POLITICAL GOSSIP

Evening Star, Issue 12928, 26 September 1906, Page 7

POLITICAL GOSSIP

tFBOM OTJB. PARMAMRNTAIITt EEPOIWBH.J WELLINGTON, September 26. TRACTION ENGINE LICENSES. Traction engine owners througliout the jolony have petitioned Parliament for re-': lief from, -the harassing restrictions and taxation imposed "upon them by local authorities. Thoy point out that the burden of taxation is m many oases quite out of proportion to any cost of loads maintenance entailed through traction engine traffic, and that several local bodies have framed no fewer than three different sets of by-laws within the last ton years, all of which had proved valueless. - The traction engine owners desire Parliament to regulate the traffic by uniform legislation, any additional provisions to suit local conditions l>eing the subject of regulations to be made by the . Governor-in-Council; or that a model by daw be enaoted for adoption by local and municipal authorities, defining extraordinary traffic, fixing a maximum, licence fee, and covering nn engine owner throughout the colony, the revenue thus collected to bo allocated by Government to local bodies on the basis of expenditure on the upkeep of roads. BUSTS OF PREMIERS. An interesting discussion took place in the Legislative Council yesterday, when the Hon. T. K. Macdonaid moved —< "That, having regard to the advisability of educating the people of New Zealand "to a more complete knowkdge of the political leaders who, since the introduction of Responsible Government in 1856. have lield office as Premier, it is desirable (1) that a bust of each Premier should be placed in. some prominent position within tho walls of Parliament; (2) that it is desired that the Government should gather together and exhibit at the International New Zealand Exhibition in November next portraits, busts, photographs, etc., of each of the Premiers who have held office- since Responsible Government was granted to the colony in 1856." He referred to the statue of Mr Bailance outside the Parliamentary Buildings as a monstrosity, and said the sooner it was removed the sooner would the people of New Zealand show that theyjiad some appreciation of art. Tho story of how it was obtained and how it came "to be placed in this grounds would make interesting reading, but he would not tell it then.— The Hon. Mr Rigg thought that the suggestion to place busts in'the public buildings at the public expense was an astounding one. He objected to it. Some of the people referred to were, he thought, too. long in the public life of the colony. He was opposed to some of them politically. So fax a* Mr Macdonald's references to the Balance statue were concerned, he invited him to tell the story of its purchase, and challenged him to prove that it would make either "interesting or entertaining reading." He was a member of the Committee that had to do with the purchase of the statue, and could tell the hon. gentleman that it was largely provided for by the shillings of the workhig men of New Zealand. He agreed that it was not a fine work of art, but it was accepted because the late Mr Seddon and Mis Bailance had considered the likeness a good one, and it was well to remember that a duplicate of tho statue had 'been placed in Wanganui. The Attorney-General said ho felt in a rather invidious position. To his mind, the objection to the motion was the general application of it. Some better method of achieving the end the hon. member had in view could be devised. When a statue was erected it was indicative of the individual worth of the person it represented, but the spirit of the motion was that everyone who had been Premier was to have a bust placed in the buildings, because- he had been Premier. That was the spirit to which he entered his objection. He could not see hia way to support the motion. Probably, after the matter had been discussed, Mr Macdonaid would ask leave to withdraw it.—The Hons. H. Scotland and T. Kelly also opposed the motion. "Why," asked Mr Kelly, 'should we take such an unwarrantable liberty with a dead statesman as to make a caricature of him, and erect it in public without the permission of his relatives or family!"— The Hon. Mr Jenkinson killed the motion by moving the previous question. The "Noes" predominated, and tho Council passed on to the next business. RULED OUT. The Maori Washing-up Bill -was read a Ihrrd time in the House yesterday, and passed, and the Landless Natives Bill went through committee in verv quick time. The Government Advances to Settlers Bill took very much longer in committee several hours in fact, and it was 11.10 before it was through. The Tourist and Health Resorts Control Bill was next on the Order Paper for committal, and the Premier was for putting it through that night. As it was a non-controversial Bill, the Leader of the Opposition objected, and on clause i moved to report progress, saying that he had sat continuously in the Chamber s y u £. 