PARLIAMENTARY ITEMS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXV, Issue 213, 8 September 1891, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY ITEMS.

(From our own Correspondent.) Wellington, September 7. Old Soldiers 9 Claims. The friends of old soldiers almost to a nian object to the peculiar way in which the Government proposes to limit the exercise of their land scrip. A perfect chorus of in* dignant remonstrance was levelled at the Government when the Naval and Military Settlers and Volunteers Land Bill came on for the second reading in the House of Representatives this afternoon. The Bill proposes that any land scrip, whether cow issued or to be issued in future, shall only be exeroisable in regard to certain blocks to be specially set apart by the Government for the purpose in each land district and that crown grants shall only be issued on con« dition that certain improvements are made within five years, while the land shall be forfeited unless those improvements are effected. Several members declared that though the Bill was extensively doing justice to old Boldiers it really imposed upon them conditions that could not be possibly fulfilled because the limited area of 30 acres was not worth settling on. Most of the recipients were incapable of making improve- j ments and others had their own occupations and yet another class were women and children of dead volunteers or soldiers. Strong protest3 were made against introducing Mr McKenzie's land fad in respect of the matter, which ought to do simple justice. In reply to the severe criticisms which oame as often from the Government supporters as from the Opposition side, Mr Seddon said that if scrip. were given without any restriction it would be bought up by speculators for mere trifles, so that the old soldiers would get no real benefit. The Government was, however, anxious to do justice to all, and would make reasonable concession to those who were really unable to occupy their land. He asked members to help him to make the required amendment? when the bill should get into committee. The second reading of the bill was agreed to, bub it is evident that it will receive a material overhauling before it becomes law. The Factories Bill. There is a prospeot of a conflict between the two chambers in regard to the extensive amendments made by the Legislative Coun« oil in the Factories Bill. The Minister for Education proposed to-day that the House should dissent from a number of the amendments, including the alteration in the definition of a factory, the amendment which forbids an inspector to take ex« traots for his own use from the records of factory work, the alterations as to the regulation of space, the inorease ol number of exemptions from white washing and other sanitary regulations, the alteration as to keeping doors open during work hours, the abolition of the provision whioh forbade women to work more than eight hours in one day, the new provision enabling work hours to be extended under certain conditions, the erasure of the provision that an employee under 15 years of ago must have reaohed a certain standard of education, the lowering of the age at whioh females may work as type* Betters, and the new olausa exempting railway workshops from the operation of the Bill, Several members showed a deaire to take time to consider the amendments and on Mr Fish's motion the discussion waa adjourned till to-morrow. Municipal Corporations Bill. The Municipal Corporations Bill embodying most of the important recommendations of the last Municipal Conference passed its second reading in the House of Representatives to-day, Rather stong exception was taken to a olause proposing to enable corporations to spend one per cent of rates up to £60 a year on a purpose not now validated, and also to a proposal that two thirds of the persona voting in favour of a special loan shall carry it. The Premier, however, agreed that the provisions are reasonable and they are likely to pass without very much trouble, Legislative Council Reform, It is almost certain that the Legislative Council will refuse to agree to the proposal to make the limitation of the term of office apply to the last batch of appointments, and will also object to leaving the power of appointing the Speaker in the hands of the Government. Public Trust Office. Various provisions which are expected to considerably improve the internal working of the Public Trust Office are contained in the Public Trust Office Act Amendment Bill which waa read a seoond time in the House of Representatives to-day, The Government has decided to make good any lossea inourred by estates in the hands of the Public Trust Department on account of bad investments. It iB estimated that these will amount to not more than £5000. The bill now before the House of Representatives provides definitely for a State guarantee, which has been understood to exist hitherto, but in reality haa not. Mr Bryce. After Mr Bryoe's warm speeoh at the ban. quet on Saturday night any rescinding of the vote of censure is considered to be out of the question. Until it was uttered there was still some ohanoe that the ban would have been lifted. .__.„_. The Wailcato Seat. Nominations for the Waikato seat are to be received up to the 30th inst, and the poll will take plaoe oa OotobQi 6tb,

Women's Suffrage. The fate of the Women's Suffrage Bill in tbe Legislative Oounoil is very doubtful, There will not be a majority of more than two or three whiohever way it goes. Mr Bawen, when the Bill oomas up on Wednesday, will move that it be read a ssoond time that day six months. Penny Postage Bill. Mr Ward's Bill for the reduction of the rate of postage to a penny, and giving all postal notes a ourrenoy of twelve months, and increasing their maximum to five pounds, was debated ad great length last night. Tbe second leading was ultimately oarried by 26 to 4.