POLITICAL GOSSIP

Evening Star, Issue 12626, 4 October 1905, Page 7

POLITICAL GOSSIP

(Slunk Orra Pa&LtuaKtA&x BsroksaJ WELLINGTON, October 4. NOT TO BE DRAWN. Mr T. Mackenzie seldom allows a land reformer to propound his theories in the House in absolute impunity, and on that account encounters between him and Mr Ell have come to be recognised as necessary adjuncts to anv bind debate. Last night Mr Ell was lecturing the House, and in explaining why he had voted for » Land Commissiorv, which was because the freehold majority in the House would probably have established that tenure, he affirmed, for about the fiftieth time this session, that the House did not represent public opinion on the land question. He paused for a contradiction, the usual contradiction, but none came. Mr Mackenzie, who had hi the earlier naj-t of the lecture contented himself with advising Mr Ell not to scold, was busy with some writing, apparently oblivious of -«ir Ell. " Surely the hon. "member for Waikouaiti does not deny that this House does not represent public opinion on the Land Question." persisted Mr Ell. .Mr Mackenzie glanced up from his writing, and •with a meek look and in a bland tone he informed Mr EH that he was not going to scold. Mr Speaker humorously interposed here, saying : " I hope the hon. member won't incite the hon. member for Waikouaiti to interject. —{Loud laughter.) Mr Ell replied : "This is the first time T ever knew him to need to be incited to interject."—(Laughter.) Mr Hardv finished up the episode with the remark : " Well, you're trying to draw him now." A MODEL SPEECH. Last night the Hon. J. M'Gowan arose and announced that he was going to make probably the shortest Speech on the land subject yet made. He said that the Opposition had condemned the Government's land policy ever since its initiation ten or twelve years ago. Finding that the policy was unassailable, the Opposition turned round, and said that it was not so much the land pvlicy, but the land administration of the Government that they objected to. A Land Commission had been set np, wbose investigations had brought out the Government land administration with flying colors. Now the Opposition were dissatisfied with the Commission's report. line least successful of the Government's land purchases under the Land for Settlements Act had been a great improvement on the old system under which land was formerly held. If the people kept this point in view, there need be no fear oLtheir being any change in the administration. Mr M'Gowan's speech is given practically in extenso, and took only a few moments to deliver. It compared well with me stereotyped halt'hoar of talking all round the subject, which, as Mr W. Fraser complained later in the evening, many members have indulged in this session, for the benefit of ' Hansard.' and. incidentally, of themselves, therebv driving all sensible men out of the House. Mr Fraser was referring to the disciples of Henry George in the House, and he complained that whatever the subject, those members got back to their oft-reiterated opinions on land. The rest of the House greeted Mr Fraser with loud," Hear, hears." THE APPLE OF DISCORD. On the conclusion of Mr M'Gowan's speech. Mr Mackenzie arose and snid : Sir. I think the gentleman who made that short speech bad better have kept silent, as he once deplored tho fact that land should be used for running sheep, and asked why it was not used for growing grain and producing butter. Mr Mackenzie indulged in a glowing eulogy of the sheep and what it had done for New Zealand. Then, in his characteristic easy, bantering style, he " visited" various members m turn, including Mr Laurensrm, until, pausing uefore going on to another branch of his subject, several members sprang to their feet with eager cries of " Sir." Mr Speaker shared their mistaken idea that Mr Mackenzie had concluded, and called Mr Banme as being in possession of the floor, but she member for Waikouaiti pointed out that he had not finished. Tne disappointed ones sat down amid laughter, bat Mr Mackenzie did likewise, gracefuUy giving them the floor, in view of their evident anxiety to reply. Both Messrs Baume and Laurenson replied. Mr Mackenzie usually quotes Scripture in his speeches. He did bo last night, and Mr Larrrenson also dipped into Scripture. This, combined with the mournful and almost despairing tone Mr Laurenson adopts when dealing with Mr Mackenzie, as well as the pulpit style, which seems to be growing on the member for Lytterton, imported a good deal of the atinosphere of the kirk to Parliament. However, this was dispelled when Mr M'Lachlan arose. He was brief and decidedly pointed, not to say personal, chiefly at Mr Lanrenson's expense, in regard to the bogey of the aggregation of large estates, which, Mr M'Lachlan says, Mr Laurenson hugs to himself. He said that all that _ was needed was to niter the Land Registration Act and put a limit on the amount of land to be registered under one name. •' But," said Mr M'Lachlan, " he assumes a dignity, and says he is angry. WeU, who cares whether he is angry or not ?" with a good deal more in the same vein. TOO MUCH TALK. " It means one Bill one day," said the Premier, in rising at 1 a-m. to reply on Ihe second reading debate of the **and for t*9ttlements Act Extension Bill. Although the last half : dosen speakers had curtailed their remarks in most rigid fashion the debate had stretched to an unexpected length, and the Premier said that if such tactics were persisted in it would mean another month of Parliament, and perhaps a reconsideration of the rale about not taking new business after 12.30, He also complained—and certainly not without reason—of this Bill, like many other matters, being made the medium of a discussion on Freehold versus Leasehold. A LIGHTSOME INTERLUDE. Man in the aggregate is ewdly amused, else whv tlie success of the musical comedy? The truth of this stale truism was exemplified yesterday afternoon in the Howe of Representatives. During the presentation of reports on petitions Mr Sidey (chairman of the Railways Committee) had presented several reports, when Mr Baume (chairman of the Education Committee) rose and roared out a stentorian " Sir." He ww called on by the Speaker, amid laughter at bis apparent earnestness, but Mr Sidey rose and stated that he hadn't finished. " I generally allow one chairman to Sniah his reports before i call upon .'inother." said the Speaker, u but I thought Mr Baume had something extraordinary." The laughter was resumed when, on Mr Sidey sitting down, Mx Hogg was called oc in place of Mr Buuaie, who had alro riscu, the Speaker entering into the humor of the situation. Mr Hogg, however, gave place to Mr Banme. but the member for Auckland had not proceeded far when Mr Sidey again rose, amid a roar of laughter, to deliver himself of another report (about tie tenth). Mr Bourne's lone-sought opportunity then came, and liis " something extraordinary " (to quote the Speaker) was r. report on a dispute between the Wangamii Education Board and one of their teachers *way back in 1832. A PASSAGE AT ARMS. The Premier and the Leader of the Opposition had several little tilts at each other in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon. -Mr Massey dare not do it," said the Premier, in reference to one phase of the question ot cutting up large estates. " I dare support anything that is right, and that is more than you do. I act upon principles," rejoined' Ml- Massey. The Premier looked surprised. " Tip to tne present," he declared, "I have not been able to tee your principles." Mr Ma&ey finished the dialogue by sarcastically re-

