PARLIAMENTARY NOTES. MEMBERS AND THE FRESS.

Evening Post, Volume XLVIII, Issue 51, 29 August 1894, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES. MEMBERS AND THE FRESS.

There are some members of tho House who, it is believed, endeavonr to add to the salaries with which the country provides them by aating as special correspondents of papers in their own districts. The lucubrations of one or two of these gentlemen are easily distinguishable, from tho fact that the member for the district figures in the telegraphed correspondence as a mighty hero, who is daily and hourly moving heaven and earth for tho good of his constituency, and a being upon whom apparently the whole work of Parliament and the whole government of the country turns— a position whioh would certainly not be suspected by the ordinary observer. One somewhat too enterprising member took advantage of his position on the Railway Committee to send ont to a paper for which he corresponds certain information and documents whioh the Premier said yesterday had not even been considered by the Committee. The Premier brought the matter up before the Committee yesterday morning, with the result that the Committeo reported to tho House that the evidence taken, and the doenments laid before it, had been published in the newspapers ¦prior to the report being laid before the House, and that suoh publication was in 'contravention of the Standing Orders. Th) Speaker said it constituted a breach of privilege, and it would be competent for the Houso to bring the publisher of the paper concerned to tho Bar. Jhe Premier, however, said there were new members of the House who did not know of this Standing Order. It would be unnecessary to do anything farther, as the report was brought up as a warning to such members. (The Hon. J, M'Kenzie's Bill would have been awkward in this case.) THE ESTIMATES. Probably never before have the Estimates been put through at such a pace as last night and vosterday afternoon, 'lhere waß no opposition from the members of the Opposition, who merely sought information on one or two points. Any opposition that there was came from the Government benches, in the shape of motions to strike off the few inoroaaoß. By the time of the adjournment noless than 12 out of 18 olasHes were passed, those passed inoluding practically all the debatable olasses except the Eduoation votes. Suoh departments as Lands, Defence, Marine, Colonial Secretary's, Legislative, Police, Colonial Treasurer's, Justice, &0., went through at express speed. When 1 o'olock was readied, however, the House showed signs of "jibbing." At 1.15 the Minister for Eduoation took the chair at the table to put through his votes, but Mr. Mitohelson moved to report progress. The Premier protested. They must go on and finish, or at least go on for a few minutes longer. But there were threatening ories, and when the question was put there was a mighty yell in favour of the motion, and but feeble " Noes." While the bell was being rung for the division, the Premier himself went down to whore his followers were thickest, and tried to "whip" them in. Then he sent round the senior Whip, but that gentleman oamo baok shaking his head, and saying that it was of no use. So when the question was next put, and there was again the great ory of '" Aye," and the Chairman said, "The Ayes have it," the Premier aooepted the situation, and with a laugh oried, " Of course they have," as he rose to move the adjournment. LIEUT.-COLONEL M'DONNELL. The Petitions Committee, reporting on the petition of Lieut.-Colonel M'Donnell for employment or an adequate pension, says — •' That the committee is satisfiod from the evidenco given by the petitioner, and admitted by the Defence Department, that he has rendered most valuable services to the colony during the Maori trouble, for which petitioner has been paid tho sum of J-400 as compensation in full satisfaction thereof, besides a year's leave of absence in England on full pay. The committee, however, in further recognition of hia services, recommends the Government to give petitioner employment for whioh he is suitable, if opportunity offers." JOTTINGS, Mr. T. Mackenzie thinks Mr. Bell " one of the touchiest membors " of tho House. Ihe Minister for Lands has givon notice of the New Zealand Company's Land Claimants Act, 1872, Amendment Bill, and the Lake Forsyth Drainage Bill. The Government recently offered Judge Kettle the position of Validation Court Judge. He deolined. The Postmaster-General says tho Government intends to continue the San Francisco mail service subsidy on the basis of tho mail matter carried. Mr. T. Mackenzie considers the Government did a very wise thing in appointing Mr. Lee Smith to the Canadian Conference ; that he was a most practical map. Longburn residents are petitioning for

