PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 4776, 4 October 1902, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

BROWN v. TEARE,

Tho case of Brown v. Tcare, which arose out of the treatment of petitioner for paralysis by the defendant doctor in the Terraco Prison, Wellington, has been before Parliament on the petition of E. G. Jellicoe, solicitor, who “ prays that tlio evidence of J. H. Brown bo taken re maladministration of tho Prisons Department, as he is leaving the colony.” Tho Petitions Committee yesterday reported to Parliament “ That after considering the evidence produced by Mr Jellicoe, and after a personal inspection of tho prison and brickfields at Mount Cook Barracks, it is of opinion that Mr Jellicoe has failed to establish his charges, and therefore the committee has no recommendation to make.” CROWN LANDS CASH SALES. A return presented to Parliament shows that during tho ton years ended tho 31st Marcii, 1902, a total of 335,564 acres were sold for cash, and 639,677 acres wore converted into freehold. The revenue received in that period was £701,358. The lowest area sold for cash in one year during the decade was 22,526 acres (in 1898), and the greatest area sold for cash was 58,720 acres (in. 1901). THE COMPANIES BILL. The compromise arrived at by the managers of tho two Chambers regarding the Companies Act Amendment Bill has tho effect that tho new clause added by the Council to remove from office every director who “ within fourteen days from duo date thereof fails to pay any call on shares held by him” is adopted, with tho extension of tho provision as to fourteen days to two months.

GOVERNMENT STUD HORSES

A report concerning the fees earned by the stud horses imported by the Government was placed before Parliament yesterday. The receipts up to tho 31st March, 1902, for tho season then ended amounted to £355 17s, made up as follows:—Singlestick 11. (Ruakura), £39 1 8s; Amasis (Weraroa), £29 8s; Herefordshire Boy (Momohaki), £l2 12s; Tyranny (Momohaki), £3l 10s; Malaohi (Middle Park),-£lO 10s- Danger Signal (Oamnru), £166 17s; Serapbion (Oamaru), £l2 12s; Lupiu (Edendale), £53 10s. SUNDRY PETITIONS. The A to L Petitions Committee reported on quite a sheaf of petitions yesterday. It had no recommendation to make concerning tho petition of Henry Baucke, of Wellington, an ox-missionary who asked a settlement of his claim against tho Government on account of his being wrongfully outlawed from tho Chatham Islands in 1860. , The committee has no recommendation to make concerning the petitions of. 1600 signatories who prayed that tho Bible be read in public schools. A compassionate allowance of £IOO is recommended to be paid to Thomas Boyes, of Motucka, who served for thirty-six years in the police force, and the petitions of nine old soldiers who served in the Maori wars, and who now ask for grants of land for their services, have been referred to the Government for consideration. : Amongst the petitioners are J. C. R. Isherwood,' of Pal-mex-ston North, and W. Littledale, of Parramatta, New South Wales. Tho petition of R. Crawford (Palmerston North), who sought compensation because of the accidental death of his son, as a result of a fatality during a volunteer sham fight, has been referred to tho Government “for favourable consideration.” Tho Government is recommended to consider tho petition of R. H. Bakewell, M.D., for a compassionate allowance to he made to Major Rookes, a distinguished service _ officer _ in the Maori war, who, in his eightieth year, is decrepit and destitute in tho land ho fought to preserve from peril.

ACCIDENTS COMPENSATION. In commenting on tho tardy inclusion of agricultural labourers in the Workers’ Compensation for Accidents Bill, tho Hon F. H. Fraser told the Legislative Council that ho would like to see tho provisions of 1 the Act extended to domestic servants. Tho point was raised during the debate that tho extension of tho provisions cf the Act as proposed by the Bill would result in big increases of insurance premiums. Tills had been exemplified in England. Mr Fraser, when the Bill was committed, moved to have the provision' fof compensation extended to domestics, but this was nob agreed to. • ‘ JOTTINGS. Residents at Kawhia, in the King Country, are still to be without tho consolation of spirituous liquors, the petition of E. A. Dance and others’that a license be granted - having been reported from the Petitions Committee without recommendation. Tho Petitions Committee which has been considering the Nelson police trouble has not been able to report to Parliament, owing to tho fact that at tho request of some of those concerned, tho committee had to adjourn for a fortnight during tho session. Mr Graham asked tho Minister of Justice yesterday whether*the inquiry would be taken up next session at the point at which it had been abandoned, or’whether a Commissioner, a Supremo Court Judge, would be appointed to deal with the question. Mr McGowan replied that lie was not a member of tho committee, and could not say what would bo done next session. Ho could not agree to the proposal to grant a Commission of Inquiry. Tho average number of men employed on Government co-operative works from the Ist December, 1901, to the 30th June, 1902, was 920. Tho total in December last was 1265. and in Juno the number was 1050. The average for Wellington was 151, the figures of December (236) having shrunk to 96 in February and mounted to 191 in Juno.

Last night the Hon J. E. Jenkinson read to the Legislative Council a letter from a working man regarding the amendments mado by the Cou%il in the Government Railways Superannuation Fund Bill. The writer referred eulogistically to the improvements the Council made in the Bill, and wont on to say that the old order of things was now reversed, and “there was talk of sending round a petition fof the abolition of the Lower House.”

“ After reading some of the _ comments made on ray administration. I for a while joined issue with my critics, and wished that I was a member of the Lower House, so that I might meet some of my commentators at the game We have recently established in this country the same class of higher education, that has made Scotland what it is.”—The Minister of Education.