PARLIAMENTARY ITEMS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXIII, Issue 136, 28 June 1889, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY ITEMS.

fFrom our own Correspondent.! ■ Wellington. Juue 27. About four hours were spent by the Honse this afternoon and in discussing the salary of Dr. MaoGregor, Inspector of Asylums and Hospitals. This gentleman's engagement lately expired, and the Govern- . ment arranged, subject to the approval of I Parliament, for its renewal afc the same salary, viz., £1200 a year. Mr Turnbull moved the reduotion of the amount by £200, and the matter was debated in a desultory fashion, the amendment being ultimately negatiyed by. 45 to 25. Mr Perceval then movedlwiai reduotion of tbe salary by -65, to mark the disapproval of the Government proposal to reappoint Dr. McGregor for a fixed term, thus putting him on a different footing from theother. Civil Ser vants. The motion waß,?however, 4 lost by 43 to 31, and the vote for Lunatic Asylums passed intact, as did also .-another .-votes of tbe Colonial Secretary's Department. In the discussion of the Estimates to-night Mr Kerr entered a protest against the item of #150 Bet down for the introduction of ohamois, on the ground that the animals would be a great pest to the settlers, whose crops ,§hey^ would/ravage. Apropos of this matter; h» : complained that the Nelson th'striot h_d hot received its share of salmon -ova^thdugh it had proved its suitability for -aroliznatisation by ita successful results with the-'?white fish ova. The hon. gentleman raised a laugh by saying that at any rate they did 'not want these foreign goats, *8 they had good mutton whioh was quite -enough for them, and he caused roars of laughter by reading Mark Twain's description of the chamois in the " Tramp Abroad." Then he proposed thafc the item be struck ont, which was lost on- the voices. Mr Steward 'a EduoatioQ Franobise Bill has been' passed by tae House five times iv three successive Parliaments, bat has on •aoh occasion beep elaughterod by the Logisiative Conncil. Its second reading- met wich jqo reanospbsftion to-day, though one or two amendments in detail were suggested by the Minister of Justice, who intends when in Committee to move that every elector shall , be entitled to vote at the Sohool Committee eleotipna. _ Aa' effort is to be made to do justice to those oM soldiers and military settlers whoso claims to laad grants were defeated by the Legislative Cfcraneil last year.' Replying to Mr Fitzherbsrfc, the Defence Minister eaid he regretted exceedingly (he emasculation > of last year's Bill in the Upper House, end he would ask'the Honse to appoint a Select Committee to consider a few claims which Aad come in, and also to sea what could be done to set the general question at rest. Qo tbe motion of Mr Fitzuerberc, a return ♦was orderod ?to be presented to the House ehowing the cost of the cable messages which jwwsed between tbe Government and the ■Agent-General relative to tbo Railway CommissloaerßhipV and also tbe correspondence •on the "subject. The 'Minister for Pabho Works intimated that some of the letters <were marked "confidential," and these ■would be omitted from the file. Thie Criminal Evidence Bill, introduced by --E-ELotoheson, is almost identical witb the m«ip|ufc ;.which passed tbe Mouse of Lords last year,"but waa swamped in the House of Commons by press pf business after it had been read the seoond' time. It enable j tbe wife or husband of an accused person to give /-videnoeif *;h_ or she ohooaea to do so, but nOiV QSberwwe'. Ica second readiug to-day vr_tf almost unopposed. Mr jFnzherbert pleaded tbe cause of the married women in the Houss this af *crnooa, And asjjcsd for. such legislation as would ©verooSao the provisions in the existing Aot whionJpreVents tj_em from holding licenses. The Premier, in reply, eaid that while tbey Admitted that thera waa hardship ia the oasts of married women whose busbands bave deserted tnem or who are judicially separated from their husbands, the Government did not intend to amend the Licensing Act thia eesion. When the question of doing aooacaa up, however, they would give full cooeiaeration to Mr Fitzherbert's proposal. The Chattels Transfer Bill shortly to be introduced will have an important bearing on Ihe law rela' : -jg to different olasses of seouri* ties. As makers now stand, there iB one law -elating to securities on ordinary chattels, •nd another relating to other securities. The objectof the Billia to make the law on the vaiio_B classes of securities the same, and also to diminish the cost of preparing and "•gutering securities. It is provided •need not be registered, if the same •"at an instrument "dealing with fixtures ** n