PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 3505, 6 August 1898, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

THE MARINE DEPARTMENT. The annual report of the Marine Department was yesterday laid on the table of the House. It states that the coat of the maintenance of lighthouses during thj year was .212,860 17a sd. This does not, however, include the proportion for lighthouse-work ot the expenses—J2677 » 4a —of the Government steamers which visit the stations. Such proportion may be estimated at about .25U00. The Wellington Harbour Board has agreed to contribute the sum of j6BOO towards the cost of improving the light at Somes Island, and the neceatary apparatus for a secondorder light has been ordered from .England. A new lantern will not be required, as that which was formerly at Farewell Spit will bo used. The question of the appointment of shipping masters at the [four principal ports has been considered, bat as the advantage to be gained would not justify the expenditure it has been decided to continue the present system under which the Collectors of Customs perform the duties. The ordinary expenditure amounted to .831,643 6s Bd*. VACCINATION. “The law relating to vaccination,” said Mr Lewie yesterday, “is becoming more and more a dead letter/' and the unwillingness to vaccinate, he went on to say, ar se from the fact that parents considered the risk of small-pox was much smaller than the risk of infection through the process of vaccination by the use of lymph taken from unhealthy persona. He suggested that the Government should provide that nothing but calf lymph should be used in vaccinations. The Colonial Secretary said that whatever reforms wore contemplated in this direction should be made step by step. He was inclined to favour the suggestion that nothing but calf lymph should be used, and with that in view the Government had tried to keep pace with the increasing demands of the time. They had increased the supply of calf lymph from time to time, and already they had made arrangements for a further increase of the supply. In fact at the present time they had in contemplation arrangements th*t nothing but calf lymph should be used. But there was a necessity for altering the Kw, which contained many absurdities, one ot which was that no person was eligible to be a public servant or take office under the Government unless he had been vaccinated. (Laughter.) He could assure the bon member the matter was receiving the okue attention of the Government, and it was possible a Bill dealing with the subject might be introduced this session.

FAIR BENT BILL. The Minister of Lands says he is in favour of a Fair Rent Bill which would be fair to the whole colony. If there was any prospect of putting such a Bill through the House, be said yesterday, he should be only too glad ro bring it down, but ho wan afraid that until the people of the colony were prepared to send representatives to the House who would support such a measure there was very little prospect of it being carried. The Commander of the Forces could not see his way to recommend the application for a cadet corps in connection with the Palmerston North Youths* Institute, as the application was not in conformity with the regulations. The Minister of Lands is not in favour' of extending the scope of the Advances to Settlers Act, so as to allow the board to make advances on land held on occupation lease within mining districts. Mr Smith asked the Premier yesterday when the Accident Insurance Bill would be brought down. The Premier replied that he hoped to bring it down in the .courae of a few days. ■