PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8669, 11 September 1891, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Thursday. ' FEMALE SUFFRAGE.' Two vigorous and well-directed efforts were made by Mr. C. Johnston to save the female suffrage, bub were defeated through what looks rather like half-hear ted ness on the part of the supporters of the reform, who apparently were inclined to resent the rejection of the Bill specially devoted to the question. Mr. Johnston first proposed, when the Electoral Bill was in committee, to amend the interpretation clause, by making "person" include women. 'Hie supporters of the Bill, however, took up the position that the question had been fought out and decided against them, consequently they would not try the issue over again. Mr. Johnston held that what he proposed was materially different from that which the Female Suffrage Bill enacted. The latter empowered women to sit in the House. He proposed to give them the right to vote at Parliamentary elections. However, they would not listen to the suggestion, and the opportunity passed. Next when the Council restored the paying qualification (freehold and leasehold), Mr. Johnston urged that an opportunity was here afforded for making a beginning with female franchise by conferring it on that class of women whom almost everyone admitted to be entitled to the franchise, viz., women possessing real property in their own right. It was still objected that the Council had decided the main question, and that this ought not to be raised again us a surprise, a side wind, that not being the way things were done in the Upper House. So Mr. Johnston's endeavours failed, and female suffrage was killed for the session.

WORKMEN'S LIEN BILL. The committee appointed to consider the Workmen's Lien Bill in the Legislative Council, report strongly against it, and state that they find it impossible to make it practicable. The Workmen's Wages Act they consider provides all needful protection for tho wages of workmen. They believe the Bill would discourage the undertaking or works under contract. LAND BILL. The Land Bill i>j likely to be considerably delayed, it not materially altered, before it becomes law. The Waste Lands Committee pf tho Legislative Council report that they cannot agree amongst themselves regarding eight particular clauses, including that giving power to a lessee of a run to select 150 acres adjacent to his homestead. They therefore refer these to tho Council. They have, however, struck out the clause disqualifying married women from selecting land. THE MAIL SERVICES. The Postmaster-General is endeavouring to arrange that tho time-table of tho direct mail service may be so fixed that the steamers shall arrive in New .'-Zealand alternately with those of the San Francisco route in sucli a way that thero may be a fortnightly service. Of course this would not be necessary if tho San Francisco service is made fortnightly. The Post to-night has ono of its periodical attacks on the latter service, and says that the colony has never derived advantages from it at all commensurate with the cost of its maintenance. PETITIONS. This afternoon Sir George Grey presonted a petition from D. Egati, who asks to be sent to Rotorua to bo treated for injuries which he met with whilst acting as overseer at road works, at the East Cape. In reference to Mr. E. A. Mackecbtiie'es petition, complaining that his bill of costs, £539 5s Bd, as solicitor for the Kaihu Valley Company in resisting claims for compensation had not been paid, the Public Petitions Committee recommend the Government to pay Mr. Mackechnie £'250 in full satisfaction of his claim, that being the amount standing to the credit of the trust account. Mr. Fish, the chairman' of the committee, said that Mr. Mackechnie's claim was a just one. JOTTINGS. " Tho views of the Is kw Zealand Herald regarding the Public Works Statement," says Mr. Seddon, "are the same as those which have been expressed to me iu telegrams I have received from all parts of the colony and then Mr. Seddon exhibited the telegrams, a bundle of them. The'squabble between the Minister of Lands and the member for Waitotara regarding a letter which Mr. McKetizio said he received from ono of Mr. Hutchison's constituents opposing the latter's views on the land question was brought up again, when Mr. Hutchison asked for the production of the letter if the Minister would not give the name of the writer. Mr. McKenzie thereupon laid the letter on tho table. The average daily cost of patients in the hospitals of tho four principal cities during the past year was as follows — Auckland, 3s 9£d ; Wellington, «>s ; Christchurch, 3s sid ; Dunedin, 3s lOd. Amongst the telegrams received by Mr. Seddon congratulating him on the Public Works Statement is the following from Mr. Vincent. Pyko, Dunedin :—" Congratulate you on the Public Works Statement; the most lucid and satisfactory ever produced ; universally approved here." While believing that the system of board-ing-out destitute children in a good ono,;Dr. Macgregor does not think that it ought to be left to be managed by local Boards. He considers that systematic supervision is necessary, and that at present this can be done oniy by the Education Department. Some members object to the proposal to construct a section of theThames-To Aroha railway, as that .line, they say, will run alongside a navigable river. The votes passed in Committee of Supply this morning included £75 for matron at Rotorua Sanatorium, £52 for wnrdsmen, and £92 for servants. These are new votes. On the other hand, the sums of £200 for a custodian, and £130 for a mechanic, voted last year, have been discontinued. The Minister of Education intends to visit Auckland after the session. He will take the opportunity of inspecting the Kohimurama and other .schools," and tho native schools in the north of Auckland.

It is the intention of the Minister of Defence to recommend the Railway Commissioners to grant free passes by rail to volunteers travelling to the annual meetings of the Rifle Association. At present the volunteers attending the meetings receive 80,000 rounds of ammunition, and each round costs the Government l^d. Though an amendment has been moved in the Legislative Council that the Penny Post Bill be read this day six months, the Postmaster-General is confident that the measure will become law.

The Legislative Council have struck out the clause proposed by Mr. La wry in the Dentists' Bill providing for the establishment of boards of examiners in the three other principal cities besides Dunedin. This has been objected to by the House of Representatives, and a conference has therefore been ordered.

Ono Southern member who was angry because the Government do not propose to go on with the construction of a certain railway, said to-day in the House that there were certain people who acted on the principle of robbing their neighbour?, and that that was on a level with what the hon. gentleman (meaning the Minister of Public Works) is doing. Yet this was nob ruled as unparliamentary. In regard to the petition of Mr. C. Y. O'Connor, late engineer-in-chief of this colony, for a large sum for compensation, the Public Petitions Committeo have no recommendation to make.

In the rush of business which is to mark the close of tho session an attempt will be made to save the New Zealand Institute of Surveyors Bill, and it is to be taken up as a Government measure and placed under the charge of tho Minister of Lands. Mr. Duncan,. the member for Oamaru, is a determined opponent of the Bill. He threatened to-day that if the Government proceeded with it tho session would nob close for the next three weeks.

A gold watch and silver watch, two watchchains, three gold rings, one silver ring, two brooches, two pairs of gold earrings, and one silver pencil case were found in let ters which came into the Dead Letter Office during the past year ; also other property to the value of £6625 19s Bd, consisting of post-office orders, postal notes, bank drafts (£2092), cheques (£1470), dividend warrants, promissory notes, stamps, bank notes, gold, silver, and copper coins. Last year llOOunclaimed registered letters came into the Dead Letter Office, 155 letters, 954 newspapers, and 350 books were posted without addresses, 19 letters with libellous addresses were intercepted, 208 were wrongly addressed, 4301 were refused by the addressee?, and 16 were posted with previously used stamps.