POLITICAL GOSSIP.

Evening Star, Issue 11673, 3 September 1902, Page 3

POLITICAL GOSSIP.

[l’r.oit Ock Pamiaxektaet Reporter.] WELLINGTON, September 3. TH,E LICENSING POLL. The. Acting-Premier was asked by Mr Arnold yesterday afternoon if it wag intended session to introduce a measure providing for a recount of the votes in connection with the licensing poll, and making duties of returning officers sufficiently plain.—The Acting-Premier replied that it was not proposed to legislate on the matter, but specific instructions were being Prepared, and would be sent to returning officers in all parts of the colony, lie had no doubt that they would carry them out so as to prevent any misunderstanding in the future such as had occurred in the past. A BURNING QUESTION at the General Election, says Mr Field, will be whether the Government should or should not give settlers the right to acouire the freehold of their sections, and lie wanted to know yesterday whether the Government would give members an opportunity this session of discussing the matter. —The Minister of Lands replied- that the Land Bill would be down, he expected, before the end of the week, when members would have an opportunity of discussing the whole subject. DIRECT STEAM SERVICE.

The attention of the Acting-Premier was drawn _ bv Mr G. J. Smith in the House yesterday to statements published in the newspapers that fresh tenders for a direct steam service to South Africa had been called in the Home papers, and he wanted to know if the Government intended to also have tenders called in New Zealand. —The Acting-Premier replied (hat on Saturday the- Agent-General cabled advising that tenders were being called, to close on September 4. He (Sir Joseph Ward) considered that the time was too short, and also that tenders should be called in the colony.—(Hoar, hear.) He did not know what was tue cause of the advertisement appearing ;n the Home papers. He did know that some trouble arose in connection with the former tenderer (Mr Sleigh), and that the original date of cancelling the agreement with him was for some reason extended from August 1 to August 26, and that- them it was not taken up. What the cause of the trouble was he did not niiow. but he was satisfied that the tenders should bo advertised in New Zealand, and a fortnight given for sending them in. He had been in communication with the Agent-General, telling him that September 4 was too short, that it ought to bo extended for fourteen days, and that tenders suo’Jld be advertised in the colony. He did not know the conditions that were being advertised at Home, but be would ascertain them, and advertise for tenders under similar conditions in the colony. COMMISSIONER TUNBRIDGE AND THE GOVERNMENT. The Minister of Justice was asked by Mr Fisher yesterday afternoon whether" the Government proposed to retain the services of Mr Tunbridge when his present term of engagement- expires. It was said Mr Fisher stated, in the papers that Mr 1 unbridge had applied fnr positions in New South Wales, Victoria, and Ceylon. Inat indicated a state of unrest, besides which the Vigilance Committee of Nelson put on tne cover of a certain pamphlet the statement “Commissioner v. the Government.” which went to show that a serious difference bad arisen between the CommLs--2i° ne lj °t Police and the Government.— ihe Munster said there were no particular terms of. engagement. The Government could dispense with the services of Mr Tunbridge or Air Tunbridge could leave the service of the colony by giving three montns notice As to the publication bv the Vigilance Committee, that matter wals XT^ r u oie a ' :ummittec of the House, and Air a tfficr, as an old parliamentarian, omffit to know ta.it such matters should not°be brougnt in tho form of a question

SECOND-HAND DEALERS. The Upper House was occupied largelv yesterday witn the Second-hand Dealers Dill. In committee a proviso requiring that each applicant for a license should be recommended by three householders was struck out. and the license fee was reduced m>m J.Us to ss. A new clause was inserted providing that a court mav order goods unlawfully sold or exchanged to be delivered to owner either with or without compensation to the person to whom the .roods were unlawfully sold. A good deal of opposition was exhibited to a'Ministerial proposalgiving power to the Minister of Justice by warrant to exempt from the provisions relating to licenses any person or class ot persons to whom the' Minister is satisfied such provisions should not apply. Ultimately the Minister agreed to report progress to enable him to consult the Minister of Justice, and that course was adopted BILLS PASSED,

The Habeas Corpus Extension Act passed the Council, and was sent on to tho House and the Local Bodies’ Indemnity Bill ww finally passed. In the House’of Representatives yesterday afternoon tho Railways superannuation Bill was passed with an amendment by which a contributor to the fund who is dismissed for misconduct becomes disentitled to any refund of the. whole amount contributed by him. STATE COAL MINES.

vr- At session the State Coal - vines Bill, winch authorised an expenditure ol £lo0;000 to give effect to the State Coal M-rn-s Bill of last session, was further debated.--The Minister of Mines promised to snorait items of expenditure authorised in the Bill m the Estimates until the expirv oi the time named in the Bill. The Bill was eventually reported from the. Committee.

