PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7647, 26 May 1886, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

[BT TELEGRAPH.—OWN COKRESrONI/£ST.] Wellinoton, Tuesday. FINANCIAL STATEMENT. The announcement of the delivery of the Financial Statement this evening took everybody by surprise. Members had begun to grumble that although there were some 25 Bills before the House only a few of them had been circulated. The announcement, when made in the Lower House this afternoon was greeted with general applause. POLICE KORCE BILL. This Bill was read a second time in the Legislative Council this afternoon. It repeals the Ordinance to Provide for Maintenance of a Constabulary Force, 1846, Constabulary Force Ordinance Amendment Aot, 1868, Armed Constabulary Act, 1867, Armed Constabulary Amendment Act, 1869. The Governor will appoint officers. Every officer takes an oath of allegiance. Constables have special powers. If a constable should be proved to have taken a bribe he will be liable to a penalty of £20, or imprisonments with hard labour for six months. A fine of £20 is fixed as the penalty for desertion. The fines go to tho reward fund for successful special service. WITNESSES FOR THE DEFENCE. Mr. Boetham has given notice of a motion in favour of paying witnesses for the defence in criminal cases. NEW COMBINATIONS. There have been rumours of possible shifts in the political arena which would bring about strange personal alliances. Politics like adversity makes people acquainted with strange bedfellows. No one believes in the near probability of a coalition between the present Premier and Major Atkinson, but some people who are incredulous of any coalition between these great Parliamentary tiguree at present do not hesitate to declare that the combination of the two strongest political intellects in the House is a possible isiue out of the existing conglomerate formation of parties. So far as I can learn there is no tangible foundation for the rumour, but friends of each appear to congratulate themselves on the warm friendship which they say subsists between their political chiefs. They say it only needs one shake up of the Budget contingencies to place these two leaders in the same division list. SHORTHAND LAW REPORTERS. The information collected by the Minister of Justice upon this subject has been distributed in the form of a Parliamentary paper. Some of the Judges are opposed to the proposal altogether; others doubt whether the qualities which should distinguish such reporters are to be found among the persons who practice stenography as a profession in New Zealand. Amongst papers are letters from stenographic firms in Melbourne and America, Mr. Tole aaks £1250 this year to try the experiment, which may coet £1500, These are about the figures which were recommended to him latt session in a memo, submitted to him by a New Zealand shorthand writer. Tho general tenor of the papers published by the Minister ia that tho time occupied by the trials with the aid of shorthand writers can be reduced to a third, that the cost to suitors is greatly diminished inasmuch as they have not to maintain witneeeeE for ho long a period as heretofore, that it 13 a great luxury to Judgen aad practising counsel to bo able to v, .itch the demeanour of a witness iu the box, and to make notes of their own relating to other matters than that of mere oral testimony. RAILWAYS NORTH OF AUCKLAND. Mr. Darga7ille had an interview to-day with the Minister ot Public Works, in order to ascertain whether the Government would HHsiet in extending the Whauwhau and Whangarei lines to deep water. The Minister was not able to make any definite promise as to the extent of the aid ho would give; but I understand that his answer, although in somewhat general terms, was favourable. Mr. Dargavillo is ssnguiue that the Government will be induced to give the assistance required. AUCKLAND AND PENROSE RAILWAY. Mr. Dargnville also interviewed the Minister in respect to duplicating the tunnel on this line. He received some information from the Minister which he scarcely expected, One item—that of compensation demanded by owners—will be "appalling," although in the opinion of the Minister the constructing of the line would enhance the value of many of those properties nearly 50 per cent. With respect to some of the information, the Minister asked for time to be allowed to consult the engineer's plans. NEW # BILLS. Mr. Tole's new Justices of the Peace Bill, whioh is get down for second reading tomorrow, provides that the clerk shall make out the rota and intimate to the Justices that they will have to act in accordance therewith. The provisions as to nonattendance and penalties remain the same. Mayors of towns and chairmen of local bodies are to be Justices ex officio. LAND ASSOCIATION BILL. This Bill, promoted by Mr. Ivess, is one to facilitate the issue of mortgage debentures and annuity bonds by landowners, and to enable associations of persons engaged in agricultural pursuits to buy, sell, or otherwise deal with mortgage debentures. It is said Mr. Macandrew is preparing a Bill of a similar character. FRIENDLY SOCIETIES ACT. This Bill, introduced by Mr. O'Conor, provides that no transfer of moneys of any benefit fund shall be made to meet liabilities of any other fund, nor shall the interest of any money up to five per cent, be applied to the use of any fund save the fund to which they properly belong. Societies reported to possess a surplus over and above the valuation of 1882, whose scales of contributions have been reported upon by a competent authority and found to be adequate, may apply the inkiest over and above five per cent, to such purposes as may be approved by the superior district lodge. THE BUDGET STATEMENT. Owing to the abruptnesa of the announcement, there waa nothing like the customary crush to hear the Financial Statement. The public gallery contained a fair number, bat the other only a eprinkling. There were about 80 members in their seats. The Treasurer was received with applause when he began hia speech.