POLITICAL GOSSIP.

Evening Star, Issue 12258, 27 July 1904, Page 6

POLITICAL GOSSIP.

■♦ [FHOM,OtrH PaRLIAMENTABY RfcrOBTER.] WELLINGTON,-July 27. FEMALE TEACHERS. A number of women teachers are petitioning Parliament to remedy the unjust conditions under which they'labor. They. urge that the absence of a. scale of graduated increase in salary in accordance with increased ability and experience is seriously hampering the cause of education, there being no encouragement at present except a chance of appointment. Thev ask as a, matter of justice that the minimum salary of a fully .certificated teacher be £IOO *a year, and that every satisfactory year of service shotdd be rewarded by an increase* in palary up to ;wmaximum of £IBO in the case of assistant mistresses and of £3OO ir the case of head-mistresses. PROHIBITIONISTS AND LICENSING LEGISIATION. The Executive of the New Zealand Aliiance met on Monday afternoon, dealt with several matters of urgency, arranged for the deputation of colonial delegates that is to wait on the Premier on Saturday at 5 p.m., and carried the following resolution :—" The Executive of the New Zealand Alliance regret that the Premier, several politician*, . and some editors persist in confusing the proposals made in Mr M'Nab's Bill of 1895 with the provisions of the Government Licensing Act Amendment Bill of 1903. They maintain that clause 9 of the Government Bill would involve an outrage upon the people* in that it would not only render residents in such districts as carry No- ' license subject to prosecution for possessing liquor, but must of necessity, if it, were to be anything but a dead letter, imply that persons suspected of or maliciously charged with possessing liquor in the smallest quantities should be liable to be searched by the police, aud to have their houses ransacked for proof of the charge. The Executive, as representing a. party who have never asked for legislation that wonld interfere with anything beyond the public traffic in liquor, protest againft the Bill being introduced byMr Seddon and demanded "by the liquor trade, as involving an intolerable tyranny, and affirming principles contrary to those which determine British law. > THE LEADERSHIP OF THE HOUSE. The Premier was considerably distressed by the harassing tactics of the' Opposition in connection with yesterday's Imprest Supply debate, and cculd not put in an uppearanoe at the House this morniug. Sir J. G. WsTd having left for Pahiatua, the Hon. J. Carroll is temporarily in charge of the House. THE PAHTATUA ELECTION. Though satisfactory reports continue to cc-sne to naud its to the. prospects of Mr Buicl; for Pahiatua, I fancy that when the numbers go up Mr Hawkins (Independent Liberal and Prohibitionist) will be top of the poll. JOTTINGS. Mr F. E. Baume has boon rcappol'.itcd chairman of the Education Committee. Very little progress was made with t.ho Financial Debate yesterday. It was- 10 p.m. . before the discussion was reached, and after Mr Smith had spoken for half an hour in general approval of the. Government and their policy his remarks were interrupted by the Speaker announcing that, the hour for adjournment was reached. Mr Colvin wants a Bill introduced to amend the Police Provident Fund Act in the direction of providing for confitables now in tho service who have served over thirty-six years and are. still capable of doing service in the force. Mr R M'Kcnno is asking what action the Minister of Railways intends to take in connection with the case of the railway officer in Wcal.port who is alleged to have loaded sevm cases of gelignite on a coal truck at Wcstport. railed it to Granity, . dumped ten tons of coal over it into tin: track, and run it back to Wcstport. and attempted to load it amongst a general cargo. «WM lIIMI