POLITICAL GOSSIP.

Evening Star, Issue 7367, 12 November 1887, Page 2

POLITICAL GOSSIP.

[From Our Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, November 11. Jottings. Mr Ward is asking the Government to bring in a measure to abolish or modify the landlords’ right of distress. Three members practically occupied the whole of to-day’s sittings, and if all the other members spoke at the same length the Financial debate would not finish for more than three months. Mr Seddon intends to ask the Premier whether it has been decided by the Government Life Insurance Department to refuse to make further advances by way of loan on mortgage, and in lieu to invest the surplus funds of the said Department in deficiency bills bearing 5 per cent., and whether any negotiations relative to this matter have taken place between the Treasurer and tbe Insurance Department. Instructions have been given by the Government to use locally-manufactured paint in preference to the imported article wherever possible. The Seacliff Asylum is reported to bo in a dangerous state, and its foundations are to receive immediate attention. The Minister of Works will give instructions that platelayers may work fifteen minutes longer for four days in the week, so that they may leave off work an hour earlier on Saturdays. The Government proptse to deal with the San Francisco and direct steam service question before the session closes. The Hon. B. Hart has given notice in the Legislative Council of a motion for the taxing of moneys invested in the totalisatof. The Waitotara election petition is to be heard on the 30 th inst. Sydney Taiwhanga has gone over to the Opposition. Sir G. Grey is asking for the production of papers relative to the taking of Mr Kissling’s property in Auckland for defence purposes. A Bill has been introduced by Mr R. Reeves to amend tbe Mines Act, and it has been read a first time. Mr R. Thonipson is asking if it is a fafct that several persons in the public pay are still retained in Sir J. Vogel’s service One portion of Mr Fish’s wearisome speech was directed sgainst what he called the 11 false and wicked Press of the country.” The Government promise to consider the desirableness of Allowing refreshment cars on the railway lines when the leases of present refreshment rooms have expired. Mr Fish jays that the * Otago Daily Times ’ is a paper not known outside of Dunedin, and is not worthy of belief. He declares that it is a thing of ridicule, and has the contempt of all thinking men. The Government fully expect to carry their Bill for reducing the number of members of the House to seventy. Mr Tanner declares that in Hawke’s Bay the children only attend school four days, and then are educated in the open air because the school buildings are too small. Mr Fish spoke to-night of his “viituous indignation,” and the phrase was received with roars of laughter. The Midland Railway. The Midland Railway Committee hope to report at next meeting of the House. 1 hough they have agreed on all points, there are differences of opinion as to the wording of the guarantee clause. All the members, with two exceptions (who seem to act specially in the interests of the Company) seem honestly desirous to make all reasonable concessions within the authorised areas, and to protect the Colony against the granting of any land outside of that area, or from possible claims for monetary compensation in case the land within “ the authorised area ” should not produce the anticipated sum of L 1,250,000, Seacliff Asylum. The unsafe condition of the Seacliff Asylum was brought under the notice of Ministers this afternoon by Dr Fitcbett, who stated that on the occasion of his visit a month ago he found that one wing of the building was in a state of complete collapse; both the external and internal walls are not only cracking but bulging out. Tbe Colonial Secretary iaic, that the District Engineer had reported some days ago that there were one or two cracks, but not of an alarming nature. Dr Macgregor had that day telegraphed that the foundation in some parts was not strong enough, and suggested that they should be looked to at once. The matter had been placed under the