HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

Evening Post, Volume LXVI, Issue 99, 23 October 1903, Page 6

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

Mr. Aitken presented a petition from the Wellington Branch of the New Zealand Institute of Journalists with referonce to the privileges of the press. Tho Premier moved that consideration of tho petition be postponed; the matter required further consideration, a<» it alleged that v threat was made by the House that leporters committing a breach of privilege would bo excluded from the Preso Gallery. Mr. Speaker said the petition had already boon received. Tho Premier urged that a petition making a reflection on the House was not admissible. Tho Leader of the Oposition (suggested that it was for the Speaker to bay whether a petition was respectful and temperate, and therefore admissible. Mr. Speaker said it waa tho duty of the hon. member presenting the petition to satisfy himself that there vac nothing in the petition which rendered it inadmissible. Eventually the question of admissibility of the petition Mas left in the' hands of the Speokei Mr. Taylor gave notice that in Committee, on the Licensing Bill he would move 'to add to the .members ex oflicio of Licensing Committees the Premier of the Colony, the Provident of the Licensed Victuallers' Association, and the President of tho Rugby Union Football Club of the district. (Laughter.) (Left sitting.)

William Thomas Watts, licensee of tho AH Nations Hotel, Kaiwarra, avis charged at the Magistrate's Court this morning on two informations with having exposed for sale and sold liquor on Sunday, 11th October, 1903. Mr. Weston appeared for the defendant, and entered pleu« of guilty. Inspector Ellison said there wjw one redeeming feature, and that was the defendant had plwvded guilty — a very unique thing in these cases. Sir. Watts had not conducted his hotel satisfactorily for somo time, and owing to the strict HUpervision ho had kept over tho movemoiite of the police, it had been found necessary to tend men in plain clothea to watch the premises. For mouths it hod been no unusual thing for firemen to bo found coming from Ivtiwarra in v half intoxicated condition. There was no doubt the hotels in Wellington were well conducted on Sunday*, and it flecmod that the defendant had been taking advantage of this by doing a smart trade. Mr. Wcetou swid lii» client had be<?n a hotelkeepor for twenty-one years, ntid this was Ihe first occasion on which he had been before l.ue Court for a breach of tho Licenoiug Act. He felt his position keenly, and counsel naked that he bo dealt with lightly. l)r. A. M* Arthur, S.M., caid the defendnnt knew the position he was in, and reminded him thivt Inspector Ellison niado coniplainUt about him at the annual meetins of the LiceoAhut Committee. The

temptations were so great that the hotelkeeper on the outskirts of the city must keep his "back stiff" against those who tried to go into his hoteFand get the better of him. As the police did not press for a heavy penalty, he would impose a fine of £10, with 19s costs on the first information, and merely enter a conviction on the second. Tho derailing of a goods truck on the Rimutaka Inclino early this morning caused a slight delay in tliie morning's traffic, but thus has now been rectified. From information supplied by the Railway Department, it appears that about midnight a goods train left the Summit for Cross Creek, and near Siberia-tunnel a truck became derniled. The train, going at about five miles an hour, promptly pulled up. A break-down gang was put to work to replace the truck and straighten tho bent rails, and it completed its labours by 9.30 a.m., when everything was clear for traffic again. The train from Mwterlon this morning arrived in Wellington flt 12.25 p.m., fifty -five minutes late, and other arrangement* wero delayed in ft looser degree. The departmental officers are enquiring a» to the cause of the derailing of the truck. j A temporary transfer of the license of i the All Nations Hotel, Kaiwarra, from W. T. Watte to J. W. White has been granted. The hearing of the appeal case New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency, Company v - Red continued to-day. It is anticipated that tho case will not be concluded before Monday. A daylight parade of tho Submarine Mining Corns will be held to-morrow afternoon. Particulars aro advertised. Tho altontlon of lady readers is called to a privato sale of crash costumes of the latest London fashions, to be hold over Rhortt's auction room*, Willii-stroet, tomorrow aftornoon and evening. •'Comfortable Footwear" is tho subieot of an advertisement by Mr. F. J. Oakot, boot importer, of 24, lngestro-»troet. Tho b.b. Duchoss will run excursions to Day's Bay to-morrow morning and afternoon, at the usual hours. Full time-tablo appeal's in another column. Mewrt. Sidey, Mooch a.nd Co. advertico that thoy have .received instructions from tho exocutors in tho estate of J. Pearlman, doceased, to noil at their rooms tomorrow, fommoncinß at l.iO sharp, the whole of tho household furnituro, stock-in-trade, personal otfoct*, etc.) in tho above pstato. . At the tamo salo tho firm will sail a 160-egg incubator. • Mowrr. Dalgoty and Co. make liberal advances on wool and givo special attention to all clip* consigned to them either for local or London wile*. Valuations aro made for owner's guidance, if desired. Full particulars nre advertised iv another column.