POLITICAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9919, 7 September 1895, Page 5

POLITICAL NEWS.

[BY TELEGRAPH.™-SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Friday. SHIPPING INSPECTION AND FEES. Mr, Mitchelson drew attention, this afternoon,- to the desirability of having the regulations as to the inspection of ships and appliances the sam« throughout the colony. Mr. Mitchelson contended that the regulations appeared to be carried on more strictly at Kaipara than ab Wellington, and in support of this, referred to two vessels which had satisfied the Wellington officials, bub which were stopped at Kaipara. More uniformity was desirable in this matter. The Premier, in reply, gave another instance which went to show that the regulations were, if anything, more strictly carried out in Wellington. Mr. Massey supported Mr. Mitchelson'a assertion that what was passed at Wellington was found fault with ab Kaipara. Mr. Massey proceed to complain that the porb charges ab Kaipara were double those at Auckland and Wellington, and in view of the presenb severe competition these charges were more than masters could afford. The Premier, in reply, poinbed oub that there was a large number of buoys and beacons to be looked after in the Kaipara harbour as compared with Auckland or Wellington. The Government expenditure at Kaipara was very considerable, and the amount) of shipping was small in comparison with that of the two other ports mentioned. Later on Mr. Tanner asked whether, in view of the circumstances connected with the clearing of the George Thompson ab Kaipara, bho Government intended to replace the official concerned ? Mr. Seddon thought not, and \ said that the official was on the whole a good audi reliable man, and there had been no previous complaint against him. Mr. Mitchelson also spoke a good word for that officer, and pointed out that the vessel had been completely overhauled in Sydney just before she sailed for Kaipara, and had been passed by the insurance agents and the New South Wales' department. No harbourmaster under the circumstances could have ascertained the fault, owing to its position and the state of the cargo. Mr. Tanner expressed himself as entirely satisfied. THE MULLET SEASON. Mr. Mitchelson asked the Minister of Marine this afternoon if he will consider the advisability of altering the close season for mullet in the Kaipara and Bay of Islands districts, so that ib will date from the Ist December to the 25th March. Mr. Mitchelson said these suggestions were the result of the experience of Messrs. Masefield Brothers, who had been canning mullet for the last ten years. The Premier said ib was now proposed bo mako the close season, in the Kaipara extend from December 1 to March 31, and at the Bay of Islands from December 20 to March 20. However, the Department would be pleased to consider any information Mr. Mitchelson might have received.

DESTRUCTION OF NATIVE BIRDS. In answer to inquiries by Mr. Massey, the Minister of Land* stated to-day that he had caused investigations to be made with regard to the alleged destruction of native birds in the Little Barrier, and had received a report stating that there was no truth in the statement. Both Mr. Massey and Mr. Mitchelson persisted that since the island had been taken over by the Government birds had been shot and skinned and sent to Wellington. Mr. McKenzie promised to investigate any further information they might place before him. THE CASE OF CONSTABLE HADDOCK. The Petitions Committee has been occupied the whole of theforenoon to-day with the petition asking for an inquiry into the circumstances connected with the dismissal of Constable Haddock, of Warkworth. Mr. Massey conducted the case on behalf of the petitioner, and Colonel Hume on behalf of the Department. A* the enquiry had not concluded at one o'clock, it was adjourned till Tuesday next. MINING COMPANIES ACT AMENDMENT, lb will be remembered thab when the Mining Companies Act Amendment Bill came before the Legislative Council, that branch of the Legislature, besides rejecting Mr. MeCullough's new clause, struck out clause 11 of the Bill, which provided that "all the provisions of section 240f the principal Act are hereby declared to extend and apply to mining companies registered under the Companies Act, 1882, and to the manager or secretary, and the shares, stock, and property of every such company." To this amendment of the measure the House of Representatives has objected, and tho committee appointed for the purpose has drawn up the following reasons for disagreeing :—"That clause 11 merely carries out the intention of the Legislature, as imperfectly expressed in section 24 of the principal Act; thab the section was evidently intended to prevent the manager or secretary of any mining company from trafficking in mining stocks ; unfortunately it uses the words " mining companies liable to the provisions of this Act," and although mining companies registered under the Companies Act, 1882, are liable to some of those provieions (e.g. , sections 47 and 49), the words in question have been construed to mean mining companies under the principal Act; clause 11 will remove the ambiguity. There is of course no possible justification for making any difference between the effect of the two modes of registration, for any mining company can register as early undor the one Act as under the other, and if the above-mentioned construction is the correct one, the effect will be that managers and secretaries will endeavour to get their companies registered under the Companies Act, and so avoid the provisions of the Mining Companies Act." s SHEEP AND CATTLE EXI'ORT.

Mr. Flatman states that lambs have been sent to the English market from the North Island in such a condition as be detrimental to the whole meat trade of the colony. He thinks all cattle and sheop slaughtered for export should be inspected before being shipped. . The Minister of Agriculture, however, is of opinion that the meat shipped, is on the whole of excellent quality. The whole matter is being carefully considered, with the object of seeing what precautions may be taken without causing unnecessary irritation. PETITIONS. Isaac James Burgess, of Auckland, petitions for compensation for the loss of his appointment under the Government as harbourmaster for the port of Auckland. The Waste Lands Committee have no recommendation to make on tho petition of W. G. Garrard for a laud grant, and refer to the Government the petitions for land grants of John Fulton, John Brace, R. G. Bell, and Mary Maher. The Public Petitions Committee recommended that the following petitions be referred to the Government for favourable consideration : Alexander Hislop and others, of Ruapekapeka, for a grant for road construction; Emilia Johnstone, of Raglan, that ejfecb be given to a certain award by Judge Beckham; W. H. Kirk and others, of Maungaturoto, for grant for road works; K. Hartnell and others, of Paparoa, for grant for the construction of roads. GOLD DISCOVERERS. The Goldfields and Mines Committee having had under consideration the frequency with which petition* are sent in year after year by claimants for rewards for the alleged discovery of goldfields have agreed to the following resolution :—That in the opinion of this committee no application for rewards for gold discoveries said to have been made more than five years before the presentation of any petition referring to the same be considered now or in the future by the committee. JOTTINGS. In answer to a complaint by Mr. Lang as to the importation of co-operative labourers to do the work on the main trunk railway between Mokau and the tunnel, to the exclusion of the local men, the Premier said that it had been arranged thab preference should be given to necessitous cases among the local married men. He believed that arrangement had been adhered to, bub would consider anything to the contrary placed before him by Mr. Lang. The Postmaster-General is not at presenb prepared to have the telephone office, now carried on in the Whakatane courthouse, changed to telegraphic communication with the office in the township.