PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10200, 3 August 1896, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

fBT TKljjfcßAPHi— CORRESPONDENT.] / ■ Wellington, Saturday. . A&EEOH BY MR. CROWTHER. Th? no-confidence debate is still proceeding, th«i Bpeeches of the Minister of Irtiids (Mr. T. Mackenzie) and Mr. Huthifl jfetng the mosb interesting. After the supper adjournment last nighb Mr. Crowther rose, being the first Auckland member to take part in the discussion. He started by regretting that he was compelled to be ah actor in such a farce—a second debate upon the Financial Statement. The House had heard so much of figures and sinking funds that he would pas 3 these matters over. (A members Do you approve of it?) Certainly he did nob approve of the seizure of the sinking funds, but it was time we stopped talking about it ; and if the Government could seize them by law, they should lose no time in amending the law. Mr. Maslin's desire soemed to be to lot down the Government as easily as possible, bub he did nob quite understand his amendment. A little more information from the left wing might help members in recording their votes. It was now admitted that tho colony must borrow ; and if the money could bo got at 3 per cent., and administered judiciously aud economically, he bolieved there would be justification lor it. He had faith in the ability of the colony to pay the interest. However, the conditions under which lonnß were usually raised were too costly, and unless these costs were kept down, they ought to wait lor some time yet, Mr. Crow went on to urgo that the time had come whon the naiives should be allowed to deal with their lands in their own way. The Maoris were quite'able and willing to protect themselves, and the day was gone when they would part with their land for a bottle of rum or a blanket. As to State fire insurance, the colony would run a great risk in entering into competition with private companies. Some ot these were very wealthy, and there were many shareholders to be dealt with. The Government would find it hard to drive them out. He could not see how they were to set up a fund to give a pension to old men, many of whom had already more than enough, because everyone over a certain age was to have 10s a week. The Government would have to bring down a more workable scheme. If the railways were to be carried on to a paving point (the old story), instead of £250,000, they would want £3,000,000. A quarter of a million was a mew fleabite. He entirely agreed with the proposal to assist the gold mining industry Money was flowing in, it was true, bub thab was to buy mines of known value, and the vote might well be spent in ascertaining what was in the vast areas of gold mining lands. Coming to banking matters, Mr. Crowther said ; ' I never had any faith in the Banking Committee, and if the latest rumours are true, it is nob long before we will very likely know more than it is at present advisable to mention. I believe that this business started in 1806 with a sinister motive. If a certain objeob cannon be secured, we know what will follow. (A member: " What is the object?") A member wants to know what is the object. Well, at present we don't for our own honour consider ib advisable to tell the world what we ourselves know, and I trust it will not be realised. I hope ib will come out right.' As to _ the motion, it was not moved with a straight out object, and he belioved in backing the Government when they vrere right, and opposing them when they were wrong.

A LAW PRACTITIONERS BILL._ The Hon. W. C. Walker has introduced a Bill to amend the law relating to law practitioners, and the New Zealand Law Society. The Bill sets forth that under the existing law solicitors of seven years standing are qualified for the position of judge of the' Supreme C'ouat, but are not qualified to practise as barristers, and it is expedient to remove this anomaly, and to otherwise amend the law. The measure goes on to provide that overy solicitor of the Supreme Court, not admitted as a barrister, shall be entitled to be admitted to and practise as a barrister on application to a judge, if the • judge is satis that the - applicant is of good character and for at - least seven years has been in active practice as a "solicitor. The examinations in general \ knowledge and law provided by tho Law Practitioners Act, 1882, for solicitors shall be restricted to subjects in the English language. Candidates for admission as barristers or solicitors may bo of either sex. In lieu of the fees payable by candidates as ! set forth in the first schedule to The Law Practitioners Act, 1882, the following are substituted:—For every examination, £2 i 2s; for every admission, £5 ss; for every annual certificate, £3 3s 9d. The constitution of the Council of New Zealand Law Society is modified as follows:— Each of the district law societies for the Northern district, the Wellington district, the Canterbury district, and the Otago and Southland districb shall elect two of its members to bo members of the Council, and each of the societies for the other districts throughout the colony shall elect one member to be a member of the Council. The first election of mombers of the Council under this Act shall be held on a day to be appointed by the Governor, and on that day the members then in office shall cease to hold office. The member elected by each society at the first election shall hold office until tho first ensuing annual meeting, on which date and annually thereafter a successor shall be elected. If a society fails to elect a member the District Council of such society may do so in its stead. The Council may hold the meetings at such time and place _ as it thinks tit, but shall hold a meeting in Wellington on a dato to be fixed by tho President, being within 14 days after the date appointed for the commencement of each half-yearly sitting ot the Court of Appeal. The Council may convene meetings of the New Zealand Law Society, and fix the time and place of meetings. The Law Practitioners Act, 1882, the New Zealand Law Society's Act, 1869, and all other Acts, and the respeotivos rule thereunder that aro in any way in conflict with this Act are hereby modified or repealed in so far as such conflicts exist, but no further i or otherwise.

RUMOURS OF A HOLIDAY. In previous messages I have referred to hints dropped by Ministers and others of an adjournment of the House for a weok or a fortnight, with the proposed object) of getting on with the Banking inquiry. Everything seems to point to the fact that the Government have no earnest desire to push on tho business of the country, and that they are nob altogether displeased at the no-confidence debate at present occupying the attention of Parliament. It is generally understood that they have no wish to press on their policy measures just now, and up to the present Ministers have been mainly responsible for the delay that has taken place in regard to the Banking investigation. Bub to give the House a fortnight's holiday would bo a bold step, and such a proposal would be strongly opposed by many members. That) the Government have any intention of doing so has indeed boon denied, but the opinion is growing that some such stop is contemplated. This is strongly confirmed by the faot that Mr. Mills, the Government Whip, has been sounding members in order to ascertain how they would regard a proposal to adjourn for a fortnight. He has beon asking members of both sides of the House if they wore prepared to be one of a party to visit Auokland, presumably in the Government steamer. Mr. Mills, it is true, says nothing has yet been decided, but that gentleman does not, as a rule, undertake "the task of feeling the pulse of the House on his own motion. He has no doubt received his instructions from headquarters, and is simply acting upon them. If mi adjournment is decided upon Ministers Will probably endeavour to fasten the blame of hindering public business upon the Opposition. _____