PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9467, 11 September 1889, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

[r,Y TELEGRAM!.— BPKCIAI. CORRESPONDENT.] WkLLlhgton, Tuesday. LIGHT DUES. A RETURN laid on tho table to-day shows that the following light dues were paid by Auckland steamships during ISB9, the ports being Auckland, Thames*, Whan-

garoi, Tauranga, and Russell :—Rolomnhana, £52 Os M ; Enterprise, £10 2s tkl ; Rose Casey, £1G 0s ; Cororrmndel, £10 15s 4d : Maori, £2 Ms 4d : Waitoa, £4 18s; Wellington, £55 Iβ fid ; lona, £.10 fls 8d : Clansman, £68 sa; total, £257 0a lid; of which £I()7 Is 5d was paid in Auckland. AUCKLAND PETITIONS. Tho Waste Lands Committee have referred to the Government for consideration the petition of John Bell, Chapol-street, Auckland, for compensation for loss of land; also that of I). Cunningham, of Awhifcu, for £10 compensation. THE LIBRA 11Y. Consideration was deferred till to-morrow of a report from the Library Committee of tho House to the effect that tho Li brary should bo open as a freo reference library to visitors upon introduction by the chairman and members of the Recess Committeo.f but that only the Governor and members o Parliament shall have tho right to take books out. Tho eommitton also recommend that in the event of Mr. Collier not being able to resume his duties ay librarian no appointment bo mado till noxt session, and that in tho moan time the Library be managed by tho present staff under the direction of tho chairman of the Recess Committee. RELIEF WORKS. The number of men employed by tho Government on relief works at present in tho several provincial districts is shown by a return laid on tho table of tho House to be as follows : —Hawke's Bay, 21 ; Canterbury, 37 : Ot,ago, lf>7. Tho amount expended on relief works from May, IRSS, to March, ISB9, was £30,679, namely : Auckland, £3800 ; Nelson, £1000 ; Hawke's Buy, £43Gl ; Canterbury, £15,537 ; Otago, m,97'2. THE MAIL SERVICE. Mi , . Saunders is to move tho following amendments to the mail resolutions : — ,: That it ie not desirable to enter into any further contract for the conveyance of ocean mails; that tho Postmaster-General or any officer deputed by him may at his discretion place mails on any ocean-going steamer, and pay for tho snrne any sum not exceeding '2s per lb for letters, 6d for books, and 3d per 1!) for newspapers." The mail services will be considered to-morrow. THE OAMARU VACANCY. Mr. Dunn, Mayor of Oamaru, has refused to withdraw from his candidature for Oamaru, and in consequence Mr. Jollicoe is unlikely to contest it. MR. WITHEFORD'S SCHEME.

Tho Post to-night says in a leader on Mr. VVitheford's scheme :—" While, however, we cannot but deem Mr. Withe ford's scheme for cooperative mining impracticable we heartily agree with him as to the desirability of the State doing something more tlwin it is now doing to develop the mining resourced of tho colony, and offering inducements to capital to employ labour in the task. We hear many complaints from the goldfields as to the very complex and, in some resjtecte, obstructive character of the mining regulation?. Difficulties which should not exist are put in the way of would-be claim or lease holders, and expenses are benped up unnecessarily. Thero are also considerable difficulties interposed in the way of obtaining good valid tides and facilities for proper working. Mr. Withoford, we believe, brought instances of these things as they exist on tho Auckland goldficlds under the notice of the G-oldfielda Committed, and no doubt tho personal practical experience of members of that committee, representing other mining districts, would supply further illustrations. It cannot bo denied that the Mining Department could do a very great deal to encourage enterprise in tho develop ment of tho mineral resources of the colony, bub i$ does not mfxko the most of its opportunities in this respect. The Goldfields Committee should endeavour to keep it up to the mark, and make practical suggestions for the department to carry out. If the way.was pointed out we cannot doubt that tho department would be ready to do what is demanded of it. Mining not only for gold but for other minerals, must always bo one of Isew Zealand's greatest and most important industries. No labour should be too great to promote its development."