PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11199, 20 October 1899, Page 6

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

[by telegraph.— correspondent.] Wellington', Thursday. TRAINING SHIP. Tire following report of the Training Ship Committee was presented to the Council today by Mr. Jennings : —"Your committee have taken a great deal of evidence. The j following gentlemen have either appeared j as witnesses or expressed their views on the | subject by letter or telegram : Mr. Ranson, manager Northern Steamship Company ; Mr. A-—s, manager Union Company; Captain Reid, Messrs. J. J. Craig, M. Niccol, J. J. O'Brien (Auckland) ; Captain Blackburne, nautical adviser to the. Government ; Captain Leah, H.M.s. Mildura ; Mr. Ilogbcn, Inspector-General of Schools ; the manager of the Cost-ley, Burnham and Coversham industrial schools and others. After thoroughly weighing the evidence submitted to them your committee arc of opinion that it is undoubtedly desirable to establish a training ship (though not one in the nature of a reformatory), within New Zealand waters, as the youth of the colony have at j present opportunities of a very limited nature for receiving a practical training in seamanship. The evidence warrants your committee in coming to the conclusion that a sufficient number of boys of respectable parentage would he found willing to undergo a course of training on board a suitablyequipped vessel. Your committee are also satisfied that boys who had served the necessary time on such a training ship would have special opportunities of obtaining employment on New Zealand-owned vessels. Your committee further consider that the suggestions made by certain witnesses regarding an alteration of the existing shipping laws, so as to provide for the taking of apprentices on board New Zealand-owned vessels open up a question of the greatest importance, and one that calls for the most serious consideration and action on the part of the Government." PETITIONS. The Labour Bills Committee have referred to the Government the petition of 159 Wellington shop assistants, asking for a voice in regulating the day which is to be observed as a half-holiday. The committee have no recommendation to make on the following Auckland petitions: Timothy Hayes, for an old age pension, Jos. N. Buckland, for relief regarding a remission certificate, and Isabella Donne Hamlin, for compensation for the death of her husband. The committee recommend that the petition of W. Hallet and others for aid to establish a school at Whangamomona, Taranaki, be referred to the Government for favourable consideration. The Waste Lands Committee recommend that the petitions of William Blair and others of Matakana, and J. L. Gillmour and others, of Waihi, for grants for roads, be referred to the Government for consideration. On the petition of Haori Tareanui. of Hauraki. for compensation for kauri timber removed from his land without payment-, the comI mittee recommend that the petition be referred to the- Government for further in-' quiry. NEW ZEALAND IRONSAND. Correspondence between the listeve Steel Company, London, arid the Government, in reference to the experiments with New Zealand ironsand, has been presented to Parliament. On August 7 the following telegram was sent to the Agent-General : "Esteve Steel. What will be the probable cost experiments furnaces. Terms agreement." On October 16 the following reply was cabled to the Premier from the AgentGeneral : " Esteve steel. Experiments esti--1 mated cost about £7000. Terms agreement , in case experiments successful New Zealand Government must purchase process producing tool steel, for £25,000, and process for reduc- I ing Siemens steel for £15,000 additional, with j royalty averaging minimum £15.000 per I annum for 21 years." In a letter from the company it is stated that Colonel Esteve has been successful in his experiments. NEW ZEALAND NEWSPAPERS. There are 214 newspapers and magazines published in the colony, i THE MOKIHINUI COAL MINE. j Voluminious papers in connection with the Mokihinui coal mine were presented by j the Premier to-day. It appears that j £40,000 has been spent on the mine, which is a very difficult one to work owing to "faults" in the seams. THE CLOSE OP THE SESSION. In expectation of the close of the session on. Saturday the departure of the Te Anau, which is to take the Southern members to ' Lyttelton, has been postponed until nine ' o'clock at night. This will give Southern members an opportunity of taking part in the farewell demonstration to the contingent, and the Te Anau will also join the fleet of steamers which is to accompany the Waiwera to the Heads. ■>U". V'W'..' ''V •• 1,-.