tho removal of the railway station some si: chains north, to got it off the main road. The negotiations with Colonol Fox re garding the position of Military Advisor ti the Govornmont are proceeding, but not ye comploted. The Government has no intention at pre sent of providing for elective Land Boards.So says tho Minister for Lands. The Premier says that Ministers' aalarici aro too low, but he wonld prefer the Honsi apart from Ministers to move in the matter Capt. Russoll said last night that when h< was Defence Minister, though it was knowi on the West Coast that there was a gooc deal of Bly grog-soiling amongst the navvies the police reported that it was impossible tc obtain convictions ; wharenpon he tnrnec down the mono and wrote that if there were not convictions within a month the Tnspectoi and tho whole police force wonld be re. moved. Tbero were 10 convictions within that month. Mr. Sounders Bays no Premier in New Zealand has given snch fnll and prompt replies to communications as the present one. Tho Premier last night said that the number of Volunteers is increasing. The Minister for Justice says tho Government Printer has saved more than his salary in the savings mode by him in the purchase of stationery and materials. The Colonial Treasurer says the Government has deoided on an excellent man as Agent-General, and will announce his name in December. Mr. Ward stated last night, amidst much laughter and cries of ''Ask the Premier," that he did not know the political colour of Mr. Leo Smith, delegate to the Canadian Conference. The Petitions Committee has no recommendation to make on the petition of Percy F. Bayley, of Normanby, for enquiry into his dUmißßal from the post of Road Inspoctor. Mr. Tanner thicks that for some years past, iieyond some nativo papers and a [)aper on the best way to snag rivers, there jas been nothing of value in the " Transactions " of the New Zealand Institute. Mr. Pirani considers that Judge Kettle ia one of the best Bankruptcy Judges of the colony, and saved the last Bankruptcy Act from being a failure. Mr. Carroll considers that presontly special representation of the Maori race should be done away with. A Christchurch petition asking that hawkers of patent medicines be exempted from the Hawkers and Pedlars Aot has been reforred to the Government for consideration. The Premier considers that the session may close in the firat week of October. Mr. Stevens is asking for the erection of Post Oflicos at Feilding and Hunterville. Mr. tr. J. Smith is urging direct steam communication with Queensland. Mr. Fish, Mayor of Dunedin, is not at all natUficd with the form in which his loan consolidation scheme has gone through. It originally proposed to get possession of the sinking funds, and when they wero spent tbero would have been power to raise another overdraft. Now both are tied up and the overdraft is limited. The Colonial Treasurer says the Government proposes to fill the poat of Chief Messenger at tho Departmental Buildings, in which one of the messengers has been acting since the retirement of Mr. Be veil. The Premier said ' Government intends the House to rneot on Monday evening next. Tho statement, incidentally made, wbb received with cries of " Oh !" Mr. Pirani says that Judge Kettle is doing the work of two District Court Judges and a Stipendiary Magistrate Mr. T. Poutawera, of the Nativo Department, is acting as assistant interpreter to tho House. Tho Government is going to take np Mr. G. Hutchison's Law Practitioners' Act Amendment Bill. So tho Premier says. Tho Fostmnster-General says the Government has offered a year subsidy fcr the Canadian Mail Service, provided the steamers call at New Zealand. If the Government did not get Wednesdays, tho Premier said yesterday, they would havo to prolong tho Bcssion till the ond of October, or olse sit till very late hours every night. — Tho House gave futnre Wednesdays. Mr. Duthie is moving for the production of the Judge Barton correspondence. Captain Russell disapproves of police officers acting as Registrars of Electors. '1 he Minister for Lands hopes to re-estab-lish the Forest Department on a moderate scale during the recess. The Railway Commissioners hope to be able to resume full time at tho Addington workshops on 15th October. 'Ihe Premier says full ivork will be resumed in the other shops as Boon as possible. A policeman was K'eturning Officer at Hastings, in tho Hawkes Bay electorate, and Captain Ru'sell says that, though ho carried out his duties well, he should not have been so occupied when his services might bo required to keep the peace. 'Jhe Premier and Colonial Treasurer agreed, and said this would not ocour again. The Minister for Labour thinks the Shipping and fc'ocunen's Act Amendment Bill an immense improvement on any similar measure oxisting throughout the Kmpire. Mr. Pirani rays that thore is no constable between Foxton and Hulls, and the Foxton constable has to do duty in Palmerston. Mr. M'Gowan is calling attention to the death of the boy Eric M'Cnllough at Auckland, and asks the Government to amend the Medical Practitioners Act so as to make it a protection to the public, instead of a name only as at present. The new steamer to replace the present Government fleet is estimated to cost £12,000. The Premier says that in addition to the Bills on the Order Paper the Government has some 20 or 30 which it did not bring on for fear of overloading the Paper. Sergeant-Major Bezar is petitioning through Mr. Duthie for recognition of his services to_ volunteer rifle shooting by the invention in 1871 of the "dummy" target system. Dr. Newman, Mr. Montgomery, and others strongly urged last night better preservation of foreata, and spoke of the folly of sacrificing forest reserves to small settlers. Tho House was jocularly informed by tho Premier yesterday that after the disposal of the Financial Bills there were three other great Bills which must be dealt with before the Railway Bill — tho Licensing, Libel, and Noxious Weeds Bills. The question of establishing forest plantations on the plains around Ruapoliu and Taupo is to be considered by the Minister for Lands. Mr. ~Hogg yesterday wished to re-commit the -Shop and Shop Hours Bill to add a clause preventing the hawking of fruit, &c, on half-holidays. The Minister for Labour said it was already provided for in the Munioip.al Corporations Act, but if the Law Officers thought otherwise (as Mr. Bell and Mr. Button did) he would have a specific provision made in the Upper House Mr. E. M. Smith Bays thero is a constable on Wellington street duty who has been 23 years in the Service, and has two goodconduct medals, and has yet had no pro-\ motion. The Premier promised to enquire into any Each cases. Tho Petitions Committee, referring to the petition of Miss Finch for enquiry as to her retirement from her position of Mount View Asylum, reports that as neither Miss Finch nor anyone on her behalf appeared before the Committee, it has no recommendation to make. A petition to the House by John Heron, of Greymonth, makes serious charges of immorality against one of the staff of the Grey River Hospital, whose services the local committee nevertheless retains. Mr. Bell is of pinion that the AgentGeneral's office is qnite competent to deal with all finanoial operations of the colony, and that the retainer of .£lOO paid Sir Penrose Jnlyan as Financial Advisor to the Government might be saved. The Colonial Treasurer prefers to retain the vote, on the ground that the colony may not always havo so excellent a financier as Sir Westby Perceval as its London representative Mr. Bell thinks the Agent-General's salary (.£1250) must be increased. The Colonial Treasurer promises to consider it. Mr. Bell says that at present a married man cannot hold the offico unless he has independent means. Captain Russell says that compared with other colonies, and the expenses of the position, the Naw Zealand Agent-General is vory inadequately paid. The Private Secretaries came in for some discussion yesterday. The Premier accurately described Mr. Hamer as " a very able Private Seoretary," and the Colonial Treasurer Bpoke highly of the qualifications and experience of Mr. A. M. Smith. Membors to-day realised the beauty of having a " foreign possession," for at Bellamy's there arrived a shipment of magnifiaent oranges, a present to the Parliament of New Zealand from the Queen of Rarotonga.