PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Evening Post, Volume XLVIII, Issue 54, 1 September 1894, Page 4

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

THE PUBLIC TRUST ACCOUNTS. Messrs. H. Kember and B. J. S. Todd, who were appointed to investigate the Public Trust Office accounts, have reported that they have made a searohing examinatioiTof the booka, and find that they are neatly and correotly kept by tho donble entry system, and that the arrangements made for carrying out the present system are expeditions and correct, tending to lessen labour and facilitate tho working oE the business of the office With regard to tho objections raised by tho Auditor-General to the last balancesheet, they express regret that the objections Bhould have beep published, as tho queries refer to matters in many cases of opinion or administration, which oannot be classod as errors, and could have been easily arranged by a conference between the Anditor-Gene-ral and the Public Trustee, bnt which, being made pnblio, must tend to unnecessarily damage the Publio Trust Office in the eyes of the pnblio. Messrs. Kember and Todd have also inspected the system of the General Post Office and tho Government Tnsuranco Offioo, but owing to the difference in the nature of the transactions and requirements of those Departments, state that they offer no opportunity for comparison with thoao of tho Public Trust Office, lhe inspecting accountants make a nnmbor of suggestions, which they state the Publio Trustee has agreed to carry out immediately, and they conclude that tho Government and tbo country should have every confidence in tho accounting system of the office, to whioh they can find no valid objection. A QUESTION OJ" ORDER. After 1 a.m. to-day, the Chairman of the Eailway Committees (Mr. G. W. .Russell) moved to lay a report on the table and refer it to the Government. Tho IJon. Mr. Miteholson contended that a motion upon whioh a debate could take place was new business, and therefore could not be taken after midnight without the suspension of the Standing Orders. Mr. Guinness, who was in the Speaker's chair, ruled that as this Committee had beon given special leave to sit during tho^ittings of the Honso, its report could bo taken at any time^- Mr. Mitcholson consequently gave notice that he will on Tuesday bring the matter before the Speaker, with a view to traversing tho ruling of Mr. Guinness. THE WBSTPOBT CARDIFF COAL COMPANY. The Railways Committee, in tho small hours of this morning, reported on tho petition of the Westport Cardiff Coal Company. The Committee considers that tho Coal Company, on payment of interest at the rate of 7 per cent, on i! 8000, should bo entitled to uso tho branch railway ; that tho Cardiff Company pay half the annual co&t of maintenance of the portion of tho lino used by it, after deduoting from tho total roceipts for pnblio traffic the same proportion that the section of lino common to both companies bears to tho total length ; that tho haulage rates to both the Mokihinui and Westport Cardiff Companies' mines are excessive, and" should bo reduced by ono penny per ton ; that tho present contract bo auuulled, and a fresh agreement, ombody ing tho Committee's viows, be made ; that tho Government purchase tbo Mokihinui Company's railway line, from tho funds of the Wostport Harbonr Board. JOTTINGS. Mr. J. W. Kelly thinks male and femalo teachers should bo paid equally. Tho Premier has given notice of tho Publio Works Act Amendment Bill. An immense nativo petition against the tho resumption of the pro-emptivo right was presented by Mr. Hono Hoko yesterday. Mr. Crowtber said that on tho platform not a candidate dared tonoh tho education systom, but last night, added ho, evory man of them fonnd fanlt with it. Mr. Bell thinks .£4OO a year is too much for* the Government Insnranco Medical Officer wh'en private praotioe is allowed. The petition of dontists for an amendment of the Dentists' Aot is referred by the Petitions Committoo to Government for consideration. Mr. Meredith says he spent a short time in a lunatio asylum about a month boforo coming hero. In reply to members' laughter he said tho Premier had also boon in an asylum— in soaroh of information. ' _ Dr. Newman traces much domestic affliction to a lack of knowledge of cooking in girls who become wives. Mr. Allen thinks a strong argument for local oontrol in education is the oontnot which it effeota between the adult population and the Education System. Tho Minister for Marine can neo no reason to subsidiso a direct steam sorvice-with Queonsland,as suggested by Mr. G.J. Smith. Mr. Ward says the trado is small. The Minister for Education says secondary education is in a most unsatisfactory condition, and ho ho^os to take legislative action next year. Tha Otago Shipwrights' Socioty is petitioning that tho extension of tho Port Chalmers ■wharvos contemplated by Government bo donjß_byco-operativo labour. Tnoilouse is to be given an opportunity of considering the single electorate question. Tho Premier says the mounted rifle corps will bo armed as soou as posßiblo witb the Martini-Honry. Bnspccting cooking in schools, tho Minister for Eduoation says it rusts entirely in the hands of the Education Boards. •• We were told in Auckland not to dare to touch the Eduoation System, and we hod to promise not to do so."— Mr. Crowther. The Minister for Lands has informed Mr. M'Guire that he will introduoe a Bill plaoing leaseholders of eduoation and other reserves .on tho same footing as Crown lessees, ..**, * . i .

