POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8293, 23 September 1903, Page 1

POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE

(From our Own Correspondent.) Wellington, September 22. A. remarkably useful and pleasant, day was spent in Committee over that great big measure knpwn as the Shipping and Seamen's Act. 'lliis is the cherub that- sits aloft to look out, for poor jack. A glance over its pages, in fact, shows that it is a concentration of all the cherubs that have been from time to time mastheaded in the interest of tiie .said Jack. Otherwise, it is a consolidation measure, but it is also' reformatory. Some new cherubs, in fact, are rolled up with the older ones. These the House thinks its duty to scrutinise, feels their pulse, looks at their tongues, tries their muscles, sounds their little hearts, weighs them, measures them, and puts them through their catechism. Jack, it appears, in these democratic days is a person of some consequence, and it really does one good to see the arrangements made by law to look after his welfare. Rating of seamen, engagement of seamen, complement of crew, discharge of seamen, leaving of seamen in foreign parts, the property of deceased seamen, rights of seamen, payments of the wages and their allotment, mode of recovering wages; with innumerable provisions for discipline, health, accommodation, complaints, masters, logs, mercantile marine offices, and -registration offices—all these make a dream of the sea services. The dream is under the shadow of the Department, it is framed by documents and forms, surrounded by surveyors and marine inspectors, backed by certificates, apprenticeship, and' clouds of complicated things. A crowd of passengers comes into view, and is politely treated and joined with Jack in a hundred provisions for safety, all doubly safeguarded. Wrecks, salvages, and distresses are strewn abroad, and placed rigidly and formally under the law. Lighthouses shed their light on the scene in accordance with legal provisions. The shipowner is set apart, and made to tremble in order that he may be vigilant. He is ordered to do this and that, and care is taken that he shall obey, not wink that other wicked eye as was his wont of old. All t*he risks he runs are formulated, also those that- he cannot get out of; and the only way of escape from his labyrinth of all things that, concern them that go down to the sea in ships is through a maze of "legal proceedings," which turns out, on examination, to be the title that- covers a code of punishments, drastic, multifarious, immediate. The House settled down to the work of considering this comprehensive measure early in the afternoon, and quickly made it apparent- that it had-, made up its ■mind to show that it can really work when it pleases. The members were most, attentive. They considered the new clauses with minute care. All evidence of ill-considered asperity was banished, and~ no one talked against time or felt tempted to feel translated to another and a better world. Strong feeling there was ; it was strongly allowed, for everyone was anxious not to let men get into responsible positions of able seamen too young, to prevent the guilty escaping in case of wrong, and to make sure of the maximum of safety and comfort. The afternoon and the evening passed in pleasant, informal converse, and much business was thoughtfully and carefully done. If it could only be always thus ! For this present let us all be thankful for the sake of poor Jack and our friends who have to travel off our coasts.

A return of the Defence Rifles Clubs. presented today, gives the -following figures : Auckland 19 clubs, 483 members ; Wellington, 55 clubs, 1434 members ; Nelson, i2 clubs, 355 members; Otago, 12 clubs, 259 members; Canterbury, 6 clubs, 142 members; totals, 104 clubs, 2678 members.

The amouftts paid to the newspapers last year was £14,127 for advertising and £1066 for printing; advertising New Zealand scenery in the colony £l6B, out of the colony £2O, total £-15,303. From which it appears that the arrangements for making the colony known beyond its borders leave something to be desired. The largest sums paid were—- ■ Evening Star. (Auckland), £1114; .New Zealand Herald (Auckland), £797; Otago Daily Times. £697; Chrigtcliurch Press, £750 : Evening Post- (Wellington), £685; Lyttelton Times, £645; New .Zealand Times, £646: Southland Times, £434. An effort is, I to be made to set the session through at any price by the 3rd or'4th of November. The Bill for the contingents' pensions provides a pension, etc., to the wife and children, or if a member leaves a will, to his'mother or sister, provided- she be a widow or deserted by-her-imsband, . or the wife -of bne/.incapacitabed.. from supporting ;her.v ;BT«f claim: i 6 to unlejse. madet a, year: o&thc-.passmg; of-'-the. Act;" extends- th§, pensions, ; gratuities and : allowances "fccr those' mjaredj ' whether -inc action-or. in : the course of military, service;' anj'to those whose, illness is" attributable directly-to such service. In case of death from any of the above- causes the Governor may, on the recommendation -of the Board, make a grant. This Bill extends the operation' of -the Act to contingenters by one i year. .

The Privilege Committee meets to-morrow to hear evidencejn re the Lyttelton Times. ?