Wellington Gossip.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 10363, 24 July 1896, Page 3

Wellington Gossip.

4> [FROM OUn OWN CORRESPONDENT.] (BY TELEGRAPH,) Wellington, Thursday, THE BANK COMMITTEE.

Intense Interest la still token In the proceedings of the Banklog Committee, bud Its deliberations have now become very aorlmonlous, if nob positively disorderly. There were numerous scenes again to-day between the two Ministers on the committee and other members. The Premier and the chairman also came into conflict on several occasions, and Mr Seddon warmly stated that in all his experionee of committees he had never been subjected to each unseemly rulings as thnse glveu by Mr Graham. At another period of the proceedings the chairman lequcated the Premier to confine his remarks to tbe motion under dlscnssioD, to which Mr Soddon angrily retorted that he hoped Mr Graham would not treat him in that way again, A' heated controversy took place later on between the Premier and Mr George Hutchison over the resolutions moved by the latter. Ministers evidently anticipated that in nominating Mr Hutchison so the committee he would surely attempt to justify the attacks he made in 1890 on the late Sir Harry Atkinaoo, Sir Frederick Whitaker, and also on Mr Mitcbelson, Both the Premier and Minister for Lands this morning referred to these attacks, but Mr Hutchison refused to reply to them. He Bald he would not comment on the exhibition of good taste displayed by Mr Seddon and Mr M'Kenzle in going back to those matters, and as two of the principals were dead he would nob reply to tbe remarks made. The inquiry appears to have now assumed quite a new aspect, and the Government ate evidently convinced that in going on the committee Mr Hntohison did so in order to ascertain all about Mr Ward's transactions. The Premier bo-day tannted Mr Hutchison with having plunged his knife up to the hilt In Mr Ward, and he told him that he (Mr Hntohieon) had mistaken his position on the committee ; he was there as a judge, bnt he had taken up the position of prosecutor. On a previous occasion, for a similar attack, he (Mr Seddon) and others had saved Mr Hutchison from being expelled from Parliament. THE PUBLIC HEALTH, Mr Carroll has introdnced a bill to amend the Poblio Health Act wblo.hl is similar la many reapeota to the Undeßlrable Immigrants Bill, brought down on a former ocoaslon by the present AgentGeneral (Mr W. P. Kaeves). The first portion of Mr Carroll's bill is devoted to the prevention of passengers suffering from tuberculosis embarking for, or landing in, New Zealand. The master, owner, or obarteier of any ship sailing for this colony Is given the responsibility of taking precautions again Bb bringing any snob, passenger to New {Zealand, he being compelled on arrival to make 4 declaration as to whether or not any of his passengers are suffering from any form of tuberculosis. A false declaration renders the person making It liable to a fine of £10, and if a passenger suffering from the disease lands both the master of the vessel and the passenger are liable to a £10 fine. If within three months after landing any passenger Is found l to be suffering from any form of disease he is to be deemed bo have been bo suffering -when be landed. In order to secure payment of fines no Bhlp is to be cleared out until all penalties are paid.; !|AnyVJ passenger found to be suffering from tuberculosis is to have a oabjn to himself during the voyage. The exemptions under the Aob are Her Majesty's land and sea forces, any person duly accredited to the Government of New Zealand by any other Government, and persons who may be exempted from time to time by an Order-ln-CouDoll. Tuberculosis and syphilis are made highly infectious and dangerous diseases under the provisions of the Pnbllo Health Acb Amendment Act, 1893, and Clause 3 of the Imbecile Passengars Acb, 1882, is also amended. This clause provides that the master 01 iiwper qf a vessel, bring* lag tv the colony aa a passenger any lunette:, idiot, deaf, blind, or infirm person, who is likely to become a oharge upon any oharitable institution, may.be required by tbe collector of Customs to enter into a bond of £100, to be nsed for tbe maintenance of, or In connection with, such person as may bo thought desirable. The Apt now brought down provides for increasing tout bond to £500.. The bill is expected to bb debated at great length, THE BREAKWATER. The numerous Nepierites who now reside in Wellington are very pleased to hear that the damage done to the breakj water by the late heavy weather was not nearly so serlons as repotted here. Most exaggerated stories were circulated, one of which was that the damage done to the work was enormous, and would take £50,000 to repair, The Napier papers are unfortunately responsible for some of these reports, and when one ventures to contradict such absurd stories the local papers are given as authorities for them. GOVERNMENT INSURANCE. (' it appears from the annual report of the Governmenb Insurance Department that the new business of the year comprised SBou proposals for a total amount of £833055. Qf these nroposalu HBl were deferred or declined.' Of every ipQ policies completed 84 were at the ordinary rates. In the general section tho new policies Issued numbered 2391, assnrlng £518,173, and in the temperance section 483 policies assuring £89,875, Under the Civil service Insurance regulations there are now in force 113 policies, insuring £19,848, and entitling the survlvora at thp age of 60 to annuities amount* lag ifp £39§8. per annum. The total new preminma received loab year QtflQnEted to £10,948, and the total premiums resolved to £230,052, being £10,745 In access of the prevlona year. The Interest earned during the year was £119,973, being £4704 more than last year. The total revenue of tbe office shows the substantial Increase of £16,534, the amount being £386,012. The claims during tbe year under death policies numbered 271, arising ont of the death of 2-J8 ttolloyboldara. The amount arising out of those elairps. Including bonuses, was £99,689. The claims under matured endowment policies totalled £28,289. Since its foundation tbe Department has paid £1,250,000 in liquidation of. Jnonrance claims. Tbe expenses of management last year to £50,462, of whloh £6623 was fqr Innej and Incdme tax. This showed a decrease of £8260 on the previous year's expenditure, repre. senting a reduction oi about S per cent in the ratio of oxpenses to tbe premium income. The accumulated funds increased during tne year by £164,006, bringing the total up to £2,428,245. The assets now total £2,499,190. The mosb noticeable feature in the busineas of the year Is the decline in the expenses of management. The new insurances this year, though a Httlo Ib^d than in 1894, amount to over £600,000,, which is a greater business than that transacted by the majority of British offices. The total amount Insured now amounts to £9,345,000/ MR HUTCHISON'S OPINION. During bhe proceedings of the Bank Committee tibia morning Mr George Hutchison said the remarks just made by the Premier and Minister for Lands were abßurd, "Say incorreot," suggested the chairman. Mr Hutchison claimed that ; the word " absurd " was quite Parlia- , mentary, to whloh the Premier retorted sarcastically "Oh, say they were both."