POLITICAL NOTES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXX, Issue 10106, 3 August 1893, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES.

[from our special correspondent.] WELLINGTON, August 2. LABOUR BILLS. The Labour Bills Committee concluded its deliberations on the Shops and Shop Assistants Bill this morning, passing the clause providing for the Governor issuing an Order-in-Council for a compulsory halfholiday where the local authorities do not take action. The Conciliation and Arbitration Bill was then dealt with. Mr Blackwell, manager of the Kaiapoi Woollen Company, was examined, and gave evidence at great length. Hia evidence disclosed that he was not intimately acquainted with the provisions of the Bill, and that his objections to the measure were made under misapprehension. His chief objection was to compulsory arbitration. He was highly complimented on the fair and candid way in which he had given his evidence. JOTTINGS AND INCIDENTS.

Mr Lawry informs me that he has been in frequent communication with the Crown law officers respecting the clause which he desires to insert in the Municipal Corporations Act Amendment Bill, at the request of the Parnell and Newmarket Boroughs. All researches, however, have failed up to the present to devise means to adequately meet the case. The Accommodation of Shearers Bill has been drafted, and will shortly be printed and circulated. It proposes to enact that shcepowners must provide sufficient and suitable shed accommodation for shearers under penalties for non-compliance with the order of the Factory Inspector, who is to make a periodical report to tho Minister for Labour on the subject. At a meeting of Native Chiefs at the Wellington Hotel, the proposals submitted at the Maori meeting at Hastings, as to the desirableness of having a separate Maori Parliament to deal with native questions, was considered. The Hon H. K. Taiaroa, M.L.C., expressed himself willing to introduce in the Legislative Council a Bill giving effect to the resolutions passed at Hastings. The meeting was not unanimous on the subject, however, and Mr Parata declared himself opposed to the measure.

A number of petitions from different parts of the Colony were presented to-day in favour of the Direct Veto Bill, while a large petition from Canterbury against that measure, containing over four thousand signatures, was also presented. The Lyttelton Harbour Laud Bill has been amended by the Local Bills Committee, so that public right of free access to the Cave Rock, Sumner, is preserved. The petition of William Olliver, enginedriver, Lyttelton, is referred to the Government for favourable consideration. The Waste Lands Committee dealt today with tho petitions of Marmaduke Dixon and others, and of the Waimakariri-Ashley Water Supply Board. With reference to the first-named, the recommendation is that no private water rights should be admitted in any County or water-supply district unless under the control and sanction of the Counoil or Board concerned. On the Board’s petition the decision is that in the opinion of the Committee the Act is defective so far aa Part 2 is concerned, but as there seems to be considerable diversity of opinion in the district, no further legislation should take place till after k the next election of the Board.

Mr Saunders to-day presented the petition of Lieutenant Beere, who prays for a grant of 400 acres of land, of which he claims to have been wrongfully deprived. At the meeting of the Labour Bills Committee to-day, when the Shops Bill was under consideration, Mr Eolleston attended and presented a petition signed by 1900 residents of Christchurch to the effect that there was no necessity for such a measure. Letters were read from Messrs Ballantyne & Co., Shaw, Robinson & Co., Strange & Co. and others, protesting against the Bill, Messrs Strange and Co. stating that the volume of trade would be reduced by at least £3OO per week if the Bill were carried. Mr Eolleston urged the contentions of the petitioners, but without effect. An attempt was made to make the Bill operative as from October 1 nest, so as to give the electors an opportunity of expressing their opinions, but this was rejected and the original date of Jan. 3, 1894, adhered to. SHEEP RETURNS. An interim return of sheep in tho Colony on April 30 last was laid on the table by the Minister for Lands, showing the following results :—Auckland district, 841,733 sheep, an increase of 49,758; Napier, 4,108,027, an increase of 168,435; Wellington and west coast, 3,715,333, an increase of. 242,781; Marlborough and Nelson, 828,754, an increase of 8243; Canterbury and Kaikoura, 5,469,496, an increase of 22,413; Otago, 4,394,387, an increase of 93,539; total for the Colony, 19,357,730; increase, 786,978. The increase is divided between the two islands as follows: —North 461,064, South 325,914. THE AUCKLAND ELECTION.

[from our special correspondent.] WELLINGTON, August 2.

It is reported that the result of the Auckland election will be largely swayed by the temperance vote, which, it is said, will be given to Mr Rees, while the publican party ia understood to be supporting Mr Cadman. [Per Press Association.]

The Premier has received a letter from Danevirko signed by the Mayor and fiftytwo residents, stating that two or three hundred names more could have been secured upon the Umutaoroa block. The writers say that the land was bought from the natives by Mr Smith with the full knowledge and approval of most of the residents in the district, that the purchase was an excellent thing tor Danevirke in many ways, and they only wish that more native land there could have been secured and turned to similar use; that the details of the whole transaction were quite open and thoroughly well-known in the district, and that the residents are surprised at and cannot understand the noise now made about the purchase. They add that Mr Cadman spent a lot of money in a steel tramway, and caused a large number of men to be employed, to the great benefit of the district.

AUCKLAND, August 2,

At Mr Rees’ meeting of electors a motion was passed expressing approval of Sir Robert Stout’s Licensing Act Amendment Bill, and trusting that it will become law this session.

Mr Cadman addressed the electors for the last time to-night at Ponsonby. A hearty vote of thanks was proposed and carried by a large majority for bis straightforward, manly and truthful addresses. The meeting was somewhat lively, several men having to be ejected from the hall by the police.