Tlio Minos Committee, reporting on the petition of W. H. Taipari and otliora, finds tiiiil, tlio 'i'liamos nalives havo r el''sn for coi".|.''i. j.'itiou in connection witli the mining reserves. A r: umber of members went to Napier by train Ibii mornius, Mr. ijninncss being the organiser of the expedition. Air. G. W.Kus^oll is asking whether the House will to given an opportunity of expressing an opinion aa to the necessity or desirability of amalgamation of the Colonial Bank and the Bank of Now Zealand. Mr. W. Hutchison wants the Government to bring in a Bill to prevent the formation of commercial " corners " in any commodity. Fragment of conversation at 2 a.m. yesterday :— First member : We got away right this time. Second member : Tea ; vie wore tho hobnail boots to-night. Omnes : And we'll wear them often. A new set of Volunteer Eegulationa has been drafted, and will be referred to the Military Adviser shortly.— So the Premier says. The Colonial Treasurer says that at the rato business is now progressing it will be a long time before tho Bill introducing the Cheap Money Scheme goes through. Conrts of Appeal are in the air— Mr. G. W. Kussell now wants one to consider appeals of Lunatic Asylum attendants against " summary dismissal or other alleged injustices." Dr. Newman wants to see cooking taught in all tho State schools, and to see all school stationery and books supplied by tho Stato. Mr. Meredith last nightlaid down a thesis —(a) ffo was for many years connected with tho education system of New Zealand; (b) tlio education system of New Zealand waa tho funniest in the Southern hemisphere. Mr Pirani took tho opportunity on tho Estimates of trying to get a Government Insnranco office for Palmoraton North. It didn't come off. The Premier considers that the one-man-one-voto system is not complete without the one-oleotorate-one-membor. The Wellington and Auckland City elections are atill rankling. Tho Minister for Education considers that tho whole examinations of tho secondary I schools should bo in tho bands of the Edncation Department. Dr. Newman says there is a higher percentagerof lunatics in Yew Zealand than in any other country. Mr. Thompson blames tho Salvation Army, especially in its operations among the natives. There was much amusement yesterday when the Premier said that the model of an "unsinkable ship" belonging to one Wm. Isbistor has boen in possession of the Lands and Survey Department since 1884. Mr. Ensaoll says thore are a great many bettor dairy oxperts in this colony than Mr. Valentino. The Minister for Lands Bays Mr. Valentine has tho highest credentials. Had New Zealand not sent him to England as produce export, New South Wales would have done so. Tho Minister for Edncation has been unfortunate with his Estimates. Twice progress has boon reported just as ho was going to begin with them, and last night thoro wete hours of rambling discussion upon education before they got through. "Tcrturing the Minister" was how some mombers described the performance. Mr. Allon believos it would bo cheaper to pull down the present Parliament Buildings and oreofc new ones than waste J22000 a year in alterations and amendments. The Premier thinks the cost is now practically at an end. A communication from the Eureka Iron Sand Keduotion Syndicate of .Auckland respecting a patent fluxing system for the treatment of iron sand, has been referred to the Government by the Petitions Committee for consideration. The Premier wished the House to sit on Monday. The motion was No. 3 on the Order Paper, and the Premier moved to suspend tho Standing Orders so as to get it on. Mr. Geo. Hutchison raised a point of order aa to passing the first two motions, and the Speaker ruled that the Premier could not adopt the course ho proposed. Mr. Hone B eke considers that the Government should establish Industrial and Agricultural Schools amongst the Maoris. A number of members agree. The Premier and tho Senior Whip made sttennous efforts to shorten discussion last night. On one occasion Mr. E. M. Smith was waxing eloquent in praise of the Premier in connection with tho ventilation of Parliainont Hous3, when the Senior Whip" wont across and asked him to tit down Tho momber for Taranaki turned fiercely on tho Whip and shouted, "Don't put a padlook on us,"