that it was really nothing serious, a mere bagatelle. It was true, ho said, the departures bad exceeded the arrivals, but the time of year, and the shearing trouble on the other side, and other matters, would account for this. There was nothing bo far to call for alarm, or special attention on the part of the Government. If, in fact, the hon. gentleman would assist tho Government to carry its financial proposals, all the troubles would be at once removed. THE SOCIAL WIL.' The President and Secretary of tho Canterbury Women's Institute. President and Secretary of the Women's Christian Temperance Union, Bishop Julius, the Rev. Jno. Hosking (President of the United Methodist Free Church), and various ministers and women of Christchurch, are petitioning through Sir Robert Stout that any person procnnng_ or harbouring any girl under 21 years for immoral purposes shall be imprisonpd for not more than two years, with or without hard labour ; that the age of oonsent be raised to 18 years ; than any girl under 21 years found in a house of ill-fame, or practising prostitution, bo punibhed. Petitioners state that in the experience of those engaged in the rescue of fallen women fcuch legislation is necessary. A NEW ZEALAND " MONHOE DOCTRINB." Despatches laid on the table yesterday indicate that the Government has requested tho Imperial authorities, through His Excellency, to sover the connection of this country with Raratonga and the other islands, of the Cook Group, where Mr. P. J. Moss is British Resident. Thodespatcbes show that Mr. Ballance disapproved this course, but Mr. Seddon approved it on coming into office, and it met concurrence from His Excellency, who saw possible danger of complications arising from divided jurisdiction, whereby the Courts of the High Commissioner of the Pacific as well as of the New Zealand authority both ran in the Group. Hiß Excellency asked the Secretary of State to relieve him of his responsibilities in connection with the Group, and suggested that the Resident (Mr. Moss) look to the High Commissioner of the Paoifio instead. OUK " FOREIGN POLICY." The Premier, in a memo, to Lord Glasgow on the subject of the Cook Group, says that " the Government cannot see its way to offer any advico to His Excellency, as Raratonga is not an integr.il part of New Zealand, and Ministers, therefore, have no power in any way to interfere with Mr. Moss' action." Was Samoa an integral part of Now Zealand ? J >TTINOS. Tho James Mitchell Trust Bill (Mr. G. Hutclihon) was read a first time yesterday. Tho Premier says that if tho House were to rise at midnight each night, the business still before it would take till Christmas. Mr. Boll's new clauses re sitting accommodation for girls in shops were described yesterday as the most important featnre of tho Factories Bill. The offioors of the House are being inundated with requests from other colonial Parliaments for copies of the new Standing Orders. There is fascination in the time limit. The Premier last night congratulated the House on the work done during the past week. Mr. Button considers it quite immoral for t.bo House to set such an example of late hours to the country. Midnieht, he says, is late enough for any good, honest, deoont Christian person to sit up to. Quite an avalanche of Bills advanced a rftage last night, the House being in a working humour. The Minister for Lands yesterday informed Mr. Bell that Government had no intention of going beyond the provisions of tho Land for Settlements Bill in engaging for more than .£250,000 in any one year. Mr. Saunders says the useful member does not devote himself to all subjects, but to one. Mr. Mitchelson Bays the Masters and Apprentices Bill will be opposed to the bitter end. The Minister for Labour says that it will be considerably amended on the Labour Bills Committee. Tho Premier guilelessly suggested yesterday that the system of day sittings be tried on Mondays— ll to 1, and 230 to 5.30. Day sittings have been tried already, but the daylight was at the wrong end. The Hop. Mr. Mitcheleon is asking whether it is intonded to increase Ministers' salaries this year. The Honßo decided, by 41 to 18, to Bit on Monday night. The Riverton Harbour Bill once more. Mr. Houston has a large relationship. He says every British subject is his brother, whether blaok, brown, or white, but repudiates all aliens. Mr. Williß characterised the provisions for searching hawkers without a warrant as *' a disgrace." Mr. Bntton thought the provision "' one of the most unjust I have heard of." Mr. Hogg declared it "unbearable." There was a division last night on a motion of Dr. Newman's to introduoe "bioyoles" into the Hawkers and Pedlars Bill. Mr. Buchanan suggested " flying maohines." Dr. Newman's motion found only nine supporters, a brutal majority crushing it out. Mr. Saunders would like to see a time limit of half an hour a week imposed on members. Yesterday the Minister for Labour voted j for Mr. T. Mackenzie's motion as to a compulsory lunch hour for shop assistants, but the Ministers for Lands and Justice voted against it. There were a thousand