POLITICAL GOSSIP.

Evening Star, Issue 10691, 2 August 1898, Page 2

POLITICAL GOSSIP.

[Fhom Our Parliamentary Reporter.]

WELLINGTON. Adoust 2. Native Legislation.

A large number of Natives from various parts of the North Island interviewed the Premier yesterday afternoon with reference to amendments suggested by them in the Native Lands Protection and Administration Bill, which embodies the proposals of the Government for dealing with the lands still remaining iu the possession of the Natives, and which it is intended they shall be prevented from disposing of. The Bill is one of forty-five clauses, and amendments were suggested in almost every clause. Generally speaking, Mr Soddon approved of the suggested amendments, and said that the Bill would be brought down shortly, when he proposed to refer it to the Native Affairs Committee. It provides for the establishment of boards, consisting of Native members, who are to have power to lease Native lands in a similar way that the waste lands of the Crown are now administered by the land boards of the colony.

Disposal of Sewage at Dnnedln. The refusal of the City Council to hold a conference with the Harbor Beard on the subject of the disposal of the Dunedin sewage in the harbor has brought matters to an acute stage, and the Government have now decided to appoint an arbitrator. The position is to be offered to Mr Napier Bell, and the Board's solicitor is to be requested to formulate a statement of the duties required (if the arbitrator. Mr Pinkerton has been watching the Board's interest in the matter. Police Changes. With respect to the statement published by some Southern newspapers that several police officers have already been, or are beiog, dispensed with by the Commissioner, I learn authoritatively that the only dismissals are Sergeant; Han nan (of the West Coast, who was requested to resign consequent on the disclosures made before the Police Commission) and a constable at Auckland (who was recently dismissed for beiog found drinking in a hotel while on street duty). As I mentioned on Saturday, it is currently reported that, acting on the recommendation of the Commissioner that officers of advanced age ought not to be continued in the service, the retirement of Inspector Emerson has been practically determined on by the Cabinet. Not Taking Any Barfttongn. Some wag iu the House yesterday Bet afoot a rumor to the effect that Mr Lirnach was a candidate for the post of British Resident at Raratbcgi. A3 the report seems to have been taken seriously in some quarters, and as it may therefore have been telegraphed South from Wellington, it is as well to say that the member for Tuapeka has no designs on Raratonga. The Mining Bill. The chairman of the Goldfiulda Committee (Mr informs me that there is evident feeling on the part of his Committee that the clause in Ihe Mining Bill which is so stronglv objected to by the Dunedin sharebrokers should be allowed to remain in the Bill. It has not yet been brought before the Committee for formal discussion, and they are not likely to reach the clause this week. I understand that the sbarebrck n are willing to accept a compromise prohibiting them from trafficking iu shares of any company for which they act as secretary, but even this compromise- does not appear to be quite acceptable to the Cummittee.