PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10628, 17 December 1897, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

[Bt IBLEGRAPH.-SPEOIAIi CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Thursday. THE HIGHEST COURT IN THE LAND. The Premier, speaking on Horowhenua matters this afternoon, said (hat Parliament was the supreme court of the land. Afterwards Mr. Pirani ridiculed the idea pub forth by the Premier in regard to this Bill. He said the Premier had constituted a caucus of the Liberal party the highest courb in the land. It was resorved for Captain Russell, however, to. pub the Premier's statement in its true light. He said there were two great principles which ought to influence members of Parliament in eucb matters. The first was to endeavour to do no injustice to any particular individual, nor to pass any measure anecting any poraon without allowing that individual to express himself upon the injustice which he allowed was to be perpetrated against him ; and the second great principle was that the independence of the Supreme Court was a matter of the utmost moment, and must) not be interfered with. It was, he said, orlythenierestfigureofspeech to argue that Parliament was the High Courb of Justice in the colony, and they forgot thab they were only one branch of the legislature. "Well, sir," continued Captain Russell, "this very afternoon, shortly after the Premier had given forth thab sentiment which ho considers noble, I looked round to see what the Judges of this Supreme Court of his were doing. Why, sir, the Judges wore nob hero to hear the case. The greater proportion of the Judges of this Supreme Courb were out in the lobbies, or absent down town, Those who were here were paying no attention whatever, and, sir, thab lion, niomber, who I suppose may be described as the Lord Chief Justice, the Right Hon. thoPremier, was himself sleopliig audibly through all the arguments put forward in connection with this case. Sir, there could be nothing uioro discreditable to a Court of Justice than that a number of the Judges should be away, thab some of them should bo reading novels and papers, and that the head of the Supreme Court should be asleep— then to be told thab j£, t l'£.!£i£V- Courb of S!«v Soma BtMtWag lo.ct« ro£ox&w«» ?omv\ tide Waste Committee. fat to&l&uws, ( 1 one selector arranged lor a loan of £30 horn) tt\e k&v&ttwa to Setters department, to i of tub all ho got was £3 19s, the test being retained for rent due. The Committee to-day reported in reference to the petition of the settlers for a reduction of their rents, elating that they are of opinion from the ovidonoe received regarding the ciri cumstances of the petitioners and of the rents paid by them, that a full investigation should bo undertaken by the Government forthwith.

THE BEGINNING OF THE END. Members aro already leaving for their homes. Mr. R. Thompson, who is disgusted with tho Public Works Estimutos, left for the north to-day. Mr. Houston had his luggago on the Taknpuna with the intention of leaving Wellington to-night, but the Opposition could nob give him a pair, as there were also two othor Governmenb members who wanted pairs. Mr. Houston was therefore reluctantly compelled to remain. The Premier has, however, agreed to put the Tutanekai on for him on Sunday to proceed to Onehunga. DENOMINATIONALISM. Mr. Seddon wished to take the debate on the Public Works Statement at eleven o'clock to-night and shelve the Technical Education Bill, but the Opposition would not agree to it. There was a lengthy debate in committee on the question of denominationalism in connection with the Premier's technical oducatioti proposals. Mr. Meredith said tlio Bill wus a dastardly attempb on the part of the Premier to introduce denominationalism into our eduoational Bystom. This coining from such ft strong supporter of the Government caused some surprise. " It's what comes of calling on the Pope," said one inembor solto voce. JOTTINGS. A rather remarkable epooch was delivered in the Legislative Council loday by tho Hon. Dr. (Jraco. Mr. Bolt's motion about commemorating the deeds of heroism in die Maori wars and having the burial places of those who fell fighting, cared for at the public expense, was under consideration. Tin) following is Dr. Grace's speech verbaturn:—" Sir, the great misfortune about a motion of this kind in these our modern times ia this: These gallant fellows of both races are dead and buried, and therefore hiwo no votes, so they would not be likely to receive very much justice at our hands." During the argument on the special case as to tho Horowhonua coste, this morning, counsel for the Publio Trustee cited a judgment of the late Mr. Justice Richmond, in which he remarked, " Unwillingness on the part of a Goi-ernmonb to pay its just debts can scarcely bo supposed to oxist." " Ah," remarked judge IJenniston, with a smile, " that was many years ago." The Hon. Mr. Jones goes South tomorrow, he having to-duy hoard of the death of his father, at the age of 81.

Somo of tho Ministerial following, annoyed with Mr. Pirani's searching criticisms of the Premier and his administration, recently employed a man to go round Palmorston North with a requisition asking that the member for tho district should resign. The attempt, however, was a signal failure, for uftor canvassing for a woek the man only got somo five signatures.

Mr. Mills is ill with influenza, and Mr. Joyce is acting as (.ioveriiinont whip in hie place. Seven members of the House aro down with influenza.

Major Stewart, an:l Messrs. Guinness and Tanner voted against tho Government on the Horowhonua question to-night. Mr. Massey wants the Government) to thoroughly advertise tho curative properties of tho Rotorua Thermal Springs throughout Great Britain and the Continent of Europe.