POLITICAL GOSSIP.

Evening Star, Issue 11658, 19 September 1901, Page 3

POLITICAL GOSSIP.

[From Our Parua.mt.ntart Reporter.] WELLINGTON, September 19. CIGARETTE SMOKING BY YOUTHS. The adjourned debate on the second reading of the' Hon. Colonel Pitt’s Cigarette Smokilig by Youths Prohibition Bill was continued in tho Legislative Council yesterday afternoon. —Tho Hon. C G. Bowen was of’ opinion that administration could do more than legislation, and that power shoiikl be given to schoolmasters on the linesrof tho authority effectively wielded bypublic schoolmasters in his day at Home. —'Tim Hons. G. Jones, C. 0. Louisson, and L. Walker supported the second reading, which was carried on tho voice*. LEGALISED LOTTERIES. Now that “ consultations ” are to bo abolished by the Commonwealth Parliament, the Hon. R. Reeves considers that the time is opportune for legalising them in this colony. Accordingly he yesterday moved in the Legislative Council the second reading of his Gaming and Lotteries Act, 1881, Amendment Bill, which provides for' the legalising of certain lotteries or sweepstakes by license from the Colonial Secretary, subject to regulations, the license fee of £25 and stamp fees to be applied to purposes of public charity or utility. He slated that he anticipated opposition from highly-strung moral people. In France they had an institution similar to that which this Bill proposed to create, and considerable revenue was derived from it —The Bill was oppo-ed by the Minister of Education. Messrs George Jones, Louisson, and Bowen, and was supported by Messrs M’Lean and Colonel Pitt. -—On a division the second reading was refused by 17 votes lo 13, and the Bill was thus shelved. A VALIDATING MEASURE. Quite a lengthy discussion with regard to the Arbitration Court and Conciliation Board sprang up over tho Bill introduced in tho House yesterday afternoon lo validate the. appointment of Mr Justice Cooper as President of the Arbitration Court. —It was explained by the Premier that when Mr Cooper was called to the Supreme Court Bench his appointment in connection with tho Arbitration Court was, by some oversight, not gazetted. It was proposed to now remedy the defect, and lo pass the Bi.l through all stages as a matter of urgency.—Mr Hutcheson took exception to tho President being granted two guineas per diem by way of fees, and ho and others urged that tho fees for the position ought to be fixed by statute. —Mr James Allen called attention to what he considered an irregularity. Mr R. Ferguson, a member of the Otago and Southland Board of Conciliation, was also secretary to one of the Labor unions (the Millers’ Union). It might be possible for him to he a Judge and aiso connected with one of the parlies in dispute Iteforc the Board.—Mr J. A. Millar explained that Mr Ferguson was a, retired bootmaker, living at the North-east Valley, and drawing £25 as corresponding secretary for the mill workers. He had sat on the Otago Board for five years, and had done nothing unfair towards the employers. Moreover, there bad been three employers of labor sitting on the Board at Dunedin, and surely they had more pecuniary and direct interest in disputes connected" with their trade than had a servant of one of the unions drawing small pay.—Mr Pirani objected to Mr Cooper getting fees ns President of the Arbitration Court, because while discharging that position he was relieved of greater responsibility as a Judge of the Supreme Court. More pay for less wmk seemed to be the principle of the Government.—The Premier interjected that the question of fees would have to be dealt with in amending the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act —Mr T. Mackenzie characterised the failure to gazette Justice Cooper's appointment to the Arbitration Court as an extraordinary bungle, and said that it might have been fraught with serious consequences had it not been discovered while Parliament was in session. He protested against a Judge, because he happened to be President of the Arbitration Court, being more highly paid than tho Chief Justice. The Premier, in replv, defended paying the President for services he might render. If ho sat on tho Arbitration Court during tho vacation while his brother Judges were resting, why should he not receive an allowance of two guineas per day? He admitted that the Judges were underpaid, but this was not the time for dealing with that question. Under the Act fees could not be paid, but the President must be paid by way of allowance, and this was fixed by statute at two guineas per day for the extra duties allotted to him. He took the whole responsibility for tho oversight in gazetting the appointment.—Thu Bill was verbally amended in committee, and put through all its stages. It was .sub equently passed through all its stages in the Council, as a matter of urgency. SCHOOL ATTENDANCE. Private members’ legislation had an innings in the House last evening. A start was made wi Mr Pirani’s School Attendance (No. 2) Bill. On danse 4 being reached, the member for Palmerston moved to reduce the limit which entitles a child to exemption when it cannot convenient!- reach the nearest school by railway or conveyance from four to three miles.—Mr R. Thompson moved that a distance of two miles should suffice, and explained that he was speaking on behalf of children living in tho remote hack, blocks.—The amendment was refused by 29 votes to 11, and three miles agreed to. The compulsory school age was reduced from fifteen to fourteen. Clauses 11 and 12 (dealing with tho compnlsoiy attendance of native children) were struck out, and a new clause inserted riving the Governor power from time to rime to make regulations to meet their case. Mr Pirani moved the following new clause;—“No chi'd s all attend a pnblic school under the control of an education board in any district in which his parents or guardians reside unless the chairman of Inc school committee or the head teacher of a school in the district in which his parents or guardians reside has given a certificate under ms hand consenting to such attendance - wa - s objected to by members representing centres, and after debate it was withdrawn. .■A by Mr Meredith (providing that the truant inspectors under the provisions of this Act shall include members of the police force) was rejected by 31 to 14. Mr Barclay moved a new clause as follows : —•“ Any person convicted of an offence under this Act may be oruered to pav the costs of the proceedings (truancv).”i_T), e proposal was promptly rejected " on the voices. Consequential amendments were marie in tho schedule, and the Bill was reported. THIRD READINGS. The Statutes Compilation Bill (Major Steward) and Miners’ Rights Fee Reduction Bill (Mr R. M Kenzie) were read a third tune without debate, and passed their final The amendments made in the Rabbits Nuisance Act Amendment Bill (Air Hogg) were agreed to, and the Bill was read a third time. SHOPS AND SHOP ASSISTANTS. On the morion for the consideration of the report on the Shops and Shop Assistants Af Ct Amendment Bill (Mr Barclay), •u I 1 ?” 1 ~' oved tlwt the Bill be recommitted for the consideration of a new danse, which was agreed to.—ln committee Mr Barclay moved a new clause to the effect □at all chemist shops may he opened for ° I ? edicine and surgical appliantes between 7 and 9 o’clock p.m.-The amefl T*® a § reed to ’ the BiU reported as stages ’ and passed through its final EIGHT HOURS BILL. f«3htp H ° US0 -j W ® n *' into comrr| ittee for tho farther consideration of this Bill—Mr Hornsby said the Bill would be prejudicial to persons engaged in the dairy industry S 0 B th r i fOr V?° Vedthat tlle Chairman leave the chmr.—-This was carried In- 21 to 18 1 and the Bill is therefore killed "for'the sS CYCLE BOARDS. In committee on this Bill a discussion occurred on the c.auscs which conferred tax mg powers on tho boards, and it was miv BdWh iI 'T Sf ' V ' Uld othf ' rs that tho Bill should havp been introduced as a Go —•“ment measure. Mr U. W. Russell

