PARLIAMENT AT WORK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 12661, 15 September 1904, Page 6

PARLIAMENT AT WORK.

GALLERY NOTES AND LOBBY. GOSSIP. [by telegraph.— correspondent.] Wellington.. Wednesday. Mr. Hermes asked the Commissioner of Customs whether it was true that the schooner Countess of Ranfurly had been employed in carrying indentured labour for a private firm between certain of the Pacific islands. Mr. Mills, in reply, said there was a short period each year, the hurricane season, during which there was very little work for the schooner in the Cook Group. A Melbourne firm made a satisfactory offer to the Resident Commissione. for the employment of the vessel during that season, which he accepted as a matter of ordinary business. RAILWAYS SUPERANNUATION. Replying to-day to a question regarding the railways superannuation fund, Sir Joseph Ward said it was never contemplated nor intended that superannuation! allowances should be computed on anything but continuous railway service. It wa« therefore quite impossible to make any alteration in regard to the matter without first consulting the whole of the subscribers to the fund and giving them the option of consenting to either one of the following courses : —First, a very considerable increase in the amount of the contribution they now make to the fund, or second, a considerable decrease in the benefits which now accrue to members of the fund on their retirement. There was no doubt, whatever but that the contributions at present paid for superannuation would be totally inadequate to provide for existing benefits ii the principle of computing these benefits on continuous service only was departed from, and he did not consider that such a course would be in the best interests of the subscribers to the fund. The question of Provincial Government service was a very important one, and was still under the consideration of the Cabinet. As soon as a decision was arrived at it would be conveyed, as already promised, to the railway employees. THE THREE KINGS. In reply to Mr. Witheford's question urging a light and fog signal on the Three Kings, the Minister for Marine said the regrettable accident which brought, into prominence the question of providing a lighthouse and fog signal for Three Kings might have had the effect of magnifying the necessity for a light and signal. The marine authorities considered that lighthouses were required at Cape Brett, the south-eastern point of the Bay of Islands, and Flat Point, about 24 miles south-west of Castlepoint. Moreover, there was very considerable doubt among shipping masters as to the best place for a lighthouse on Three Kings. The point on which the marine authorities consider the lighthouse would be most valuable was almost inaccessible either by sea or land, and in addition to this the islet was such that the keepers' families could not live on it. MINING SCHOOLS. Mr. Reid, the member for Taieri, asked the Government to-day whether, in the event of a mining school being established in Auckland in connection with the Auckland College, they intended to keep the four mining schools ia that district in existence, and, if so, whether they would subsidise a mining school in OTago commensurate with the mining interests of Otago. The reply of the Minister for Mines was that should a mining school be established in connection with the Auckland College, it would still be necessary to continue the district schools as they fulfilled requirements that could not be satisfactorily met by provision being made for university students to take a mining course. The Government was prepared to consider proposals from any district where a mining school might be required, and would give equal treatment to all parts of the colony where the establishment of such a school was likely to be of advantage to the mining community.

AGED SCHOOL TEACHERS. When the Education Acts Compilation Bill was before the Legislative Council yesterday, Captain Baillie expressed the hope that the Government would make some provision for public school teachers who had grown old in the service of teaching the young. In reply Colonel Pitt, At-torney-General, said that the subject was at present claiming the attention of the Cabinet, and if not this session,, at no distant date, proposals would be submitted. The difficulty was one of finance, but ho believed provision would be made that would overcome the difficulties. NATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS. The Scholarships Bill introduced into the Legislative Council by Colonel Pitt provides for reducing the age of competitor's for national scholarships from 14 years to 12 years. THE LICENSING BENCH. Mr. Witty has given notice of an amendment in the Licensing Bill to abolish the elective licensing committees, and substitute Licensing Courts, one magistrate to constitute the Court at the quarterly sittings, and three at the annual sittings. He also proposes an appeal from the Licensing Court to the Supreme Court on points of law. PAEROA-WAIHI RAILWAY. Mr. Moss has been urging the Government to make a flag station near the Waitawheta Road, at Owharoa, on the Paeroa-Waihi line, but the Minister for Public Works says the nearest convenient point for a flag station would be only one mile 10 chains from Waikino station, and there was not therefore any great urgency for an additional station. The matter, however, would receive consideration when further progress i had been made with the line. i THE TOKATOKA LAND BALLOT. Mr. Harding asked the Minister for Lauds whether his attention had been drawn to the remarks made by the Commissioner of Crown Lands at Auckland, on the occasion of the ballot for J-he Tokatoka lands, and | whether it was a fact that certain persons were, in an arbitrary manner, prevented from taking part in the ballot, though they had complied with the law. Mr. Duncan, in reply, said . From the public statement made by the Commissioner and tie Auckland Land Board, I understand that the fairness of the ballot and the eligibility of those admitted to it are unquestioned, nor have any eligible persons been rejected. One rather "flagrant case lias been investigated by the Land Board, in connection with which it was found that an applicant already held the full area allowed by the Land Act, and thi3 case, I understand, is being submitted for my consideration, and when it comes before me I will deal with it as the facts may require.