fetrument also deals with a freehold or leasehold interest in the land on which the •"Stares axe situate; thos making the law much tha* same as in England. There are also *cveral other important provisions. The Speaker has accepted Captain Home's MMnaftion of the post of Sergeant at Arms j to enable blm to leave for Sydney on Satur* day to take the Governorship of the Trial Bay penar'^ntablishment. A resolution eompli--tuntary to Captain Home was carried by the House this afternoon. Mr Amelias Smith and Colonel McDonnell are mentioned as possible applicants for the fesition. The Quota Difficulty. ;'£ deputation consisting of about twenty __er_bers who are opposed to any inciease of the quota waited on the Priamier at 3*30 this afternoon, in accordance with a resolution passed at the meeting held yesterday. Mr. .J, Thompson, who aoted as spokesman, having explained the object of the deputation^ the Premier replied that he would consider the matter after having heard the •?i_w\ of both sides ; that the Government _^_o intention of proposing any alteration, but JSe was not prepared to say what action they,.' as a would take if & proposal fo inorease, the quota were made by a private member, but probably Ministers would, be found Toting on either side. He would consider the matter, and state later on -what aotion -the Government intended to "'*■ tiEGIBIu-TIYE -OtJNCOI, RefOßm. In accordance with a promise made when tbo present Government' took office, a measure having for its object tbe reform of the Legislative Council as Afc present constituted has been drafted. The Legislative Oounoil Aot, tiß9, whioh has been introduced in the Upper Chamber by the Attorney-General, provides that thoas who are now members of t-beu Counoii shall oonfcinae to be so, but the power of appointment by Her Majesty or the •Government ceases. Whenever the number of members 6f the : Counoil is reduoed from •hy oause below one-half that of the House a vaoanby shall occur, and the mode of election" ia by the votes of a majority of the members of the House of Representatives, every member being entitled to one vote. •The tenure of Councillors eleoted or appointed onder the _kot is fixed at Beven years. Failure so attend; to oi*Vb legislative duties for one " <wbple fsessiohwithout leave, or insolvency, srendersthe holder's seat vacant. When a vacancy occura during the recess the election ■takes plaoe on the second Tuesday after the meeting of Parliament in its next session, hut if a. vacancy occurs daring the Bitting of Farliaiiaent, the election Js fcejd forthwith. _f&e Clerk of is the Returning Ofileer; and all the eleotiona are to be cond^oted JbyibaUot between 10 a.o*.. and 2 "p.m. an & coJ*~#n lent room in the General Assembly BuildiDge. /Tjiree members of the House ' have the right Jo nominate, and before aDy election is complete the candidate at; tbe ie-d of "tbe •poU"' #au.s6 naye 'a majority of (all the members of : £he House of Rep* WBentaiive - *. If there should be more than ■one vacancy at the same time thn proceed* _tt|*#?for the elections may be carried on -Bumrttaneouely, < but separately. On the advice of the Government; of the day the Governor may- appoint a ''member to tbe Oounoil, though no vacanoy may have pc«tlrr«d, but any person so appointed shall

/ onlj continue to be a member so long as he I holds office as a member of the Executive I Counoil, Although it is admitted on all I hands that some change in the constitution I of the Council is required, it is exceedingly J doubtful whether the Lords will quietly | submit to so a radical change as is here I proposed. I Jottings. I The Opposition meet to-morrow $with a view to arriving - afc some common^underI standing;— The House is to be supplied with full information respecting the coal mining leases in the Grey Valley, Mr Guinness having moved in thafc direction. June 28. A deputation of Wellington members waited on the Minister of Works this morning and urged the extension of the southern section of the trunk line for a distance of several miles beyond Hunteryille, and the completion of the road through | Ito the northern seotion already half formed. The Minister promised to lay the matter before the Cabinet. The country members estimate that they have the support of 51 members in their olaim for increased representation, and they have resolved this morning to insist upon being given an advantage of 33^ per .cent. A petition very damaging to Judge Ward has been presented by Mr Christie, the Oamaru bankrupt whose committal to gaol was upset by an informality Borne months ago, and the matter is causing a 'great sensation. The Opposition party held a meeting this morning, and decided to ask Mr Ballance to . accept the leadership.