POLITICAL GOSSIP.

Evening Star, Issue 11626, 10 July 1902, Page 4

POLITICAL GOSSIP.

PTSOJtt OVB PABM&aCBHTAHt Repoetee.] WELLINGTON, July 10. A' NEW DEPARTURE. The new method adopted by the Legislative Cornual o| "electing its Chainnan of Committees by ballot has put an end to the more or less acrimonious debates, in which the “ Lords ” have indulged on this occasion in recent years. Yesterday, when -the election was called on, the galleries were cleared and the doors remained locked for considerably over an hour, while within balloting proceeded slowly. It started off with five candidates, and after each ballot the lowest on the list dropped out each time. The Hons. Messrs W. C. Smith (Hawke’s Bay) and J. Rigg (Wellington) were at the top of the«fet, and the final ballot resulted in the former securing eighteen votes and the latter sixteen, while one informal vote was cast. At 5.5 p.m. the Council resumed, and the Speaker announced that Mr Smith had been elected Chairman of Committees in accordance with the Standing Orders. Mr Smith thereupon expressed, his sincere thanks for the honor Conferred upon him, and hoped by the strictest impartiality and the utmost courtesy to satisfactorily fill the office. Following one who had held the position for so inany years, he would no doubt have to ask the indulgence of the Council. Mr Smith also expressed the opinion that the position of Cha mtan of Committees should be a rolling one.—The Hon. Captain Baillie, who has held the position for many years, thanked the Council for honoring • 110 J?* allowing him to remain so long in office.—-The Hon J. Rigg expressed the gratification he felt at see ng so many members of the Council who deemed him fit to hold the responsible position of Chainnan of Committees.—The Hon, W. C. Smith hoc had considerable parliamentary expertence, having been fifteen sessions in the Lower House, which he entered in 1881, and seven sessions in the Legislative Conned- From 1891 to 1894 he was the late Hon. . John Ballnnce’s Whip in the House of Representatives.

EMIGRATION TO SOUTH AFRICA. Mr Witheford is much exercised over a report which appeared in a recent issue of a newspaper published in Pretoria. The report represented the Premier {Mr Seddon) making, a speech, m the course of which he said South Africa would need the aid from New Zealand in developing the resources of the country, and that the Government of the colony would be willrender s;d. Commenting upon this, the London ‘Times’ throws doubt on the ability of the colony to assist South Africa by sending over many settlers drawn from its own population. The member for Auckland City strongly resents Mr Seddon’s remarks, and condemns the Premiers lack of discretion in disseminating the idea that New Zealand, having made severe sacrifices of men and money in the cause of the Empire, should now think of reducing our own population by emigration to a country in which the conditions of life are less favorable than here. Another point upon which Mr Witheford lays much stress is the improper conduct of Mr Seddon in making such a statement without consulting his colleagues in the Cabinet and the public generally. He has tabled a notice of a question on the subject, which appears in Jottings” elsewhere. QUESTIONS. In answer to questions pnt hr members whose names are appended Ministers stated yesterday that the demands made bv public bodies are so large that Government sce their way to increase from £2,000 to £IO,OOO the amount now lent to boroughs in aid of works (Major Steward); that the Government do not feel justified m granting railway excursion rates to dairy hands and farmers daring the winter months (Mr M'Gnire); that the Government are do ne their utmost to provide coal trucks for the conveyance of coal from mines to markets (Mr Lawrv); that the Railway Department cannot introduce weekly market tickets at reduced rates, so settlers greater- faefiities for visiting their market town, as such astep would lead to numerous demands from all parte-of the colony (Mr Flatinan) - that the contract with the Bine Star L'n» Provide their steamers calling at S^w^? lwa P ° rts tako cargo for South African ports, provided thev could Sir P*"? 1 “ New Zealand sre noi' r I the Government are not disposed 1 lo have a ballot taken br the permanent and casual railway emploves «■ to whether thev will come under provisions of the Conciliation and Arbitrition Act ,Mr Gnmness); that the Railway Department cannot reduce the erist£t™ r ? gbf + w fO N CTltirß , horSes Major Rtewnro); that- it was the intention of the Government to introduce a this sessmn proriding for the direct election bv dittnct electnrs of members of hospital and charitable aid hoards (Mr EH). 1 a PERSONAL. The animal report of the PostmasterGeneral reoently presented to the House has tins paragraph The death of Mr George Eliot Eholt, who was the first secertary 0 f the Post Office when the departmentwas separated from the Colonial Sec l^ 8 ia 1862. took place on the 17th September last year, at the ripe age of eighty-four. Mr Eliott retired on pension aa far back as 1872, hut notwithstanding his advanced age at the time of his death he had continued to take a keen interest developments of the post office. Sir Eliott had charge of the during the busy period after the discovery of gold m Otago, and successfully pioneered it through the comparatively short but stirring times which saw tho Maori War in the North, and the transfer of the seat of Government from Auckland to Wellington. It may be mentioned that at the time of Mr Eliott’s retirement the department dealt with less than six and a-half million articles, and at the time of his death over ninety-one and a-half million were handled.” A STATE BANK. Another meeting of members of both Houses interested in a State Bank was ho’d this morning; present—Hons. T. Kelly (chairman), W. M. Bolt, and B. Hams, Messrs Ell, G. J. Smith. Meredith, Flatman, E. G. Allen, Barclay Laurcnson, and Major Steward.. Applocies were received from Messrs O’Meara, Fowlda, and Millar, ".he sub-committee reported the result of the interview with the Acting-Premier, and the chairman (Hon. Mr Bolt) and Messrs Ell, Laurenson, and Millar were appointed a sub-committee to draft a motion to be im.-ed in both branches of the Legislature asking that a special joint committee of be it Houses be set up for the purpose of inquiring as to the desirableness or otherwise .of establishing a State Bank. Mr Millar will take charge of the motion in the Lower Houre, and it is to be moved without debate. JOTTINGS. Replying to Mr Barclay, who urged that the marriage fees were excessive, the Act-ing-Premier said that people who could not afford to pay £2 2s 6d for the ceremony should not many at all. Mr E. M- Smith (of Taranaki ironsand fame) suggests that tie Imperial Government should be invited to accept a Coronation sword made from Now Zealand magnetic titanic steel. The Government are to be asked by Major Steward to restore electoral rights to members of contingents who have been struck of the rolls by their absence from tho colony while in South Africa. A further trial ia to be made by the Railway Department with the invention now iu use on the South-western and other British lipea for preventing the emission of sparks from railway locomotives. Mr Camcross has reintroduced his Libel Bill. -wThe Anting-Minister of Defence says the reason why some returned men of our contingents have not been paid is that their pay sheets have not been received from the War Office. “ I would no tbave spoken but for the remarks of the bon. gentleman.”—A favorite expression with members who appear to be afraid of taking the floor without apology, Mr Witheford wants to know whether the Government are aware of the fact that Mr Seddon is encouraging emigration to South Africa through bis published speech, apparently overlooking New Zealand's in-

