POLITICAL. (BY TELEGRAPH.) (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Wellington, September 21.

North Otago Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8083, 22 September 1894, Page 3

POLITICAL. (BY TELEGRAPH.) (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Wellington, September 21.

Tho banking agreement question will not be considered in tho House till Tues*» day. Tho Petitions Committee are investigating kho complaint against the manago nient of the Equ'tablo Insunmco Compuny, of Dunedin. Mr Beavm will reproHont the Went Coast shareholders, and MoHwrs Unzlott, Hog},', and Henry (Juihrie (director!*), and Maxwell (liquidator and ex-manager/ aro to bo invited to give evidence r lho Ministor for Lands promised Major Steward that <» dairy oxport should visit Awamoko to adviso tho Hottleis ac to the best steps to bo taken with a view to tho establishment of a dairy factory. A furthor report, h.is been made by tho Tarifl and Industries Committee, who recommend the Government to favoiably consider the granting of assistance to Mr X M. Smith in his mission to England to " boom " tho resources of tho colony. Tho Promior practically admitted, in answer to Dr Newman, that it was not intended to proceed with tho duty on imported fruit. The entire afternoon's sitting In tho llouho was occupied with a diecUßHi'on on the Lando Improvement and Nativo Lands Acquisition Bill. Nearly tho wholo of tho Ministerial following, andMesarsMitcholßon, Buchanan, and othors supported the Bill, whilo Sir LX. Stout and Mr Bell opposed it, characterising it an another u »ly borrow-, ing" propoeal. Eventually tho sooond reading was agroed to. Tho Railways Bill was boforo tho Council thiy aftornoon, and evening. Councillors generally stated that they would not oppose the Bill, feeling that Iho subject had been ventilated at tho elections, and the pprfcyin power wore giving expression to tho opinions of thoso who sent them thoro. Tho labor mombors strongly supported tho principlo of State control, whilbt all tho other members favored th« rogimo of the Commisoionors free from political influonco. Mr Stevens, who was at one time Minister of Hallways in a former administration, said hi« life was made intolerable by roason of political pressure brought to bear through members of Parliament. Ho foarod tho Ministry of tho day would bo unablo to resisi tho demands mado upon them, and that tho co ony would suffer. Mr Korr saw no reason why, if othor departments of tho State wero successfully run, with State contrpl, fchp railways should not also bo so run. After Sir P. Buckley, in reply, had severely castigated Mr J<*nkinson for speaking of tho Bill a'i a bastard measure, the aecond reading was agroed to on tho voicoß.