POLITICAL NEWS AND GOSSIP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9125, 6 August 1888, Page 5

POLITICAL NEWS AND GOSSIP.

[by telegraph.—special correspondent.] Wellington, Saturday. ANOTHER "LORD." The proposal to call Major Campbell, tho present Clerk of Parliament, to the Legislative Council, in recognition of his long official services to the colony, has again been revived. On making inquiries. I learn that there is some truth in it, and that tho Government are not unfavourably disposed to adopt the suggestion. The leading members of the House have been sounded on the matter, and Sir G. Grey, Mr. Lance, Mr. Turnbull, and others, have expressed approval in the event of Major Campbell's retirement from office. Mr. Stowe, tho clerk of the Legislative Council, will probably be his successor, though Mr. Friend, the Clerk's assistant, and Mr. Ernest Bull, formerly Parliamentary Reader, and son of Sir Dillon Bell, are also spoken of by the local Press as in the running. I understand the Government, contemplate bringing in a measure either this session or next, which will lead to a gradual reduction of the number of members of the Council. SPECIAL POWERS AND CONTRACTS BILL. The Special Powers and Contracts Act, 1886, Amendment Bill, will be introduced on Monday by the Colonial Secretary. Sir George Grey has not yet been made acquainted with its provisions. Sir George informs me that as soon as he has seen this Bill through, reinstating the Kohimarama Native Trust, he intends to take action to upset the Wellington Girls' High School Reserve arrangement. He informs me that the three acres on which this school is built have been wrested from the Hospital Trust, to which it belonged, and utilised for the benefit of the middle and upper classes. Sir George states that the land was necessary for an accident ward or receiving establishment and dispensary, as the Hospital is away out of town. He has great hopes of his success in reinstating this trust also. THE SAN FRANCISCO SERVICE. The whole of the returns moved for by Sir John Hall and Mr. Peacock, relative to the San Francisco service have, I learn, been taken from the table of the House. The Speaker, yesterday, made a request from the chair that if any member has them, it was desired that they should be returned, but so far there has been no response. Mr. Peacock is taking steps to havo a copy procured of the returns, and to prevent any further spiriting away, they are to be now printed and disseminated for the information of members. Whether the trouble has arisen through a thirst for information about the San Francisco service, or is the act of a kleptomaniac, has not been definitely ascertained. THE PROPERTY ASSESSMENT.

When the vote for the property tax was being discussed last night, Mr. R. Thompson called attention to tho extensive power? of tli" Commissioners, which are not always judiciously used. The Premier said he would bring down a Property Tax Bill in a few days, and then that would bo the time to discuss the matter. Mr. Thos. Thompson hoped the valuators appointed would bo men not associated with the rating of local bodies. Mr. Monk said that up in Auckland the whole country side had protested against the valuations. Ho hoped no one connected with land speculations would be appointed. THE OUTBREAK OF SCAB. I understand th.it Superintendent BayleyV mission to Auckland is to investigate the circumstances surrounding tho ostbreak of scab, and also to inspect the sheep districts. THE OYSTER. INDUSTRY. Mr. Moss has received some communications from oystermen in Auckland, asking him to take steps lo get the Coromandel oyster beds, now closed and proclaimed, thrown open again, both on account of tho want of work and the difficulty ot earning a livelihood for their families by those engaged in the occupation. The County Council of that district have, it seems, been moving also to get these oyster beds thrown open, but with a view of extracting some Council revenue from the license fees. Mr. Moss has seen the Minister of Marine and Customs on the mat ter, and the Minister has promised to look into it. SALE OF WAIRAKEI. The Hon. J. Wilson has n notice on tho order paper of the Legislative Council to ask the Utorney-General whether the Government have information that the equity of redemption in a block of land, called the Wairakei Block (on which the Government

Insurance Department hold a mortgage for £6000) has been sold for W, and if the Government will cause inquiry to be made on the following points : —(1) who was responsible for granting the said loan of £0!X)0 ; (2) what valuation was produced, and by whom made ; (.'!), tlie present value of tlie security ?

