PARLIAMENT AT WORK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12928, 26 July 1905, Page 3

PARLIAMENT AT WORK.

GALLERY NOTES AND LOBBY

GOSSIP.

[Br telegraph.—SPEClAL correspondent.]

Welli.vgto.v, Tuesday. Ix the course of the discussion on the Fire Brigades Bill this afternoon, .Mr. Merriesexpressed an opinion that provision should be made for the amalgamation of lire districts where such was considered advisable in the interests of-efficiency and economy. He said that with'the small districts proposed, the expense would be very great. In fact, lie thought it would have been better to hare retained the larger districts provided for in last year's Bill. He also considered it unfair that the insurance, companies should be called upon to disclose the amount of business done by them in each small district. Mr. Ividd and Mr. Fowlds also spoke in favour .of larger districts, and the latter went so fax- as to urge that there should be only four or five fire districts in the colony, instead of every borough with a population of 1000 and upwards being constituted a district, as provided in the Bill. PETITIONS. The Hon. Jas. McGowan presented a. petition to-day from" James Hosie, of Kuaotunu, asking for a reward for the discovery of gold at Waihi and Karangahake. ..Mr;' Massey presented a.- petition from the Pollock Settlement Road Board, asking for a grant. of £200 for. the purpose of repairing their , main road, and a sum of £100 for repairing their wharf. Mr; La wry presented a•• petition ■ from Walter Rutherford, of Newmarket, asking for compensation for -losses and an injury sustained -.'in : connection , with the Maori war. .' 1 A ' petition!'from'Sarah • Reed, of : Mount Eden, which was presented by Mr. Massey, asks for a compassionate allowance in respect to- the. death of ,her late husband, who was killed at Kiwitahi whilst in the employment of the Railway Department. Forty-one Chinamen have petitioned Parliament to suppress the gambling that goes on in the Chinese quarter in Wellington. They . say the . gambling evil is'- demoralising the Chinese, and also the white man. A petition has been presented by Messrs. Stinear, Townshend,. Williamson, Hume, Myers, Dawson, Irvine, and Charles, of Christchurch, dentists, praying for an amendment of the.Dentists; Act of 1904. They say the Act should have been, confined in its operation ■to students and pupils, and should not have included many who have grown gray in the profession, who are ,burdened with families, and who certainly ought not to be called to undergo . a four, years' university course after, the many years' practical, experience. • KING COUNTRY MATTERS. ■ The Minister for Public ; Works has agreed'to a request made by Mr. Jennings/ that the Government should undertake , the ferrying (free of charge) . required by the settlers of the Aria and . Totoro district (about 18 miles from To Ivuiti) until such time as the proposed - bridge over the Mokau, near the Wairere Falls, ,is constructed, The Government has informed Mr. Jennings that the erection of a native school at Oparure, near.Te Kuiti, has been authorised, and that a title • has been obtained to the site, which has been given -by Mrs. Lucy Josephs. REPORT ON NATIVE LANDS PETITIONS. .;. ; . The. Native Affairs Committee, reporting to-day on the petition of Amira Mahikai and 13 others, in connection with the Te Akau 'Block, decision, stated that as -the matter had been inquired «into by a Royal Commission, it had no recommendation to, make. • ... 1 ■

_ In regard to the'petition of .Otene Pa'ora and 15 others, . who asked' for'anamend-, ment' of the law so. as to allow of an extended period up to 99 years for leasing lands in the Orafcei Block, the committee reported: that as this - was a question- of policy, it had no recommendation to make, but it was of opinion that the petition should be referred , to the Government.- •

The committee has no recommendation to make in.' respect to the petitions for a rehearing in connection with Oroliatuira Ngapuna Block, near. Rofcorita, and lot 66, Parish of Waipa.■ The committee' is of-' opinion that the petition praying for .the payment of tenths alleged to be. due in connection with ' the sale of the Te Huniia Block, near Wairoa, : should be referred to the Government for inquiry.