PARLIAMENT AT WORK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13278, 10 September 1906, Page 5

PARLIAMENT AT WORK.

GALLERY NOTES AND LOBBY

GOSSIP.

[BY TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.]

Wellington, Saturday. In- reply to Mr. Ngata. who suggested thai tlio Government should acquire the To Puia hot springs at Watpiro Bay; near Gisborne, the Premier stated last night that the proprietors wanted £1750 for the property, but this was considered excessive. If a. reasonable figure was asked, the Government would purchase- the property. It was, he said, intended to provide a new set of baths at the spout, Whakarewarewa, and the accommodation at the WaitoHM Caves would he improved this summer. It was also the intention of the Government to acquire the native interests in the Orakeikorako thermal springs. -Mr. Aitken desires the Government to grant the free use of baths at Rotorua to members of friendly societies who are unable, owing to insufficiency of beds in the sanatorium, to find accommodation there, and who may be able to provide themselves with private accommodation. SAN FRANCISCO MAIL. The discussion on the San Francisco mail service which took place on Friday indicates that, another debate may be expected when the House is asked to assent to the renewal of the present contract, which expires in November. It is interesting at tlio present time to recall the- numbers of the two divisions that took place in connection with the renewal of the service in 1903. The first was on Mr. Millar's amendment to the motion to go into committee, for the purpose of considering the resolutions submitted by Sir Joseph Ward regarding ocean mail services, viz., "And that it be an instruction to the committee that no subsidy be granted to the San Francisco mail service." This was lost by 42 to 31. The resolution for the renewal of the contract was subsequentlv agreed to bv 40 to 31. OFFICIAL AND MEMO. TELEGRAMS. The item, official telegrams, which appeared in the Postal and Telegraph Estimates, led Mr. Massey last night to bring up the question of memo, telegrams, of which so much was heard in the House last year. He .said that at the last election his district was plastered with Ministerial telegrams. The Premier replied that the telegrams referred to in the vote were the ordinary official telegrams sent on Departmental business, and naturally these telegrams would be more numerous during the election. It was true, he said, that a number of telegrams had been sent with names attached, but these were paid for, and were not sent as " memos." Mr. Fisher said he had seen at least one "memo.'' sent to his district during the election, and it contained a straight-out- request for support to the Government. ' RUNCIMAN RAILWAY CROSSING. Mr. Kirkbride is asking the Minister for Railways whether he will devise some means of reducing the danger to the public at the level crossing on the Great. South Road at the Runciman station, either by the erection of a danger signal, to be worked from the Drury railway station, or the construction of an overhead bridge. ' He points out that this crossing is on a. main road, which carries the traffic of many country districts, and there have been several narrow escapes from serious accidents. Till; ESTIMATES. _ The House, although it rose at a-quarter to eleven last night, made excellent progress for the first day on the Estimates. In former times " Estimates" usually kept the House occupied until the early hours of the morning, and even then the progress made was not so good as it was yesterday. The votes of five Departments were passed unaltered, and 'here was not even a single . resolution moved to, reduce a..vote. „,„,....., J