PARLIAMENTARY NEWS AND GOSSIP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XX, Issue 6750, 6 July 1883, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS AND GOSSIP.

[BY TELECRAPH. —SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Thursday. MANUKAU HARBOUR.

A letter from Mr. Seed to the Auckland Harbour Board was laid on the table to-day giving the recipts and expenditure of the Manukau harbour for the last year, also the endowments of the harbour. The receipts were £170, and the expenditure £833, so that the Harbour Board would not seem to get a profitable bargain on taking over the Manukau. The endowments are valued at £2232, but they do not appear to bo yielding any income at present. RAILWAY WORKSHOPS. Major Harris asked Mr. Johnston to-day, " If Government will reconsider their d?ci- | sion of erecting railway workshops at Newmarket, with a view of causing their erection at Papakura " The Major said that although the site at Newmarket had been made partly suitable by a larce expense on excavation, still the innd being so near the city could he sold at a price which would bnild thn workshops at Papokura, where the Government owned ample land. He believed the change would be generally approved of in Auckland. Mr» Johnston said although the site was not originally the most suitable for the purpose, still it had now been improved and got ready at a large outlay, and to change the site now would involve large delay and locs. He therefore could not assent to it. PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE. The first meeting during the present Parliament of the Public Accounts Committee was held to-day. Ou tho motion of Major Atkinson Mr. F. J. Moss was appointed Chairman. The committee is a Parliamentary committee, and unlike all othera which are chosen afresh, every session it remains constituted till the termination of Parliament. The position of Chairman of this committee is one of rather special honour, the gentleman appointed being always selected on account of his presumed knowledge of finance. Mr. Moss is likely to make a very capable Chairman of this important committee, though, of course, he will have to stand comparison with a very able predecessor, Mr. E. C. J. Stevens, who filled the chair for many years before his "translation to a higher sdhere." The committee seems likely to have a lot of work referred to it, though, of course, there are no cases like the Kees' payment or Pollen pension to investigate. THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The " Lords" missed to-day and held no sitting there being no work to do, and tomorrow there is only a small local motion of Mr. P.Buckley's, and the second reading of the University Act Amendment Bill. Mr. Whitaker manages so well that he gets work put throngh in a minimum of time, and hence the want of business for to-day. THE TELEPHONE. The following was the numberof subscribers to the telephone exchanges in the four chief towns of the colony on the 31st May last: — Auckland, 140; Wellington. 57; Christchurch, 120; Duuedin, 197. Total, 514. The total cost of all connections was £10,852. AUCKLAND PETITIONS. The Public Petitions Committee have referred the petitions of the following to the Government for consideration :—C. B. Stone and others, R. Whitscu and others, M, McLocid and others. The committee reports on the petition of Georae Cole, of Papakura, as follows :—"From the evidence before the committee it appears that there is no record of any promise made by the Minister for Defence that a graut of land would be given to the petitiener. The committee, therefore, cannot recommend his claim to the favourable consideration of the House." The committee reports as follows on the petition of Andrew Young (mail con- / tractor between Tauranga and Thames) :

—'"It appears that the petitioners have made no official claim to the Government for compensation for alleged losses in connection with the mail contract. The committee, therefore, do not think it necessary to make any recommendation."

