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Evening Post, Volume LXX, Issue 48, 25 August 1905, Page 6

TO-DAY'S PARUAMEMT. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Tho Council met at 2.30 p.m. Two weeks' leave of abiscjicc wna granted to tho Hon. C. H. Loui-saon. The Attorncy-Gsneral gave- iiotico to Tointroduco tho Taranaki Scholarships Bill, which, after parsing tho Council, was hung up in the House, owing to an informality in printing. Tlia Hon. J. Ci. Jenkinson moved :—: — ".That tho petition of W. Barron and two other bharslioldara and contribu■iorijs oi 'tho late Colonial Bank of New Zealand be rsferrcd to tho Government for tli-eir consideration, in accordance with the recommendation 'contained in the report of tho Public Petitions Committee brought up yesterday." (Left sitting.) HOUSE 01? REPRESENTATIVES. A number of petitions were presented by Mr. Kaielmu praying for an amendment of the law in renpect to tho West Coast Settlement leserves. They asked that the .control of tho lands should be taken out of tho hands of the Public Trustee and vested in thp native owneis. Mr. Ell gave notice to ask the Government if it will take steps to stop the distribution of alcoholic lollies. (L/ughter.) Mr. Taylor gave notice that when the House went into committee to consider the Premier's notice of motion on the land question ho would move the following addition:— "That this House is of opinion that no legislation affecting the land of the colony will be satisfactory that does not provide for the cessation of the sale/of Crown lands, and is also of opinion that the remnant of the public estate should be created into a national educational endowment." The Leader of the Opposition also gave notice to move an umendinent on the Premier's land proposals. The terms of it were not given to tho House, but it is understood that it challenges the methods of introducing the proposals as being unsatisfactory and unconstitutional. Tho Premier laid on the table a return showing that the cost of raising the last loan was £25,019. (Left sitting.) TO-DAY'S BUSINESS. The Estimates will be further considered in Committee of Supply, to-day. THE MEIKLE CASE. » TO THK KDITOTI. Sir— l have looked up the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives as amended to the end of session 1904. 'lhc following sections on page 57 will be very interesting for the public to l cad : — Section 321 : Tn the case of Mich petition complaining of some present personal grievance for which there may bo an urgent necessity for providing an immediate lemedy, the matter contained in such petition may be brought into discussion on the presentation thereof. Section 322 : All other such petitions, after they shall have been ordered to lie on the table, shall be referred, without any question being put, to the Committee of Classification, with a. view to ascertain whether such petitions aie in compliance with Standing Orders, and to classify the same for distribution amongit the several Committees of the House ; but if any such petition relate to any matter or subject with respect to which the member presenting it has given nofice of a motion, and the said petition has not been ordered to be printed the Committee, such member may, after notice given, move that such petition be printed. Mr. Editor, it seems strange that the Classification Committee did not draw the members' attention to the petitions that Mr. Symes,' blocked in the Meikle case. I fail to see under what section (he L to S Committee could object to hearing the evidence regarding the petitioners' claims. Mr. Symes not being (he Chairman of the Classification Committee, it look's liko. a matter of "bluff" to put Meikle down. — I am, etc., x J. J. MEIKLE. * Wellington, 21st August.