joining: "I km OonmliasSWJ* to you; I know, what I. want."

BATING A MILLION. In the House oL Representative* yesterdav afternoon the Premier declared that the setting up of the LahoV Commission,, and their subsequent report, would save the colc*y a million of money, because the colony would have given away a million to a few people if tho leader of the Opposition had his way. He <tbe Premier) had saved the colony from the Opposition, just as he had done years ago when ho set up the Federation Commission against the wish of the Opposition, and thus prevented that party from giving away our country for a mess of pottage and a few bags of potatoes. "—Mr Massey contended, that there was no iore to tho country under his proposals.—Mr Banme :Is there ' any gain to the tenants!—Mr Mossey: Not not if the tenants are absolutely certain that the terms of their leasee will be kept inviolate. But with a Fair Rent Bill being introduced every year they have not that assurance. " I make this offer to the Premier," he continued. "If the actuaries will show that there is going to he any loss to the State by granting the freehold I will withdraw from the position I have taken up. _ The Premier's contention is absolute rubbish."— The Premier: The boo. member is backing down.—Mr Massey :I am not. When I put my back to the door it is going to stop there, and that is whore I diiler from the Premier.—Mr Lang declared that this was the first time that the Premier had frankly admitted that the Land Commission had beii> set up to stop Crown tenante getting fie freehold. What, he asked, was the position of the Government Pup porters who favored the freehold, and w)k, had voted to net up the Commission and prevent the Crown tenants obtaining the freehold oi their holdings?—Mr Seddon replied that what he had said was that if twelve months ago the desire of the Leader of the Opposition had been given effect to. and Crown tenants had obtained then Lind* at the original value,, the colony wjuld have lost a million of money. FRIE:NT>LY SOCTETIES. The twenty-eighth' annual report of the Registrar of Frier.dlv Societies was? presented to the House yesterday. It shows that at the beginning of 1903 there were 465 lodges, with 43.05 a members. During the year the members admitted by initiation tmd were 5,285; those admitted by clearance were 302; total admitted. 5,587. The number who left by arrears, resignation, and expulsion was 2.719; bv clearance 311, and by death 354; total, 3,384. The net increase for tho year was 2,203. or Flijjhtiy over 5 per cent" and the number of members at the end of 1903 was therefore 45,255. The deaths of members' wives during the year were 158. The total funds of tho societies and branches ay on the 31st December, 1905, amounted to £833,751, made up as follows :—Sick and funeral funds (inclusive of amounts transferred to special funds out of surplus), £815,082; medical and management funds, goods, etc., £68,669. Dividing the total funds by the number of members at the end of the year, it is found the average capital per member is now £l9 10s 7d. The number of members who died during 1903 was 354, equal to 8.49 per 1.000 members, as against 7.88 in 1902 and 7.20 in 1901. The number of wivM who died was 163, equal to 3.79 per 1.000 members, as against 3.61 for 1902 and 3.94 for 1901. STATE FIRE INSURANCE. The balance-sheet of the State Fire Insurance Office for the year ended December 51, 1904, was laid before the House yesterday. It shows thai' at that date only £f,500 of the £IOO,OOO capital authorised had been raised, and no premium had been received.—The Premier stated that in order that the House might discuss the department, he intended to move on a future occasion that the balance-sheet of the (State Fire Insurance Department 'be now taken into consideration. LAND TAX. A return laid on the table of the House shows that tho amount of ordinary Land Tax collected in 1908-03 was £217,000; in 1903-04 it had increased to £255,800; and in 1904-05 to £255,000. Ihe amounts for each provincial district were: Auckland £44.720, Taranaki £14,685, HawWs Bav £19.785, Wellington £61,335, Nelson £7,230. Marlborough £5,975/ Westland £2,554, Canterbury £58,570, and Otago £40.146. In addition, graduated tax was collected last year totalling £98,000.