POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 8862, 21 July 1890, Page 2

POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.

(FaoM Or/a Own Cobresfondent.)

W.ellingtoNi July 20.

THE SESSION.

It is now generally believed that the session will run very much the usual coarse, and will last; until the end of August or thereabouts.

THE TIMARU SEAT.

It is understood that the Government will probably give notice on Tuesday to move for a new writ for the election of a member for Timaru in place of the late Mr R. Tarnbull. Oae rumour afloat is that Sir R. Stout will be asked, and may consent, to contest the Beat. I hear that a Ministerial candidate will certainly be run for the vacancy, and Mr Eerr, proprietor of the Timaru Herald, is spoken of. Timaru has for some years been deemed an Opposition stronghold, but it is now asserted that if Mr Rhodes (Ministerialist), the member for Gladstone, were put up he would bo sure to carry the seat. It is noteworthy that the Government have won four out of the five bye-elections which have taken place during the present Parliament, viz.:—Mr Humphreys, Ohristchurch ; Mr Harkness, Nelson; Mr Bryce, Waipa; and Mr Arthur, East Coast. The only bye-election that has gone against Ministers is that for Ashley, where Mr Verrall replaced the late Mr Pearson, the Ministerial whip. PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT. It is rumoured that the Public Works Statement will bu shortly laid on the table and not delivered. MORE RETRENCHMENT. The latest new proposal is that a Royal Commission be appointed to inquire into the general and local government and administration of this colony, in order to ascertain (1) whether the retrenchment made during the last three years, together with that now proposed to be made, or which may bo made this session, represents the total saving which cm bs effected without in* dieting hardship on the public servants or depriving the taxpayers of needful services; and whether these retrenchments have been or are proposed to be made in the most equitable and advantageous manner. (2) Whether further savings can be made in the public service either by a reduction of the number of officers receiving high salaries, of the amount of clerical or other work done, or by the amalgamation of offices or departments. (3) Whether, by amalgamating or otherwise reorganising local bodies the local business of the colony can be more efficienty and economically managed. The commission to report in detail in time for their report before the next Parliament, if possible, at the beginning of the first session. This is the substance of a motion of which Mr W. P. Reeves gave notice this eveu--IDS' LAND OPEN FOR SELECTION. The following returns of the land open for selection has been prepared by the Lands department:—lv Auckland there are 161,972 acres surveyed and 97,900 aores unsnrveyed, open for settlement, and in Tarunabi 35,140 acres surveyed; in Hawke's Bay, 17,864 acres surveyed and 19,719 acres unsurveyed; Wellington, 88,157 acres surveyed and 80,905 acres unsurveyed; Nelson, 44,438 acres surveyed and 86,920 acres uusurveyed; Marlborough, 5115 acres surveyed and 6653 acres unsurveyed; Canterbury, 47,129 acres surveyed and 256,243 acres unsurveyed; Otago, 66,554 acres surveyed and 3600 acres uusurveyed; Southland, 108.843 acres surveyed and 8480 acres unsurveyed; Westland, 10,835 acres surveyed, and 77,015 acres unsurveyed ; making a total of 586,047 aores surveyed, and 637,435 acrc3 unsurveyeij!, the grand total of land open for settlement being 1,224,382 acres. RABBIT POISONING. The clerk of the Waipi County Council has written w the Minister of Lauds objecting to the poisoning of rabbits, A3 many men make a living supplying the Auckland market with rabbits, and the scare raised by the use of poison has completely stopped their Bale. MINING EXHIBITS. There in much irritation over the action of the Government in connection with the mining exhibits sent to Paris atd other exhibitions, and the question is Euro to be again raised in the House. Mr ("adman has received a telegram from Mr A. Porter spying, ■ " Statement Minister Mines having consent of owners quartz to give away same is incorrect. Know of no such consent being asked or given. Get names of parties to whom ores were delivered in London. Dunedin Exhibition no application made for ore 3 for'collection. Could have had all fur exhibition purposes if required." BOYCOTTING LAWYERS. Mr Verrall's bill providing that no barrister or solicitor in active practice within one year of a general election, or of a casual election, shall be eligible to be nominated or elected lor any seat in the House of Representatives of New Zealand was read a first time this afternoon amidst considerable laughter, and when be went through the mystic formula," I have a bill," and the Speaker replied with the equally impressive command," Bring up the bill," there was much ironical cheering and laughter. Tn'is bill is Mr Verrall's firstborn, he having not yet introduced a State bank bill. THE ROTORUA RAILWAY. The Minister of Public Works informs me that the Government are considering whether it would not fcj advisable to try and get together sufficient funds to finish the Rotorna railway. There is an allocation on last year's Estimates for a double line to Penrose, and Mr Fergus proposes to devote this Bum to the extention to the Rotorua railway. The amount is not sufficient to complete the line, but it will go a considerable way towards doing so. SALE OF LAND AT BENGEB. In the House to-day Mr J. M'Kenzie asked the Minister of Lands if he would submit for inquiry to the Waste Lands Committee the names of the original purchasers of sections in blocks VII,XI, and XV, Benger survey district; the date of sale, and the names of -the persons to whom any sections in such blocks have since been transferred, and when such trsinsfers were granted. The Minister, in his reply, stated that the desired information was in course of preparation, and would be cent to the Waste Lands Committee. SCARCITY OF LAND. The attention of the Government is being drawn to the scarcity of land for settlement in the neighbourhood of Cambrians, St. Bathans, and Blackstone Hill, and they are being urged to take the necessary steps to open up a sufficient area. Mr Scobie Mackenzie is moving in the matter. JUVENILE CRIMINALS. " An interesting and important question is taken up by Mr Humphreys, the member for Christchurch North. He intends to introduce it by; mews of a motion for a return showing the number of police convictions against offenders uuder 14 years of agp, such return to show the age and sex of offenders, nature of offence, and how such offenders were dealt with; thu return to embrace the last three years. - Mr Humphreys tells me he purposes convening a meeting of town and suburban members shortly to consider the whole queslion of juvenile crime and its causes. He holds that one prominent cause of juvenile crime and larrikins is the insiifiieieut enforcement of the compulsory clauses of the Education Act. He considers that school committees cannot be iclied on in this respecb, as local influence often affects them and they do not like to create ill-feeling by taking proceedings. Ho wishes the appointment of truant officers to rest with education boards and not with school committees, and hopes that the coming meeting of town and suburban representatives in Parliament will agree with him and strengthen his hands in this movement. NEW BILLS. The Electoral Amendment Bill, of which Mr Hislop gave notice to-day, provides for a seamen's special representation, aud for the substitution of written for open nominations. The Railways Authorisation Bill, of which Mr Fergus gava notice to-day, is not yet finally drafted, but will provide maiuly for the continuance of Government ownership of certain ballast lines and sidings through private property and reserves, and also for the construction of various short bits of line here and there that aro needed at stations, &c. MISCELLANEOUS. The Government are moving iv the direction of investigating the condition of the flax industry. The Colonial Secretary is going to move for a select committee to inquire as to the best means of aiding the development of the flax industry, and to report generally upon the whole question of the flax trr.de, with power to call for ptrsous ami papers; three to be a quorum. The committee will consist of the Hon Captain Russell, Mr Buchanan, Mr Lawry, Mr T. Mackenzie, Mr Macarthur, Hen. Mr Richardson, Mr Seymour, Mr Walker, and Mr Wilson.

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