OMAHA WHARF. Mr. Mander has been urging the Government to give £25 for improving the landing at, Omaha, Rodney, on condition that the settlers subscribe a similar sum. The Minister for Marine says the wharf was built by the Government, and is now vested in the Rodney County Council. The Council has authority to levy dues for the maintenance and improvement of the wharf, and in these circumstances, and in view of the argent necessity for many works, uo promise could be made, and the matter must await consideration with the Public Works Estimates. KAIPARA HARBOUR. Replying to a request by Mr. Harding, that the channels of the Kaipara Harboui be properly buoyed, the Minister for Marine fsaicf the channels of the Wairoa and Kaipara Rivers were well and properly buoyed, but the harbourmaster stated that they were seldom used, except by local steamers and vessels under tow. The masters of these .steamers, and of the tug, know the channels in the harbour well, and the harbourmaster considered that the buoying of them in as , efficient a manner as the rivers would mean [ a considerable and unwarrantable expense.

A COSTLY TELEPHONE. Replying to a request by Mi. Moss for a. telephone at Neavesville;. th«. PostmasterGeneral said this would be a very costly one to construct, as six miles of the eight miles oi line would be through rough hilly bush country, along a bridle track, in a narrow clearing. The estimated cost was £460. The total annual expenditure, including interest on cost of maintenance, stationery, and fees, would be £46, while the total revenue would probably reach £5 per annum, leaving an annual deficiency of about £41. As the revenue would probably not pay for fees and stationery, the line was one which could not be authorised at present. DISSATISFIED FREEHOLDERS. Many of the Government supporters who temporarily threw over their convictions on the freehold question to support the Premier oa his land commission proposal, are keenly dissatisfied at the Premier's utterances on the land tenure question at Petone. They feel that their chief might at least have maintained a judicious silence on the land question, in view of the sacrifices that members of his party made for him, and the risk of unpopularity they ran in voting against Mr. Massey's amendment on the land question. JOTTINGS. Mr. Massey is urging the Government to make inquiry into the necessity of establishing a native school at Port Waikato. The matter of selling the freehold of the Paeroa township is still, according to the Minister for Land6 z under the consideration of the Government. The Postmaster-General says the question c)f commencing a telephone exchange at Waihi must stand over until the Public Works Estimates are being made up. It is Hot proposed, says Mr. Hall-Jones, to bring in legislation giving hospital boards power to levy rates on harbour boards for the erection or maintenance of infectious diseases hospitals. Replying to Mr. Bollard, the Minister for Agriculture says Mr. Jaques, the newlyappointed fruit expert, is looking into the matter of encouraging the fruit-canning industry by bonus or otherwise. The Auckland Harbour Board Empowering Bill, dealing with the transferrence of Shoal Bay to the Devonport Borough Council, was read a first time to-day, and referred to the Local Bills Committee. Sir Joseph Ward, reply to a request by Mr. Kidd for cheap fares for hospital nurses, said the Government could not extend to one section of the community concessions denied to another section. The Minister for Public Works states that the report of Mr. Hancock on the utilisation of water-power for electricity has been received, but is not yet complete, and the Department is in communication with him. Messrs. Austin Walsh and Sutherland, of Auckland, and Mr. C. B. Russell, manager of tho American Tobacco Company, gave evidence before the Extension of Commerce Committee to-day with reference to the alleged tobacco trust. Replying to a question by Mr. Moss regarding the Auckland mails frequently missing the express train at New Plymouth, the Minister for Railways said the difficulty was in connection with the berthing, over which the Railway Department had no control. Mr. Witheford asked the Government to distribute their orders for paper among the three paper mills in the colony. Mr. Hall-Jones, in reply, said the difficulty was that two of tho New Zealand mills had not been able to take the waste paper from the Government Printing Office. Replying to Mr. Jennings, the Minister for Lands said to-dav inquiries had been made as to the position of " thirds" in the Awakiao and Kawhia Counties, and the Commissioner of Crown Lands had been asked to accelerate the passing of the schedules, bo that the road surveyor could put iu hand the necessary roadwork for which the " thirds" were intended.