7 - 30 » axld Jn I«ssmg lie lamented the abolition of the 9.30 supper adjournment. His motion was defeated bv 46 to 15 but at cW 4 of the Bill he objected that it waj a Bill for the appropriation of public moneys, and should have been brought in by Governors Message. He asked Mr ATKenoe s ruling as to whether it should proceed. The Chairman of Committees ruled in Mr Massey's favor. On the work dono in committee being then reported to Mr Speaker, the Premier, evidentlv chagrined at the Bill being thus struck out. asked the Speaker's opinion on the Chairmans ruling. The Hon. Mr Guinness promised to give a definite ruling when next the Bill came up, and the Premier moved the adjournment of the House at 11.35. .IMPREST. The Ward Government's Second Imprest Supply Bill wag introduced yesterday and pissed tne House in rather under two*hou-s It did not reach the Council, however, as that Chamber had adjourned before he House nad done with it. The Bill authorises an appropriation of £571,500 from the public revenues to meet supply demands, and the transfer of ,£IOO,OOO from the Consolidated Fund to the Public Works Fund. PENSION BILLS. J l }}* 9 yi l S 63 "™* 3 Superannuation and the National Annuities Bills were down for second readings at the head of yesterday's Order Paper. Both were read a second time pro forma, and referred to the Public Accounts Committee.—Mr Massey asked tho Premier if evidence, particularly that of actuaries, would be taken on them by the Committee —" Yeo," replied the Premier.— Mr Arnold inquired if tho heads of the friendly societies would be communicated with, so that evidence might be obtained trom them, for they desired to give! it in connection with the latter Bill.—Sir Joseph Ward replied that it was not desirable to pass the National Annuities Bill in a hurrv, ind the Government wished to have it coniddered in all its aapect3. As the friendlv societies were concerned, and as the Bill differed in some respects from a former one (to which they took some exception), thoy would be given an opportunity, not only to examine the Bill, but also to give evidence on it. PRIVILEGE AGAIN. Mr Duncan, chairman of the Waste Laud.* Committee, drew Mr Speaker's attent'on y«?terday to the fact that the business of the Committee had been published in several newspapers. This, of course, referred to committee proceedings over the Land Bill, which have continued to leak out, despite the protest made the other day. Mr Duncan said that the Committee wished him* to refer this- matter to the House.—The Premier suggested that the House should refer it back to the Committee, so that the latter should make some recommendation to the House. Sir Joseph said that since the former complaint a few days ago he had discussed the matter with two responsible members of the Committee—" As are all the members," diplomatically added the Premier—and they expressed the opinion that there was an indisposition to have the Com-

mittee's doors thrown open to the as be had suggested. Tho Committee apparently wished the House to find the leak and, plug it. The Premier said there had been a suggestion not to throw the Committee's doors open, but to allow the."Press to see the minutes of proceedings. He suggested that the matter be allowed to stand over for , a day. He did not.wish the farce.of bring- j ing to the Bar of the House a.representative . of the Press. That-process resulted in no good, and; meant a waste of time, at the same time giving a certain amount or notoriety and publicity tot some enterprising member of the fourth Estate.—Mr Massey said the present condition should not continue. Either Committee proceedings should be thrown open or the Standing Orders as to secrecy be complied with. — Mr Horneby said that his sympathies were always with those who tried to get news for their papers. He suggested that the chairman of the Committee should instruct the secretary to furnish the Press with a report of each meeting.—Mr W. Fraser, who is a member of the Committee, twitted Mr Homsby with being a pressman rather than m representative of the people'. He maintained that the House, and not the Committee, had power to deal with the matter. The member for Wakatipu went on to talk of the Committee feeling that one of their members was a traitor to his colleagues, and told the House that this was so intolerable that he had been seriously considering! resigning his seat on the Committee. —Finally the matter dropped on tho understanding that the Premier would consult Mr Massey and others in tho meantime, and the matter be brought up later. PETITIONS—AMUSING AND OTHERWISE. Several petitions'have been presented asking for exemption of a certain Wellington herbalist from the provisions of the Quackery and Other Frauds Bill. A petition signed by great numbers of Central Otago mining and dredging employees and their wives was presented to Parliament by Mr Bennet yesterday. It asks for preference to unionists. It affirms that it is useless and inhuman to encourage the formation of unions if they arc to be strangled. It says that in the colonies unionists are disheartened "to the verge of desperation" at the withholding of preference to unionists, and prays that" it be made law, not only as a sheet anchor to industrial conciliation and arbitration, but as a compensating equivalent to the expensive, wearisome, heart aching responsibilities incurred by registration. They point out that it is not in human nature to be tied to an Act lacking statutory, preference. The petition concludes in this flowery manner:—"Trusting with the simple confidence of childhood that our bumble petit.on will meet with the full, ungrudged favor of your honorable House, and in