moved'that the. Chairman report progress, objecting to the Bill on the ground that it would give too much power to the metropolitan boards.—The Minister of Railways said that some time ago, when he proposed to introduce a Bill of this character, it was found that ir. the four principal centres there were more cyclists than ratepayers. There might be provisions in the Bill which would require to be modified, but the proposal was in the right direction, and he hoped the hon. gentlemau (Mr Fowlds) would receive the support of the Committee. —Mr Napier thought the general feeling of members was in favor of the Bill. If it were deemed advisable to constitute small districts it could be done in dealing with the schedule. Mr Fowlds being willing to amend the Bill in the direction of allowing the smaller districts to “ contract out ” i.e., withdraw from tho cycle district—he was convinced that the Bill would be beneficial to the country districts. Mr R. Thompson contended that the country distr.cts should have a voice on the question before the Bill became law. He wou.d approve of boards being set up in the chief districts, leaving it optional with the smaller ones to come mat a later date.—Mr Fowlds was Milling to make the concession that where a small local body so decided they shoiud be permitted to withdraw from the operations of tho Bill.—The motion to report progress was carried alter a prolonged debate by 16 to 15. The Bill will bo recommitted on Wednesday. The House rose at 12.15. THE AUDITOR-GENERAL INTERPOSES. , Bhc and Treasury Departments are again in conflict. Yesterday the ActingSpeaker read to tho House a communication Irotn the Auditor-General, who stated that in accordance with section 9 of the Public Revenues Act ho forwarded for the information of tho House a copy of the correspondence relating to a difference of opinion between the Audit Office and the Treasury respecting certain payments under the Old Age Pensions Act.—The Premier, in moving that the correspondence be referred to the Public Accounts Committee, said thiil the sum of money involved was a mere trifle, but it was a question of law involving the power of tho. Treasurer to extend the time for payment of old age pensions beyond the month allowed by the Act. He had authorised the payment of certain overdue pension instalments, and the Auditor-General had challenged the payment, hut he (Mr Seddon) was supported by the Solicitor-Genera], If he did not have power to make these payments it meant that, some of the recipients of pensions would have to go without some of their instalments.—The matter was referred to the Public Accounts Committee for consideration and report. JOTTINGS. I, A layman who is pernickety.” Tho Premier on the Auditor-General." The Premier says that the only step nowrequired to give effect to the Shorthand Reporters Act of last session is the appointment of examiners to examine candidates. The Government decline to alter the Workers’ Compensation £pr Accidents Act so us to exclude racing clubs from the provisions of the statute. Mr O’Meara wished this done, us insurance offices decline to insure trainers and jockeys on race days against loss. •‘•The man who puts his pound on the totaiisator is up to the average—intellectually, physically, and morally.”—Hon. C. C. Louisson. " Without men have ideas they are only one remove from barbarians.” —Hon. George Jones, The Physical Drill in Public and Native Schools Bill has passed its final stages in the Council, and the amendments made in it there have been agreed to by the House, where it was first introduced by Mr Guinness. An amendment of the Military Pensions Act is to be introduced this session. So tho Defence Minister informed the member for Bruce yesterday. The Hon. George- Jones says it is no argument for the value of the totaiisator to say that it is a lesser evil than the bookmaker. The latter would have been put down if there had been an honest attempt to snuff him out. " There is not a. woman or child who does not almost beggar herself to put money in tho public lottery.” ll’ho. Hon, C. C. Bowen. The Premier is not favorably disposed towards Mr Pirani’s suggestion that a colonial officer should bo appointed Commandant of the Forces.