POLITICAL NOTES AND NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12401, 14 October 1903, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES AND NEWS.

[BT TBLEGKAPH.—SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT. ]

WEixiNGTONi Tuesday.

y THE DOMAIN EXCHANGE. The City of Auckland Empowering and Reserve Exchange Bill was reached by the local •Bills Committee to-day, but less than half-an-hour was available for its consideration. Mr. Kidd, who is in charge-of the Jjdl, gave evidence, and the committee adjourned with- ! out taking the evidence of Mr, Fowlds or ! Mr. Bollard, who were in waiting. The Bill, however, will be the first considered at the . next meeting of the committee, probably this j day week. NORTH AUCKLAND RAILWAY. I Mr. Harding gave notice to-day to ask the ' Minister for Public Works if he is aware that men are still being discharged from the North Auckland railway works, and whether {he intends to reinstate them while the weaj ther is good. THE COOK ISLANDS BILL. The Cook and Other Islands Bill was down \ for its third reading to-day. When it was : reached Mr. Massey asked the Premier to ; delay consideration of th§ Bill for a day. ; his reason being that Mr. Moss, who knew .; more about the islands than any member of i.the House, was absent on account of illness. ; He explained that Mr. moss was on his way I from Auckland, and would be in the House ! to-morrow. The Premier refused to comply with the .request, and Mr. Mills explained that ho wanted the Bill through before the next departure of the Countess of Ranfurly. ; The request having been unavailing, Mr. Hemes moved that consideration of the Bill be deferred, and on a division being taken on this question it was decided by 33 votes to 26 to go on with the Bill. Mr. Harding, on behalf of Mr. Moss, then moved, "That the Bill be recommitted for the pur-

pose of considering a clause of which Mr. Moss had given notice, providing an appeal for M'akea Daniela, or any -other person who felt aggrieved by any judgment of the High Court of the Cook Islands given prior to May, 1902. After discussion the motion was rejected by 36 votes to 15. TRADE WITH THE INLANDS. • A point of considerable interest to Auckland was raised on the Cook and Other Island? Government Bill. While this Bill was going through committee tho Premier inserted a clause to provide that the Governor may by Qrder-in'-Council impose a duty not exceeding 10 per cent, on goods shipped in New Zealand for the Islands, and providing for the payment of drawback in New I Zealand. The Leader of the Opposition pointed' out that this meant that the Governor could impose a duty on new Zealand products sent to the Islands. Mr. Massey's proposal was to exempt goods the produce of or manufactured in New Zealand, but the Premier met this by making some reference to the payment of drawback, though it is difficult to see how drawback could .be paid en goods which have never paid duty, which would bo the case of the , products or manufactures of the colony. Having failed to get his amendment carried in committee, Mr. Massey returned to the subj ject when the Bill was reported to the House ; to-day, but he again suffered defeat, this time by 31 voles to 19. The Auckland members who took part in the division, were: — For Mr. Massey's amendment: Messrs. AH- j I son, Harding, Hemes, Kiikbride, Lang, j Mancler, and Massey. Against the amend- j ! menfc: Messrs. Baume, Fowlds, Kidd, and i Lawry. For the sake of/the Auckland trade j with the Islands it is to be hoped that the j power given to the Governor by tho Bill will j not be exercised. ■. :..,-\ •■■■■-.-.■ j MR. SEDDON'S TELEGRAMS- * Mr. Duthie gave notice to-day to ask the i Premier:— (1) Whether, as represented, the ' Government of tijs Cape Assembly extended to the Premier the use of the telegraph darling his visit of two days to that colony; (2) ! whether on this visit of 48 hours he | despatched 70 cablegrams, costing, as rej ported by the Public Accounts Committee, j £155 Os Gd; and (3) whether, in view of this I excessive amount and the criticisms in the I Cape Parliament on so large a disbursement, he will now include a vote on the Supplementary Estimates of a sum to reimburse the ! Cape Government on this outlay. INQUEST PROCEEDINGS. Mr. Fowlds to-day gave notice to ask the Minister for Justice :--(l) If his attention has been called to the following report in an Auckland newspaper of the proceedings at an inquest held there : — "Constable Dart: 'Do you think the licensee and his family could have been ignorant of all this going on?' ' "The Coroner : ' I fail to see what this has jto do with the cause of the man's death. I have been too indulgent. I must draw the line somewhere,' and (throwing' down his pen), he said he would not take down such evidence. "Constable Dart: 'I want to show that the licensee should be" held responsible.' "The Coroner: 'We are not going to furnish matter that will incriminate the licensee.'" (2) If he will ascertain whether the sai dreport is correct. (3) If correct, what steps he proposes to take to prevent in future the suppression of important evidence relating to the responsibility for the death of a person on whom an inquest is being held. FRIENDLY SOCIETIES BILL. A deputation of members of Parliament, who are members of friendly societies, including Messrs. Kidd, Jennings, Wood, Field, Arnold, and others, waited on the Premiei to-night and represented to him the desirability of withdrawing, the Friendly Societies Bill so that during the recess the various friendly societies' conferences may consider it and suggest amendments. The Premier promised to place the matter before the Cabinet and give an answer later on.

JOTTINGS. Mi-. Baume is asking the Government to consider the advisability of raising the duty i on boots and shoes. Mr. Kidd is asking the Minister for PubI lic Works when the road in connection with ! the wharf and cattle landing at Orakei will i be commenced. i Mr. Witheford intends to ask the Minis- ' ter for Defence what officer has been apj pointed to the command of the Auckland j division of the New Zealand Garrison Artillery Volunteers. ? j The Petitions Committee has referred the ! petition of A. . Collington and others, of Marlow, for a sum of money to ;be placed on the Estimates sufficient to continue the railway from Kawai kawa southwards to the Ramarama Valley to the Government for consideration.