POLITICAL GOSSIP.

Evening Star, Issue 11696, 30 September 1902, Page 3

POLITICAL GOSSIP.

[Fbom Ora Pabuakhitcaxt Bm«m.] WELLINGTON, September 30. MILITARY PENSIONS. Besides extending the operation of the Military Pensions Extension to Contingents Act, 1900, to the Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth New Zealand -Contingents, the amending Bill now before Parliament proposes to repeal section 4 of the principal Act, and to substitute a clause providing that the Governor may from time to time appoint a board, consisting of not less than three medical practitioners, whose duty it shall be to inquire into every claim for a pension or gratuity in respect of a wound or injury received in the active performance of military duty or in respect of tho death of any officer, non-commissioned officer, or private who died in New Zealand, and report thereon to the Governor. The unanimous recommendation of the Board is necessary for the grant of such pension or gratuity. The case of Mrs Francis, widow of Colonel Francis, whose petition was reccntlv before Parliament, has led to an alteration in the conditions under the Act of 1866, under which a pension may be granted to a widow, it now being provided that instead of it being necessary for the death to have taken place "within six months of his being first certified to te ill," it shall be a condition that he must have "first been removed from duty on pccoont of such illness, provided the illness is crtified to have commenced during and as the result of active operations, or if be died in consequence of injuries rceived in the performance of military duty otherwise than in action within twelve months after having been injured." The pensions granted under the principal Act to widows whose husbands were killed, and in cases where the father was killed in action, are. extended to include those who, within twelve months, died of their wounds. Where the husband or father died from illness contracted in the field a similar extension is proposed, QUARTZ MINING. An amendment by Governor's Message *o tie Mining Amendment Bill provides thatwhen protection is granted to a mineowner from being fully manned, those so employed shall be wages men. The clause, which was added to the Bill, does not affect mines worked by tributers. RAILWAYS AUTHORISATION. The construction of the following works are provided for in the Railways Authorisation Bill:—Helensville, northwards to Maungaturoto, about twenty-three miles; Gisborae-Karaka, to Karaka, about five miles and a-quarter ; Gatlins-Sea'ward Bush, .ibout fifty-five miles. THE STAMP ACT. With the object of removing the ambiguity of language in clause 14 in the Stamp Act Amendment Bill, which imposes stamp duty on contracts for the sale of equitable interest.", an amendment was brought down ;o the House yesterday by Governor's Mes-so-ge. Objection was "raised by Mr Sidey, Mr Hanan, and others, on the ground that the proposed tax would press heavily on the poorer classes who had dealings in -mall holdings.—The Commissioner of Stamps indignantly repelled the suggestion that an attempt was being made to raise extra taxation in an insidious manner, and he asked leave to withdraw the clause, which was agreed to. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL REFORM. Members of the Legislative Council jealously preserve their privileges. The measure which has been introduced to continue in office the present Speaker (Sir H. J. Miller), whose term of office expires next week, till fourteen days after the next session commences, also contained a provision to make the Clerk of the House of Representatives eligible to fill the duties of the Clerk of the Parliaments in the absence of that official. The idea of having an officer of the House placed in charge of the nominative Chamber, even as a deputv, was too much for the Councillors.—The" Hon. E. Jones first moved to substitute the ClerkAssistant of the Legislative Council for the Clerk to the House, but this was defeated by 15 to 13, and then the Hon. Mr Bowen succeeded by 24 votes to 4 in rejecting the whole clause. GOVERNMENT RAILWAYS SUPERANNUATION. On the amendments made bv the Legislative Council in the Government Railways Superannuation Fund BUI coming before the House for consideration, Mr Pirani asked whether the Council had not exceeded us rights in reducing the contributions to U? paid the men, and thus increased the r.c-Ltribotinns to be paid to the fund by the Stat-e.—Sir G. M. O'Rorke ruled that there had been no encroachment on the privileges At the House.—The Minister of Railways *r.,Tt<-d tha: the revenue that would have b-vn derived from the men's contributions in the first year under the scale as fixed by the House waa £35,200, while under the amendments made by the Council it would be £oo,ooo.—Mr Pirani and others objected to the Council's action in striking out lh* proviso to clause 14, to the effect that if tn-s business of any railway companv is taken over by the Government the "continuous service in the employ of such company of any contributor shall be deemed to be service in the department.—Tt was decided, on the Minister of Railway's morion, to disagree with all the Council's amendments, and to ask for a conference on the disputed points. MR FISHER AND THE SPEAKER. More than once this session "Our George " has been called to book by Sir G. "M. O'Eorke, and the member for Wellington 1 1 afes when he is pulled up, and generally '•ndeavors to get round the ruling of the Chair. Yesterday, however, when called on to withdraw a remark which he apparently did not regard as unparliamentary, he submitted, insinuating that he was being unfairly treated. The matter occurred thiswise : Speaking to the Stamp Act Amendment Bill, Mr Fisher said: "I am involved in perplexity. I am not influenced by the opinion of my colleague, Mr Atkinson, who is such a hidebound Conservative." Being called on to withdraw, Mr Fisher petulantly complied.—"Substitute a red-tape lawyer," suggested Mr Atkinson, who is a member of the legal profession.— " I would not say that," sarcastically replied Mr Fisher, "because whatever I said I should lnve to withdraw." LAND TITLES PROTECTION. a fairly lengthy debate in the Legislative Council yesterdav over the -econd reading of the Land titles Protection Bui. The legislation was regarded by the Hon. Mr Ormond as fully justified, in view of the enormous interests involved, but he urged that full inquiry should be made into the responsibilities "of the land transfer authorities and into the position of the assurance fund that had accrued und:r the Act, and insinuated that he would more in that direction next session. He was opposed to the proposal in the Bill to place in the hands of the Government the power to decide when litigation could or could not be taken, regarding this growing to place large powers in the hands of the Governor-in-Council as likely to some day prove exceedingly dangerous.—The Hon. Mr Tomoana opposed the Bill, and suggested that the Europeans and natives interested in disputed titles should meet and appoint a committee from themselves to draft a measure better calculated to meet the case.—Aft»r the Hons. Mr Taiaroa and Colonel Pitt bad spoken, tie Bill was read a second time, put through committee unamended, and passed its final stages. CLEARING THE COUNCIL ORDER PAPER The following measures were put through ill stages in the Legislative Council last "right:—West Coast Settlement Reserves Act Amendment. Accident Insurance Companies, Solicitors' Bills of Costs, Licensing Committees and Polls, Courthouse Sites Exchange, New Plymouth Hiih School Board, Leases, and Waimarina County Bflls. MESSRS PIRANI AND J. HUTCHESON. These two members who are about to relinquish active political life, have been presented by the members of the Oppositicn, with which party they have been identified since their secession from the Left Wing corner, with tokens of their services. Mr Pirani's presentation took the form «f a gold watch, while Mr. Hutcheson received a set of carvers and a fish slice. DIRECTORS' LIABILITIES. A« important alteration was made in the

