POLITICAL. (BY TELEGRAPH.) (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Wellington, September 27.

North Otago Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8088, 28 September 1894, Page 2

POLITICAL. (BY TELEGRAPH.) (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Wellington, September 27.

The amendments imuto by the Council in the Railways Bill have boon agreed to by the Houso. In connection with this nnt tor the Premier stated in answer to Mr Mifcchelson that the Government did not take control till January. In tho meantime tho salaries of tho preaon Commissioners would have to bo paid, n that it was a question whether tho Governi ment could not manage till the House mot next session with tho presont nnrriber of Ministers. Ho fuvorod, however, a readjustment of portfolios. Immediately a decision was come to by the Government members would bo informod thereot. Ho was extromly grttitied th-it after a long struggle the people had restored to them tho control of the railways. Tho third ro«dings of the Factories Bill and tlio Inspection of Michinory liill passed in ihe Council. Tho former nuasuie was amended by tho insertion of " fruit preserving factories " in cUuaa G3. Mr Lirnach, who is a direc or of tho Colonial Bank, is asking the Government) whether, bedug the B»nk of New Zealand has a guuraut^o of two millions from tho colony, it should bo allowed to ctrry on its business in Australia and othor places outside Now Zeiland ; further, if steps will bo taken to insist on tho separation of tho Estates Company from the Bank of New Zealand. The don. Mr Peacock took his seat in tho Council this afternoon for the firet time this st'Hsion. The Coloniil Secretary is moving that for the remainder of tho session tho Council meet on Monday afternoons. The Lands Improvement and Nativo L wide Acquisition Bill was read a second time. in tho Council. After a brief commont antagonistic to the Bill from Messrs Ormond an \ Stevens, it was referred to tho Nativo Affairs and Wasto lands Committee. Tho School Attendance Bill was passed , through Committee of tho Council. A new chase was added allowing parontg aggrieved at tho action of school conn mitteos to appeal to Education Boards. On the nox*- occasion the House goes into supply a motion will bo made by a private member to the effect that-, in tho opinion of tho Houso the time has arrived when Ministerial salaries should bo increised, and made adequate to the dutios cist on members of the Cabinet. Tho resolution, it is understood, will be supported by tho Government and carried, and tho result will bo that a Bill will bo brought in Ihis session to give effeob to it. When tho Shops and Shop Assistants Bill was reported to tho House from thoso assembled in " another phco/' tho Minister of Labor took exception to Mr Reynold's amendment made in clauso 2, whereby small traders who do not employ persons on hiro are exempted from closing on the weekly half-holiday. Mr Guinness, who by his oflicial position was precluded from speaking whon the Bill went through committee, made a violent attack on Mr Reeves for going beforo tho L,ibor Bills Committee of the Council and trying to influence tho mombers of that Chamber in rog»rd to tho principlo of this Bill. It was decided, by 43 to 13, to disa^rco with tho amendment In question. Tlio Minister for Libor moved that the amendment pxcising hotel bars be agreed to. Sir R. Stout, Messrs William Hutchison, Saunders, Hall-Jone3, and others dechimed against tho impropriety of tho Minister of Labor, after a majority of members uf tho Houso had inserted hotol birs in tho Bill, going before certain Councillors, and ondoavoring by every moms in his power to counteract what had been done in the House. Messrs R*ovos and Seddon contended that tho Licensing Act and not tho presont measurn was tho place to deal with {-he closing of hotel bars. By <H to .'30 it was decided fclufc th,o pjreision p,f hotol bars be agreod to. In the Couhcil this afternoon Mr Montgomery moved the 3econd reading of the Rating Bill, which, after i few remarks by Mr Bovren, was agreed to. H^Tho second rending of tho Rating on Unimproved Vdlues Bill was movod by Mr Montgomery, in reply to whom Mr Pharazyu said no reason had been shown fqr flic Council to reverse ivs decision of list year. If the principle wn« right ;b should not bo limited to any particular locality. So far as he could seo this was class legislation— taxing the poor for tho boncQt of tho rich, it seemed to him that thero had boon a movement on the pirt of thoso likely to bo bonefitted on account of their improvement? on town sections, and tho olngle tax wag at the bottom of it. In conclusion) ho moved that the Bill bo read a second tlmo that day six months. Mr Stevens then moved the adjournment of tho debate. The Council rase at 4 o'clock. The Old Ago Pensions Comraitteo roport that they h »vo had several specific schemes beforo them for consideration, and have resolved that the .system for a provision of pensions for tlje old of bofch_ sexes should bo established by the State., if a practicable method for providing tho ti''ct»sfiary funds can be dovtaet' ; that thought it would for many reabons be desirable to tix tho age for the commeocoment of pensions at CO years, it would not be within tho scopo of practical finance to fix it bolow t}5: that all applicants for pensions must have resided in tho colony at least 20 years} that n,o porson will be granted a pension who hag been convicted of an indictable offence or convicted of drunkonne33 three times iu tho last sevon years ; that; evory malo and female pensioner should be entitled to a weekly sum of eight shillings, and in tho c.ise of a husband and wife tho joint allowance bo 1.7 shillings a week, The. subjurt is so lirge, however, that tho Committee are unable to recommend any partioular.1 of the ecljemo without further information, and recommend the Govern? ment to appoint a Royal Commission to enquiro fully into the question. Tho Now Zealand Consols Bill came on

for consideration in Homtnittoo of tho H0U80 to-night, and sotno timo was spent in, an endoavor to elicit from tho Troasurer information ns to how fcho money raiaod wah to bo expended. Tho Treasurer Haid it would ho treated in tho wmo nmtinor »» tho extra million deposited in tho [Pool O/lico Savings Bank would bo treated. Tho menoyn would probably bo used for loans to local bodies, and in tho mnnnor profloribed by tho Public Bovenuoa Act. Thcro was no inrpntion to npply tho money to public works purponeH. Sir It, Stout said this wan a locil loan fur forty ye«trs with no linking fund, and nhould bo reduced from n million to L500.000. By 37 to 23 tho ono million was retained, and tho attempt to roduco it whh defeated. Tho Tioasuror oaid it was intended to raise tho money at 3J por cent, »nd it was moved that ho bo bound down to that rato instead of 4 por cont hs in the Bill. This was dofcatod by 40 to 22. Clause 05, which provides that copaols may bo eonv«?rted in^oBtock, waa Htruck out on the Treasurer'fl motion, and tho romaining chinned of tho Bill paused without any amondmout of conRequenco.