PARLIAMENTARY NEWS AND GOSSIP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11770, 27 September 1901, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS AND GOSSIP.

e [by telegraph.— CORRESPONDENT.! \Te/j-ington, Thursday. THE BEGINNING OF THE END. Ik older to afford the customary facilities for passing Bills with increased expedition, the Deputy-Speaker to-day announced his intention to relax the rules of the House, so far that Bills which come out of committee may pass through their final stages on being reported. This, of course, means that the end of the session is within measurable distance. The general opinion seems to be that the House will rise in the first week of November. THE NEW ZEALAND WAR OFFICE. The vote of £20.000 for the Royal reviews gave members a chance to have a shot at the Defence Department. Mr. Tanner, in a fiery denunciation, said it would be a good thing if they could get a successful Guy Fawke's conspiracy that would send the Defence Department sky-high. (Laughter.) He referred to the case of a man who had packed the hay taken away by the First Contingent. That man had not been paid from that day to this. The Department, he said, was the worst-managed, the most expensive, and the most scandalously-extrava-gant in this colony—(laughter)—and matters in connection with the Royal reviews were the deepest scandal that had yet stained military history in this colony. THE COOK ISLANDS. It is the intention of Mr. Herries to ask the Commissioner of Trade and Customs whether it is a fact that Customs duties are being charged in the Cook Islands on goods imported from New Zealand: whether, in view of the Cook Islands being part of the colony of New Zealand, he will issue orders that the Customs laws of the colony are to be adhered to; and whether he will refund the duties that have been collected on New Zealand goods since the annexation. COST OF THE ROYAL VISIT. The House this afternoon reached the vote to cover the cost of entertaining the Royal visitors when they were in the colony, and the sparring which has already taken place would indicate that members intend getting the fullest possible information upon the items. In the first place nobody believes that £50,000. the amount on the Estimates, will anything like cover the cost of the celebrations. This was admitted by Mr. Keddon to-day, in the course of some remarks. He acknowledged that £50,000 would not quite pay for everything. Would two fifty's pay for it?" asked Mr. Massey across the Chamber. Mr. Seddon replied that £70,000 would be sufficient. This amount is certainly more reasonable, and accords with the general idea on the subject. A rather peculiar point has arisen in connection with the item of £2250 put on the Estimates to reimburse the Governor for expenses incurred by him. To-day a special Bill was brought down to cover this amount. Mr. Seddon, in explaining the matter, said the Government had acted quite within the law in placing the item on the Estimates, but it was not desired that the representative of the King should be discussed by the House. This explanation is rathei thin when it is remembered that the question must still be debated, though it is to come before the House in the shape of a Bill. The explanation given by Mr. Pirani is that the Governor could not lawfully assent to an appropriation Bill containing this item, as it is a grant to himself. Mr. Pirani said he had explained the difficulty to the Premier, and thought it would only have been fair if the Premier had acknowledged the fact which bad been unearthed by the member for Wellington. The first reading of this Bill was debated for about a couple of hours, and then nearly two hours and ahalf were spent discussing the grant of £247 to reimburse the Mayor of Christchurch. The latter item was eventually passed. JOTTINGS. Three petitions from Kaiapoi, Auckland, and Napier, asking for the repeal of the CD. Act, have, been referred to the Gol vernment on the recommendation of the i Public Petitions Committee, who recommend I that the Act in question be repealed. ! A number of barmaids living in Christ- ' church are petitioning Parliament, asking | that no legislation be introduced to interfere with their boms, as they are quite satisfied with the present conditions. The Public Petitions Committee, reporting on the petitions of William Meikle and 52 others, of Auckland, who want a grant to metal the road from the junction of the Great North Road, past Swanson railway station, to the Waitakerei Falls, state that having no evidence as to the necessity for this road for settlement purposes they have no recommendation to make. On the recommendation of the Railways Committee several petitions asking for the speedy completion of the North Auckland railway, and others asking for the extension of the'railwHV from Whangarei to Graham town, have been referred to the Government for consideration. _ . Mr. Napier to-day presented a petitior asking for the speedy completion of the North Auckland railway, and one protesting against the removal of the existing restnc tion on the rating powers of the Aucklanc City Council before a poll of ratepayers bi taken on the question. Mr. R. Thompson is to ask the Government whether, when appointing Commis-«-.oners of Education Reserves for the proI vincial district of Auckland, the claims oi Whangarei and the Thames districts, both having high schools, will be duly considered, and that representatives of those districts will be appointed as Commissioners. Mr. Napier thinks that, henceforward New Zealand should be officially styled a " State and not a colony." Mr. Lang wants to know whether the Minister for Railways intends to proceec with the Government Railway Servants' Su perannuation Pi!! this session. I Mi. R. Thompson is to ask the Ministei for Defence whether the services of the pro posed Hikurangi volunteer corps will be ac cepted. Mr. Napier is to ask the Government if owing to the fact of the City of Wellingtor being the seat of Government, and of tb< disproportionate influence, it thereby exer cises in the political affairs of the colony consideration will be given to the advisabi lity of disfranchising those residing in tha.' city as is the case with reference to lli< i residents of the capital city of the Unite* | States of America.