POLITICAL GOSSIP.

Evening Star, Issue 14966, 28 August 1912, Page 7

POLITICAL GOSSIP.

[From Our ParmamenttßY Reporter.] WELLINGTON, August 28. ARTHUR’S PASS TUNNEL. A copy of the contract for the construction of the Arthur’s Pass tunnel was laid on the. table of tho House yesterday. It shows that the contract was entered into with Messrs John M'Lean and Sons, Wellington, on Ist August, 1907, to construct the tunnel within five years from that date for a sum of £599,794. The deposit with the tender amounted to £50,000, and the penalty fixed for nou-completiou by August 1, 1912, is £2BO per week. The sureties for due performance of the work arc Messrs Oliver Nicholson and John M'Lean, Auckland, the bond amounting to £25,000, CONFISCATION OF FISHING GEAR. A protest against tho Fisheries Act, 1908, as being too drastic is made _by 15 Thames fishermen, who have petitioned Parliament to amend the law. They state that under section 47 of the Act it is possible for a fisherman who has not committed an offence, but is merely suspected of having transgressed the law, to have his boat and fishing gear confiscated, and thus for a time be deprived of his means of livelihood. This important discretionary power is too great to rest in a ranger. It would, they maintain, be move equitable to proceed by information and summons where persons arc suspected of taking fish or oysters in the close season. THE PUBLIC SERVICE. Upon the presentation of the Public Service Reform Bill by' Governors Message to the House yesterday afternoon Mr Russell asked the Prime Minister if the report of the Civil Service Commission would be in the hands of members in lime to allow them to consider it before the. second reading of the Reform Bill. Hie Prime (Minister replied that tho report of tho Commission would probably be presented during the week. He was also authorised by the Minister in charge of the Reform Bill to say that the second reading would not be proceeded with until members had had opportunities to study the report of the Public Service Commission. EGMONT BY-ELECTION. Just as the House was about to rise at 1 a.m. Mr Russell informed the Prime Minister that the date of the Egmont election was fixed for th; 17th, which he considered insufficient time to allow of the possibility of a second ballot or the return of absent voters’ permits. The Prime Minister replied that he considered his dutyended when he moved for the issue of the writ. Ho had not interfered with the matter, leaving it to tho chief electoral officer. COAL MINES. Tho narrow margin of profit of £96 9s 9d is the financial result of last year’s operations of the State Coal Department. Substantial profits wore earned by the mines, Point Elizabeth being £3,964 to the good, and Seddonville £862. Tho Wanganui retail depot showed a credit of £55 9s 7d, but other depots showed losses as follows:—Wellington £942, Christchurch £1,644, Dunedin £555, and tho briquette plant showed £1,617 on the wrong side of the ledger. The total quantity' of coal sold during the vear was 245.159 tons, a decrease of 11,005 compared with the previous year's output. The report shows that tfie Seddonville mine is rapidly approaching tho point at which operations will have to be abandoned on account of the large quantity of soft coal encountered, but when the No. 2 colliery commences turning out coal in a few months’ time tho demands, which have so far been in excess of output, cun bo met.