attention of the Minister for Works, who had given instructions to have it seen to at once. The Late WI Taho. The Native Minister referred this a f ternoon to the death of the late Hon. Wi Take Ngatata, and said that the relatives of deceased were desirous that as many of the members of both Houses should attend the funeral as could make it convenient. The Government would make arrangements for their conveyance to Petone and back, Wi Tako bad always been a faithlul and loyal supporter of the Queen, and when Native disturbances were rife had rendered valuable assistance to this Colony. On behalf of the deceased relations and of the Government be invited as many members of the House as could make it convenient to attend the funeral. If it were a sitting day an adjournment of the House till the evening would be as kcd The Newton School Flogging. The case of flogging a little girl at Newton East School was mentioned by Sir J. Vogel, who wanted to know what was the result of the investigation into the matter hy the local authorities, and whether the Government proposed to take any further steps respecting it. The Minister of Education replied that from the Board of Education’s report it appeared that tbe circumstances of the case had been greatly exaggerated; still the key to the whole question was involved in another question—viz, the right of the schoolmaster to instruct a subordinate to punish a child for not bringing her school fees, or a note from her parents explaining the reason for this default. He had given instruction to the Board of Education to obtain a reliable report on the circumstances of the ease. At tbe same time he would say that the master bad no right to give instructions for the caning of a child who had not been given her school fees. Tougariro National Park. Te Heuheu Tukino has signed the deed confirming the gift of the Tongariro National Park. He, however, asks that the body of his father, who was overwhelmed at Te Rapai, should be moved from the place of interment on the mountain, and that the Government should erect a tomb over it in accordance with the promise made by Mr Lewis, neither he nor his people having the power of dealing with it. Refractory Ores. The Minister of Mines informed Mr Larnach to-day that the Government recognised the importance of getting information on this subject, and promised to consider the advisability of sending one of the University professors, together with the Inspecting Engineer of Mines to America, to acquire information on the subject. S ! r Julius Vogel moved the adjournment of tbe House to urge the importance of the matter, and took occasion to eulogise Mr Larnach for his attention, to this matter while he was in office, and thus leading to a remarkable development in mining enterprise. Several other members, including Mr Seddon, Colonel Fraser, and Mr Allen spoke to the question. Mr Allen said that to send men who were not experts to the United States would be simply a waste of money, ■ln place of an expenditure of L 3,500 on peripatetic lecturers, he urged the appointment of a thoroughly practical expert, as the Victorian Government had done in the appointment of Mr Cosmo Newbury, Unfinished Railways. It appears from a return laid on the table of .the House that there are seventeen unfinished railway lines in the Colony. The expenditure on these;during tbe last two years has been LldSjSOfi, or a total expenditure to March last ’of L 499.707. The extent to which the loan is expected to carry these railways is 147 miles. Sir J. Vogel, i Avery high compliment was paid to the ex|Treasnr<r by the member for Dunedin South, •who declared that if ever Sir Julius stood high ; with New Zealand he ought to stand higher ‘than over after the policy he had pursued durJing the past three yean. The speaker said that Sir Julius! had left his markon tbe sands of [time, and that his name Would go down to posjterityas a link net to be despised, but to be [looked onwith pleasure. There was no Ireason for hounding- him down, and his j(Mr Fish’s) inclination was always to stand by a man when he found him- unjustly attacked. IThls trihute of respect paid to his chief moved 1 L i;i : . .

