Parliamentary Notes.

Hastings Standard, Issue 292, 8 April 1897, Page 2

Parliamentary Notes.

[By Telegraph] (Special to Standard) Wellington, This day. In the House yesterday afternoon the Minister of Lands gave notice to move in the direction of the colony being represented at the record reign celebrations. The Hon Mr Rolleston announced his intention of asking for all correspondence between the Government, the Agent General, and the Colonial Office relating to the appointment of a Governor for the colony, and Mr T. E. Taylor gave notice of his intention to ask if the Government will take steps to prosecute the officials and directors of the Colonial Bank for presenting false and fraudulent balance-sheets.

The opening ceremony was a miserable affair. The Administrator was robed a la the Lord Chancellor in " loianthe " and was attended only by the Commandant of the Forces, not even a solitary Consul accompanying him.

Moreover, Sir James Prendergast mumbled through the speech in such a manner that, short as it was, everyone was pleased when the so-called ceremony terminated. The Premier has given notice of the Legislative Council Act, 1891, Amendment Bill, to remove certain defects in the present law relating to the election of the Speaker of that Chamber. The desire of the House to expedite the Premier's trip to England was shown by the fact that no opposition was raised to the proposal to begin morning sittings forthwith. Members will meet daily at 10 a.m. till the business for which they have been specially called together is disposed of, and the sittings will probably extend till midnight.

The first division of the session was brought about by the Premier's motion for the suspension of Standing Orders Nos. 74 and 75 for the session, so as to enable Government business to have precedence on all sitting days. This was objected to by the Leader of the Opposition, the Hon Mr Rolleston, Sir Robert Stout, George Hutchison, and others 011 the ground that the Ministers might refuse to answer questions for the supply of any information on matters of public interest regarding which returns were asked. All the speakers professed a desire to facilitate Mr Seddon's visit to the Old Country, but they thought the Opposition side of the House should be treated with reasonable courtesy. The Premier denied that he had any other object in view than to prevent waste of time, and promised that the Cabinet should consider the matter of returns asked for with a view of seeing how many of them could be supplied. Then the matter went to a division, and the motion was carried bv 41 to 26. I hear it has been decided that Mr W. Crow shall accompany Mr Seddon to England as private secretary. Mr Crow was formerly in the Telegraph Department, but was transferred from that branch of the department to act as private secretary to the lion Mr Ward when Postmaster-General.

The debate on the Addrres-in-lieply only occupied a few hours. Mr J. Hutchison and Mr Allen, the mover and the seconder, made com-mon-place speeches, and though the Leader of the Opposition and the Minister of Lands were alternatively listened to there was nothing in their remarks calling for comment. Mr Scobie MeKenzie was exceedingly hft ppy- ... Mr (tilfedder was disappointing, being of a debating society .style, but Mr T. K. Taylor made some very pungent remarks, and the Government might ivell say of him " Save me from my friends."' He said the country demanded the dismissal of the President of the Bank of New Zealand, and that reparation to the victims of the recent commercial scandals required earlier attention than even the colony's representation in London. Not a single member left the chamber during the time he occupied the floor, and it is safe to say he will always command an attentive hearing.

The collapse of the debate, which was entirely unexp. ett >l, wa- largely due to the bold and mci-.u- -peech delivered by Mr Taylor, -< \< ral intending speakers nut caring to uke the floor after him.

The iiuerum Financial St<it» inrnt caim ai .1 -Hrprise. Ni itin r Mmi-.ter-' ntir i.il'u. !-, of tlw Tria.vir_> I>» pirt nn nt < \jMCtfd it to l>e bn»iit?ht <lown till si'!- afternoon. l"i; th»- .-ss.Men U'ni.iiMiti'ii i.f tin A'l'-lff-s-ui lit [>! v enal.Utl it to U nuiJ".