MINES ACT AMENDMENT BILL. Nearly the whole of the evening up to the supper adjournment was taken up with a discussion of the Committee’s report- cn the Aiming Act Amendment Bill No. 1 The donate was somewhat warm in reference lo the leasing ,u the Parapara. lands, which it was asserted, was specially designed in the interests or certain parties who were floatdl Wf!' OU i° n a com P ;i . n y to our iron deposits. It was urged in- several speakers that some provision should be made to bind the company leasing the land to prosecute work m real earnest-The Minister of Mines smel the. Mines Report of 1900 showed that the Government were prepared to faYorahty consider a proposal on the lines of the Bill with the object of assisting the. colonys mineral resources. He had talked with Mr Cadman on the subject, and he read to the House correspondence between himself and Mr Cadman, which, he claimed, showed there had been nothing improper on the part of the Government. If the Bill were passed the Government would be in a position to deal with any company who were prepared to fulfil the conditions—lL" third reading was carried by 4 6 to 7. LABOR CONDITIONS OF THE COLONY. Mr Monk asked the Acting-Premier to ad V S3 ta £ Ag en i>Geueriil to refrain from it.dcmg official statements on the labor conditions oi this colony as affected by the v.-oruing of the Industrial and Conciliation Act. ter Joseph, in reply, said it wa.s the duty of the Agent-General to see that no misrepresentation of the colony's affairs took p.ace m London, and this was what had happened m the present case. Splendid work had been done, by the Arbitration Act, and it would be a great misfortune if it broke down, and we hud to return to the THE AUSTRALIAN EXODUS The Acting-Premier informed Mr VTitlvford that it is not the intention of the Government to legislate to restrict unemployed from Australia coming into New Zealand without means. Fluctuations in the labor market were sure to take place in ail parts of the world, and it would be a very improper thing to bar British subjects who had met with misfortune elsewhere. Undesirable immigrants would be liable to be dealt with under the same laws and penalties as those now within the colony. MAORI REPRESENTATION. Mr Wi Pere yesterday afternoon asked the Government whether, as the number of European members of thd House had been recently increased, they would consider the advisability of creating another Maori, seat for the North Island.—The Acting-Premier jaid if Maori representation, were.stcctly: pn