Companies Act Amendment Bill in the Legislative Council. It vent in the direction of making it compulsory for a director who failed to pay the calls due on his shares to forfeit his position. He thus becomes an ordinary shareholder, and defaulting shareholders cannot, therefore, as they have been able to do during the past year, escape liability when sued for calls due because a director also happened to bo a defaulter. This was the only amendment made, and the Bill passed through all stages. THE WIDTH OF STREETS. The Public Works Bill, the second reading of which was moved last night by the Minister of Works, deals mainly with the width of straets which had been formed for a long time, and were less than 66ft in width. Provision is made that in the event of subdivision of land abutting on a narrow street the buildings should bo set back a distance of 33ft from the centre of the road.—Objection was raised by Mr Herries to the provision requiring the consent of the Minister of Lands in such cases, instead of that of the local authority.—Mr Mapsey protested against a Bill of such importance being brought in in the dying hours of the session, and Mr Sidey cabled attention to the difficulty which would arise where a roadline was in one borough, while the land to be subdivided was in an adjoining borough.—ln the course of further discussion Messrs Fisher, Atkinson, and Hutcheson objected to the proposed legislation. The condition of the deplorable state of Hutt road, provision to meet which is in the Bill, also came in for considerable talk. —After a debate lasting over three hours the Minister of Works replied that he confer f.ed that he never expected to get clause 6 through, and he was willing to confine it to subdivisions.—The second reading was agreed to. TIED HOUSES.

