PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 8929, 19 December 1887, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

A NEW PROPOSAL IN POLITICS.

SPECIAL POWERS AND CONTRACTS.

THE STATE FORESTS.

SCHEME OF PARTY GOVERNMENT.

|BY TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Saturday. A meeting has been convened for Monday forenoon of " those members of the House who are of opinion that the present system of party Government is unsatisfactory, and that it is desirable to make Buoh ohanges as will enable the discussion and decision of questions oil their merits without involving the issue of a dhange "of the personnel of the Ministry. The meet« ing has been convened at the instance of Major Steward in the first instance, and the circular is signed by himßelf and Messrs. Samuel, James Anderson, R. H. J. Reeves, Fish, Joyoe, O'Callaghan, Feldwick, Hodgkinson, Levestam, Buxton, Newman, Tanner, Peroival, Marohant, Monk. It will be seen that the names represent both sides of the House, although there is a slight preponderance of Oppositionists. Sir G.- Grey has promised to attend the meeting. There is a strong feeling in the ouse, and it is believed a still stronger feeling in the oountry. that it is desirable to avoid the waste of time caused by struggles for office, and it is understood that a scheme will be suggested for the election of Ministers by ballot, after each general election, for the term of the Parliament, subject to a power of removal by a substantial majority of the House upon a direct vote, or by one or other of various methods which will be suggested. With regard to the ballc*, provision will be made that members un willing to accept office could so declare before the ballot was taken, and the ohoioe of the House would then range over the remainder. Upon the result of the ballot being declared, any member elected to have the right to decline to serve, and thereupon a fresh ballot would take place to fill the vacancy. The Government measures should be subject to amendment at pleasure of the House without involving any question of confidence in the Administration, bat Ministers to be of course at liberty to resign, either individually or collectively, whenever they think fit but failing resignation or removal by direct vote of the House to hold office for the life of the Parliament. The scheme, whatever its merits, will be all the better for being disoussad from every point of view, for it Is quite certain that next session, under the present system of Parliamentary Government, will be a repetition of the present, one, viz., the first month or six weeks devoted to a strugglo of the "ins and outs "for office, and then during the balance of the session the measures rushed through without due consideration. THE SPECIAL POWERS AND CONTRACTS BILL. It is rumoured that no Bill of this character will be introduced by the Government this session, as in the brief space at disposal of the House there is not time to deal with it, as its passage would probably be more troublesome, owing to the surprises which have been developed in the acts of previous sessions." THE MIDLAND RAILWAY.

The Premier announced to-day in the House that the Government were in negotiation with the Midland Railway Company with a view to coming to a satisfactory arrangement. THE CIVIL SERVICE.

Tho Public Petitions Committee, in con* sideration of the case of a dismissed official, urged upon Government that in the case of future dismissals of officers no allowance should be made beyond the sums authorised by law.

ABOLITION OP STATE FOREST.* DEPARTMENT.

Mr. Moat asked the Government whether as commonly reported, it is their intention to abolish the State Forests Department, and if so do they intend to take the same precautionary measures to preserve kauri forests from fire as were so successfully adopted by that Department last summer ; also whether they intend to take steps to preserve the young forest plantations or to extend them ? He said he asked the question in consequence of a report in general circulation that it was the intention of the Government to abolish the department, and because he sawnosnm jn the estimates for its maintenance. He hoped the same mistake would not be made now as had occurred on a former occasion, when, instead of amending the Act to meet the view of Ministers, they had repealed, it alto* gether. From the report of the department and also from the return showing the results of last year's operations, laid on the table a few days ago, it was evident that good work had been done. The department and its employees were especially to be congratulated on the fact that while fires were raging though the kauri bushes owned by private individuals, and also on Crown lands, not one occurred in a State forest. The Minister of Lands in reply said he regretted to have to inform thehon. gentleman that it was the intention of the Government to do away with the State Forests Department altogether. The same precautions to guard the forests against fire would, however, be continued. With reference to the latter part of the question, he might state that the services of one nurseryman would be re"

tained, but nothing farther would bo doue. Mr. Bruce (liangitikei) informs mo that he has convened a meeting of members who are opposed to the abolition of the State Forests Department, with a view of taking action to induce the Government to stay their hands in this matter. MR. HOBB3. Mr. Hobbs laft last night suddenly for Auckland, having been summoned by telegram to the death-bed of his mother. CLOSE OF THE SESSION. Government hope to get business through by Wednesday if possible. On Monday they will state what Bills they will drop, and I understand there will be a good number in that category. Already members are leavs ing. The Hons. Shrimski and Acland have already left for the South. PETITIONS.

By Mr. Moss, from John Marie Grace, relative to the contraot of his late father on the Auckland Domain tunnel daring the Provincial Government, and praying for redress; by Mr. Cadman, from miners and others, Thames goldfields, relative to the Mining Act, 1886, and the petition previously presented by miners in relation thereto. EDUCATION SYSTEM. Mr. Barron is going to ask the Minister of Education whether he will act on the recommendation contained in the report from the Select Committee on Education, so that no material change shall be effected in the preBent system of education pending tho result of further inquiry next session ?

