PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Evening Post, Volume L, Issue 46, 22 August 1895, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

. ♦ THE WOODVILH-BIOtTAHTrNA LINK. Mr. Hall was quite pathetio yesterday when he recounted to the House the number of times it has been announced that the Eketsbnna- Woodville connecting link would be completed, and how it is still «. gap in the railway system. He suggested that raila be laid from the Woodville end, and the line opened forthwith to Mangatainok*. The Premier said the laying of rails from the Eketahuna end was already begun, but oonld not progress fnrther than the river till the bridge was completed and an engine oonld cross. The bridge would be proceeded with very shortly. More rails oould not be laid from the Woodville end, a* they would have to be taken over the Manawatu line. Mr. Hall was resourceful, and indignantly suggested that Govornmenthod a line to Foxton, and could land the rails there, but the Premier retorted that Government bad not yet locomotives w4iioh, "like Peter"— there is a terrible "Bearohing of Soriptures " going on amongst the members ever since Joseph made hi* appearance in Haneard — could walk on the water, and so they would have at great expense to employ small trading steamers to carry the rails to Foxton, and that involved great expense. Mr. Hall, annd laughter, gave up tho struggle with a sigh, and the remark that ho had '• got very little satisfaction." I HK BANK COHMITTII. The Bank Committee- is kept hard at work all day and every day just now. Yesterday all the questions addressed to the Hon. Mr. Ward had to be postponed, as he was sitting with the Committee. There were on the Order Paper quite a shoal of questions relating to the Bank of New Zealand or the ABsets Company, and notice was given of others, but none of them were answered, and the Premier told members that they might spire themselves the trouble of putting them, as the Government declined to answer, considering that the matter was now in the hands of the Committee. BRJCAKINO THS ikVf. Mr. Earnshaw drew the attention of the Minister for Justice to breaches of theOffensive Publioat.ona Act which he contended were habitually being committed by various newspapers, but especially by the Auokland Star and the Now Zealand Times. He wanted to know whether the police had been instructed to see the law enforced t The Minister said the police had reoeived instructions to carry ont the Act. He had not notioed the advertisements in the two papers mentioned, but would have the' matter looked into. WKLINOTON ETUBITS. Mr. Robert Thompson brought before the House yesterday what he dcßoribod as a very foolish proceeding on the part of the Wellington City Connoil. lilooks of land, he said, were being bought up by speculators and laid out in streets which, as the city became densely populated, must become slums. Wellington had a great future before it, and would be the commercial centre of the oolony. Mr. Bell interjected a gratified •'Hear, hear" at this, but Mr. Thompson oontinned that it was a pity the City Counoil should be permitted to let the city be disfigured as was being done. He •especially objocted ,to a atreet 40 feet wide lately laid off near Hobson-street, and hoped the land would not be allowed to go through the Land Transfer Office. The Minister for Lands Baid a plan had been deposited at tho Land Transfer Office showing a right-of-way 10 feet wide, and the Begistrnr would have no option in the matter, but must effect registration, as a distinction was drawn betweon private and publio streets, and this was a private street, and not a public thoroughfare. The Council having accepted it as a right-of-way, the Government could do nothing, but speoial provisions might be inserted in the Looal Government Bill to deal with such cases. DEATH ON THX CODLIN MOTH. There is hope f or the oodlin moth-dißtracted orchardißts, who nevertheless are too lazy to take proper precautions themselves Tho Bucoeas of the little New Zealand vidilia in dispoßinarof tha California^ scale may yet be Repeated in the case of a natural enemy to the dreaded moth, Mr. Buchanan says that two speoies of ichneumon have been found attacking the codlin moth at Tan* ranga, and the Minister for Agrionltnre saja his Department has ' procured tha natural enemy of the orcbard scourge, which bis already been tried in Europe, America, and Australia. Tho Department intends to get » larger supply for distribution. THX ANTHBiX OUTBEBAK. The anthrax outbreak is causing much alarm amongst stock-owners, as there ia danger of New Zealand cattle being