Ur Sen, the burly member for Waimea-Pioton, tu tears. He weptcopiosdy, god attention me 'tips directed from Ur : Fish, who speedily brought his remarks to a close. The Financial Debate Has, so far, been remarkable only for tbe mediocrity of tbe speeches which followed tbe and there was no improvement to-day. Fian took up the thread ®f the debate at the afternoon sitting, and it was at once apparent th»t he had laid himself out to break the record of long speeches. He was still on the floor at the dinner adjournment, and spoke till eight o'clock. The speech was a wordy one, and the whole of the ideas which it contained might have found expression in an address of ten minutes’ duration. Mr Fish was evidently determined to have the better part of a special issue of ‘ Hansard ’ to himself, and be probably succeeded. He made a strong attack on the Fress, influenced* no dpUbt; by a dqttfi to retaliate on the newspapers of Dunedin, which have been somewhat severe on him. Ur Tanner, who followed, occupied the time of the House for nearly two hoars with commonplace commentaries on various points of the Statement. Dr Fitcbett raised the tone of the debate by a satiric and clever speech.

Tbe San Francisco mail Service, ■ The f Post ’ again attacks the continuance or the subsidy to the San Francisco mail service, andeajs:—"lt is true that letters sent or received have to be paid for by whatever route they are carried; but it would be much better for the Colony to spend the postage-money in strengthening the direct service, which is of so much commercial value, than in subsidising the San Francisco line, which, except .as a mailcarrier, is of no real use at aIL If we relied entirely on the direct service it might be found possible to expedite it if necessary, and the extra income placed at the command of the pro-, prietors might not improbably enable them to make farther concessions in the way of freight, both in frozen meat and dairy produce.” State Aid to Catholic Schools.

Mr Pyke’s Roman Catholic Schools Bill was circulated last night. Its preamble sets forth that the Roman Catholics of New Zealand have established and are maintaining primary schools throughout the Colony; for the purpose of giving education to Roman Catholie yonth; that the conscientious convictions of Roman Cathodes in regard to education should be respected, and that their schools should be recognised by the State in so far as they give _ secular education; also that they contribute equally to the taxation by which the State schools are supported, and the attendance at the State schools in the large centres of population is considerably diminished by the number of children attending the Roman Catholic schools, whereby the cost to the State of primary education is lessened, and that therefore it is just and right that such Roman Catholic schools should receive a capitation allowance for children attending thereat. It is accordingly provided that every Roman Catholic school which is conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Education Act and its regulations in respect to the qualifications of teachers, course of instruction, attendance at school, and inspection by an inspector of the Board of Education, shall be deemed to be a public school within the meaning of tbe Act; and that every such school shall be entitled to receive capitation allowance equal to two-thirds' of the allowance granted to tbe public schools established under said Aet, provided that no such school shall be entitled to a share in snob funds unless the average number of pupils attending the same be fifty or more. November 12. The Protectionists Orgsni»ing.At an adjourned meeting of Protectionists held this forenoon twenty-six ware present, and apoligies were received from five others. It was stated that circulars had been sent to fortyeight members. After a lengthy discussion, in the course of which the opinion was expressed that the question of Protection must bis dealt with immediately, even though the session were considerably protracted, a deputation (consisting of Messrs Downie Stewart, Goldie, M. Thomson, and Ward) was appointed to wait on the Premier with the view of urging on the Government the necessity of amending the Tariff in the direction of Protection, and promising the coidial support of Protectionists from both rides of the House if this were done. The deputation assured the Premier that if the Government would introduce a tariff on a protective basis, or if he would form. a Government f n that purpose, he should have the support of the whole of the Protectionists in the House as compensation for alienating the support of his Freetrade followers. He replied that it was impossible to deal with the Tariff this session; but he proposed summoning Parliament in April if possible, when he_ intended to have the Tariff considered. He believed that ho could bring down proposals which would be acceptable to both Freetraders and Protectionists, but he declined to state in what direction he would revise the Tariff, further than saying that it would be in the direction of encouraging local industries. It would take two or three months to prepare a Tariff. He was not a Protectionist, nor was he a Freetrader in the usual acceptation of the term. His reply is considered unsatisfactory by the Protection element, and a no-confidence amendment may be now regarded as inevitable. A correspondent wires that at tbe Protectionist caucus this morning twenty-seven were present, and twelve accounted for. The Member for Dunedin South. Mr Fish’s spejeh lost night is generally condemned as injudicious. The ‘Evening Post' says : —“ When the member for Dunedin South rose in the House yesterday afternoon a good many people believed that he was going to speak to the question of privilege, and ask the House to inquire into certain scandalous accusations which had recently been freely made against him. Nothing, however, was further from the hon. member’s intention, and he proceeded to waste three hours with a violent speech, in which he freely bespattered with abuse all who differed from him. It was really, under the circumstances, a most striking display of ‘‘cheek, and it had a strong element of comicality about it also. When, with an air of a veritable Bayard, Mr Fish in stentorian tones expressed his ‘virtuous indignation’at some of the proposals of the Government, the House fairly roared with laughter.”