POLITICAL NOTES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXXII, Issue 10482, 20 October 1894, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES.

[fboh oub special cobbebpondent/1 WELLINGTON, Oct. 10. MIDiAWB BAIIjWAT. Tiioro is rsssoni to fo&r that tb.6 hopss raised regarding the passage of the Midland Railway Bill are doomed to diaappointment. The majority that last night seemed bo assured has dwindled away with the morning light, and opposition to the measure is as strong as ever. Eight members who refrained from voting on the last diviaion were opposed to it, and their votes would be given on a second division, and would more than counterbalance those of the few members who have turned in favour of the Bill. The probability now is that the Premier will not move for the reinstatement of the Bill, and all hope of a Battlement will therefore bo at an end for this session. , , Ail hope of carrying the new contract Bill this session has now been abandoned. Mr Guinness to-day received a telegram conveying the resolution of seventy unemployed workmen who met at Kellytown, urging him to use his influence to get the Bill passed. Mr Guinness has replied stating that he has done his utmost, but failed to obtain the passage of the Bill, and expressing the hope that the Government will make provision to find work for the Westland unemployed. ILLICIT DEINK TRAFFIC. The following paragraph appears in the report from Inspector Broham on the subject of licensing matters in hia district;—"As regards illicit distillation, I think the district is quit© free of it at present; but there is a large number of Donegal men living in Timaru sub-district who look upon illicit distillation as no offence whatever, and will resort to it if the smallest chance is afforded them. Cheviot is the only part of the district from which any complaints have come regarding sly grog-selling, and steps are now being taken to suppress it in that quarter. The distance from Cheviot to the nearest police station, forty-five miles, is a serious difficulty in the way of detecting offences." BAIL WAY BRIDGES. There is some doubt whether the majority of the Railways Committee who voted for the suppression of all evidence taken as to the condition of bridges on the HurunulBiaff section of the Government railway system will succeed in carrying out their intention. Mr G. W. Russell, chairman of the commitbtee, is in accord with the minority, and is making every effort to have the evidence and minutes laid on the table. There is no doubt that he will be successful so far as the minutes are concerned, and the Speaker yesterday informed Mr G. J. Smith that no committee had power to keep in its possession either minutes or evidence, but must hand them over to the,clerk of the House. CONFERENCES. This evening two conferences between managers of the House and the Council took place, on the Native Land Court Bill and Criminal Code Act Amendment Bill respectively. On the first named measure an agreement was practically arrived at by mutual concession. On the other measure the Council’s amendments have been accepted, so that the age of consent is fixed at fifteen years, and the convict Ch'amis is denied the right of access to the Criminal Court of Appeal. :

BANKING. When the Bank Bill reaches committee Mr George Hutchison is to move the following new clause: anything to the contrary contained in the Public Eevenuea Act, 1891, the public account of the colony is appointed to be kept at the Bank of New Zealand.” In a latter sent by the Colonial Treasurer to Mr Watson, announcing his ! appointment as President of the Bank of New Zealand, the terms stated are that the salary shall be paid by the Bank of New Zealand ; that as the appointment is made entirely in connection with the two million guarantee, the Government does not in any way bind itself to a continuance of the appointment after the expiration of the term of guarantee —ten years; and that the appointment shall end should the statutory Board of Directors cease to exist. It is further pointed out by Hr Ward that with reference to the powers and duties of the president, it is in connection with the power of veto that the Government is anxious he should use the utmost discretion, so as to prevent any interference with the legitimate business of the Bank. “ The first duty of the President,” the letter adds, “ will be to see that the interests of the colony, as represented by the guarantee of two millions, are always safeguarded, and it will be imperative upon himself and his co-directors to conduct the affairs of the Bank so that, on the one hand, the best interests of the shareholders shall be preserved, and on the other, that there shall be no danger of the State making a loss in connection with the guarantee.” NATIVE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, The final report of this committee was presented to the House to-day. It states that 106 petitions bad this session been referred to it. Of this number, 73 had been considered and reported upon, 33 being left over for lack of time to deal with them. The committee had also considered four Bills dealing with Native questions. A vote of thanks was accorded to Mr Houston for his conduct as chairman. APPROPRIATION BILL. Mr Saunders has given notice to move a proviso to the Appropriation Bill, declaring that until an Imprest Supply Bill shall be passed next session, the Colonial Treasurer’s power to pay moneys for any service shall be limited by the amount of the unexpended balance of the vote for such service, plus an amount equal to one fifth of the total vote for the office or department. MISCELLANOXTS. At a meeting of Government supporters, held after the House rose this morning, a great reduction was made in the measures to be dealt with. Amongst the Bills it has been decided to drop are Beet Root Sugar Bill, Rating on Crown Lands Bill, Fencing Bill, Hospitals and Charitable Aid Bill, and Licensing Bill. This leaves thirteen Bills still to be dealt with. The session will probably close to-morrow or Monday at latest. At the caucus this afternoon, some opposition was shown to the proposal to drop the Licensing Bill, but a show of hands proved that there was a large majority in favour of postponing it till next session. The House is to sit all day to-morrow, in order to finish business by Monday if possible. The Joint House Committee has decided not to permit the Reliance memorial to be erected in the Parliamentary grounds, because the design adopted is not such as would be ornamental. The New Zealand Official Year-book, just laid on the table of the House, is greatly improved as compared with previous issues, which received high praise. In addition to the usual statistical information, the land system, the labour laws, the co-operative system. State farms, licensing laws, Public Trust Department and bankruptcy are each treated by experts. There are seventeen special articles and a number of explanatory diagrams.