The Waste Land Committee report that Patrick Maccabe, late 58th Regiment, has failed to substantiate his claim to a land grant. The petition of Samuel Cricket has been referred to the Public Petitions Committee. Mr. Cadman presented a petition, to-day from Henry J. Syms (Thames) for compensation for military services. FISHERIES BILL. A conference of Southern Acclimatisation Societies, field at Dunedin in April last, made a number of suggestions to the Government re the Fisheries Bill. A copy of the suggestions was laid before the House to-day. THE OBSTRUCTION AT AOTEA. Mr. Bryce regards the native obstruction to the prosecution of survej'a at Aotea as of a very trifling character. He anticipates no trouble in overcoming it. THE THERMAL SPRINGS PROCLAMATION. The Native Minister has received numerous applications from the natives at Rotoma for retention of the Thermal Springs proclamation. THE UMBRELLA TRADE. Mr. Tole asked the Colonial Treasurer today if, with the object of advancing what might prove to be an important industry, the umbrella trade, he will take steps to exempt from duty all materials and fittings used in the manufacture of umbrellas. Mr. Tole said he had been prompted to put the question on the order paper on account of representations made to him by several people in the trade in Auckland, who felt it a hardship that materials used by them in the manufacture of umbrellas should be subject to an ad valorem duty of 15 per cent., whilst in other trades, like tailoring, boot trade, snddlery, &c, moet of the materials used were specially exempt, showing that it was the intention to foster local industry. The manufacture of umbrellas was a local industry of no little importance. The manufacturers had either to pay the duty, or evade it by taking materials from the tailoring trade, which were of an inferior character. Under the present duty the local article could not compete with the imported, In reply, Major Atkinson said that applications had beeu made to him on the subject, and he had given it conaideration. He felt that he could scarcely make any change without other imports being affected. He would, however, consider it still further, and if he found he could make any alteration- in the direction referred to by Mr. Tole he would COROMANDEL OYSTERS. Mr. Cadman is to draft a clause ri protection in the Fisheries Bill. Mr. Cadman has received many letters urging this course. Here is a specimen. " We are all anxious to know what you will do re the oyster fisheries. 300 sacks were shipped last Thursday, and a boat with 80 sank, drowning one of the crew. This would have made 3SO bags. It is terrible ! The rocks are almost bare. Just see if something can be done at once." It is proposed that the olanse ehall provide that the Governor-in-Council may gazetto such regulations as the local body desires. MR. FOUGSEY'S CONTRACT. Messrs, Mitcholson and Cadman interviewed the Minister of Public Works to-day in respect to the claim of Mr. Foughey, contractor for railway goods-sheds, Auckland, for compensation for some alleged discrepancy in the plans- Mr. Johnston suggested that Mr. Foughey should bring the matter before the House by petition. WAITEMATA AND MANUKAU. In reiply to Mr. Tole to-day, the Minister of Public Works said he did not see any necessity for having an estimate made of the cost of a canal from Auckland to Manukau harbour. JUDGE HEALE'S MEMORANDUM. Mr. Bryce replied to-day to the question by Mr. McDonald why the momorandum of Judge Heale, with respect to the Pouawa Block, had not been put on the table before. He said that a letter had been laid on the table from Mr. DeLautour with regard to the memo, of Judge Heale. He could not say any further action was intended. He could give no reason why the memo, had not been produced daring the last two sessions (it was dated 23rd March, 1881) as at that time he was not Native Minister. THE AUCKLAND EDJCATION BOARD. Mr. Dick stated to-day that Government had no official notice that the Education Board of Auokland had resolved that in future a register be kept of the religious beliefs of all its teachers. The Act was

silent on the subject of such resolutions, and although. Government was not favourable to snch a course pursued, they were not clear that under the Act they could interfere to prevent this being done. THE NEW ZEALAND NATIVE LAND SETTLEMENT COMPANY'S BILL. The Joint Committee on Standing Orders reported that the examiners' report on the New Zealand Native Lands Company's Bill was correct, but that having heard the promoters by their agent, they recommended that Standing Orders 31, 32, and 16, be dispenaed with, and the parties allowed to proceed with their Bill on condition that clause 6 (allowing the coaipany to purchase native lands) be expunged.

Mr. De Lautour moved, " That the report be considered to-morrow."

Major Atkinson asked that a later date be named. The Bill was one of great importance, really affecting one half the North Island. It was requisite for the Government to have time to consider whether a Bill of such magnitude, dealing with such large public policy, could be dealt with by a private Bill. He moved that it be considered on Tuesday.

Mi:. De Lautour demurred to this doctrine. Every private Bill had a right to be introduced in compliance with Standing Orders, and it was most unfair to prejudice the Bill by raising a question of policy on what was really merely a formal stage. He objected to being debarred from getting it on the order paper for tc-morrow, bat would then, if good cause wae shown, be ready to consider the question of further delay. Mr. Macandrew said this was a formal staguto which every private Bill was entitled, and 'bad nothing to do with the merits o£ the Bill.

Mr. Sutton and Mr. Moss thought all the documents should be printed before anything was done.

Mr. Kelly objected to a large question of ■public policy being dealt with by a private Bill,

Mr. Shephard said the recommendation to dispense with certain standing orders was a matter of primary importance. He did not think the Bill should be allowed to proceed. Mr. Bryce said of course members, like the public, knew a great deal about this Bill. He now found it not in compliance with Standing Orderii, and dealing with matters which should not be dealt with in a private Bill. Time for consideration should, however, be given. Tho question was one of great public importance.

Mr. Shaw said the Bill really was one to abolish the Native Minister and remove the Native Department to Auckland. The promoters had, however, met the objection of the examiner by eliminating the clause of which proper notice had not been given. The whole Bill, however, required the greatest caution and to give time for full consideration he supported the proposal for delay.

Mr. Dβ Lautour thought these objections on a preliminary stage were unfair. If the House wished for delay, however, he would agree to Tuesday. Major Atkinson said that on Tuesday he would be prepared to state what position the Government would take on this Bill, and to afford full opportunity for arguing any position which might be taken up as to the constitutional position of the Bill. The amendment that the report be considered on Tuesday was agreed to, and the papers ordered be printed.