shut ont of the English market, as New South Wales stock now are for similar causes. The news that the anthrax microbe was probably introduced in bone manure from New Sooth Wnlas has led to Dr. Newman urging that the importation of manures from anthrax-infected countries be stopped. Capt. Bussell, himself a practical pastoraliat, holds that in future veterinary surgeon* should bo appointed as Chief Stock Inspectors, bnt the Minister for Lands does not think- veterinary Burgeons could do the dutieß devolving on Stook Inspectors. He admits thero is something in the point, and says that Cabinet is considering the question of sending to England for an additional veterinary surgeon, who shall be specially qualified in bacteriology, to deal with the large nnmber of diseases now appearing. Meanwhile Ohanpo has been deolared an infected district, and the Stock Department is making every effort to stamp out the disease. For Borne time past Mr. M'Garvie Smith, the well-known Sydney bacteriologist, has been making investigations into the life, history of the anthrax miorobe, and he 1b at present engaged in seeking for an antitoxin. Mr. Flatman is not oontent with what ia being done, and lie ia urging the 'Minister for Agriculture to prevent any North Island sheep or cattle being shipped to the South Island till there ia a clean certificate to the North in the matter of anthrax. THX LOCAL aoVKBNMINT BILL. The Local Government Bill, which we describe on our fourth page, was isened to members this afternoon. It is a bulky volume of 174 pages, 11 long schedules, and 582 olauses. The independent boroughs constituted under it are as follows :— Auokland, Wellington, Christohuroh, Dnnedin, Thames, Wanganui, Napier, Palmerßton North, Lyttelton, Oamatu, Timaru, and Inveroargill, Eaoh of these is to absorb all the boroughs now existing within an area of nine square miles, provided its most distant points be not more than six miles from eaoh other. The Commissioners are to divide the colony into counties, propose names for suoh oountiea, constitute " borough districts," divide oonnties into ridings, and fix names for borough distriots and ridings. All tenders must oontain an 8 hour and fair wage clause. The main roads whioh the Government ia to maintain are i— North Island — North Shore to Awanni, Ohanawai to Hokianga Heads, Opanake to Hokianga, Paeroa to Tanranga, Raglan to Waipa, Alexandra to Kawhia, Taurang* and Maunga-iti to P&hue via Taupo, Maketu to Botorua, Botorua to Ohingaiti and Taupo via Wai o-tapu, Wai-o. tapu to Waikare-maana via Galatea, Poro. o-larao to Ohaknne and Pipiriki to Wai-o? urn, Stratford to Ongaruhe, Te Kuiti to Mimi, Hawera to New Plymouth, Murit motn to Mangawhero, Knripapang* to Te Horo, Napier to Awanui via Wairoa and Gisborne, Te Puke to Ohiwa, Opotilri to - Ormond. In the South Island the chief South Island, Havelook to Nelson, Belgrove to Beefton and Weatport, Greymoutn to. Okarito, Springfield to Kumara, Blenheim to Waiau, Cnlrerden to Hanmer, Fairlio to The Hermitage, Queenstoim to Pukaki, Quoonstown to Lawrence, Clyde to Dun. back, Moasburn to Milford Sound via Te Anau, Waikawa to CutUn'a. PB£UICB XVD BCPOSTIH. Mr W. Hnlchistfh brought np the question of the great delay in the printing of Hansard yesterday, and inoldentally gave a " slating" to the local papers jvhioh unduly condense the words of wisdom he utters. The Premier promised to see into the matter, when Mr. Duthie interjected that the delay was entirely oanged by the Premier not sending baok his own proofs. The Premier retorted that that was beoause he had, been working night and day, and Btu. Duthie said J;a knew that was so, bnt the Premier went on, -with some hea,t, fyt complain that the chief Hansard reporter (whose explanation that the delay was not ths fault of his staff bad jnst "been given) was neglecting his work in the gallery this session. The Speaker said the Chief Reporter was doing general editing of speeches in the Hansard room, which was olaimed to facil|t tito the work of the staff. The question was to come before the printing Debates Committee. Mr. Buchanan said that Ms. Barren was abont the House so ill aa to bo quite unfit to go into the gallery. Mr. Firani expressed his regret that the' Premier had brought this matter up in the House before it had come before the Debates, Committee. Tfcere was an eiplanatie.B, which entirely cqntr&dioted th.c Premier's, statements. jottings. Mr. Hogg has been informed that the Government can't see its way to inanguraft State fire insurance. Mr. J. W. Kelly is attaoking the continuance of the retaining fee of £100 to Dr. Lemon as Consulting