sincerity, gratitude, and duty your memory will be cherished while there is a glistening peak of old New Zealand above the billows of the blue Pacific." Laura Emma Fisher, widow of Mr George Fisher, who represented Wellington iu the House for many years, has petitioned for a compassionate allowance of £750. The petition, which was presented by Mr Hornsby, states that petit.oner was left without, any means of support, and points out that this was due to her late husband devoting his energies and talents entirely to the service of the State. A petition with sixteen signatures was presented yesterday asking for a flag station at Purakanui Beach. Mr Macpherson presented a petition for James Brown, miner, of Naseby, who asks relief for loss through the alleged neglect of various departments to proclaim the Ginimerburn Creek a iescrve for mining tailings. Enormous»petitions wero presented by the Hon. J. A. Millar praying for full compensation to the Otago Harbor Board for land taken by the Government. They bore 20,671 signatures. Members chafied the Minister good humoredly as he carried what is known as " Paul's baby " to the table. Mr Arnold also presented a petition with 5,462 signatures asking for the abolition of the totalisator. A general laugh went up later when seve. ral petitions were presented asking that interest on loans to local bodies be paid out of the Consolidated Revenue, meaning that thc_ local bodies would get their loans for nothing. ADVANCES TO SETTLERS. Consideration of the Government Advances to Settlers Consolidating and Amending Bill occupied the House in Committee of the Whole for a considerable time last night. One of the principal amendments moved was by Mr Massey, who wished for provision to be made for interim advances up to £4OO, or four-fifths the value of the land (if unencumbered), to enable a building to be erected, this to apply to urban and suburban land.—'The Premier opposed such an .amendment being moved to this Bill, which, being an advances to settlers measure, dealt primarily with country lands. He urged that hitherto bad debts had been avoided by the Advances to Settlers Department, and pointed to the small margin of security proposed in this ameadment. He, however, announced that he purposed bringing down legislation this session, if possible, providing under the workers' dwellings scheme that where a worker had a section of land advances should be made to him on its security to help him to meet progress payments on a building being erected thereon.—A number of members expressed gratification at the Government's intention to further assist city workers in their endeavor to get better homes. Some of them, however, said that if the idea was a good one why not pass it now by adding the amendment to the BilL Others, however, professed themselves content to abide by _ the Premier's promise of subsequent legislation. There was a good deal of discussion, and among further arguments introduced by the Premier were the fact that the Advances to Settlers Act. applied to all lands; that there was provision for advances to three-fifths the value of the land; and that there was nothing to prevent its application to urban lands. He argued that if the amendment were passed the application for advances on urban and suburban lands might interfere with' the legitimate purpose of tho Advances to Settlers Bill— The amendment was ultimately negatived by 48 to 13; and the Bill was reported from committee practically unamended. LAWYERS' CHARGES. Mr Laurenson got foul of the legal fraternity over the clause in the Advances to Settlers Bill dealing with the provisions renting to mortgages and the scale of charges therefor. He made a protest in favor of cheaper law. Messrs Wilford and Baume, m reply, argued that the legal charges for executing the mortgages were small, and affirmed the principle that cheap law usually means dear justice. Mr Laurenson made a warm reference to second-rate attorneys, and Mr Baume rose to reply to him Mr Wilford meanwhile went over to Mr Laurenson, and, taking him by the arm persuaded him to leave the Chamber the mentber for Lyttelton entering into' the spirit of Mr Wilford's joke, or, at any rate, submitting to his humor. Mr Baume mean! while went on with his speech, and, noting Air Laurenson s absence, regretted that that member had run out. "No, he was led out, corrected Mr Wilford, who had returned to his scat, and who suggested to Mr Baume that as there was nothing to re & V? h if- J 1 "" 1 !? no V«Ply- Mr Baume took the hint, and sat down. In connection with the original point of tho scale of charges on executing the mortgages, the Premier said that he would inquirelnto the 1 3T ( 0f un,w f. ? har « es > aQd « it was found that any solicitors had acted improLOAN OPERATIONS. r,W U ™ g «^ ri * a »*«a «' <b» Imprest Bupply Bill there was opportunity for tome financial discussion. Mr Hernes mZ absenee-of MrVame* Allen, led off for he gratulated the Government on not being so chary of giving information on financial affairs as their predecessors had been/and he also hoped that if he felt called on to unticise the Government's finance he would not bo accused of seeking to damage the coWa- credit. Holdinf in his band a return furnished by the Government at tho request of an Opposition member soowinc particulars of the cost of floating and renewing loans, be congratulated th* Go-

