POLITICAL GOSSIP.

Evening Star, Issue 9833, 23 October 1895, Page 2

POLITICAL GOSSIP.

| [Fbom Qua R**hknta.] Wellington, Octobeb & The Works IMlfrikte*. It was 2.35 a.m. before the iaet VoMmi the Works, Estimates was passed. TBte only redaction made was in regard to the Pohangina forest mill and tram (£800), which, on the motion of Mr Pirani, member for the district, was reduced to £799. An Unwarrantable Statement. As soon as the House met yesterday after the dinner adjournment, the Treasurer said be desired to make a statement. If a lie, or a series of lies, were given twenty-four hours’ start it or they would not be overtaken. loan editorial in the ‘Post’ that evening there appeared a series of untruths eminently calculated to damage the interests of the Colony. The statement that the TfCatjury tfas in the Same difficulty this year as it was last year respecting-the £600,000 ! of interest payable in London during the present mouth was absolutely unfounded. All arrangements respecting the payment of interest had been made weeks ago, and there was no occasion for the least uneasiness respecting the colony’s financial condition.—(Hear, hear.) , He gave a positive and absolute denial to the statement that the Government had intended to collect the land tax In advance. The statementthat the Government bad hod recourse to the trust funds of the insurance and other departments was also absolutely untrue. On the contrary, there were large sums of money at the present moment in all the Government lending departments waiting investment. Nor had the Treasury used any of this money for the purposes of the State. The assertion that the Government intended to suspend further advances to settlers, in order that the balance of the million and a-half loan be at the Government’s disposal, was absolutely and wholly untrue. The moneys of the Advances to Settlers Office were for the purpose of making advances to settlers and that purpose alone, and there was no intention on the part of the Government to use them for . carrying on the government of the colony. There was a sum ranging from £BOO,OOO to £1,000,000 at present at the disposal of this department, which‘was in a special trust account. These statements, continued the Treasurer, were intended wholly and solely to damage the credit of the colony. The ‘Evening Post’ had been used by some members of the House who were hostile to the Government and the party in power, and they had sent communications to the paper in question in order to damage the Government. Unless contradicted, these statements would be injurious and ruinous to the country, and would prohibiy find their way 'into the London financial journals, to oe used by them to damage and to discredit the colony. He desired simply to say that, while the Government exercised every possible economy in conducting the finances of the colony, they had kept those finances in a strong and sound condition. He positively assured members that these statements, which had been put into the evening paper by no friend of the country, were absolutely and wholly untrue.—Captain Russell thought that the Treasurer had adopted a very improper line of conduct in implying that members of the House had communicated lies to the ‘Post.’ The Treasurer was undoubtedly right in standing up and defending the credit of the colony on every occasion, but he (Captain Bussell) was not sure that ho was wise in taking notice of what appeared in any newspaper.- If he did refer to newspapers he should not, directly or indirectly, accuse members of lying.— The Treasurer explained that the Leader of the Opposition had twisted his opening statements. He had not characterised these statements as lies, but as untruths, aud he did not, directly or indirectly, accuse members of lying. The episode then closed. The heads of the Government Insurance, the Public Trust, and the Advances to Settlers Departments, acting under the advice of the Treasurer, have severally written to the editor of the ‘ Post ’ demanding public retraction of the statement that the Treasury has scooped their funds, which statements writers deny absolutely, and say is calculated to injure departments. Unless their demand is complied with further proceedings probably will be taken. Old Soldiers’ Claims. A deputation of about a dozen members waited upon the Premier and Mr Cadman last evening in order to get from them, if possible, an assurance as to what the Government proposed doing early next session in respeot to the unsatisfied old soldiers’ claims. —Mr W. Kelly referred to the dissatisfaction felt in the Bay of Plenty electorate by those who had belonged to the Waikato regiment and had subsequently joined the volunteers. The land commissions had held that they could not get land for two purposes. This decision was held by those volunteers to be a grievance.— Major Harris pointed out that it was a great pity that those entitled to land grants should be kept out of them owing to the large number of bogus applications. The amount of these latter claims was so large as to frighten the Government.—The Hon. Mr Cadman intimated that of 1,900 claims scheduled at least 100 on investigation could not he substantiated. The Premier, in replying, said that the Government feared that the moment legislation was brought in dealing with this question every opportunity would he taken to widen its operations. The amount which the colony had already paid for this purpose was altogether out of proportion to the services rendered. When the last legislation was introduced it was never intended to have such a wide scope as to include those wh* had left good positions in the army to settle in the colony. Many of these persons, he knew, had come to the colony long before Native troubles had broken out. He pointed out that the Legislature had already opened up the question twice, and each time it had intended to finally deal with the matter. He asked, if it were again opened up, where would it stop ? He admitted that there were many cases of real hardship, and something ought to he done in respect to them. He however believed that, instead of opening up the whole question, it would be hotter to pick out the most pressing of the scheduled applications and deal with them. If the question were again opened" up, the Government would simply ho flooded with claims. —The Premier’s proposal M’as received with manifestations of approval, and the deputation* considered that it was the most satisfactory solution of the difficulty.—The Premier said, in conclusion, that the pressure of business had been so great during this session that it bad been quite impossible for the Government to consider this matter. He, however, hoped during the recess to have time to confer with Mr Cadman and see what could be done. He would at an early period next session inform the House what course the Government intended taking in this matter. The Banking Agreement. In a circular which the directors of the Colonial Bank are issuing a full explanation will be given to the shareholders of the terms of the agreement for the sale, and of the position in which the whole matter stands. According to the official.interpretation of the agreement it means an immediate refund to the shareholders of 13s 4d per share, a release from all liability, and the prospect of a further payment out of the reserved purchase money and the amount saved on the D accounts, which will not improbably bring the refund to the shareholders up to 30s per share. The shareholders will be invited to vote “yes ” or “no” on the question of confirming the sale. The Premier severely catechised the House this morning regarding the banking agreement. He said that a statement had been iqade that he bad been dealing in Colonial Bank shares. As a matter of fact, he has bad no bank shares for the past ten years. He is going to lay on the table the amounts of the various lists referred to in the banking agreement. He is also disposed to lay the share list of the Colonial Bank on the table of the House, ua account of the statement made at Masterton above referred to.

