PARLIAMENT.

North Otago Times, 6 August 1903, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

By Telegraph; Wellington, August 5. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Council met at 2.30, ■ a The Weights .and Measures Bill passed through Committee. HOUSE! OF REPRESENTATIVES, The House met a,t 2.30. The whole of the afternoon was i Spent in answering tho questions on the order paper. Mr, Seddon said it was his candid opinion that this Parliament would j pass a preferential tariff in favor of Circuit Britain.. ■ ' «i When tho House resumed at 7.30, • ' Mr Ell moved the postponment of the : second, reading of tho Barmaid's Ai lo . ; lllicto Bill until after the Electivo U-gioiative _Council BU had boon dealt with. This proposal was strong - , •ir?'ofi y u rHdlJones * , to f tho re/used to allow ■ the postponement., ow Mr Ell then moved the second reading of the Barmaid's Abolition Bill and resumed his seat without further remark, A long debate ensued. .A couple of minutes before midnight tim ,1! r mt> lf d an hd i° l "'nment of the debate 0 n the second roading of tho tarmai(] s Abolition Bill, which was carried by 33 to 21. l'he House roso at midnightNORTH AND PASTORAL ASSOCIA- . - 'HON. The Committee of tho abovo Association met yesterday, when Mr.G, Brownleo (President) occupied tho chair, and there was a largo attendance. The minutes were read and approved, _ The President moved as follows: That the members of tho North Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Association desire to express their Bym-' k pathy with Mrs Menlove and family tfa in their affliction; that this resolu- 1 tion be entered upon the minutes of 1 the Society, and a copy of tho same 1 forwarded to Mrs Menlove." ' Mr Bo'rrie' seconded the motion, saying that Mr Menlove had dono miich- to.forward the interests of this district. He was among the fir/t to introduce to North Otago the studs of stock for which the district had become so well known. The motion, was carried, and tho meeting, adjourned for a few minutes as a mark of respect for tliq de< - ceased gentleman. The. President reported having Rent to Mrs Menlove a wreath and a note of sympathy on behalf of tho Association, and Mrs Menlove's acknowledgement thereof was read and received, Tho President reported having waited upon ' the County Council, with the vice-president, when permission was given the Association to $ put the older records in a box in the Council's safe. Mr J, D. Ritchio wroto that the Association's balance-sheet for one year had not been signed by two auditors, as was necessary by law. Mr Livingstone explained that this was tho year in which Mr Church end Mi' Lang were auditors, and only Mi' Lang signed the balancesheet. The letter was received. On the motion of Mr W,- Gardiner and Mi' W. Mine, it was decided to express sympathy with Mr Church in his sickness, and hopes for his recovery. f - r

•The President further reported that with Mr Md and Mr Wylio he had waited upon the Auctioneers' Association at their meeting to hear their views regarding the proposed grounds at the North' Road, It was stated that Logan's'paddock could tc purchased for £65 per acre, and the offer was open for. a time. Tho matter was fully discussed, but tho sub-committee offered no opinion, their business being only to report. .« He noticed that at the Caledonian ® Society's meeting it was said that the A. and P. Association' was unfavorable to any change of ground. This was scarcely correct, as tho matter had never been before tho So< ciety,. Mr Reid also said the sub-commit-tee did not commit itself to any expression of opinion at the meeting, but simply heard what the auctioneers had to say. Mr Vylie corroborated this. Mr Borrie thought the Committeo should give some expression of opinion. on the matter.; He President' said tho sub-com-mittee had expressed no opinion at their meeting with the auctioneers, After further discussion, Mr Borrie moved " That this meeting does not favorably consider the idea of shifting the show, grounds in the meantime;"

. This was seconded by Mr Wylip and carried, The Secretary reported that the cjanvass for special prizes' had been most successful. There was an increase of nearly a score over last year,

The President, Vice-President, Treasurer, • and Messrs Milne and Muir, were appointed 'a sub-commit-tee to allot the special prizes, and issue .the schedule as soon as possible, ■ •

The Committee then proceeded to select judges for the various sections for the forthcoming show, but after, passing a few sections the business had to bo left,' A deputation from the Caledonian Society, waited, upon the Committee in reference to' the alterations to tho track and' the Show Grounds.-

• The deputation consisted of Messrs Waddoll, Buckley, Potter, 'A, Grave, Watson and Eule, and Mr Shirley. Baker,' surveyor, was also present* Mr Waddell, as convenor of tho Track Committee, acted ns spokesman,. Ho said the Caledonian So* ciety had been approaching the 'Association year by year for sotno time for a larger track, which had now become very necessary indeed to their, Bportg, The directors asked now that they should bo allowed to extond the track on a modified scale as compared with lijst year's proposition. The Caledonian Society was prepared to bear the cost of the alterations to the track itself, which would probably be £3OO, if the Agricultural and Pastoral Association would remove tho shocp pons and alter the horse boxes to suit the altered conditions. The Caledonian Society thought they- should recolvo any extra rovemio received for tho letting; of the track, until tho cost of the , improvements were extinguished. Mr Buckley explained that the directors thought they should re-

ceive Any extra revenue, received on account of the track to establish a sinking fund until the cost of the track hod been written off, .Mr Shirley Baker then produced"' his plan of the proposed alterations. This provided for an enlarged track, starting from the grand stand mid running far enough eastward to give a track of six laps to the mile. He explained that it would cut into the horse pens at the south-west corner, There would be ample room for the sheep pens at the east end of the ground where the implements now stand, while the implements would ! be removed to the back of the stand where they would have much more

room than at present. The. plan ' would still allow a right-of-way along the north sido between the track and the fence.' There would be room enough to get a 100 yards straight in the inside of the track. Tho lagoon would be extended, and the spoil deposited on other places on the grounds where thought desirable. ' The track would be below the level of .the present one, and the cutting at the south-east corner; .where tho No. 2 booth at present stands, would he pretty heavy. Mr Reid mentioned that tho sheep pens were getting ncketly. Mr Holmes said they would last for another year or two, but if changed there would be a good deal of now material required. In reply to Mr Wylie, Mr Baker said the spoil could he used to level the north-east corner oi the grounds, and all along the eastern slde t Mi' Waddeli said the Caledonian Society was prepared to pay the same rait as at present, but they thought if they improved the track so much they would be entitled to, any increased revenue received for the iiso of the track, and they also thought they were entitled to a portion of the revenue from the Hibernian Society, for whom the. track would be much improved. They would not, of course, expect any of the revenue from a horse sale or any such fixture, but just that for the tise of the track. The prices could bo fixed by the two societies together, but the letting would be in the hands of the Agricultural and Pastoral Association, as at present. Mr Borrio suggested that it would be necessary for committees from the two bodies to meet to arrange such details. Tho President' said ■ these details would have to be arranged with I care. ' I

j\lr Borric said it would also lie necessary to meet and view, the grounds together, Mr Waddell said they would like « tho alterations made this year, and to make the track ready for the show it would be necessary to start tho work 'this month. Mr Gardiner thought it would be useless to argue the' matter that day.

A sub-committee, consisting of the president, vice-president, treasurer, secretary, and Messrs Macpherson, .Holmes, Gardiner, Borrie and Wylic, .was appointed to meet the Caledonian Society's committee at the grounds at 10.30 a.m. on Saturday,. It was also arranged, in view of tho urgency of the matter, to hold a special meeting of the Committee >ll Wednesday next, at 11.30 a.m., when the appointment of judges would also -be proceeded with. This terminated the meeting.