PARLIAMENTARY NEWS AND GOSSIP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6422, 17 June 1882, Page 4

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS AND GOSSIP.

[BY TELEGRAM. —M'ECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Friday. LAW PRACTITIONERS BILL. Tiih probabilities arc, I believe, that the Law Practitioners Bill will be passed by the Upper House, with the exception of the last clause, which empowers any person arraigned to choose the person who is to appear for him. FRANKLIN NORTH ELECTION. The Opposition are much pleased at the result of the Franklin North election, and the old members generally are gratified to hear that Major Harris is coming back again i to the House. GOLD DUTY. Mr. Seddon'a Gold Duties Abolition Bill provides that upon every ounce of gold of the fineness of 20 carats and upwards, and so on, ill proportion for any less quantity than one ounce, the duty shall be Is Id, and so in proportion upon every ounce or part of an ounce of gold of a less degree of fineness than 20 carats. Sections 4t012 of the Gold Duties Act, 1870, are incorporated. The Gold Duties Act, 1572, to be repealed. After the Ist January, ISS4, the gold duty shall altogether cease. AUCKLAND PETITIONS. The Native Affairs Committee report on the petition of Paora Ngamoki and thirteen others as follows : —The petitioners say they "are grieved at the prohibition of spirituous drink to the Maoris," of which they "consume a great deal." They pray that the Maoris may ba served witli drink. This being a question of public policy, the committee has no recomendation to make. The petition of Taimanoko, Karamoa, and others, claims Otautatanga as belonging to them and Tawhiao, and desire that all petitions from the ten persons in the block may be suppressed. The committee report that the land is that bought by Mr. Tele from the grautees. Mr. Tole, after being kept out of possession for years, was put in occupation by Uewi, confirmed by Tawhiao. There seems no reason for interference by the Government.

THE MANAPOURI. The sailing of the Manapouri from Wellington has been delayed till Monday, owing to the fact that it was not thought safe to take the bar at Port Chalmers in the rough state of the weather. THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT. During the afternoon various opinions were expressed as to whether or not the financial statement would after all come off to-night, or whether, if it did, it would be delivered by the Colonial Treasurer. But, at half-past seven, the Colonial Treasurer was found to be in his place. The House was crowded. Tho financial statement is one of the driest, put before the House, but it has become fashionable for ladies to attend on that night, and to-night the ladies'gallery was crammed. There was a good attendance of Legislative Councillors, including the Premier. Major Atkinson had the statement in print in his hand, and read it distinctly. There was little demonstration till the Treasurer came to the portion about local bodies, when he stated that one of the points of the policy was that they should have sufficient funds. Members laughed when he said he did not think it prudent to reduce taxation. There were cries of "hear, hear." During the reading of the statement the news arrived that Mr. Ivess had beaten Mr. Saunders at Wakatiui, and Mr. J. C. Brown quickly circulated the intelligence through the House. The statement occupied an hour and a-quarter. Mr. Montgomery, in his position as a financier and leader of the Opposition, followed, but his speech contained very little. Mr. Thomson succeeded in the defence of the finance of the Grey Government. This subject, I think, might very well now be dropped. Sir John Hall addressed the House in a vigorous manner, and was followed by Sir George Grey, who enlivened his audience somewhat, and broached the subject of the non-calling together of the House, and of the sale of runs. Mr. Sheehan generally reviewed the Government policy with respect to native lands and other matters.

MR. SHEEHAN ON THE EDUCATION QUESTION. The Wairarapa daily, in a leading article, has the following remarks on Mr. Sheehan's attitude on Mr. Pyke's Education Bill:— "Mr. Sheehan belongs to a Church which exacts discipline among its members. As a good Catholic, he was bound to support the Bill that was introduced by Mr. JL'ylte, to alter our present system of national education. As a statesman, he felt it to be his duty to oppose it. He bravely subordinated the obligation he owed to his fellowchurchmen, to his allegiance to the commonalty, in his speech. He did more than stand up for the maintenance in its iuteeritv of our national system of education. He put his finger on the sore which requires to be healed before education can be as we would wish to see it. For forty years or more the lands of the colony have been set aside wholesale and retail for all sorts of educational schemes and projects, but more especially for cheapening the cost of the higher education of the children of wealthy parents. Mr. Sheehan demands that all these reserves should be put as it were into one pot, and one great endowment for the people of the colony, without respect to class."

[BY TELEGP-ATH. —o\V.\ CORRESPONDENT.]

Wellington, Friday. NATIONAL INSURANCE. I understand that the system of national insurance which, as hinted yesterday would probably be proposed by the Government, is I mainly founded 011 the scheme suggested bv Blackley in the Contemporary Review and the Nineteenth Century. UNAUTHORISED EXPENDITURE. The unauthorised expenditure account laid on the table to-night is as follows (shillings and pence omitted):— Railways, £176 G. including £472 "special trains and fares of natives attending Waikato meeting fees, fiues, and duties, £257 ; defalcations of lii! C. Wilkinson, receiver of land revenue Hawera, £514; seal fisheries protection, £12G; miscellaneous, £3599, including cut'lery aud plate for Bellamy's, £9S; cost of telegram from the Crown agents, £34; refund of duty paid by theDunedin Corporation on the town clock, £156 ; costs in the action Waiper.ita v. Attorney-General, £4G ■ salary of \\ est Coast Trustee, £72 ; travelling expenses of Judge Johnston and others iu connection with the Elections Petitions Committee, £G;> j one day's interest 011 Treasury bills, £45 ; subsidies, £Sl9 ; goldfields, £42 ; services in excess of ' votes, £51, 100 : total, £55,917. Also, public works fund, £—1/; and Government insurance accouut, £47 : grand total, £SS, IS2.