LOBBY AND GALLERY.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 12205, 2 August 1902, Page 2

LOBBY AND GALLERY.

Bv Tuleokai-ij—Special to lleuald. Wellington, Friday. AN ELECTIVE COUNCIL. Mr Ell, in accordance with bis promise, baa introduced a bill to provide for tho election of members of the Legislative Council, instead of their being nominated as at present. 'The bill makes provision for Councillors being elected for six years, at every alternate election of members of the Lower House, and it also provides that the camber of members of the Council shall be half that of the House of Bepresentatives.

SHEEP RETURNS. It appears from an interim return of the number of sheep in the colony on the 30th April last that the total number on that date was 20,302,022, as compared with 20,233,093 last year. The increase in the North Island for this year over last was 00,058 and in the South Island 8885, SIB HENEY MILLEE’3 ILLNESS. The Speaker of the Legislative Council (Bir Honry Miller) is confined to his room through illness, and in accordance with the Standing OrJera the chair was taken to-day by the Uon.W. C. Smith, chairman of committees. CIVIL SERVICE PENSIONS. Sir Joseph Ward to-day brought down a list of tho pensions proposed to he granted under the Act of 1881, It appears from tho return that the pension to be granted to Mr S. J. Jago, of tho Post and Telegraph Department (formerly of Napier) is an annual one of £305 6s 6d, to commence on the let September, 1903; Mr Robert Kirton, of the Postal Department, is to receive an annual pension of £333 6s Bd, to commence on the Ist April, 1902. HATUMA RAILWAY SIDING. The Railway Department has agreed to the Hon. W. C. Smith’s request to put up a shelter-abed and sheep-loading yards at the Hatuma siding, and tho work has now been authorised.