Electrician, in addition to bis pension " of £500 to £550 a year." The Premier says it will be nine months before the Trunk Railway can be opened from the North through ths Poro-o-toro* tunnel to the jnnotion of the Awakino-road. The Minister for Education thinks thai where country distriots desire publiolibrmrie* they shonld strike a, rate under the Aot of 1869. The Shop Hourt Aot Amendment Bill is to oontain better provision for seonring the weekly half-holiday to barmen and barmaids. Mr. M'Guire is bringing op the oaso of the late Constable Leahy in the Housn, and he. wants to know why leave was so long refused him. A vote is to be asked to provide temporary free storage for dairy produoe awaiting shipment in the Government 000 l stores. ''God forbid we ahonld copy American divorce laws ! " — Pions ejaoulation by the Promier. Tho Minister for Railways considers the oonocsaion of allowing tingle tioket-holdera to break journeys extending over 100 miles would be a small oenoeßsion, but ho told Mr. pi rani yesterday that as it would involve the calling in of existing hokets, at a ooat of £200, it could not be done for some time. The Petitions Committee onoe more finds that ex-Inspeotor Shearman, now residing »| Tanranga, "has no fuither olaimoniW oolony." - i- • t•; Mr. Buiok thinks that -for the protection, of the publio friendly aooietiea should' be required to gazette annually statement" of their oneratromi. The Brpmier does,' nof know how this would wprk, but ia gojgg tq enquire of the friendly societies. Mr. G. Hutohison is endeavouring ia seoure s, return of the amounts paid by Ministers in oabrbire last year. The remnants of the unfortunate Tuhortrangi tribe, nearly annihilated intheTari,went eruption, and who were left by th»t oonvulsion landless and homeless, are to he, provided with a suitable plaoe to settle in, Mr. Bteveni w*a informed yesterday tfot

tenders will be called for the Makohim viaduct at the end of next month. The Divorce Bill was used last night t. stall off the Prohibitionists' Licensing Bill and so saved an all-night sitting, which a one time threatened. The Minister for Justice has promised Mr Hogg to arrange for more frequent sitting: of the Pahiatua Magistrate's Court if bnßi ness requires it. Beporting on the petition of James Grovi and others, complaining of the arrest o Mrs. VonMeyern for obstructing a footpath the Petitions Committee says that " wbili sympathising with Mrs. Yon Meyern, who ii apparently a 'woman of excitable tempera merit, though of good repute, the Committei is of opinion that Constable Cassells in n< way exceeded his duty, and has therefore n< recommendation to make " According to Mr. Beeves, only two Civil Servants have received advances from th( Government, and these were to enable then to remove their families to another district Both were in the Justice Department, and the advances were to be deducted from theii salaries in monthly instalments. Mr. G Hutohison now wants to know if one of the borrowers was a Magistrate. Constable Costin and Gilbert Gordon, hit guide, whose gallant journey from Culverder. to Awatere with the body of a frozen way' farer attracted S3 muoh attention in the South, faave,the|Premier says, been suitably rewarded by the Government. The Minister for Labour says ho hopes tc re-introduoo his Eight Hours Bill thia ses ■ion, but fears it ia too late to do anything with it this year. Mr. Flatman thinks meat both for ex port and looal consumption should be sub' jeot to inspection both before and after it it killed. The Minister for Lands says it wil be neoessary to do something of the kind, but it is a matter requiring very serious consideration. The Premier doesn't think it would hel[ matters to have an enquiry into the working of the Advances to Settlers Act, thougt there have been undoubtedly irritating and unnecessary delays. He thinks, however it was best that the Board Bhould err oi the side of oaution. -Mr. Massey wanted ai .enquiry. Mr. T. Mackenzie lastnighttoldtheHouse of a Dunedin Herbalist who habitually con travened the Sale of Poisons Act, and senl out poisons concealed in other goods. He had a bill which this man had forwarded tc one customer, to whom he had supplied sh lOoz bottles of laudanum in one month. Mr. Pinkerton wanted to accept the Connoil amendments in his Dunedin Drainage Bill last night, but Mr. Earnshaw wonldlnot have them, and by 29 to 21 had them disagreed with, and himself and Messrs . Morrison and G. J. Smith appointed as managers to confer with the Upper House on the matter, thus taking the affair entirely oui of the hands of the mover of the Bill.