POLITICAL NOTES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCVI, Issue 11049, 29 August 1896, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES.

FFrom Our Correspondent."! WELLINGTON, August 29. MISCELLANEOUS. The Banking Committee of the Legislative Council has completed taking evidence, but has adjourned till Wednesday next in order that replies to the interrogatories sent to Mr John Murray may be received. After receiving these replies the'Committee will proceed to deliberate as to its report. Pleading for the opening of the legal profession to women, the Minister of Education mentioned that there was ’ a time when some of the largest universities in the world had been presided over entirely by lady professors. He then cited the case of Portia, at which the Hon H. Scotland contemptously interjected, “ A character in a play.” Subsequently, the Hon W. M. Bolt cited the case of Hypatia, who, for many years, conducted a school at Alexandria. In support of the other side of the question, Sir G. S. "Whitmore referred to thedemoniac women of the French revolution, and the Hon H. Scotland drew a terrible picture of a woman judge sitting on the Bench sentencing a fellow-woman to death. From a return laid on the table of the House it appears that during the financial year 1895-96 there were 100 cadets employed in different departments of the Government service. There were 374 clerks on the permanent staff, 178 clerks on the. temporary staff and 81 messengers. Mr Bell has given notice to move, when the House is in committee on the Loan Bill, a new clause constituting a special sinking fund, under the Act, and Dr Newman notice to move the following new clause; —The Governor shall appoint a Royal Commission of experts to consider the advisability of extending as light railways all or any of the railways mentioned in the schedule, and report to Parliament next session.”

Mr TV. Hutchison has given notice to ask the Premier whether, considering the large stake which the colony holds in the Bank of Hew Zealand, the Government cannot intervene, in some form, to put a stop to the public scandal of pressing for payment <of calls from shareholders who have not the means of paying these calls. THE END OP THE SESSION. I learn to-day that a Minister Stated in conversation during the morning that he could not see how. the session can end before the middle of October. As 1 have no doubt about the information I conclude that a good deal more of that list mentioned by the Premier yesterday is to be pressed than was thought probable. THE BANKING INQUIRY. The Council Bank Committee’s report will, it is believed, be favourable to Mr Ward in consequence chiefly of some evidence about the Colonial Bank. THE LOAN BILL. The stonewall erected against the Aid Bill in committee is perplexing the strangers’ gallery. It begins to appear that there is not enough to go round. It is a new definition, of political virtue. There are a few exceptions, like Mr Saunders, who are consistently opposed to borrowing, but the vast majority are a lot of Oliver Twists, who want more. In the general wish the attitude of the Canterbury members is clear and definite. There are among them extremists who hold on one side that Canterbury ought to ‘got nothing, and on the other that Canterbury ought to share and share alike in the railway votes. Mr Tanner on the middle way said that Canterbury was entitled to know whether the G overnment would expend some of the money on the estates to be resumed shortly, so as to make them fit for colonising. On that point Mr Tanner wanted to be satisfied. Mr M’Lachlan thought the Canterbury Plains were' properly furnished, but declared that in the many valleys on the east of tbo main range there was scope for' settlement and much room for useful expenditure on preliminary roads and bridges. Mr Tanner’s assertion was that the bone and sinew lost by Canterbury during the last few years had made the North Island.