Again last night a good deal of feeling crept into the resumed debate in the Council on the motion to go into committee en the Hon. J. Rigg's Tied Houses BUl.—The Hon. W. T. Jennings, as chairman of the Select Committee on the Bill, accused Mr Rigg of having been guilty of exaggerating and distorting the actions of the Committee in a manner unfair to any member of the Committee. He had impugned his (Mr Jennings's) honor, and he would endeavor in reply to observe the Standing Orders. Mr Rigg had constituted himself not only the judge, but the Crown Prosecutor and the jury, and found cut from the start that everything was wrong. The Committee were wrong, the Chairman was wrong—everything was wrong except the hon. gentleman himself. He. however, had been given every opportunity. Mr Jennings went ou to deny absolutely the allegations made as to the summoning of witnesses, and said he had never been under any obligation or compliment to a brewer, as (lie Hon. Mr Rigg had.—Mr Rigg: To what do you refer.—Mr Jennings said he referred to a testimonial in which Mr Rigg received contributions from brewers.—Mr Rigg it once rose, and emphatically denied the statement, and stated that "he had never received any contribution from a brewer.— The Speaker said the denial must be accepted, and Mr Jennings obeyed the ruling. Continuing, he criticised Mr Rigg's " fishing expeditions" before the Committee. The whole of the evidence submitted to the Committee established that the publicans, in even tied houses, were only compelled to take draught beer from the brewers, and in regard to the matter of bottled beer and spirits they were given a free hand. He expressed regret that the printed report of the evidence taken bsfore the Committee had not been available for reference yet, as it would have fully borne out what he had said and the conclusions come to by the Committee. Mr Rigg's own witnesses except one had all opposed the Bill.—The Hon. C. Louisson expressed regret at the Hons. ,T. Rigg and Lee Smith having introduced the personal element into the debate. He, however, did not intend to follow that example, but could say that his record in New Zealand would compare very favorably with that of either of the hon. gentlemen. Though they had attacked him, he proposed to speak of them as though they were two of the most honorable gentlemen'that he htd ever had the pleasure of meeting. It was a monstrous proposition to say that because a man was connected with a certain business he should not take any part in legislation affecting it. If that were to be accepted, one-half the membsrs of the Council would be disfranchised from doing their duty. The remark that witnesses had been suborned was one of the most terrible that had ever been heard in the Chamber. Mr Louisson reviewed at some length the evidence giver, before the Committee, and said the Wellington witness who was to have been the trump card (Mr Searle) had considered that this Bill would be disastrous, and had admitted that in the preceding month he had gone into a free house and had made it a bound house, because he could make more satisfactory financial arrangements through the brewer. JXr Louisson also exposed ;i "mare's nest" discovered by the Hon. J. Rigg. The latter bad made insinuations of improper treatment by the Crown Brewery Company of Mr P. Burke, of Christchurch, iu regard to the lease of Tattersall's Hotel. Mr Louisson, however, read a letter and also a telegTam from Mr Burke, in which the latter said lie was perfectly satisfied with the treatment, ;ind the suggestion that tlie company had deprived him of portion of the lease was simply absurd. Mr Burke also expressed regret that people should attempt to introduce- discord where none existed. The position, summed up, was that the publicans received some financial assistance, and in return gave tho brewer the trade that would have to be given to someone. The publican got beer of the best quality at; a low rate. There could be no doubt in the mind of any person, considering the evidence in a" common-sense manner, that the outcry against tied houses was unfounded, and he thoutrht the legislation against tied houses in 1895 should now be repealed.—At 12.10 the Hon. J. N. Twomey moved to adjourn the debate.—• The Hon. J. Rigg protested against +he adjournment, as part of the organised tactics against the Bill, and expressed regret that the Minister should have seen fit to throw in his influence on the other side. Mr Rigg, after being pulled up by the Speaker for referring to the Chairman of the Committee as being biased, taid with some warmth : '' This adjournment is one of a series of tactics that should not be encouraged by the Council." They had listened to long tirades of personal abuse, which would get a start, and be hard to overtake if the debate were adjourned.—The Minister pointed out that Mr Rigg's speech of last week had got a week's start, and had been equally strong and unqualified, and was just as unreasonable. No harm would be done if the debate stood over till next day. —"These tactics," said the Hon. George Jones, "are n glorious tribute to our cause." He and the Hon. A. Lee Smith also criticised the Minister's action. —The Hon. J. M. Twomey denied being asked by the Minister to move the adjournment.—On a division the voting was even —eight each—and the Speaker decided in favor of the adjournment of the debate, and so concluded for a time one of the mast spirited debates of the Council this session.