PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9270, 4 August 1893, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

[BY telegraph—special correspond en'T.] Wkixinotok, Thursday. A DULL DAY. After the angry scene of the night flitting, the day was the dullest of the session. Members were too done-up to take part in much business. As a consequence, no committeo meetings were hold, and no business was done in the afternoon. BANKING LEGISLATION. The Government have made no sign as to their proposed banking legislation. All things considered, it looks as if legislation in this direction will not be proceeded with. There is a decided feeling in the best of quarters for knowing, that nothing more will be heard of the matter this session. RESUMPTION OP VALUES. The Bill to make provision for the compulsory resumption of value of private estates for the purpose at closo settlement is in the printer's hands, and may bo expected for the first reading in about a woek. I have already described the salient points of the measure. It will provoke some angry discussion, and be denounced by some as confiscation, but the leader of the Opposition is in accord with the main principle of the Bill.

AUCKLAND HOSPITAL RESERVES.

Local Bills were taken at to-day's evening sitting, Mr. T. Thompson moving the second reading of the Auckland Hospital Reserves Exchange Bill. Mr. Thompson explained the objects of the Rill, wnicn were to allow of tho sale or exchange of a hospital reserve at Ellerslie and apply the proceeds to an extension of the Costley Home. To show that the debenture-holders would nob bo injuriously affected, Mr. Thompson proceeded to point out that of the original £'25,000 loan £5000 had been paid off. Tho Auckland Hospital had been built at a cost of £20,000, and thero had boon extensions to the tune of £3500 on nurses' home, auxiliary hospital, and other buildings. The Costley Home had been built at a cost of £9000, and there were all these securities to cover the £19,f)00, the outstanding balance. He (Mr. Thompson) had taken the precaution to brim; before the Local Bills Committee the Public Trustee in whom the endowments and reserves were vested, and he had been unable to see any ground on which ho could reasonably object. Dr. Macgregor, the Inspector of Hospitals, had also reported strongly in favour of the Bill, as had also the Surveyor-General. -Mr. Buckland said ho would not oppose the Bill at that stage, nor did he object to the Costley Homo acquiring more land ; bub thero was a strong fooling in the district that too much money was being given for it. Something like £'-'00 an acre was being given for land while an available block was being parted with for £.10 or £60 an acre. There was also a fear that the land would bo sold in one block to tho detriment of the district, and he had a petition urging that the block should bo cut up in suitable sites for allotments. In committee lie would try and arrange these matters with Mr. Thompson. The Hon. Mr. Reeves, on behalf of hospital and charitable aid authorities, said he tecognised the very great necessity for tho enlargement of the Home, and ho would be very glad to see the Bill passSd. Mr. Thompson in further explanation said tho prices of both blocks of land would have to be to the satisfaction of the Public Trustee. He was in possession of full information which ho would give in committee. The Bill then passed its second reading.

CORRUPT PRACTICES. The Premier moved the adjournment of the Mouse, but Mr. Scobie Mackenzie appealed that his Corrupt Practices Prevention Act Amendment Bill might bo taken for a moment, so as to save it. lie would agree to reporting progress immediately afterwards. Nothing was said until Sir R. .Stout rose and suggested that the Government should take the Bill up. It was absolutely necess-iry that something should be done before the next general election. lie did not plerlge himself to every proposal in Mr. Mackenzie's Bill, but the Government might do something in its direction, and so stop what had happened at every general election—agross wasteof money which could not but have an injurious effect upon the election. ThomemberforMonntlda would gladly concur in the suggestion, but the I'remier would hold out no hope of the Government taking the Bill over. He, however, had no objection to its being advanced a stage before the House rose. This was accordingly done.

DEEP LEVEL MINING.