vernment on tho fact disclosed that they were renewing short-dated debentures withi those having a longer currency. He had, however, several inquiries to make as to the cost of conversion and renewal of various issues; Theso were answered later on by the Premier, and subsequently Mr W. Fraser joined in in regard to transactions affecting the Bank of New Zealand preference shares and the Midland Railway. Tho discussion was highly technical, and appeared to be more a question of bookkeeping. The Premier announced that it was well known that tho Government were -renewing next month very large sums of our loan moneys. "I am glad to be able to tell the House," he said, "that the arrangements are made for the successful carrying out of this." "Can't you convert them?" asked Mr Herries. "The conversion process is going on in many cases, from lime to time," replied tho Premier. " Our own financial position is very strong, and our credit is standing high," affirmed Sir Joseph later. RUMORS OF DISSOLUTION. Mr Massey referred yesterday to the rumors of possible dissolution that seem to have been gaining ground lately. On the second reading of the Imprest Supply Bill he took the opportunity, as he had dono on a similar occasion last month, to inquire whether the electoral boundaries are being readjusted since the taking of the last census. " There arc very stupid rumors about a dissolution," he added. "Whether a dissolution takes place or not the boundaries •should be readjusted before any election takes place.',' After Mr T. Mackenzie had protested against continual changes in electorates, t-ho Premier replied that nothing had reached him officially in regard to the matter. " The law will be carried out," he assured Mr Massey. " But it is not being carried out," protesttd that member. "It will be carried out," wa:the'reply. "If there has been a change ' in population tho provisions of the Act will be given effect to." Sir Joseph promised to make inquiries, so that in the event o* a General Election tho boundaries might be fixed. He was inclined to share Mi T. Mackenzie's views, however. The lav was distinct, and it would be carried out. LOANS TO LOCAL BODIES. A petition presented by Mr Ross, mem ber for Pahiatua, yesterday asked that tlrc interest on loans to local bodies should fapaid out of the Corsolidated Revenue. Thit cool request provoked a laugh at the time, and something more wa.s said later. During one of the stages of the Imprest Sup ply discussion, the Leader of the Opposition urged that the rate of interest should be lowered, and reminded the Premic-i that when the rate was raited at the time of the Boer War the Government had explained that money was then dear. The Premier began his reply by alluding to the petition mentioned. "If there, are any people in the country," he said, "who imagine that the colony is going to pav out of the Consolidated Revenue the interest on these loans, the. sooner that ide;i is dispelled the better. I understand it comes from Mastorton. Mr Ross has done his duty in presenting the petition, but the people who -signed it can have very little idea of the payment of interest." Mr R. M'Kenzie interjected that tbey had a good idea of what they wanted. " They may havo a good idea.-" of what they want," said the Premier, "and now they will have a good idea of what they won't get. I agree," ho continued, "that there should be a reduction of interest made as foon as we can do it."—(Hear, hear.) He explained that, apart from the Boer War, there were at the time the rate of interest was raised so many demands from local bodies that tbey were altogether in excess of what the colony was prepared to lend, and a check had to be put on: these continuously-increasing demands. In the absence of the then Colonial Treasurer, who had been simply inundated with applications for loans, he (Sir Joseph) had to put his foot down. SELECT COMMITTEE. A Select Committee, comprising Messrs Aitken, Barber, Ell, Hanan, kirkbride, Remington, Reid, Symes, Witty, Jennings, Lethbridge, and the Premier, has been set up to report on the Local Authorities Subsidies Bill. CHINESE LMMIGRANTS. Li tho Legislative Council reference was made to Chinese immigration. In moving that the return relating to Chinese emigration and immigration recently laid on the table should be printed, the Hon. Mr Rigg stated that he had thought that there was a considerable influx of Chinese, but this was not so if the figures relating to "returned Chinese" —that is, to Chinese who had previously been in the country and had paid the poll-tax—were correct." He once again begged to call attention to the great proportion of Chinese landing in the country who were "returned" Chinese. Last year the proportion was 35.6, and the previous year it was 34.6 of the total arrivals. Ho had been informed by the Attorney-General that the finger-prints of Chinese who intended returning to Now Zealand were taken before they left the colony. There was a suspicion in his mind that there might he something wrong, and he thought the matter should be inquired into. It would be possible, he thought, to get Europeans to identify returned Chinese for a pecuniary consideration. The Attorney-General promised to give consideration to the point made by Mr Rigg. '