PARLIAMENTARY ITEMS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXII, Issue 131, 6 June 1888, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY ITEMS.

(.From our own Correspondent.) Wellington, Juno 6, Tup Fruit Dutt. Mr Mills bad received a petition signed by 39 Dunedin fruitgrowers and vendors protesting against the proposed duty on fresh fruit. The petition having be»n. Addressed to the Colonial Seoretary has tren handed to that gentleman, ineb- ad of being presented to the House. Coplin Moth Pest. Mr Hobbs is endeavoring to arrange for a mettiog of members of both Houses inter; sfced in the Codliu Moth pent. Ho says that tbe applications for riehy are made in the interests of those people who are flooding tbe market with mottwnfected fruit, and ridioulea the statement made at, the meeting in Auckland that tho hedgte ore being attacked by tb<i moth. A Batch of Petitions. The petition of the Msyor of Auckland and othera prayjiog for.tho abolition of the pjtoporty tax hag been referred to the Government for coneMeratio 1 , A Bimihr course has been adoptei by tbo Petitions Committee with respect to the requ«sr, of the Tokomariro Farmers' Club that restrictions to distilleries should be removed j alro in rsgard of the petition of Chinese residents prote»t£ng against the interred legislation as a violation of the treaties now in force b-iwcea the British and Chinese Empires.— As to the p'tiuon of 2). Qoanoiltj rp simplyfying the acqaisition or exchange of land for public roads, it fc reoommandtd that eoeh exohange nheold; if poisible, be gimplificd nnd the cost thereof raduoad, The Fjshbe Mjtohblbon Quajjjjkl, In connection with the quarrel between Mr Fisher and Mr Mitchelscm ref erenqe has frequently been made to the difficulty with regard to Maguire's reclamation contract and it is only right that the nature of this difficulty should be explained, After the contract was let, Maguire applied for the use of the Government railway line for his ballast waggons a considerable distance from the Thorndon end of the town towards the -wharf. This would hare saved an expense of .a good deal more than £100 for laying down a special line of rails. Mr Mitchelson. refused the application, for peyfir^l reasons, the chief of which was the focji thajb other .contractors had tendered on the understanding they would have to lay down these rails, and it w.ould have fe'eea. unfair to have made suoh a bonoesgion to Maguire in face of the fact that they had framed their tenders on »»oh a condition, which was equally known to all. Pressure was toonght to bear, hut Mr Mitchelson remained $rm. A^r Jus departure for

Auckland, about two months ago, the matter was reopened in the Cabinet, and in consequence of the course then, pursued Mr Mitohelson was annoyed with Mr Fisher, The Melbourne Exhibition. Mr Mills, managing director of the TJ.S.S. Co., informs me that he is not neglectful of the interests of persons from New Zealand who intend visiting the Melbourne; Exhibition, The tiokets will commence about September next and extend over a few months. Naturally enough he expects a great rush to take place during the Cup wtek in November, and with that view he will have the Mararoa specially fitted up, so that she can take saloon passengers at both ends. The idea is that the steamer shall arrive in Melbourne a few days before the Victorian Derby is ran, and remain there for nine days, so that an opportunity will be afforded visitors of seeing three out of the four days racing which is afforded at the great Flemington meeting. Passengers also will be relieved of the bustle and worry of hunting about for sleeping accommodation, for they are to be given the privilege for a small extra charge of sleeping on board the steamer and having their breakfast while she is in harbor. Accommodation will be provided for about 250 first olass passengers. Jottings. Dr Hodgkineon is anxious to know whether Ministers will have the importation of stoats and weasels Btopped.-— ln the Council the tbird reading of the Chinese Immigration Bill has been further postponed till Thursday. Had the division been taken this afternoon the measure would probably have been thrown out. — All the galleries were filled to-night when the finanoial debate was begun. — Evidence in support of the petitions praying for the suppression of|juvenile prostitution in Wellington is now beiDg taken. Already two clergymen, two officers of the Salvation Army, and a female resident have been examined. —The Postmaster- General cannot see his way to allow the administrative officers of the public bodies the privilege of the '• delayed " code when sending telegrams on public business. — The Government will not grant freo railway passes to jurors when attending the Supreme Court, or increase their allowances for attendance.— Captain Wray will be appointed permanent B.M, at Timaru vice Mr Beswick deceased. —Mr Waterhouse is moving in the Council that the deviation of the Midland railway should not be allowed.— Mr Kelly is asking to extend the land suitable and available for settlement in the Bay of Plenty.— Mr Withey is asking when the return of pensions payable from the consolidated fund will be submitted.— Dunedin tradesmen are petitioning against the Shop Hours Bill. — Mr McGregor is asking the Government if they know that J. P.'s in Wellington knowingly let their houses for immoral purposes. — Mr Graham is urgisg Mr J. L. Rees 1 colonisation scheme on the attention of the Government. Mr Mills wants the Go vernment to arrange for workmen's trains or workmen's tickets at reduced rates on the Government lines.— Mr Rhodes is asking the Government to limit the district from which jurors oan be summoned. — The Government will endeavor to give effect to the petitions praying for the licensing of tobacconists though they cannot promise legislation on the subject this session.— -There is no intention of reducing the salaries of future Judges, they being already paid less than in other colonies. —An ex-Minister, who has made a computation, says that of 310 items in the tariff, 150 have the same duties as were proposed by the Stout- Vogel Government, that in 125 eases they are higher, and in 65 only are they lower. — Mr J. O. Brown is seriously indisposed with congestion of the lungs. — The Thames and Iteefiob Schools of Mines this year get) £100. This is a new vote on tbe Ettimatse. —Mr Anderson is moving for a return of large gun?, small rrmp, and ammunition available for defono-. — Mr Srddon nude a strong protest ag in»t tbe large rednotioUs in the salaries of t-aohers in Auckland and other placer. — Mr Hodgkinson is asking tbe Government to purchasa two and a balf miles of railway between Wsitio and Nightcapß colliery.— Tbe Shop Hours Bill is the first order of the day f >r Thursday, bat will bo postponed by the financial debate. — The Government will allow tho Chinese leaving China prior to the lOtb of Jane to come without restriction, nor will they prevent the landing of tbe Wakatipu'e shipment. June 6, The Waste Lands Committee by seven vote b to tbrea have decided to report that the Otago Central Railway B 11 be not allowed to proseed further. The evidsnoe showed Shat it would be impossible to grant large areas of lasd adjacent to the line without interfering with the miaing industry. Id the event of the financial proposals of tbe Government being aooepted the port* folio of Minister for Work* will have no exisfcenoe, in consfqueuoe of the abolition of the Works Department, and in' that oase it is quite on ths cards that Mr Mitohelson will retire from the Cabinet. There will be a Minister for Working Railways, bat this will be a subordinate office and oan be tacked on to anether department.