PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Hastings Standard, Issue 106, 28 August 1896, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

IN HOUSE AND COUNCIL.

[By Telegraph] (From our Special Correspondent.) Wellington, This day. In answer to a question put by the Hon Mr Shrimski in the Council, the Minister of Education said that pending legislation now before Parliament it was not proposed to/grant letters of naturalisation to Chinese. The Hons Shrimski, Bowen, and Bonar urged that the action of the Government was arbitrary. A provision to that effect in the Chinese Restriction Bill had not become law. The private Bills Committee of the Council have recommended that the Mortgages Bill (which Major Steward carried through the Lower House) should not be allowed to proceed. .The Law Practitioners Bill of the Government was under review in Committee of the Council yesterday afternoon. Following the lead of the Statutes Revision Committee, the Council by 16 to IB struck out clause 2 as to seven years' practice entitling a solicitor to enrolment, but by 19 to 11 the following clause, which limits examination to English language and subjects, was retained.

Clause 4, proposing to admit females as candidates, was opposed by the Hon Mr Bowen, who regarded the law as too contentious an avenue to be open to women, and by the Hon Mr Arkwright, who, replying to an argument by the Minister of Education that Shakspeare provided a female lawyer, said that had it been known that Portia was a female she would not have been allowed to plead. On a division being taken the clause was retained by 19 to 11. Clause 5, reducing the fees, was struck out on the voices, and the Bill was reported as amended. As soon as the Council went into Committee on the Asiatic Restriction Bill, the Hon. Sir George Whitmore moved to alter the title to the Chinese Restriction Bill, but was defeated by 16 to 13. At clause 5, the Hon. Mr Shrimski moved to reduce the poll-tax -from £IOO to £ls, and contended that the Council had the right to amend the Bill as it was not a Money Bill, but The Chairman of Committee ruled differently, and The clause as printed was agreed to. Clause 15, under which non-natura-lised Asiatics, are to be deemed aliens, was postponed, and progress was reported on the following clause. The Premier formally announced to the House the selection of Mr J. K. Warburton for the position of Controller and Auditor-General. No decision had yet been come to as to Mr Warburton's successor, but he trusted that when the selection was made it would be as satisfactory as that of Mr Warburton for the office of Controller General. The officers in the Trust and the Advances to Settlers Departments intend entertaining Mr Warburton at a social on Saturday night. Mr Lawry gave notice to ask the Premier whether in order to protect the Natives against exorbitant charges made by lawyers in connection with Native land transactions he would consider the advisability of appointing a legal adviser for the Native race, and also whether the Government would take into consideratisn the recent disclosures in regard to legal bills of costs charged to the Natives. A suggestion has been made to the Government that in view of the difficulty of finding a suitable Public Trustee, the position should be offered to District Judge Kettle. During the absence on sick leave for six months of Mr O'Hara Smith, the position of Chief Auditor of the Lands Department will be filled by Mr J. Runcey, Receiver of Land Revenue, Wellington. Mr W. Hutchison has given notice to ask the Premier on Tuesday, that considering the large stake the Colony holds in the Bank of New Zealand whether the Government cannot intervene in some form to put a stop to public scandal of pressing the paying of calls by shareholders who have not the means of paying the same*