MINISTERIAL INDICTMENTS, The following suggestive question has been tabled by Mr. OCallaghan : " Whether the Government will next session bring in a Bill to provide that any Minister of the Grown appropriating public money to other purposes than those for which specific votes of this House have provided shall be sabjeot to indictment for such misappropriation ?" VOAKKB' CASK—A PfICULIAR CLAIM.

Mr. Moat asked tho Minister of Lands whether it is his intention to take any action on the recommendation of the Public Petitions Committee on the petition of John Voakes in the direction of compensating him for the loss of his land improperly sold by the Crown ? There was no recommendation from the committee, the petition merely being referred to the Government for consideration. The correspondence showed that Mr. Voakes negleoted to take the ordinary necessary precautions to have his selection defined upon the ground. The selection was made on the 29th October, 1867. He was then informed that the land would have to be surveyed at once, and at his cost. On the Bth April, 1884, he was again similarly informed, and again on the 7th of May, of the same year. All these intimations were ignored by Mr. Voakes. As an act of grace Mr. Voakes had been informed that he would be allowed to make another

selection from Crown land in the locality, but he stated he did not want land, as he was too old for it to be of any use to him. The Commissioner of Crown Lands stated there was a very large area of Crown land in the locality, out of whioh Mr. Voakes could make an equally good aeleotion as his first one.

KINO TAWHIAO AND THK OOHMSGATED LANDS.

Hoane Taipua asked the Government what was the position of the lands formerly proposed to be given by the Crown to Tawhiao and other natives who had taken part in the late war, and was the land still available for the above purpose 7 Mr. Taipua said he wished to remind the Government and the House that Tawhiao was not individually responsible for the war, that was the joint aotion of many tribes. As the Government had made provision * for Te Kooti, who had been guilty of serious crimes he thought Tawhiao was much more entitled to fair consideration. The Native Minister (Hon. E. Mitohelson) replied that the Waikato Confiscated Lands Act had long since lapsed, but the Government would, if Tawhiao made application to them, fairly oonsider his claim. Sir George Grey said he was sincerely gratified to hear the Minister's reply. He hoped it would be carried out without delay. The Native Minister said the Government would make the House a promise to consider most favourably Tawhiao's claim.

MILITARY SETTLERS LAND CLAIMS. Mr. Goldie asked the Minister of Lands what action the Government propose to take to satisfy the claims of Thomas Thwaites, W. G. Garrard, J. D. Bentley, P. Hodge, and others for compensation for military services, whose petitions have been reported upon by the various committees to whom they were committed ? The Minister of Lands said that from his investigations of these claims he was convinced that the demands made therein ought not to be complied with, they having in his opinion no claim whatever. There were hundreds of better claims than these, Hodge was discharged as medically unlit, receiving a pension for two years. He was, therefore, not entitled to land, having served less than two years. Bentley's claim was still worse. He came to New Zealand, not as a discharged soldier, but as one of the Waikato military settlers, and received 81 acres as such. He now applied for a grant as an old soldier. The Defence Minister evidently regarded Bentley as a very "old soldier," and the House with him.

EXTENSION OF NORTH AUCKLAND RAILWAY

BY LAND GRANTS.

Mr. R. Thompson asked the Minister for Publio Works if the Government would have any objection to bring down a bill next session authorising the construction of the North Auckland railway on the land grant principle. He said his reason for putting the question was owing to the very small amount placed upon the Public Works Estimates for the extension of the North Auckland railway, a sum which was altogether inadequate to the importance of that work. It was of the utmoßt importance to the settlers in that part of the colony that this railway should be pushed on as rapidly &s possible. He therefore trusted that the Government would be prepared to devise some scheme by which this very important work could be carried on under the land grant principle. The Premier said he had not sufficient information to give a decided answer, but the whole matter would be inquired Into and carefully considered by the Government during the recess. THE ESTIMATES.

