PARLIAMENTARY ITEMS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXIX, Issue 182, 25 July 1893, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY ITEMS.

-» | Sir Kobert Stout thinks that it is the duty of Parliament to increase the salaries paid to Ministers. Ho considers it a disgrace to our democracy and a matter for exceeding regret that their salaries were reduced by a former administration. In hia speech on the Financial Debate, Sir Robert Stout condemned any remission of taxation, even of improvements, and i dwelt upon the necessity of a strong finance and tb.9 certainty of a demand for more Government assistance to the weak and the needy. He deprecated a mere aiming at wealth, and expressed a lively hope and conviction that New Zealand would use her free soil, her Democracy and her universal education, to lead, as she ought to do, m all social reforms and benevolent, intelligent legislation. Mr T. Mackenzie, of Clutha, has proposed that toe Minister of Labour should bring Tongatiro under the Factories Act, to provide for proper regulations of the eruptions, to see that the mountain was whitewashed, and that the volcano was not allowed to work overtime. Twenty members have intimated that they propose to speak before the conclusion of the Financial Debate. There is therefore now little prospect of the Debate closing before Friday at earließt. The Minister for Labor continues to receive numerous communications regarding the Shops and Shop Assistants' Bill. Tbe bulk of them either ask that Saturday be fixed, or that the matter be left open, as at present. Neither of these alterations will he adopted, but the local bodies will be required to fix the day m their respective districts.