POLITICAL NOTES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCIV, Issue 10707, 17 July 1895, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES.

|>BOK OWE OWN COREEBFOMD2SNT.I WELLINGTON, Jtot 16. THE INDOSTBU.iI EXHIBITION. I believe that the question of adjourning the House for a day or two in order to allow members to attend the opening ceremony of the Christchurch Industrial Exhibition in a body has been discussed in the lobbies. Opinion, so far, is opposed to adjournment, but it. is quite on the cards that the Canterbury members and a number of others may attend. It is considered that if the Hinemoa is available she might he employed to make a trip to Lyttelton extending from Wednesday, August 28, to the following Monday. NXW GOVEENMKNT MEASURES. A Bill to amend the Juries Act has been introduced in the Legislative Council by the Colonial Secretary, and provides for the abolition of the distinction between special and common juries. A common jury is henceforth to ba called “ the jury,” and every person whose name appears on any special jurors’ book is to be deemed a juror. The number of jurors who maybe challenged is reduced from twelve to nine, and the payment of jurors trying civil cases is reduced from 20a the drat day, and 10s every day following, to 10s per day. If after a reasonable time a jury cannot agree on a verdict, they may bo discharged and a new trial commenced. The Commissioners’ Powers Bill, which repeals the Acts of 1867 and 1872, provides that a Commissioner appointed by the Governor-in-Council for the purpose of any inquiry may summon apy person to

,«tt«ia:the Commission and give evidence, and may also require such person to produe® boots ftiid documents. The penalty for refusing to appear shall be a sum nob .exceeding £2O, and witnesses are to be entitled to travelling expenses. CHBIBTCEUBCH HOSPITAL INQUIRY. In reply to a question by Mr Meredith as;'to when the report of the Commission on the management of the Christchurch Hospital would be available to members of the Houße.'the Minister of Justice to-day stated that the rale in such matters was to Jay the report before Parliament without unreasonable delay, and the. usual : coarse would be strictly followed in the °*S ?Smoured that Dr Giles's report on the' management of the Christchurch Hospital fwill proceed, to a large extent, on the lines of Dr Maogregor’s report. The Commission having covered a wider extent of ground than the departmental inoairy, the report of the Commissioner wul deal with , some matters not touched noon hy the Inspector of Hospitals, but -deKverance upon these points will not involve any censure of the present management- - r • LICENSING BILLS. The Bill promised by the Prohibition Party to amend the Alcoholic Liquors Sale Control Act,' which bears the name of Mr * M'Nab, has been circulated to members. ' Its proposals are' so well known thronghout the country that it is unnecessary to repeat them/ The Government Bill is not yet ready for circulation. * , - PETITIONS. The following petitions from Canterbury were presented to-day . By Mr W.' W. Collins, on behalf of William Arthur Gray, of Christchurch, ' owing fbatlhe may be placed in a posito assume possession, management - and control of his estate. By Mr G. J. Smith, on behalf of the Canterbury; Women’s Institute, praying tbit tha marriage-, laws should be readjusted on the principle of the complete eanaHtyandeoonomic independence of men end women; that the law of divorce should be aligied to. put husband and wife on SamC tion of the mirriage tie; that the disabilitiwzMPfCtiog the entrance of women into Parliament should be removed; that old aea ponsibßS should be provided for persona over sixty years of age; that women engaged In the Civil Service should be paid the same rate aa men; and that a State farm shoold be provided as a home for confirmed inebriates. ... By Hr Meredith, on behalf of the Clubman and Councillors of the Kaikoura County Council, praying that as the revenue raised by the runs is insufficient, vis-addition to the ordinary expenditure, to meet the expense of dealing effectually with and controlling the rivers and moun’ttiEh torrents in the district, the Government should consider the desirableness of naatuig such an endowment out of the /unsold Crown lands as shall materially assist the Council to proceed with neoeaawv works in the district. Mr W. W. Collins, on behalf of Brooks, who prays for compensationfor r Improvements made on a section 1-dl Crownland leawd by the petitioner in the ißank* Peninsula District. By Mr Joyce, on behalf of Mr William : Olliyer, of- Lyttelton, who |was discharged fnm Ids position as engine-driver on the nonnd of incapacity on account of alleged eld age, and who praya for compassionate '' allowance. ■ ■ BHOTS AND SHOP ASSISTANTS ACT. - The. M to Z Committee, reporting on several petitions from agriculturists in v-flie Canterbury district, asking for an ' amendment of the Shops and Shop Assist«»t* Act, is of opinion that a real and ■erionn ' grievance is disclosed in these petitions,' and recommends that the ~oovwnment Tihould take_ such steps as caaj give the necessary relief. TBX TARIFF COMMISSION. A return placed on the table of the House to-day respecting the expense of ;tfcei’ .Tariff Commission shows that the total expense incurred was £l7lO 10s Bd, immAm tip as followsTravelling expenses of Commission, £289 10a 10d; cost of advertising, £57 6a lid; printing, £4OO 6s fid; clerical work, £239 Is 6d; amount paid Hon W. J. Steward, £124; Mr W. Hutchison, £102; Mr W. W. Tanner, - yi«7 Mf Jamas M’Gowan. £111; Mr John Stevens, £120; Mr Thomas Mackenzie, •i£Uß.s messenger, £l6 16s; freight, £4 9s. ' ■■■■•' NXW ZIAIAND CONSOLS. ' The total amount of deposits received under the New Zetland Consols Act dating the last financial year was £158,025. The following are particulars respecting the investments made£Booo on the security of debentures under the Government .Loans . to' Local Bodies Act, 3886, and £IBO,OOO on the security of fixed deposit with the Colonial Bank of New Zealand. KISCZZiZiANBOUS. ICr Bnddo ia asking the Minister of ’ Agrioulture to have, a report published Wiving the result of an experiment in growing •ng» r beet at the Lincoln School of Agriooltnre. ' A return ia asked for by Mr G. J. Smith ■bowing the number of boys who have from the Burnham Industrial ' School during the past year, and also the number who have been returned to the •ehool by the police or otherwise, fr: Mr Joyce ia calling tha attention of the Qovemmeat to the part taken by tha ' Hasident .Magistrate at the Chatham ' Islaiida in the proceedings at a public to .advocate a change of mail service from Lyttelton to Wellington. The Female Law Practitioners Bill introduced by Mr G'. W. Buasell, provides that ’Women may become barristers and solicitors if they qualify themselves in the same "respects aa maleaspiranta.