a population basis either tho Middle Island would have no member or the Northern natives would have their boundary extended to include part of the South Island, and ho did not think this would be agreeable to the Northern natives. EDUCATIONAL ITEMS. The Government will insist upon sanitary requirements being provided in all public schools constructed in the future. Some few cases where insanitary conditions exist are at present receiving the attention of the Health Department.—The statutory payments to boards of education this year will total £66,000, against £62,000, the average for three years paid.—The necessity of increasing the amount available for new schools has been discussed by the Government, but it has not been decided whether they can make any increase this year. The Minister, however, hopes it may be found possible to do so. HOME FOR INCURABLES. Inquiry has been made by Government as to the possibility of acquiring a hospital for incurables, but* the Hon. Mr Mills says for the present year the Government will have to rely upon the hospitals. No doubt next year sufficient funds will be provided by the House to establish, a home for incurables in each island. THE PACIFIC CABLE. V it.h reference to the Pacific cable the Acting-Premier stated in the House yesterday afternoon that the colony had to bear one-ninth of the cost of construction and one-ninth of any deficiency of revenue which necessarily must occur until the cable was completed and in working order. We would receive one-ninth of any profits, if profits were mode after tho cable was completed, and one-ninth of the losses, if there were losses, would have to be paid by this colony. He proposed to ask tlio House this session to make provision on the Estimates for this one-ninth, and also to ask the Legislature to give the colony power to take a share in the bifurcating of the cable from Fanning Island to Honolulu. By doing this there would be an alternative route from Honolulu to San Francisco, as against the long length of Pacific cable from Fanning Island to Vancouver. They would thus make wise provision against a breakdown-on the long Pacific section he referred to. We would thus be able to get our one-ninth of the expenditure, which was estimated at £200,000, for about £20,000, and it would be an excellent thing for the colony. He felt sure that his proposal, as it was distinctly of a beneficial character to the colony, would, when submitted, meet with the approval of the House. RETURN ED TROOPERS. Yesterday afternoon we had a half-hour with the complaints concerning returned troopers. —Mr Arnold, on behalf of Mr Millar, led off by asking the Minister of Defence if he were aware that his department is stared to be thking no steps to afford medical attention to returned troopers. He said that the men, while not bad enough to go into hospital, were not looked after by anyone. The. Defence Department sent them to the Public Health Officer, and he rent them to the hospital, where they perhaps got a bottle of medicine and were sent away.—The Hon. Mr Hall-Jones said it was stiange all these complaints came from one place (Dunedin). —Mr Arnold; Yes, we look after our boys.—The Hon. Air Hall-Jones said he did not blame the lion, member. He knew where nil the trouble came from. It all aro.-.e from one medical man.—Mr J, Allen: Name him.—The Hon. Mr Hall-Jones: No, I will not name him. He went ou to say that everything possible was being done. Not only were the men looked after, but comforts wire provided for them.—Mr Arnold sail I that was nonsense.—Soon after Mr T. Mackenzie asked the Minister of Public Health whether his attention had been called to the unkind treatment many of the sick returned, Hoopers arc subjected to. IT- said he knew of ono man who had gone to ihe defence doctor and wa» sent on to the Public Health Officer, then by him to the Dunedin Hospital, and he gm> little satisfaction there This was not an exceptional case. There were many cases like it. —The Acting-Pre-mier said he regretted to hear what had been said. There must, be some mistake as

to the instructions. The Health Department was instructed to take every care of the men, and spare ho expense, iliev ivCrete be sent to the hospital or provided with medical aid in their own homes, or if necessary oven sent to Rotorua.—Mr Arnold, in asking another question on the same subject, said he would not labor the question, but would say that neither Air Alillar ror himself had received correspondence from any medical man on the subject. He would repeat what he had , already said, and substantiate whan had fallen’ from the hen. member for Waihemo.—Sir J. G. Ward regretted the whole matter. He would have inquiries made, and thought that tho time had now arrived when the whole control should be put under one department.—Air Allen said "Hear, hear,” and the subject closed. 1 STOCK QUARANTINE STATION. Mr Allen asked the Government to consider the expediency of establishing a C|iiaTa.ntine» station lor imported stock nt Port Chalmers,—The Hon. Air Duncan, in reply, said the Government could not establish another quarantine station in Hie South Island, and in view of the facilities provided elsewhere did not see any necessity to do so at tho present tinn. WORKMEN S HOMES. Replying to Air Millar as to the acquisition of land in Dunedin for workmen's homes, the Minister of Lands said it had not been made clear what demand there was for snch land. Inquiry was being mad.; whether certain land was suitable or not. WHO IS THE MEDICAL ALAN t

Mr J. Allen intends to ask the ActingMinister of Defence if he will name -he medical man in Dunedin to whom he y,-. ferred when answering the question of Mr Millar on the 2nd inst. as being the person who was causing all the trouble in respect to returned troopers, ami thus remove what may be considered a general aspersion till the charge is located and proved or disproved. FIREWOOD. Mr Arnold wished to know vestenlav whether the Minister of Railways could sec hk way either to reduce; the freight on firewood or convey it a longer distance at a minimum rate. He said that there were hundreds of cords of wood at Gatlin River rotting, and if the Government could reduce the rate it would greatly help the settlers and also the residents m the cities.— Sir J. G. Ward said that if this were done is would have to apply all over ibo colony. He would go carefully into the matter, and if possible comply with ihe h«.n. ■•emleman’s request. JOTTINGS. The Government have r.oi vd- decided whether an increase can be in»do in 'he building votes for Education Boaid.-. 'The Acting Minister of Labor says )m does not thin]: it necessary to have inquiry made into the rates of pay and hours of iacor ruling in, banks. , A sunt Is to be placed on the fiupplemc-n- ---. - Estimates for the equipment of induing colleges for teachers in the four centres.