HOUSE AND LOBBY.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXX, Issue 3785, 6 July 1899, Page 3

HOUSE AND LOBBY.

COUNCIL IN A QUONDARY

The members of the Council again discussed yesterday whether or nob they should adjourn until the next afternoon or till Tuesday. The Hon George McLean protested against the continuance of such a. farce as was involved in calling members together day after day to “listen to a prayer which did not do them much good,” and then, to separate. Ho suggested an adjournment till next week, when the no-'confidence debate would, probab-, ly have concluded. The Hon George Jones took exception to -Mr'.McLean's sentiments regarding the prayer, and reminded the Council that the me.ro act of praying had a salutary effect on the conscience, “as it has on mine.” He further reminded hou gentlemen that “the prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” The Hon J. X). Ormond thought the Minister should take into consideration whether 01;; not it was desirable to further perpetuate the, dreary custom handed down to them of adjourning whenever a no-confidence motion came before the Lower House. It would be advisable, thought Mr Ormond, to amend their method of procedure in such a way as would permit of business being proceeded with irrespective of what , “another place” might be doing. Other Councillors coincided with this view of the matter, and the Minister of Education indicated that he would probably give the Chamber an opportunity of discussing the question. The proposal to adjourn till tho next afternoon was then agreed to. POLICE AND POPULATION. The proportion of police to population in the various Australasian colonies is set out in a return attached to tho report of Commissioner Tunbridge on the police force of the colony. Prom this it appears that in New Zealand the proportion of police to population is 1 to 1-114. andi the cost per inhabitant 2s 9jd. For the other colonies the figures arc : —Victoria : Proportion, 1 to 830; cost per inhabitant, 4s -ltd. New South Wales: 1 to 713; cost, os l|d. South Australia, 1 to 1066; cost, 4s lid. Queensland: 1 to 572; cost, 6s lid. Western Australia: 1 to 376; cost, 13s 0-jd. ' TAILORING TRADE GRIEVANCE. A tailors’ grievance is embodied in r. petition presented to the House yesterday by Mr La-wry. The petitioners point out that the 40 per-cent, duty imposed on imported ready-made clothing had, enabled the wholesale merchants and factory owners to successfully keep out the foreign article. Having established a market for ready-made clothing, tho merchants and factory owners turned their attention to the order tailoring, and by reason of the disparity in the factory log and the order tailoring log, amounting to from 300 to 490 per cent, in favour of the factories, ■ey had been able to injuriously affect the order tailoring trade, in which the tailors' and tailoresses’ log was paid. This, tho tailors point out, together with tho system known as the division of labour, enabled the factories to turn out suits in an incredibly short time, and at a nominal cost. The petitioners suggest that for the protection of tee order tailoring trade from this unfair competition both branches should be registered, and that those making up clothing to order and paying the tailors’ and tailoresses’ logs should be registered as merchant tailors and restricted to making up goods to order only whilst those making up goods for stock and paying the factory log should be registered as ready-made clothiers, and prevented from making up goods to order, either by the system known as chart or any other form of measurement. The petition is signed by both employers and employed. . INJURED WORKMEN. Mr John Hutcheson asked the Minister for Public Works yesterday if he would take steps to provide for the two men injured in the recent accident at the Parliament Buildings. The Minister replied that the department was finding light employment for one of tho men, who was married and had a family. The other man was to be allowed 3os a week for a month, at the end of which time a medical certificate would bo required as to Ilia condition. NEW ZEALAND ALLIANCE. The Premier yesterday- received a. deputation from the ‘New Zealand Alliance, which presented a petition from a number of residents at Golden Cross, in the Thames district, in opposition to granting of a publican’s

license, application for which had been made on the ground of increased population. Mr pointed out in reply that the Government had only to administer the law, and it would have to ascertain if there had been such an increase of population as, under the law, would warrant the issue of a license. The Government would act in the usual way, and would see that the law was complied with. TRADE WITH MANCHESTER. The member for Geraldine (Mr Flatman) intends to ask tho Premier whether the Government is moving, or intends to move, in tho direction of encouraging direct communication between tho colony and Manchester and Liverpool, with the object of having .colonial products carried at a cheaper rate and more directly to market than is done at present. THE RABBIT ACT. Mr Hogg, the member for Masterton, is introducing a Rabbit Nuisance Act Amendment Bill. Mr Hogg contends that under the existing Act a settler is liable ,to bo prosecuted and heavily fined if the inspector is of opinion that there are rabbits on his land. No evidence for tho defence can prevent a conviction and fine, and the inspector is therefore put in the. position of being prosecutor, judge and jury. Mr Hogg therefore in his amending Bill proposes to substitute tho Magistrate for the inspector, and thus considerably curtail tho power of the latter official. LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION. General sympathy is felt among members with Captain Russell, in his family troubles, and that sympathy found expression during tho debate on the Ad-dress-in-Reply yesterday. Mr C. H. Mills remarked that they all regretted the cause that led to the absence of tho lion, member; and Mr Hogg said that Captain’s Russell’s afflictions must have militated: very greatly against ins usefulness. It was very unfortunate for tho House to be deprived of his presence from such a cause, and ho was satisfied that in expressing that sentiment he was expressing tho feelings of members on both sides of the House. MARINE COMMISSION. The Royal Commission set up to inriuirc into certain irregularities in the Marine Department will commence tho taking of evidence on Monday. The commission will hold its sittings in Wellington,. and the taking of evidence is expected to last about a fortnight. WELLINGTON RAILWAYS. . Two important railway proposals were brief!:.' touched upon by Mr Wilson in his speech on the Acldi'css-in-Reply last night. Meetings would >he hold here shortly, he said, to agitate in favour of the Government proceeding with the construction of a duplicate line of railway to: the Hutt. In a few days’ time ho should have the, honour of introducing a deputation to the Premier on the subject. Another agitation which was being promoted in Wellington was for the extension of the Tc Aro Railway to Island Bay as soon as the Government embarked on O' public works policy. The lino had been surveyed, and the cost of construction was absolutely known. If tho extension were long delayed, the cost of construction would be materially increased.

“Tlio Government,” saicl the Premier yesterday, “will this session bring down proposals authorising ns to enter into negotiations for the 'establishment of trade between New Zealand and the Cape of Good Hope.” The Hon W. Rolleston intends to deliver a political address at Haw-era on Monday. Mr O’Meara entertains some pronounced opinions as to w'liab particular articles come undo' the vague denomination of “necessaries of life.” Ho regards “black tobacco” as one of them, and suggests the abolition of the duty on that more or loss mysterious commodity. . At a meeting at Temuka on Monday night. Dr Hayes explained that when lie stated that the custom of members of Parliament to secure as much spoil as possible to their constituencies savoured of bribery and corruption, he had no particular member or Government in mind at the time, but spoke in general terms, and regretted that Mr Flatman, M.H.R., should have taken the remarks ns personal. ; POLITICS IN) THE COUNTRY. TBESS ASSOCIATION. . AUCKLAND*, Wednesday. Mr R. Hobbs has consented, in response to a requisition, ;- to stand for Auckland City in the Opposition interest. 'j-