PARLIAMENTARY NEWS AND GOSSIP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11781, 10 October 1901, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS AND GOSSIP.

[BY TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT'] Wellington, Wednesday. STAMP DUTY.

The amount of stamp duty paid upon the bank note issue of th? five private banks trading in the colony last year was £26,336, made up as allows: — Bank of New Zealand, £14,137 ; National Bank, £4376; Bank of New South Wales, £2916; Union Bank of Australia, £2708; Bank of Australasia, £2197. The amount of stamp duty paid on cheques was £28,911. POLICE STATIONS. There are now 263 police stations in the colony. In 1890 there were 216. i' ie strength of the constabulary is now 504, as against 403 in 1830. In the same time the population o the colony has increaseu from 664,855, to 816,290.

MR. NAPIER ON DEFENCE. An article on colonial defence by Mr. Napier, in this morning's Times, was productive of three questions in the House this afternoon, but the Deputy-Speaker ruled them inadmissible. Mr. Russell wanted to ask the Defence Minister, ''Are the Government aware that there is a large amount of latent military talent in this colony, and will they take steps to have a large number of to-day's issue of the New Zealand Times circulated amongst the third standard scholars of the colony, in order to cultivate and develop the martial spirit, the said paper containing an articlo on 'The Defence of the Colony,' by a high and distinguished military authority." Mi'. Fisher intended to ask the Minister for Defence whether the Government will appoint a military expert to examine into the principles of warfare outlined in an article written by Mr. W. J. Napier, with a view to discover in what respects these principles differ from the principles of warfare as laid down in Napier's "History of the Peninsula War." Mr. McNab was anxious to know from the Speaker " whether the statement ' an rights reserved' printed over important publications prevents reference thereto in Committee of Supply, and, if so, will he relax the rule when in committee on the defence vote, to enable the contents of articles written by experts, and the views of eminent military men to bo placed before the people of the colony in the present critical period of the nation's history."

OUR NEW POSSESSIONS. To-night the House occupied itself with a criticism of the Premier's Cook Islands Bill. Opposition members and some Government supporters seemed to see trouble looming ahead, and already there are constitutional difficulties in view, for as Mr Herries pointed out the Premier was proposing to set up a separate Government in those Islands, which were in reality as much a part of New Zealand as Stewart Island. Other members pointed out that the natives of those islands as soon as they realised that they were New Zealanders would demand postal facilities, education, and even obd age pensions. The cost of the administration was also touched upon.

BELLIGERENT POLITICIANS. Members are talking about an incident that is said to have occurred in Bellamy's the other night. The story goes that there was a disagreement between two members. Matters got to such a pitch that one: had his coat oft', and was about- to " sail right in" when a Wellington member interfered. This evening, just as the House rose at the dinner adjournment, and before all the members had left the Chamber, another little scene of a somewhat unusual nature was enacted. One member was heard to say to a group something about sneaks. A North Island member seemed to take this as a slight to himself, and there was a challenge to settle the matter outside, but nothing of a more serious nature occurred.

AMMUNITION FOR VOLUNTEERS. Mr. McGuire has given notice to ask the Minister for Defence whether it is true, in responding to the toast of " The Defence Minister," at a recent function, the hon. the Premier said he was in favour of an increase of ammunition being served out to volunteers and rifle clubs for practice, and that it only required pressure being brought to bear on the Defence Minister, when he had 110 doubt there would be no trouble in obtaining, a further increased supply of ammunition, so that volunteers and rifle clubs might make themselves more proficient in shooting. Mr. McGuiro's question relates to an announcement by the Premier in Bellamy's on Monday night, at a meeting of the Parliamentary Savage Club.

THE LIBRARY CATALOGUE. The Parliamentary Library catalogue, which took some 10 years to compile, and some thousands of pounds to prepare and print, is, according to Mr. Thos. Mackenzie, not a success. It contains, he says, the names of many books that have not been in the library for years. In short, every book brought into the library for the last 20 or 30 years, irrespective of -whether it is there or not, seems to have been listed. JOTTINGS. The Shipping and Seamen Bill was read a second time pro forma to-day, and referred to a Select Committee, consisting of the Hon. Jones, Messrs. E. G. Allen, Fowlds, A. L. D. Fraser, Hutchcson, Laurenson, T. Mackenzie, Millar, R. Thompson, and Willis. It is improbable that the House will see the Bill again this session.

To-day was an off-day in Parliament. The Premier and Sir Joseph Ward were away at the Basin Reserve among the Knights of Labour, so we had no questions answered in the Lower House, the members of which spent a dull afternoon discussing the Maori Relics Bill. Owing to Labour Day, the Council did not meet till the evening. It will be remembered that as the result of a discussion in Parliament last session, a nautical inquiry was held in Auckland ii'to the seaworthiness or otherwise of the ketch Envy, which met a howling gale on the trip from Wellington to Auckland. The inquiry went in favour of the owner, Mr. Champion, who to-day, through Mr. Napier, petitioned Parliament for £300, to reimburse him for loss and damage resulting from such inquiry. Mr. Fisher intends asking the Government whether they will favourably consider the question of supplying the men of the Permanent Militia with uniforms free of cost, as is done in the case of the police. Mr. Thos. Mackenzie wants to know from the Government the terms entered into between them and the shipping companies, regarding the despatch of steamers to South Africa. He has also given notice to ask the Government whether they are aware that no reliance can be placed on the despatch of vessels to South Africa, and that merchants after entering into contracts for the shipment of produce are at the last moment notified that the vessels are taken oft', and if so, will they (the Government) at an early date endeavour to establish an actual regular service between this colony and South Africa.