IN THE HOUSE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CVI, Issue 12621, 2 October 1901, Page 5

IN THE HOUSE.

. « : [From Our Correspondent.] • WELLINGTON, Oct, 1. To-day «. change came o'er the spirit of the legislative dream, and the Estimates, for the first time, made progress during the afternoon. There was the same keen desire as mi the previous occasions of Supply to dig up .detail's and get information a* any price, but there was. another desire, that of being satisfied with; the information given by the Minister. Therefore, we had the unwonted spectacle of the Estimates making progress. There were some rather pleasing stoppages when the House accused the Government of sweating the deputy-registrars by making them work.extra time without extra pay in the Arbitration or Conciliation Courts, and established' such .a: case that the Minister promised to have inquiry made. An attempt was also made to get the principle recognised thuib these officers should have better pay than £4OO a year, bub without success. The question of the independence of magistrates and district judges was ventilated;, without' anybody displaying any great warmth' of belief in the subject. Some members actually wanted the Minister to pledge the Government to -consult the law societies, before making magisterial and judicial appointments, but the Minister was "not taking any to-day, thank you." Another thought there were too few, justices of the peace, but when he tried 'to\ put his views into practice the House! crushed him. ; On the whole, Mr M'Gdwan got through ,very well. The Native Minister followed in the channel opened by his colleague, and got along fairly well till din-ner-time. • The principal 'feature of the discussion was a revelation of the enommis number of gentlemen in the country qualified to write Maori histories. Before the Estimates the end of the session was brought into view, in the manner usual at this period of the session, by voting Monday night sittings for the rest, of the session. The experienced, nevertheless, regard it as certain that prorogation will nob be before the,middle of November. Financially, the Treasurer made a, great crow. The mtonth's Customs have been unparalleled, no less than £31.000 better than those of September, 1900. The lobbies are congratulating the Customs Department on the splendid system which' enables it to ' announce 'monthly results oh the-first day of the month following, and are wondering where the "slump" in ths revenue has got to. After dinner the smooth course ended with the Native Land Court, Department, but when the Prisons Department came up the progress ended. Prisons are a fruitful subject, asnd they bear fruit of discussion m committee without provocation.' Here the provocation was not wanting. Mr Hutcheson attacked the management of die Wellington Gaol. Warders were allowed, he said, to make money outside, neglecting their whilevthe interest of the gaol suffered, and the cost per head was greater than anywhere else. The committee at once went off at score on the whole question of the prisons, the variation in cost per head, the treatment of youths, the want of accommodation for inebriates (Mr Ell broke several lances here), the allowance of tobacco, these things and' much (more. The last-mentioned point produced an interesting piece of information. It appears that three leading gaolers have found that a little tobacco works wonders in maintaining discipline, as those prisoners who once get the privilege would rather do- anything than forfeit it. Until supper this discussion raged, punctuated by. harrowing pictures of boys of tender years breaking stones in gaol when they ought to -have been in reformatories. About the Wellington, Gaol, Mr Hutcheson persevered in his attack till at-last. Ministers, Mr M'Gowan and the Premier, drove into him—(l) that charges ought nob to be made -against officers;on the floor of the House without correct information, and (2) that- the Wellington Gaol, considering the large quantity of produce turned out. (bricks, drain-pipes, etc.), is the best paying and best managed gaol in the colony. "Mr Hutcheson was satisfiVl with the Ministers' premise -to inquire into his particular allegations, and disclaimed all malice, explaining that he was like those fellows who, wanting to attract attention, feel obliged to break a window or give somebody a black eye. Some memten like Mr Atkimon and Mr iPirani kept up a fire of chaff after this, and the House getting wearied, kept up an iijcessant a\y of " get on with the Estimates." At 11.15 the prisons gob through.