THE THAMES HOSPITAL. Mr. Cadman has been interviewing Dr. McGregor, the Inspector-General of Hospital?, with regard to the strongly-worded references, in his annual report, to tho Thames Hospital. The trustees of that institution have written an indignant denial to what, they regard as imputations on their management. I am led to believe that there i< a misapprehension as to Dr. McGregor's statements. He informs me that he never imputed to them that they were endeavouring to get a subsidy on tho 5s a-week arrangement, and that his remarks would not bear that interpretation. REORGANISATION OF THE VOLUNTEER FORCES. The Defence Minister is at the present time considering proposals for tho reorganization of the volunteer force, and expects to bring down hi.s scheme for that purpose early next session, lie intends to have the capitation allowance increased to as near the amount from which it was recently reduced as financial exigencies will allow. DISTRICT COURTS BILL. The District Courts Act Amendment Bill, introduced by tho Colonial Secretary, gives District Courts jurisdiction over all civil cases between £20 and £200, and all partnership disputes within the same limits, but the Courts are to have no cognizance of any action concerning the title to real estate, any question under a will, or any question of false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, libel, slander, seduction, or breach of promise of marriage, involving a claim of more than £100. A minor may sue for wages, an infant may sue or defend by his next friend, and an absent defendant may be sued through his agent. District Court judges are empowered to exercise all powers of the Supreme Court judges in regard to the arrest of absconding debtors, and powers are given to aggrieved suitors to appeal from the decisions of tho Court. The Bill also contains a number of provisions in detail for the regulation of Court proceedings. THE OWEN CASE. The deed signed by Mere Kuru, now the property of .Mr. Neville Walker, has been placed in possession of the Clerk of Parliament, and has been inspected by hon. members. The allegation of the petitioner was that the signature was a forgery. THE MEDICAL BILL. The Colonial Secretary informs me that there 13 not the slightest chance of the Medical Act Amendment Bill coming on this session. THE REPRESENTATION ACT. Mr. McArthur asks the Premier whether he will, at as early a date as possible, introduce and make every effort to pass this session a bill fro readjust tho difference of quota between town and country electorates. RAISING THE SCHOOL AGE. Regret is expressed by those favourable to the reduction of education expenditure, that Mr. Tanner should have been so illadvised to intercept Supply by aproposal to raise the school age to soveg. To make such a motion in the face offthe recent division, and at such a juncture, was simply to invite defeat. Mr. Goldie informed me that after having all his efforts for retrenchment in other quarters dofeated, he was not going to be the one to put the pruning knife into t,he education system first of all.

THE ESTIMATES. The House in Committee of Supply laab evening passed estimates to the tnne of over £400,000, the reductions effected being £150. As the discussion cost about £100, the total saving was £50. It is patent now to the retrenchment party that it is not possible tp achieve any retrenchment in the House as at'present constituted. Whether the huge parliamentary machine would effect retrenchment if it could is doubtful. The retrenchment party have now got back to the point where Mr. Withy withdrew his famous one hundred thousand pounds retrenchment amendment, and are relying on the Premier's assurance that notwithstanding any default in retrenchment inside the House, he will continue during the recess to go on with the work as during the previous recess. They are satisfied now that only the Government can accomplish anything, and Mr. Withy expressed his belief that the Premier had both the desire and ability to accomplish what was desired to be attained. The Government have already gone as far that way as the House will let them, or they dare to do, and will have to waijj till the House rises before showing their hand further. In the last recess'the Government effected retrenchment to the extent of over £230,000, but if the work had been left to the House, the reductions would not have amounted to £230. The Premier has given an assurance that what ho has done in the past, that will ho do in the future. He candidly admitted that a large number of the higher offices in the Civil service were overpaid. One reason given for not materially altering the Estimates is, that the Government have already made the necessary reductions, and spared the House the unpleasant task. During the discussion yesterday it was clearly evidont that the long hours of the previous sitting and want of sleep had clouded the intellect of the hon. members. Early in the afternoon the Chairman of Native Affairs. Committee, Mr. Kelly, after addressing the Speaker as "your Worship,' , indignantly protested against Mr. Hamlin charging the Native Affairs Committee with " impartiality." To Mr. Kerr, however, was reserved the honour of making the most outrageous bull on record. The hon. member was declaiming against the proposal to sell the Hinemoa, and wound up a vigorous speech by asserting defiantly that " if you sold her to-morrow you could not get a purchaser for her." The Minister of Marine, Mr. Fisher, added his contribution by gravely telling the House that "at a certain spot on the West Coast, a lone , time ago, he was happy to say a whole boat's crew were drowned." CLOSE OF THE SESSION. It is expected that the remainder of the Estimates will be put through on Monday, which has now been taken for Government business, Supply being made the first order of the day. I understand the Government propose to answer questions only on two days a week, so as to facilitate the despatch of business. Political prophets are now fixing the prorogation ab from a fortnight to three weeks from now. There has been some talk about the Opposition having another little wrestle on aside issue, but after the late fiasco, which left them "half way to Chicago," it is doubtful whether they will make the attempt. The safety of the Ministry has all through the session lain less in the strength of their party than in the disorganisation of their opponents, who are split up into sections which have no interests or sympathies in common. There is now no doubt that they will weather the session, and if the Premier meets the House again with a small surplus, or even with square accounts, income balancing expenditure, his lease of power will in all likelihood be coterminous with the existence of the present Parliament. STATE SCHOOL MORALS. Mr. Goldie has received telegrams from Auckland school teachers thanking him for his defence of the Auckland State schools, and stating that Archdeacon Stock must be tho victim of his own credulity. HARBOURS BILL. A meeting of Freetraders and the Young New Zealand party will take place tomorrow with a view of taking steps to oppose the Harbours Act Amendment Bill, which provides for the Government increasing the dues. PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT. If the Native Policy Bills are got through early this week, it is probable the Public Works Statement will be brought down shortly afterwards.