'forests," and will they cable tobiny rwaLM. ing him that ’ New Zealand is a favorably country for settlement by the English-speak-ing race, and that this colony has no desire to lose her population to settle in South Africa, the condition of life being more favorable in this Colony? Complaint was made in the House last evening by Mr T. Mackenzie that the Dunedin Licensing Committee had held over for three, months therfinewals of certain licensed houses, instead of refusing the same. He says if Prohibition iscarried in some of the electorates the Committees will be largely to blame for the result. A contract has been accepted by the Public Works Department for a new Deal and Dumb Institute at Simmer, Christchurch. The tender was accepted on June 23, and is for £11,3001 - Mr R, 6. Allen is inviting the Government to have a Bill prepared providing for "a superannuation-scheme for me public school teachers of the colony, rad barest circulated during tie recess. “ There is no Minister whose action 1 have admired more than that of the Minister of Justice.”—Candid admission by Mr Pirani, which was received with a chorus of approval. The Canterbury branch of the Ancient Order of Foresters has written to the Act-ing-Premier regretting the loss that the' colony has sustained by the death of the lato Registrar of Friendly Societies. Hie Cabinet w.ll probably appoint a successor to the late Mr Mason in a few days. At the instance of Mr Guinness, who interviewed the head of the Tourist Department with regard to some large limestone caves at Barrytown, 20 miles north of Greymouth, and also as to the desirability of opening up the Hanpiri hot springs, Mr Donne has agreed to send Mr Moorhouse, an officer of his department, to the localities mentioned to report on the matter. The Acting-Premier has been advised that Mr J. Bayne, formerly director of Lincoln. College, Christchurch, has received an appointment as director of Palatine County College, Illinois, at a salary of £I,OOO. fit will be remembered that our Loudon corresgmdent last week announced that Mr ayno had been appointed Principal of Agriculture at the Lancashire Technical College at a salary of £550 a year. Possibly seme confu-jon has arisen in consequence.] Mr Jackson-Palmer has been re-elected Chairman of Mines and Mr Fowlda Chairman of the Petitions Classification Committee. The Absolute Majority Bill of Mr M'Nab is the first Order for to-day. In tho House to-day Mr Arnold gave notice to ask the Government to increase the pay of attendants at lunatic asylums throughout the colony; also to put a stop to the long hours of employes, in same. Air T. Mackenzie wants to know whether provision will be made in the Supplementary Estimates for increasing tho school capitation to £4 2s fid.

The Acting-Premier gave notice of th# introduction of an Electoral Bill.