WELLINGTON ITEMS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXIV, Issue 9168, 30 July 1890, Page 5

WELLINGTON ITEMS.

[By Telegraph.] [FROM OUB OWN CORRESPONDENT.J Y7ELLINGTON, July 29. LABOUR BILLS COMMITTEE. Tho Labour Bills Committee mot this morning and went slowly through the first part of the Factories and Shops Bill. They agreed to make tho Act apply to the whole Colony instead of merely to cities and specially proclaimed districts; also to reduce tho minimum number _ of persona employed in any building, required to bring tho building under tho operation of tho Act, from six to three. This is expected to get rid of small sweating dens. It was also resolved that labour unions ought to have some sort o£ voice in the selection of tho inspectors appointed by tho Government, though certainly not the entire voice. A number of Wellington employers of labour sent a request to be allowed to wait upon and interview the Committee; This was refused, as the Committee had no power to admit outsiders to their meetings, but it was intimated that any suggestions in writing wculd be received and considered. THE HUTCHISON ENQUIRY, The Hutchison Committee passed the whole morning arguing as to the course they ought to pursue. Mr Bryce moved that Mr Hutchison should bo examined as the first witness. Tins was negatived by the casting vote of tho Chairman. Then it was moved that the political side of the charge, that mainly dealing with the action of Ministers as a whole with regard to the Bank, should bo disposed of and settled before the question of tho private of Ministers to the Bank should be gone into. This again was negatived on the Chairman’s casting vote. Then it was moved that Bank officers and'papers and members of the Ministry should be first examined, and this also was negatived by Mr Withy’s casting vote. It looks as though the struggle on the Committee was becoming distinctly tinged with party spirit. I understand now that Mr Hutchison’s speech will be taken, and distinct charges formulated based upon it, RETRENCHMENT. Government have been again in Cabinet considering their position. Messrs Barron, Goldie and Saunders are still firm, and say that if the Opposition will, be true to their promises as to retrenchment, retrenchment will be obtained, notwithstanding the wavering , of certain Skinflints. THE DOING OF THE DEED. Like the pirate captain in Don Juan, MrMitchelson is the very mildest-mannered man who ever scuttled ship or cut a throat. This aftejfcioon he proceeded to cut the threat of a heap of private members’ Bills, by requesting tho House to order that henceforth Wednesdays shall ; be given up to Government business instead of private members’ business. In other, words, Mr Mitchelson gave tho first command lor tho beginning of that time - honoured butchery or Massacre of the Innocents. Gentle as was Mr Mitchelson’s tone, it did not sooth the private members who saw their innocent offspring doomed to death. Poor Sir George Grey, who has been waiting for two long years to get the Elective Governors Bill discussed, was specially pathetic. Major Steward metaphorically tore his hair and cast dust upon his head. Nevertheless, a cruel majority supported Herod Mitchelson, and the deed was done. Henceforth private members will only have Thursdays. Very soon Thursday v/ill also he taken from them. THE SWISS SYSTEM. Major Steward, however, has a drop of consolation, A special sitting is to he held next Monday evening to debate his resolution for tho adoption of the Swiss system of a fixed executive and a referendum. A number of members who, like Gaileo, care for none of these things, have announced their intention of staying at home on Monday and leaving the enthusiasts for Swiss reform to talk away among themselves. No doubt, however, the latter will be able to get up a good debate. PABIAMBNTAEY RIFLE MATCH. Mr Ward, of Awarua, is arranging a Parliamentary rifle match between New Zealand and South Australia, consequent upon a challenge recently received from the Parliament of that Colony. I understand that Mr Ward’s team will probably consist of tho following members :—Messrs Anderson, Carroll, Duncan, Ehodes, Verrall, Hamlyn, Bruce, Arthur, Fitzherberb and Ward. THE CIVIL SERVANTS. A long and elaborate article appeared in the morning paper to-day, describing what has been done by the Civil Servants in the way of forming a Union or Association., The article, however, contains no more information than I seat you last night, in: a condensed form, except one statement, which is that; the Civil Servants actually held a meeting last Saturday night, and formed their Association. This statement happens to be quite wrong. The meeting has not yet been held—it is to bo held this week. The Association is meant to comprise not only all the servants in Wellington, but all those in the Colony, All tho heads of departments have exE ressed approval of it, and, I believe, ave signed the circular convening tho meeting. PUBLIC MEETING. Sir George Grey has consented to address a large public meeting to be held ; next Monday night in this city. I hear that Messrs Fisher, Pitchett, Monk and W. P. Beeves have also been asked to speak, and that most of them, will do so. A BOLAND FOB AN OLIVER. The Evening Post sensibly enough points out this evening that the Government need not be so thin-skinned about its dignity in the matter of reductions on its Estimates, seeing how cavalierly Ministers treated the Kailway Commissioners’ Estimates. The Commissioners asked for an extra £50,000, but Ministers promptly sent them back their estimates, and made them reduce them by ,£38,000, thus allowing them only £12,000 extra instead of £50,000. [from OUB SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT,] WELLINGTON, July 29. THE SKINFLINTS. The protest of the twelve residents of Invercargill in favour of economy has greatly comforted the Skinflints. _ These gentlemen, I hear, are getting divided; hence Ministers anticipate a majority in supply on the more important subjects. Mr Pish has also had a telegram from two dozen citizens of Dunedin which has braced him up for further retrenchment, MB KERB. Mr E, G. Kerr’s declaration of independence at Timaru is regarded here as of an Atkinsonian flavour. PIECE-WORE. In the matter of the Potone moulders, the Commissioners do not know of tho particulars. They are enquiring. Meanwhile .they are confident that the public will not consider thorn as wishing to reduce the wages of skilled labour to 15s a week. Mr M’Kerrow says that the • change to piece-work at Potone was asked for by the men themselves. SHIRLEY BAKER. The friends of the Kev Shirley Baker here are very angry at the treatment he has received from the High Commissioner. An article in the morning paper, which takes tho view that tho rev gentleman has been justly treated, though admitting that he has done a great deal of good, has given them offence. There will be, I hear, an interesting controversy. GRETMOUTH-HOKITIKA RAILWAY. The Petitions Committee have recommended to the favourable consideration of tho Government a petition in favour of the. construction of tho Greymouth-Hokitika, Railway. THE SWISS SYSTEM. The Government intend to ask the House to sib on next Monday night to dßeusa Major Steward’s motion for the appointment of. a Committee to enquire into and report upon the possibility - of devising