The debate will not be brought on to-day pending getting information that is needed. The Premier says he has the assurance of the colony’s officers with the Bank of New

: Rr’ timt tk» A* tioivfcto t»sß tegal advfetanpcwi Ui» nwMii r 1 tbf pombffier«o( hsou Ita put ttoough soother bank Bw atowt gnu* biranojiifi. , •>. The Premier teid the Row that he waa itstUfied that the agreement weald increase the earning power of the Bulk of New Zealand, and Was ita the interest® of the ooksy, ne WtM tf kttl IMstwK ®ie Miniater of Lands is tmniiifl i|ii||iii|rt> made concerning other property-owners woo* are stated by Sir &Stont tobein tte sane position as Mr John Ccdrin, Stod if necessary an amendment myisg. them sirsib* relief will be made in the Poblic Reserves Vesting* and Sale Amendment Bill when that measure is before the Conned. Not likely t*itna The Conference on the Liquor Bill* after sitting for an hour, adjourned- till twoo’clock, bat there seems little likelihood. 06 a compromise being arranged.

The liqnor Conference. A settlement was practically arrived aft by the Liqnor Bill Conference, when Mr W. Hutchison refused to sign it, on thegroofidi that the nutter had not been sufficiently, discussed. The probabilities are that the present Conference will prove ineftective P and that a further conference wHi'be asked! for.

Aidlsg£estnl Booth. As a result of General Sooth’s conference with Ministers recently, the Minister of Lands is going to move a new donee to his Land Act Amendment Bill providing that* for the purpose of encouragingthe establishment of “ industrial rescue and reformatory homes,” any society of persons desirons of establishing' such homes may be granted by the Minister the exclusive right to select inf' lease for twenty-one yean, with perpetnal right of renewal, at a rental of 5 per centon the capital value, under snob condition* as the Minister may decide, an area not exceeding 100 acres.

Dunedin Loam* C*iTcnl«B. When the Conference on the Dnnedio Loans Consolidation Bill assembled this afternoon, Mr Stewart proposed that tfaei balance of the sinking fond set free alter providing for the extinction of the ovssdridk and the cost 0! conversion should be lb* nucleus of a new sinking fond. This-thu House managers agreed to* accept, bat Mr Stewart said he must first see if it would be satisfactory to the Mayor of Dunedin ;so a farther adjournment was agreed Mt

Another Conference. The amendments made by the Council in the Teachers’ Court of Appeal BUI have been disagreed with, and Messrs Meredith, Joyce, Green, and the Minister of Education p have been appointed managers on beh&ll of the House.

Agricultural Statistics. The Agricultural, Pastoral, and Statistics'Bill was put through its final stages, withan amendment providing that statistical > returns should be handed in to the deport* nient not later than February 1 in eactu year. The Rights of the Crown Land Act Amendment Bill was considevscf , in committee. No check was received tlk at clause 7, providing that in selling Crown lands all metals, minerals, oils, gases, gravel, limestone, and valuable stones of any description shall be reserved for the Crown. —Sir R. Stout strongly objected to tbU, a» practically it would mean that a man only owned the mere surface of the land he ban acquired, and in many cases am even that* —Mr Buchanan and Mr Allen endorsed ttys, but the Minister said it was most important that the Crown should be able to eaerdae itn rights to gravel for roads and to bsulding stone where needed.

A Libel Action Threatened. I learn that the Treasurer has instructed 1 the head of one of the financial departments to demand from a Southern paper a retraction of statements made concerning the conduct of the finances of the department, and intimating that, failing refraction, proceedings for libel will be taken.