Parliamentary.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 19 July 1901, Page 3

Parliamentary.

(Our Parliamentary Reporter.)

Wellington This Day. Mr Atkinson wants to know if Government will introduce a bill to prevent removal of liquor licenses from one part of a district to another, as the law at present in force is being evaded.

Mr Millar wants information as to Government's intentions regarding representation of the colony at the King's coronation.

Will a Payment of Members Bill be introduced this year ? Mr Fisher is anxious to know whether his "screw" is to be increased to £3OO.

Mr Ell wants " pumping " in the City electorates abolished.

Sweeping charges regarding the promotion and conduct of gold mining companies in Otago are contained in a petition of Mr H. E. Easton of Dunedin, praying that greater freedom should be given to the press of the Colony in the publicatien of facts concerning glaring evils that are being perpetrated in connection with the dredging industry. The petition was presented by Mr Arnold to-day, and is certain to have some weight when the Companies Bill is under consideration in the House.

The Government are to be asked by Mr Fisher as to their intentions regarding the introduction of a licensing bill this session.

Commandeering of Troopships. Despatches from the Secretary of State for the Colonies were laid on the table of the House this morning. They show that the Admiralty did not approve of Mr Scddon's suggestion that colonial governments should be empowered by legislation, if necessary, to commandeer vessels of the British Mercantile Marine for use as troopships should occasion arise. Experience has shown that suitable vessels can be obtained without interfering with the freedom of contract; and the proposal to commandeer appears to the Admiralty Lords to be impracticable, and in their opinion it would be much better to seize ships and compensate owners, when a special emergency arises, than to legalise such a high-handed action as commandeering in anticipation of emergency. Rating on Unimproved Yalue. Eating on Unimproved Value Act Amendment Bill was circulated this morning. It provides in future that all rates shall be made on unimproved value of land as defined in the Government Valuation Land Act Amendment Act of 1901. This, however, will not apply to rates mentioned in section 20 of the Principal Act (water, gas, electric light, sewage, hospital and charitable aid) unless local authority so decides by special order.

(PEE PBBS3 ASSOCIATION.)

The House met at 10 30.

R. Thompsoncalled the attention of the Government to a recent decision of the Appeal Cour; in regard to defamatory libel. He asked what they proposed to do in the matter. Seddon replied that

the matter was looked upon as a most serious one, and recognised the necessity of immediately passing legislation to meet the situation. The Land for settlement Act Amendment Bill and Government Advance to Settlers' Bill, was introduced and read a first time.

On the motion that the amendments made in Committee on the Referendum Bill be adopted, Pirani moved that the Amendment Bill be recommitted, for the purpose of considering a new clause to provide that polling on the question referred to in the Referendum be conducted through the post. Seddon opposed the proposal on the ground that it would be an interference with the secrecy of the ballot. A long debate ensued.