At the last moment, just as the Homo was rising, the Premier gave notice that to-morrow ho would move for leave to bring in an amendment to the Mining Act, 1801. It was, he said, a matter of urgency. The hour was too late to give any detailed particulars, but I have learned that the proposed amendment, will be in the direction of regulating the marking out of claims, and for giving assistance to the prospecting of deep levels. GUMFIELDS BILL. The member for Waitemnta, in moving the second reading of the Gum and Gumfields Bill, suggested in view of the writ, for the Commissioners' report, that it should go to the Labour Dills Committee, where the whole matter could bo thoroughly threshed out. If it then could be shown to be a Bill not necessary, he was willing to drop it. The object of the measure was to conserve New Zealand for the New Zealanders. Ho condemned what ho called Iho truck system on the fields, and pointed out a provision by which a storekeeper could not compel a man to sell gum to him only. The system reminded him (Mr. Palmer) of the Yankee's engagement with his barman —50 dollars a week if the man was to keep honest, two dollars if he could go as he pleased. He (Mr. Palmer) would rather see a digger pay a royalty, be it over so high, than be under compulsion. Mr. Mitcholson said the House would like an expression of opinion from the Government on such an important Bill as this. At this appeal the Minister for Lands said he did not think the House should be called upon to legislate upon the matter at the present time, nor until the Commissioner's report had been received. He therefore moved that tho debate be adjourned till that day fortnight. The report would then be in the hands of the members. Mr. Buckland rose to speak, but Mr. Palmer agreed to the Minister's suggestion and the debate was adjourned.

MR. BUCKLAND'S BILL. The socond reading of a number of small Bills was got through quite unexpectedly just before midnight, amongst these a pair of Bills by Auckland mombors. Mr. Buckland moved the second reading of the Fencing Act Amendment Bill, which in its provisions makes a man liable for fencing for six months after parting with land, and renders legal a new class of fence. This was read a second time, as was also Mr. Buckland's Agricultural and Pastoral Societies Act, 1877, Amendment Hill, which would bring poultry, dog, and canary associations within the scope of that measure. MR. SHERA'S MEASURES. Mr. Shera had a couple of measures on tho paper, and members were most desirous that ho should relieve them of the monotony of the evening. Mr. Shera, however, was not to bo taken unawares, and postponod his Restraint of Monopolies Bill for 14 days. A moment or two later his Property Law Consolidation Act Amendment Bill was reached, and amid cries of dissent from members who wanted enlivening with a Shera speech, the sponsor of the Bill asked that it might be strangled ; in other words that it be ordered to be discharged. In doing this Mr. Shera said that it was his intention to ask leave to introduce another measure which he hoped would be more complete and more satisfactory to tho House. MR. JACKSON PALMER'S BILLS, Mr. Jackson Palmer did nob expect his Deceasod Husbands' Brothers' Marriage Bill to come on, but he explained it was very short, and simply put deceased husbands' brothers upon the same footing as deceased wife's sisters, a change which he was sure would conduce to public morals. The second reading was passed, and the Bill was committed for next Wednesday fortnight. JOTTINGS.

A Minister for the Crown crystallised his view of reciprocity and federation to me thus :—" I prefer freedom to free oats."

The Auckland Reserves Bill has been set down for committal for Thursday next. Mr. Worth, president of the Auckland TraJes and Labour Council, is in Wellington.

The word with the big initial letter, which the Captain of " li. M.s. Pinafore" said he never iu'ed, was frequently employed in the later stages of the Prohibition stonewall.

Sir It. Stout's Licensing Bill has been committed for Wednesday, the 9th inst. After an all-night sitting, Mr. Buckland spent the morning judging at the Poultry Show.

Mr. Robert Thompson thinks the colony ha? too many local bodies. / After Wednesday next it is proposed that Government business take precedence of all others.

More business was got through during the last hour of to-night's pitting, than on any previous day. Many members wh had Bills upon the paper lost their chanc of bringing them on through going home half-an-hour earlier than usual, nob thinking their Legislative proposals would come on lor days*.