WELLINGTON ITEMS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXVI, Issue 9494, 17 August 1891, Page 5

WELLINGTON ITEMS.

[FROM OtTB OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WELLINGTON, August 15. FRIDAY NIGHT’S DEBATE. Last night’s proceedings after supper were somewhat sensational. Mr Pish took up the running and continued his invective against the proposal for female franchise. The House grew restive, and other speakers succeeded. Acrimony being imported, members trooped out. Messrs Ballance, Ward, and Seddon were absent, and Messrs Reeves and Cadman were the only members representing the Government. The House was rung in and the debate resumed in an angry strain. The opponents—Messrs Pish, Swan, Blake, &c.—stormed loudly against the proposal and abused the Government for an alleged breach of faith. Mr Meredith and some others averred that all the opposition arose from the brewing and publican interest, and declared tbeir intention to stand by night and day. Mr Earnshaw made a menacing speech in favour of the Bill, and urged stern persistency. Mr Cadman spoke moderately. Mr Reeves moved to report progress; and subsequently, on reiterating tho motion and promising to inform the Premier of the strength of the feeling in the • House, got it carried. Members were by this time excited, and the supporters of the proposal for woman franchise exhibited a peculiarly stern determination. It is evident that the majority favours it. ELECTORAL BILL. The Electoral Bill will bo pushed on rapidly. In regard to the difficulty that hac arisen over the female franchise, I believe it will be amicably arranged, and that the Government, with -the concurrence of Sir J. Hall, will bring in a Bill similar to his proposal. I feel certain that this course will be pursued, provided a pledge of non-obstruction is forthcoming from the obstructionists of the other night. Unless that is given the Premier will probably not bring down a Bill, and it is difficult to see how Sir John is to get time for his. It is remarkable how few of Sir John Hall’s party are with him in this matter ; and I hear it whispered that ho has received a communication from the Conservative party in Christchurch requesting him in terms almost of entreaty not to proceed with this matter, as during the strike f, the women were worse than the men.” The dread which prompted such a communication as this is laughable. The Premier is, I know, strongly in favour of woman suffrage. SESSIONAL WOBK. The Land Bill will come down again on Tuesday, and a number of smaller fry will be pushed through. The Premier gives mo the dismal tidings that he is about to institute Monday sittings. The first of these sittings will be held to consider the amendments made in the Legislative Council Bill in the Upper House, which do nob meet with the approval of the Government. The Government insists upon the seven years’ terms being retained, and objects to the change of ago from twentyone to thirty-five. Mr Ballance thinks there is no occasion to disqualify capable men by such a limit of age as this, and he stands by twenty-one. The Government is well pleased with the work done. The session will last quite a month yet. The Civil Service Bill, I find on further inquiry, is hopelessly hung up till next session ; for this the Civil Service Association has itself to blame. As I told you a week or two ago, it placed in tho hands of the Premier a month after the Bill had been in circulalation, a number of amendments of an important character which, at that stage, could not be considered. I do not think the Criminal Code or Bankruptcy Bill is likely to reach the Statute Book this session. MUNICIPAL COBPORATIONS. Mr W. Hutchison’s amendments to the Municipal Corporations Bill will, if pressed, probably retard or wholly block the progress of the Bill, being of such a drastic character that fierce discussion is inevitable. One of them is to give every elector in the Borough (not merely every ratepayer) the right to vote at a mayoral election. Another is to give Councils power to acquire land for public purposes compulsorily. Lastly, he proposes that certain offences against the By-laws and the Police Offences Act shall be met by the infliction of a minimum fine without appearance at Court. The offences enumerated are, wheeling any vehicle upon a public footpath, placing timber, bricks or other materials in any public place without permission of the Council, leaving any encumbrance on a public place, burning combustible materials so as to endanger property, opening any drain or sewer without permission of the Council, exposing for sale any article outside of any doorwayopeningonanypublioplace,beating carpets, flying kites, playing at any game whereby persons may be annoyed, throwing stonesor other missiles,leaving any horse or horses and vehicles without any person in charge or without a locked wheel, riding or driving on any street or roadway so rapidly as to endanger public safety, overcrowding public conveyances, cattle straying on any public place, chimneys on fire, vehicles driven without lights after sunset. POLICY BILLS. In the course of a conversation with the Minister for Education, I gather that, while he is favourable to female franchise, he considers tho first care of the Government should be its policy, of which this was not a portion. The first solicitude of the Government will be for the passage of its policy Bills. workmen's lien bill. The Workmen’s Lieu Bill contains some novel provisions, which give contractors, sub-contractors and workmen a lien on land, goods and chattels where they are engaged, to tho value of their work not exceeding thirty days. In the case of a workman the liability of a property owner is not to exceed the contract price agreed upon by him with the contractor. A subcontractor is to be entitled to a charge upon money payable to the superior contractor, and a workman to a charge upon money due to any contractor or subcontractor by whom he may be employed. Mortgages are to have priority over liens if duly registered previous to the date of the contract under which the lien arises unless the mortgagee is a party to the contract, in which case the lien will come first. Liens and charges for wages will take precedence over those of sub-con-tractors, and the liens and charges of contractors will come next in order; but as between themselves all the three classes are to rank equally. One of the new features is that besides applying to building works, the Bill is to affect mines, quarries, excavations and the erection of machinery. Yet more novel is the proposal to give all persona employed in agricultural or pastoral pursuits a lien to the extent of six months’ wages. If it accrues in respect to fencing or clearing land, the lien is to attach to tho land on which the work is done, and all land enjoyed with it. If the work done is the tending, &c., of sheep or cattle, it is to attach to live stock. Any such lien is to be enforced against a mortgagee as well as against tho owner.