POLITICAL NOTES.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 175, 28 July 1888, Page 2

POLITICAL NOTES.

[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, last night. The whole of Wednesday evening’s sitting was occupied with a debate on the motion to go into Committee on the Native Land Bill. Sir George Grey Grey said the Bill had been completely altered, and the natives knew little about its provisions. He moved that that the Bill be read that day three months. The Premier, speaking to the question, said the objections of natives were confined to the taxation clauses, and these might be put in another Bill if the House desired it.

All the native members voted against the provisions for taxing native lands. Mr Carroll objected to them unless the Crown and Native Lands Bating Act was repealed. The Premier said if the House refused to repeal the Act ho would suspend ths taxation clauses. d Shortly before midnight the House divide on the question, and Sir George Grey’s amendment shelving the Bill was rejected by 54 to 12. It was agreed that the House go into Committee on the measure. The debate on the Native Land Court Bill was then proceeded with. There has been more delay with the Public Works Statement. Owing to the backward state of public business it will not be delivered this evening, and it is doubtful whether it will come down next week. It is, however, ready for delivery. Sir Julius Vogel has no authority from the Government to obtain information as to the treatment of refractory ores, or in any other capacity, in England. There are ninety Bills on the Order Paper of the House, and fully eighty of these will be dropped for the session. Mr Goldie has received communications from some of the officers of friendly societies in Auckland, urging the abolition of the Registrar of Friendly Societies’ Department. It is alleged that a very great expense is incurred annually for fees for secretaries’ salaries, and valuers, of which the House knows absolutely nothing, and the returns when obtained are so unreliable as to be comparatively worthless. Yet from these very returns the annual report has to be compiled. During a discussion on retrenchment on Tuesday £2O was saved on some £400,000, the cost of effecting the retrenchment being £lOO.

In reply to Mr Oarroll, the Colonial Sacratary said the Native Minister was considering the question of the salary of native assessors, and would ultimately state what was being done. Mr Carroll said the assessors bad a great deal of responsibility in trying oases. They only got 10s a day when the Court was sitting, and 10s 6d a day lor expenses. The result was that they had to put up at cheap hotels where they were exposed to suspicious influences, They ought to be placed above suspicion,