POLITICAL NEWS AND VIEWS

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11430, 21 July 1900, Page 5

POLITICAL NEWS AND VIEWS

[bi TELEGRAPH,— CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Friday. AN AUCKLAND BILL,

Mr. Fowlds, on behalf of Mr. Napier, introduced the City of Auckland Loans Act Amendment and Council Empowering Bill this afternoon, the Bill being read a first time.

SLAUGHTERING BILL.

The Stock Committee have the Slaughtering Bill at present under consideration. Today they heard the evidence of Mr. Salmon, of Auckland.

SPOILS TO THE VICTORS,

This afternoon Mr. Fisher put a question to the Premier, asking him if he would inform the House of the approaching next recurrent period for the distribution of Government patronage. Mr. Fisher, in his blandest manner, and with a fine asumption of innocence, stated that he was credibly informed—he had recehed information from a thoroughly reliable source— members on the Conservative side of the House had had promises of appomtments for their friends to the offices of policemen, messengers, charwomen, etc. He thought that the party which had been successful at the recent election should also receive some share in the distribution of Government patronage. He said this, because he found that his efforts and the efforts of other members on the Government side of the House to secure employment for applicants who had approached them had been perfectly futile. He hoped the Premier would, for the future, save his (the speaker's) time, the time of the applicants he recommended, and also the Premier's own time, by notifying th> m of their intention to make appointments, so that all could share and share alike, and the "spoils to the victors" not be given exclusively to the Conservative party. The Premier, in replying, chaffed the Wellington members, and stated that if all the applications for Government billets that came from Wellington were granted, there would be very little left for anyone else. (Mr. J. Hutcheson emphatically denied that he had made such recommendations.) The Premier said ho had quite recentlv seen one made by Mr. Hutcheson. (Mr. Hutcheson: " Read the list, it will not take two minutes to read the whole of them.") However, every member was well within his rights in recommending persons for appointments in the public service, and a member's constituents were within their rights in asking him to use his interests in obtaining such positions. Members would nut, dare to say on the public platform that they would not send along applications made to them, or they would not get into Parliament. (A Member: "Yes they would.") It was no use talking to him;' they all did it. (Mr. Pirani: " You don't distinguish between recommendations and testimonials.") If he saw the name of a member attached to that of \ person desiring an appointment he would consider that that member recommended the appointment. If a member, simply to curry favour, sent in a recommendation and would not hold himself responsible for that recommendation, he (the Premier) would take very good care that the recommendation got very short shrift. lie thought it could be said fairly that the Government had not punished members of the Opposition, and those who had applied through him, by ignoring their applications. He thought, however, that a roll of officials, recommended bv members for positions outside the Civil Service, should be kept, and appointments made in rotation. (Mr. Fisher: " I'll have a chance then.") He was not so sure that Mr. Fisher's memory in regard to the appointments that had been made on his recommendation was not for the moment defective. . However, he hoped members would be careful in making recommendations. Let them be reasonable and fair, and so far as the Government was concerned, it would make appointments upon their recommendations. THE HANSARD CHIEF. After consulting the Reporting Debates and Printing Committee, the Speaker appointed Mr. S. Spragg, the senior member of the staff, to the position of Hansard chief in the place of Mr. Grattnn Gray. The terms have not vet been decided upon, but it is suggested that Mr. Spragg should be given £500 a year-that is, £11W a vear more than his predecessor Lon condition that lie does not undertake anv outside work during the lecess. The appointment is a popular one, and it is admitted on all hands that Mr Spragg is one of the most, capable shorthand writers in the colony.

WEIGHT OFCORNSACKS. A deputation from representatives of various labour unions waited on the Minister for Railways to-night regarding the size of cornsacks, Mr. Young, of the Wharf Labourers' Union, being the leading spokesman They referred to a proposal by Mr. U 6 Stead to make the weight of cornsacks 1001b. and thev urged that if this was done it would have the effect of introducing boy labour. Thev did not wish the sacks to be of such small size. Mr. Ward said he was glad to have the views of the deputation, as the workers (the men who had to carry the sacks) bad a right to be heard, lie was glad to hear both sides of the question.