PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Evening Post, Volume LII, Issue 93, 10 September 1896, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

THE HOBOWHENTTA AGAIN. The Legislative Council had before it yesterday afternoon the matter of the report of the Native Affairs Committee upon the petition of Kipa te Whatanui relative to the Horowhenua Block. The Hon. H. Williams moved that the report should be referred to the Government for favourable consideration, and suggested that, instead of a rehearing of the case, it should be revised. The Hon. Sjir G. Whitmore dissented from the report, as in that report there was a most gratuitous statement made that Major Kemp^had told a falsehood, whereas all he had done was to give hearsay evidence. He believed that this was an entirely undeserved blow at the. character of a very gre^t friend of the British Government. The Minister of "Education said that the report- virtually unsettled nearly every native, land title in the North Island, and was therefore a question which the Government would approach only after grave consideration. He suggested that the report should be merely referred to Government without asking that it be favourably considered. The mover assented to the proposed suggestion, and the report was amended accordingly. The-Hon. G. MTJean said he could not agree to any report which went back as far as 1873. Whatever gifts the Native Affairs Committee had, it was impossible for it to have thoroughly investi- ' gated the -.hole matter and to have formed any reasonable conclusion of the results of its labours. After further discussion the Hon. H. Williams replied at great length, and v ith ample quotations, and the motion was agreed to on' the voices. UtfDE9IBABLE HAWKEBB. , The Undesirable Hawkers Prevention Bill has returned from the Labour Bills

Committee minus the election catch-words "undesirable" and "prevention." The Committee is evidently of opinion that the Bill will prove equally effective without the words, and has therefore struck them out of the title, and recommended tliat the measure b&.allowed to pass as so amended. It is not likely, however, that Ministers will acoept this amendment." There is a good deal in a name in politics, as, for instance, the nice distinction set up by the present Government between " raising " and " borrowing." As a claim for support at the forthcoming election, the introduction of the Undesirable Hawkers Prevention Bill, wisi an emphasis on the Undesirablo, would, be worth a score of plain Hawkers Bills. Influences of this kind are too frequently making themselves felt in our legislation. THE LICENSING QF SHOPS. A deputation from the Anti - Chinese League last evening waited upon the Premier and brought under his notice a resolution passed by the League urging the necessity for licensing shops. It was pointed out by the deputation that the chief object of this was to provide an easy method of keeping shopkeepers up to the mark so far as the sanitary condition of their premises was concerned. Instead of having to go to law on the subject, a neighbour or any person offended by the iusanitary condition of any shopkeeper's premises could report the condition of things to the Municipal authorities, who could make enquiries, and, if necessary, punish the offender by endorsing his license as a shopkeeper or by cancelling it altogether. The deputation also drew the attention of the Premier to the fact that the licensing of cabmen and expressmen had prevented an undesirable clsss- of persons, from being drivers of these vehicles, and in a like manner it will prevent undesirable shopkeepers. They_recognised that reforms of this kind could" not be obtained all at once, but asked the Premier to take the matter into his consideration, and assist them where possible. The Premier, in replying, ?aid the matter had come on him so suddenly that they would not expect him to give an answer at once. He reminded tjjem that in all reforms they must take care that they did not set up restrictions such as would, become offensive, or reaction would set in, and they would lose all they had gained. If there were unsanitary premises, the laws relating to sanitation should be enforced. In all matters such as they had mentioned, the local authorities should have full power to act. It was really a matter that ought to be under regulation by the local authorities. Of course he knew what the League were aiming at. H.? would consider the matter, and if he thought it advisable he would give effect to their proposal in the Local Government Bill. THE GRADUATED LAND TAX. Mr. Duthie is to ask the Colonial Treasurer if he will lay before this House, or permit of a motion for, as unopposed, a report from the Land and Income Tax Department as to the extent to which the graduated j land tax has as yet been effective in inducing the sale or of otherwise breaking up the large landed estates ? AN INTERESTING RETURN. A return of soma interest is being asked for by Mr. Duncan. He wants particulars of the whole amount of the claims put in for public works during the present session; such return to specify the amounts claimed by each member of the House, and works to be specified as set forth in the claims. THE VANCOUVER MAIL SERVICE. The Hon. C. C. Bowen asked the Minister of Education in the Legislative Council yesterday afternoon whether it was intendsd to propose a vote for the Vancouver Mail Service, and to co-operate with Canada in the effort to establish a mail-route between England and the Australasian Colonies through British territory and by means of British ships. In reply, the Minister said that the Government proposed to submit to Parliament this session further proposals in the direction of reciprocity with Canada, and if those proposals were assented to the Government would consider the taatter of assisting the Vancouver Mail Service. THE CHARGES ON POSTAL NOTES AND MONEY ORDERB. Mr. Meredith has given notice to ask the Postmaster-General if the Government will, with the view of facilitating the convenience of the public, consider the question of reducing the charges on postal notes and on post office orders — for example, the charge made for £4 of postal notes is Is, for a £5 postal note is 6d, for £9 of postal notes is Is 6d ; for a post office order for £4 is 6d, a post office order, for £10 is Is, and for £50 is ss; while a cheque for £9, duly registered, may be sent to any part of the colony at a total cost of lOd. JOTTINGS. Next to Mr. H. D. Bell the Premier says he believes he is the most sensitive man in the House— a confession which caused members to smile. The Premier intimated yesterday that he would presently ask members to sit on Monday evenings, in order that the House might get through the business by the first week in October at latest. The clause in the Shops and Shop Assistants Bill empowering the Governor-in-Council to extend the definition of shop assistant has been, struck out by the Labour Bills Committee. The House yesterday adopted the Premier's motion for the suspension of the Standing Orders so that consideration of reports and third readings of Bills may be taken after miclnight.