some means of appointing an executive free from the evils of the present system. ■ NEW PLYMOUTH DEBENTURE-HOLDERS. A petition was presented to both House# p£ Parliament to-day from residents in England who are either personally or on; behalf of clients interested in New Zealand securities. The petitioners state that in 1879 an issue of £200.000 in 6 per cent ... debentures o£ the New Plymouth Harbour, Board was raised in London, and that the prospectus stated that the Government, " recognising the necessity o£ the work from a national point of view,” had endowed the Harbour Board with one-fourth of the ( revenues from the waste lands in the Provincial district. Other security in the way of a rate was also promised, though io was asserted that that would not be required, seeing that the waste lands of the district amounted to about 758,000 acres, representing a value of Tho petitioners state that, in consequence! of subsequent legislation, the rates of sale on deferred-payment lands were reduced,' and this, together with the extension or the perpetual lease system, had the result of taking away for present purposes the security upon which the tenderers for the work had mainly relied. The Harbour Board were, therefore, unable to meet the;. _ half-year’s interest due in May last, and “ will, apparently, be unable to do SO in the ; future.” Tho petitioners do not question , the policy of the Legislature, but venture to think that the obligations of the ' prospectus were overlooked, and should have been met by some special provision. They also point out that if the claim is nob recognised, it cannot but have a prejudicialeffect on the Colony in any future dealings' upon tho London money market. The prayer of the petition is, that the debentureholders shall be placed in as favourable ft position as they would have been if the mode of dealing with waste lands remained as it was in 1879. which? ; Mr Pish has learned that since the close' of the year the Government have received ' an account for £6O for the hire for twelve' ; days of a waggon and four horses for the ‘ use of one of the Ministers, and he wishes to know which is tho Minister concerned. ; INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS. Mr Ehodes is urging the Government to reduce the price charged for the admission of children to industrial schools. FLAK AND DAIRY PRODUCE. t The Flax and Dairy Produce Committee to-day examined Mr Gardiner, Chairman; of the Wellington Plaxmillers’Association,! who strongly favoured giving a bonusfor flax-dressing machinery, and ascribed the;' low prices in London to over-produotion,' ‘ •not to the production of an inferior article.: Mr Pollard, a Blenheim expert, was also' examined, and Sir James Hector is to give, evidence on the scientific aspect of the’ matter during this week, - ,