The House has been on the Estimates all day, and in the discussion of some of the items there have been several dreary debates. Last night tha House sat from halfpast seven to half-past two a.m. wrestling with the Estimates, and during that time the party of retrenchment succeeded in knocking off £5 in all, and that was on the vote for the Wellington central prison, the night's discussion costing £100. This is how retrenchment is effected by the collective wisdom. A long discussion took place to-day on the vote for harbour defences. There was a sharp interpellation between Mr. Fish and Mr. Monk, the latter being desirous of delivering his soul as to wasteful defence expenditure, and the former anxious that he should cut it short. Mr. Monk said he had sat for days listening to wiredrawn speeches on nothing in particular when the business of the oountry might have been finished a month ago, and he was not now to be sat upon when speaking on an important question like harbour defences for a few minutes. Sir Julius Vogel made the remarkable statement that personally he regarded suoh expenditure as useless, bat as a member of the late Government he accepted the responsibility. Oaptain Russell spoke strongly in favour of thoroughly fortifying Wellington as a naval station, and providing a dock there for the Imperial navy, leaving the rest of the ports to their own devices. He believed it to be the most central, and even the Pacific trade of Auckland could be better protected from the Wellington station. The Premier spoke at length, the most notable feature of the speech being that he expressed a hope that the House would pass the Naval Defences Bill. On the motion being; put, and a division challenged, Sir Sir Julias Vogel was wheeled out of the House, and Sir George Grey walked out. The Government carried their point. There was a lengthy discussion also on the vote, j purohase of native lands. Mr. Carroll said some of these purchases would not bear inspection or the light of day, especially in the Waimarino block and the lands around Taupo. One gentleman had got a commission of £300 for helping the Land Commissioner, who drew a large salary for purchasing the lands. Complaints were coming in from natives daily. Mr. Monk endorsed Mr. Carroll's views. He said he had documentary evidence in hand, part of whioh he read, to the effect that the more worthless land was being bought for the Government, while the best land was being conserved in the interests of private speculation. He referred specially to the blocks near Totara. Mr. Kelly, Mr. Moss, and Major Jackson also spoke on the subject, the first-named defending the parties referred to in the document. Parata also protested against the vote being passed, but it was carried on the voices.

"Wellington, Sunday. i WRESTLING WITH THE ESTIMATES. The House sat till close on midnight last night, and did not finish the estimates, owing to the lengthy discussions which took place on various votes, and it was into Sunday morning before some of tho members reached their quarters. THE IMMIGRATION VOTE. Mr. Moss strongly opposed this vote, holding that it was highly impolitic to borrow money to bring people into the colony when men wore leaving it because they could not get employment. Some other members took the same view. Ultimately £10,000 was knocked off, and as the balance is required to defray existing liabilities, the immigration vote was practically disposed of. THE UNDER-SECRETARIES. Mr. Turnbull put in a plea for the UnderSecretaries, and hoped their salaries would not be reduced. Mr. Goldie said tho plea was an absurdity.. These officers, according to the new scale of Ministerial Salaries and Allowance Act, would actually be paid at the same rate as their masters. Mr. Turn' bull said they practically carried on the Government of the country. Ministers may come and Ministers may go, but they ate there for ever.

REDUCTIONS IN LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT.

The House made reductions in the Legislative Departments to the extent of £670, and this is the only retrenchment which has as yet been effected in the Estimates. The redactions were made in political offices. It was evidently not the Intention of the Government to have made these reductions so far as the current financial year was concerned. The Ministry apparently are not yet of the opinion that old things have passed away and all things have become new, and were desirous of letting holders of these offices down gently to the real amounts to whioh they are entitled by law. The House, however, took the matter into its own hands and struck the surplus £200 off the Speaker, and £100 off the Chairman of Committees of the Legialative Council. The salaries attaahsd to the Chairmanship of the Public Petitions Committees and Native Affairs Committees, £100, £50, and £100 respectively were also struck off. In the days before the Assembly was demoralised by the borrowed millions and loan expendi" tnre, and somethiag resembling public spirit prevailed, the three last-named offices were purely honorary, and existed as posts of honour. Of late years, not to put too fine a point upon it, the offices have simply been Parliamentary rewards for the thick-aud-thin supporters of the Ministry of the day.* An amusing incident took place during the passage of this vote. Messrs. Goldie and Monk had been keeping their Argus eye upon one or two " bloated" officials, to whose salaries they intended to apply the pruning hook, but in the excitement of tho discussion they took 'their eye off them for a few minutes, and on going back on the job found, to their intense disgust, that the fortunate officials had slipped through, and that thej had lost their chance. The twin

reformers intend next session to bo even with them.

INDIVIDUAL EFFORTS AT RETRENCHMENT.

Mr. Allen attempted to modify individual salaries in the Estimates, but the Premier told him it was perfectly useless for him to attempt it, a's it was simply a waste of time. The Ministry, in the recess, would go ever the Estimates again, and make reductions departmentally and individually. THE AUCKLAND VOTES; The Auckland members, so far, are well satisfied with the vol;es affecting their pro* vince as passed, and think that they nave come off very fairly in the general scramble, considering the small amount to be scrambled for. _ THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL AND THE LAND BILL— EMBROGLIO. The Legislative Council sat till a late hour last night, and was for some time in oommittee on the Land Bill, making several important amendments. It is always in the closing hours of the session that this Chamber defines its position, and shows that it is a real live co-ordinate branch of the Legislature. They struck out the olause relating to elective Waste Lands Boards, leaving the Crown Lands Commissioners masters of the situation. This has caused a mild sensation in the Lower Chamber, more especially as it is doubtful whether they will agree to the alteration. There will be a conference on the matter by representatives. It would be a pity if anything happened to prevent the passage of the measure, as the Ministry set great store by it as a means of promoting settlement, of increasing the land fund, and in aiding in removing the depression under which the colony is suffering.