PARLIAMENTARY.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 251, 31 October 1901, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY.

Legislative Council- - I The Council met at 2.30 p.m. a The Imprest Supply Bill passed all it: e stages. 1 ! House of Representatives- • J (Bv Telegraph —Press Association.) ' i Wellington, last night, j The House met at 2.30 p.m. l in reply to questions Ministers stated : J That it would be a very good thing if j reciprocity could be obtained with America, j although ‘Mr Seddon did not think there I was much chance of it. There ought, I however, to be preferential tariff between | New Zealand and the Mother Country. I That the recommendation of the TimI her Conference that an export duty of 3s i per hundred feet be placed on white pine and kauri bulk timber was now before the Cabinet. The statement recently cabled I from Sydney that Mr Seddon had already I arranged to* effect such a duty was absoI lutelv incorrect. ! That no invitation hud yet been received j fjr this colony to be represented at the ! King's coronation, but it was expected that an invitation would come to hand during the recess, and Government would consequently ask for the necessary financial provision on the Supplementary Estimates. The House rose at 5.30. EVENING SITTING. The House resumed at 7.30. A new Government Railways Department Classification Bill was introduced by Governor’s message. It replaces the Bill which had already been circulated. Sir Joseph Ward stated that the first division of the original Bill had been favorably received by the officers interested. but in consequence of representations made by the staff the second division hud been amended. This amendment, Sir Joseph Ward said, would tend to still further improve the status of the workers in the Department. The Bill was read a first time.

The State Coal Mines Bill was com mitted.