extra copies of the Licensing Bill printed, and the issue has been exhausted already. More are to be printed. Mr. Houston wanted to see any British subject allowed to hawk in this colony without waiting for six months. The Minister for Labour objected on the ground that the Qneen has many more subjects that are brown or blaok than white. tin Hon. Mr. Steward is not satisfied 1 the Premier's assuranoe that eleotrio * » i-h lights are provided for the Wellington Kuybour defences, and means to bring the matter up again. The Hawkers and Pedlars' Bill had rather a bad time last night— so bad that the Minister in charge was glad to report progress. It was for the time literally laughed out of the Chamber. The Premier has once more assured members that there will be no time to deal with looal government reform this session. His Exoellenoy has recommended to the Seorotary of State that Messrs. Seddon, Ward, M'Konzie, Reeves, and Cadman be permitted to retain the title of " Honourable" on retiring from office, they having held office Tor more than tbree years. The new Shops and Shop Assistants Bill as it stands will compel firms now giving a Saturday half-holiday to change it to any day which the local authorities may fix. The injustice of this was pointed out yesterday, bnt an amendment by Mr. Saunders to remedy it was lost. The Premier says if the galleries were cleared for three nights ont of fonr they would be able to do much more work, for there are too many members who talk on everything that comes up from 7.30 to 10.30, and thon go home with the galleries. Mr. Tregear's allusions in the Labour Report to shopkeepers preventing their employed taking snffioient time for lnnoh, and using the seating accommodation provided, I has already found an echo in legislation — and from Opposition members. Mr. Button, Mr. M'Guire, and others yesterday said that while legislating for an eighthour day for everyone else, the House sat all hours itself. Captain Rust-ell retorted that it was absurd to compare the honest eight hours' work of a decent working man with the humbug indulged in by the House over Local Bills. Here is a question whioh Sir Robert Stout asked the Minister for Justice yesterday, and which Mr. Cadman refused to answer on the ground that its terms wore disrespectful :— '" If it is trne that the boycott applied by tho Government to certain Opposition newspapers in regard to ordinary Governmant department*! advertisements has baen

also applied regarding bankruptcy advertisements paid for by the creditors of estates?" Sir Robert has again given notice of the question. The Minister for Lands told Mr. G. Hutchison yesterday that the Government does not intend to introduce any measure to provide for periodic re-valuation of the eternal lease. It had been understood that many members voted for it on this underttanding. There was much protest on the subject of late sittings yesterday, bnt members who talk won't act. It only requires enough of them to agree to walk out of the House when the hour gr^ws late and there would soon be rational sittings. The Colonial Treasurer says the los^ of revenue would be too great to permit^ of remitting tho duty on native-grown and imported tobacco leaf. A 20 has been organised for the interparliamentary rifle match, and is to practice every Monday for two months. Messrs. Jennings, M'Nab, and Allen have been appointed a oommittee to make arrangementß. A team of seven will be selected from the 20 three weeks hence to represent the New Zealand Parliament. , The tobacco duty is, the Colonial Treasurer says, the steadiest, largest, and most reliable item of the Customs revenue. Members talked for an honr yesterday on the iniquity of taking Mondays and of late sittings, and then— went into the lobby, 41 of them, and voted for both. Messrs. R. M'Kenzie, Hone Heke, Buiok, and Maslm were the only Government members who had the courage to vote according to their convictions. , . , Tho drastic clauses as to the searching of hawkers aroused Mr. Tanner's indignation last night. "Why, Sir, it smells of Henry VHI. and Elizabeth. Where did it come from?" he cried. The Minister for Labour admitted that he did not know what was the E articular fragrance of Henry or Elizabeth, ut neither of these personages drafted the clause. It was the work of the Premier. Mr. Tanner retorted that it was very like a certain clause 21. The Railways Committee, reporting on the petition of Henry Alexander Lamb, of Wellington, considers that he has been sufficiently punished for his error, and should be reinstated in the Railway Service, at a salary equal to that offered him at the time of hiß resignation, and that be refund tho compensation paid him, in easy instalments. The following constitute the twenty who have volunteered to practice in view of the Parliamentary rifle match: — M.H.K. at Allen, Carnell, Duncan, Harris, M N_o r Pirani, Buddo, Carroll, Guinness, Morriao», Lang, G. J. Smith, Carnorosa, Hall-Jones, Collins, M'Lachlan, Pinkerton, and Stevens. M.L.C.'s: Jennings and M'Cullough. Praotice begins at Polhill Gully on Monday.