PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 10834, 18 August 1898, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

Cbl telegraph.— correspondent.] ; Wellington-, Wednesday. .. • PETITIONS. ''..;■■';. The following Auckland petitions were presented to-day :—From residents of Warkworth, Ahuroa, Puhoi, and Kaipara Flats, for a vote to further extend the HelensyilleNorthwards Railway (Mr. Monk) ; from Charles Andrews, of Aratapu, for consideration of his claims for a grant for military services (Mr. E. Thompson); From Russell Bates, of Kai Iwi, setting forth certain grievances regarding his Crown land section, and asking for relief (Mr. Houston) ; from Richard James Feltus, for relief (Mr. l. Thompson); from Peter Norbury, of Thames, setting forth certain hardships he had suffered owing to a technicality in the mining laws, and asking for relief (Mr. McGowan); from T E. Price, of Tauranga, for an amendment in the Education Act (Mr. Hemes). The Waste Lands Committee are of opinion that the petition of Hibernia Smith, of Waikomiti, for a road through his laud, should be referred to the Government for favourable consideration. NATIVE LEGISLATION. The Hon. J. Carroll has introduced a Bill to amend the Native Land Laws Amendment Act, 1897. The Bill sets forth that whereas doubts have arisen as to the intention of section 3 of the Act, it is declared that the duty payable under subsection 4 of section 17 of the Stamp Act Amendment Act, 1885, shall not be paid, nor payable, nor be deemed to have been payable, upon any conveyance, or transfer, of native land, by way of trust under the aforesaid section 3 of the Act, but the said duty shall be payable upon any conveyance, transfer, or assignment of such native land, or of any interest therein, from the trustee, under the section referred to, to any other person, and the words, "Lands under title of any descipHon," in the section, shall be deemed to include lands owned by or vested in any corporate body of natives, incorporated by any private, general, or special Act whatsoever, JOTTINGS. ' Tho Agricultural Committee are still considering the Orchards and Garden Pests Bill, and taking evidence regarding remedial measures. The evidence taken by the committee will be very voluminous, and will probably run into 300 or 400 pages. It is being printed, and orchardists are likely to get many valuable hints from it. The Steam Ferry Service Committee expect to conclude their sittings in a few days. They intend to take the evidence of Mr. Ronayne, general manager of railways, and Air. Gray, secretary to the post office. THE NEW ZEALAND CROSS. Mr, G. Hutchison presented a petition from a number of military men, regarding the conferring of the New Zealand Cross on Mr. Wrigg, of Auckland, The petitioners condemn the action of the Defence Department in this connection in a lengthy statement, containing, no less than 46 clauses, and conclude by asking for a full inquiry.