POLITICAL GOSSIP.

Evening Star, Issue 8615, 8 September 1891, Page 4

POLITICAL GOSSIP.

[From Oor Parliamentary Reporter,] WELLINGTON, September 8. The Public Trust Office. One of the measures whioh had been mentioned as among the “ slaughtered innocents ” has come to life, and passed its second reading in the House on the understanding that it goes before the Public Accounts Committee. This is the Public Trust Office Act Amendment Bill, which provides that the Public Trustee, instead of being a patent officer as heretofore, shall simply hold office during pleasure, on the same footing as any ordinary Civil servant. Other provisions to facilitate the working of the department are that all moneys in the Public Trustee’s account should form one common fund, and that the rate of interest payable by the office should be 5 per cent, up to L 3,000 and 4 per cent, on anything exceeding that sum. Old Soldiers’ Claims. The measure provided for dealing with old soldiers’ claims gave rise to an animated discussion in the House yesterday afternoon. Amongst its new features are provisions that the claims of persona who were debarred by injuries from completing their term of service should be recognised; that the widows and children of old soldiers and volunteers should bo entitled to the benefit of the Bill, which is iu the form of remission certificates for the purchase of land ; and that new claims must reach tho Crown Lands Commissioners before 31st March, 1892 ; while those already substantiated are provided for iu the schedule. Conditions have been attached that remission certificates ('and scrip) can only bo exercised upon land sob apart for that purpose in each district ; and that the Crown grants shall not be issued uuless tho claimant within five years improved ore fifth of the land ; otherwise the land shall be forfeited. Strong objection was raised by a number of members to the restrictions imposed upon the grantees under the Bill, and there was an almost unanimous chorus of dissent against the imposition of the improvement conditions. Exception was also taken to the grantees having to settle upon so small an area as thirty acres of land, which was the grant in most cases ; and also that many of the old soldiers were debarred by infirmity, age, or occupation from settling on the land j other grantees, again, being widows and children. The Defence Minister assured the House that the Government wished to do justice to those who had fought for the colony, but they must also remember the interests of the colony in general. When the military grant system was iuaugurated settlement conditions were inoperative, and the grantees were requited to settle on the frontier. If the scrip were given without restriction there were those who would buy them up wholesale for a more song, and laud so obtained would be applied to the aggregation of large estates. He was willing to make properly guarded concessions to those who were unable to occupy their land, and he asked members to assist him in making amendments which would give each old soldier the best value for his scrip. He would also agree to an alteratiou which would admit the IBth Royal Irish, whose claims were shut out now only by a few months in the date of the original Bill. The Government were anxious to do justice, and they would do it to the best of their ability. The Mines Hill. The Goldfields Committee of the Legislative Council propose a number of amendments in tho Mining Bills. The tribute clause is altered in language, bat not in effect. The minimum age at whioh boys may bo employed iu cr about a mine is amended from twelve to thirteen. The eight hours clause and the provision for the limitation of tho hours and fixture of holidays' as regards tho men employed about machinery are struck out. The Municipal Corporations Amendment Hill, which gives effect to the most argent of the resolutions passed by the late Municipal Conference, passed its second reading in the House yesterday afternoon. Strong objection was taken by Mr Fish to tho provision which exempts schools and charitable institutions from borough rates; while Mr Buckhud objected to the proposal that 1 per cent, of tho general rate up to LSO can be applied to purpo es not no w authorised by law, as ho feared that the effect would be that the money would be spent on tho ban quoting of strangers. In replying to the various speeches made, tho Premier stated that the present law practically prohibited special borrowing altogether. Ho argued that a majority of two-thirds of those voting was uu ample indication of the wishes of the ratepayers. iu;d that it simply made allowance for a bwnfce ratepayers, those who were dead, and others who were too slothful to come to the poll. The Public Trust Department. It was announced in the House by the Premier yesterday that the Government intend to make good any losses sustained through the Pubic Trust Office on accruut of improper investments. They believed that the total amount of the losses on mortgages would not exceed L 5.000, and that this could be made good out of the profits of the office. Considering the publicity which had been given to tho state of the office, the Government fait bound to make such a provision. Tina, together with the provision for a State guarantee fuud, would, they believed, inspire confidence in the office and put it into a more stable position than it was ever in before. In this connection the Premier observed that though there was a general impression that the Public Trust Department was guaranteed by the State, and, though the advertisements of the office said so, there had actually been no such guarantee hitherto. In the discussion ou the Bill, which was before the House yesterday, Mr Fisher ascertained from the Premier that there was always to be a deputy-trustee In future. He went on to express the opinion that the Bill amounted to a tardy admisiion of the wrong clone to Mr Hamerton, the late Trustee. Had it been introduced two or three years ago, as it might have been but for the negligence of the then Government, the office would not have drifted into the state of inefficiency which was lately shown. It was to Mr Hamerton’s credit that ho himself had asked years ago that some such Bill should be introduced so as to ensure the efficiency of the office. He considered it due to the memory of one who had been very badly Biased and misused that this fact should be put on record. The correspondence presented to the House yesterday showed that as long ago as 1884 Mr Hamerton had suggested to the then Colonial Treasurer that a deputytrustee and assistant trustee should be appointed, who, with the Public Trustee, should constitute the board to attend to all routine work, and indeed all other work of the office, other than investments, which should be controlled by a board of seven, to be appointed by tho Governor-in Council, and should include the members of the minor branch. Dr Pollen’s Claim. The report of the Public Accounts Committee on the petition in regard to Dr Pollen’s retiring allowance was read in the House on Friday afternoon. It recommended that Dr Pollen get LI ,389, based on his services from the 3rd July, 1873, to the 30th October, 1876 ; and that the report be referred to the Government for their consideration.—Mr Tanner protested against the payment, and said he would take every opportunity of placing the bare facts of the case before the taxpayers, —Mr Marsden Thompson hoped that the Government would treat the report of the Committee with the contempt it deserved. —(Cries of “ Oh !”) Well, he would say he hoped that the Government would treat the report with the contempt it deserved.— Mr Speaker: The hon. gentleman will understand that no committee of the House or its reports can be spoken of in such terms. —Mr Kelly (Invercargill) objected to the colony being made a milk cow for all and sundry. The extravagance witnessed this session was such that if the electors knew it they would sweep members, one and all, out of the place. He moved, as an amendment

“That the petition be referred back to the Committee for further consideration. — Mr Hogg was astonished that such a proposal should have emanated from the Committee. Dr Pollen was one of the principal pensioners of the colony,—The Committee’s report was defended by Mr W. Kelly (East Coast) and Sir John Hall, who stated that the report < was a unanimous one, with the exception of the chairman. The Premier thought it useless to refer the report back to the Committee, and suggested the matter should left in the hands of the Government.—Mr Saunders urged that Dr Pollen, by vacating office, and becoming Premier of the colony, was not entitled to reckon his services as continuous. —Mr M'Guire thought that, seeing that Dr Pollen already received a pension of L4lB a year, besides LIOO as a member of the other Chamber, he was being very well paid. The amendment to refer the matter to the Committee for further consideration was carried,