POLITICAL NOTES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXXII, Issue 10483, 22 October 1894, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES.

[»EOM OTO SPECIAL COEBESPONDBKT.] WELLINGTON, Oot. 20. CONVERSION 07 LOCAL LOANS. The Bill prepared by the Colonial Treasurer for the purpose of authorising local bodies to convert and consolidate their loans contains twenty clauses. It provides that any local authority may, on obtaining a special order to that effect, call in and convert any outstanding loan raised under the authority of any Act, and may consolidate any two or more such loans. Conversion debentures are to be issued to the amount of the loan with such further amount by way of premium as may be necessary to effect the conversion, the debentures to have a currency not exceeding thirty years, and bear interest of not more than H- pot cent. No debentures shall be for less than 4J; per cent. No debenture shall be for a lees sum than & 20, nor shall it be sold at a price that will produce to the purchaser greater interest than per cent. All moneys required for premium on conversion debentures, or for costs ( .of a conversion operation, shall be paid out of the sinking fund set free by the conversion,, or, if there is no sinking fund, from the local fund. Pending conversion operations, the local authority _ may obtain bank advances to the estimated amount of the sinking fund to be set free bv the operation. Rates, revenue, &c., which constitute security for the loan to be converted, shall be security for the conversion debentures, and no claim of debenture-holders or creditors of the local authority shall be paid out of the public revenue of the colony. A holder of debentures in existing loans cannot be compelled to accept conversion debentures until the currency of the outstanding debentures expires. No public meeting or poll of ratepayers is necessary for the purpose of consenting to the issue of conversion debentures. The Treasurer, in moving for leave to introduce this Bill, said his solo object was to have it circulated to members. It will not be proceeded with this session.

SYDENHAM LICENSING LITIGATION. On Saturday morning a deputation of members waited upon the Premier with reference to a petition which had been presented, praying for relief from the costa of the late appeal from Mr Justice Denniston’s decision in Christchurch. It will be remembered that this appeal was brought about by the passing or clause 21 of the Alcoholic Liquors Sale Act of last year, and involved the petitionere in considerable legal expanse. The Premier promised to give the matter favourable consideration, and if all litigation was now ended to place a small suni on the estimates as asked for by the petitioners. PETITIONS. The final report of the A to L Petitions Committee was presented by Mr Joyce today. It states that daring the session 195 petitions were referred to the committee, 65 meetings were held and 195 report® presented. Th e Railways Committee, repotting on the petition of Hugh M’Lellan, master mariner, Lyttelton, praying' for compensation for injuries sustained, recommends that there should be a further investigation into the matter, and if the accident is shown to have been due to want of proper warning, the committee thinks the petitioner should be entitled to compensation. The report on the petition of William Hyndman, of Christchurch, who alleges that he was frostbitten while working as one of the " unemployed ” on the Christ-ohuroh-Hokitika Road, is that the petitioner has no claim on the colony, THE SESSION, It is now said that the session will end on Tuesday next. RAILWAY BRIDGES. The question of the condition of railway bridges on the Hurunui-Biuff section came up again to-day, when Mr G. W. Bussell, chairman of the Railways Committee, laid the minutes of proceedings on the table. In reply to a question, Mr Russell said the evidence taken was not included. I hare perused the minutes, and find that they throw some light upon the state of opinion in the committee on the subject of the condition of she bridges and on the question of responsibility. In Clause 4of the Report, which states that the evidence showed that certain bridges in the Dunedin district were " below the complete standard of efficiency,” Mr Laraach moved to strike out the word "complete,” but this was negatived on the voices. Mr Tanner then moved to add the following words to the clause: —"lt is clear to the committee that Mr Smith had been lacking in vigilance, that he received reports from his subordinates which ware frequently neglected or unanswered, that he rarely inspected the bridges personally, and in consequence of hie laxity his immediate superior, Mr Msltby, was not so well informed on the subject of the Setitioaaohe should have been.” After iaousaion this was withdrawn, and Mr Tanner substituted the following For this state of things the committee considers that the Foreman of Work’s, J. A> Smith, must be hold somewhat responsible.” On a division this was rejected by 5 to 4, the votes being—Ay®a: Morrison, Tanner, Earnahaw and Russell; Noes: Mitchelson, Flatman, Mackintosh, Larnach and Wilson. The original draft of the report contained the following concluding clause—" The committee is, however, of opinion that the system of bridge inspection carried out by the Railway Departs mentis inefficient. No proper systematic method is provided that the officer’s work in one rank is cheeked by his superior. This is a great defect, and in the interests. l of the colony should bo remedied.” This, clause was, on the motion of Mr Wilson,, struck out in favour of the clause appearing in the report, which is not so categorically condemnatory. At this stage Mn Tanner moved to report progress, but was: defeated. The question that the report as amended be adopted was then put, whe /u the committee divided as follows Ayes (7) Flatman, Morrison, Mackintosh, Larnach, Wilson, Earnahaw and Rusaeji. Noes (3) Duncan, Lawry and Tanner.