POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10422, 26 July 1895, Page 3

POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.

(Fbom Our Owh ComtEsroNDENT.)

Weclikgtoh, July 24-, THB " UNPLEDGED " SECURITIES.

A question by Mr .Alien has brought ou t another phase of the. Becarities controversy. The Colonial Treasurer was understood to ssy he sent Home ; the securities of the Postal department on 11th Oatober 1893 in consequeuca of a cablegram from the Ageafcgeneral, and a confidential letter from the same official dated 31st July 1893, of which ho read the following extract:—" At the time I sent nay cable the ootwtornafcios cinaad by the Australian failures was at its hi?igWvßnd I know taofc tho Lqnti and Mercantile Agency was in considerable difficulties with its finances. My fear was that tan susper^ sioa of this .•company- would -powibly causa fi. l altv.- On th° Biak of Now Zealand; and that this lm&hi; cause uurensomng nernonn to make a run on the Post Office Savings Bank " The Government , commutiiofitsd with tlie authorities, -and forwarded these and otto* securities to England to bo-held in-the'■ intcresb ot the departments. Mr AUeii moved the adjournment to discuss the matter later oil. when he, said that what Mr Ward aaid to the London Chamber; of Commerce was not tea!; the securi«i:<s were i;i London v V n ,u he'? lntei>tets of tbe department*," but that they were for the geuew.l purposes of: the colony. The Treasurer, in bis reply,? aid that the insurance stack was sent to London lor inscription, and ha askrd ifir Bell to say whether the Giveromntt had net tb.e power to do this. -Mr■■■' Ball said thsre was power for inscription, but if tlie? sent the stoofc for inscription it wss liob to obviate a crisis." '-..: A MORTGAGS TAX QUESTION. ■'• ' : Mr Montgomery has asked the Colosial Treasurer: whether under r the Advances to ot-ttlersjAct .the,mortgnga tax will be paid by the mortgagor to the v-Stata to the ordinary revenue accountsor whether suah tax will not be charged at all. 'The metnberfor Ellesmere said that ho had la?t' ses-sion aslted this question_and could get no reply, while recently, the Minister ior Lauds could only, say that the subject was under! consider Atibn. I To-day.; the Treasurer said in, effect;that as tha tax would riot accrue during the present year it would not be collected. '"«' Sufficient; for the day," interacted Mr Bell;-...- ( ;\ ..; : \V..'-'Gr'^V.:- ; ■■"' ; ''.''.■[:[■■: ./THE:JAPANESE TEEiTY. . .: ~' ■" The prospect of an influs' iif Japaness labour into :New, ■Zealand is /naturally" exercising the minds of tbose members who hold that New ;Zealand-sllallbu held as tlie country of: a whiba -races.-Mr G. MT. Russisll has'besn the first private membir to'so'un'd tho note of warning H-j I ■wished' to .know whether: the Anfclo-Jap&riese Treaty hssj.beeu; forwarded to 'the'; Government iby the Imperial Government for the approval of ■ Parliament, -and :if it Js proposed to | bring the: matter up for consideration this session. In pu6tfog"ht3'4ueatiou ha pointed out ' that clauae. 19' provided that upon the expiration,of: two ,jew? from: the rafci- | flcation of .the' treaty'(thts, 16tu;of July 1894) ias between the colonies of Great ';-, Britain and the Kingdom of Jspani- there Ehall be equal rights of residence;; ; The policy of this country, Mr RugseU urg63,.was againsttjia Asiatics, and the interi.t.ion«' of r tbe- .Government should be made krioWn with regard to this treaty. The Treasurer,.in his,rijply, stated that a copy of the treaty; had. been received,''.: but the attitude 'of the Governmeiit'toiyatds it had no!; yet been determined npob. < Ifc: was a question of 'great importance that musb.'not be hurried.' There was yet 12 mo'nth's'fbr'decisicn;':; '.''.• '■■* :'" IMPORTED GRAPES AND PHYLLOXERA.

Last Bcsiiou Mr Picsm, wb/i, as a vegetarian, deuces to s^e cheap snd Abundant fruit in out markets, wanted restrictions remove 1 (rum U.e importation of gripss. Tha Government denmrred thtougli faars of tha dreaded " phylloxera," which has wrought gneh, costly havoc among the vineyards of Australia If; was coalooded, however, by-Mr Pu*ui «hit the phylloxera paraaifaj, which attacks the roots ot the phnt, could not hi introduced with the lruit, and the Minister promised ioquicy. Now the member for Puhnerston -wants to know what has been, done, 'and the Treasurer faya th^t very cirefal inquiries havo been niirte and it is not considered desirable to remove the restrictions. However, Mr Pirani is not to be shaken off, and has returned to the chit-go with a farther notice of question, of whicn more anon. I THE BUDGET. i Though the Budget has biea promised for Friday next, I have reason to luppwe that it 1 will 'not ba brought down until tha fallowing Tuesday, Mid I noticed to-day that the Treasurer, in answer lo a question by the leader of the Opposition, said he proposed to bring down the reciprocal -agreementsI'of'South Australia [and Canada wifclvNew Zi-aland together with the Budget on Friday uext if {ossible. 'THE CONSOLS INVESTMENT. Dc Newman has given notice to ask foe Treswuier why the Bank of N«-w Zealand, which pays i per coat, on the £2 000 000 guaranteed Jojii, w»s compelled by the Treasurer ti invest £150,000 of it in Now Zealand consols at 3A per cent, thu3 entailing a loss of £ per cent., whilst tha money was lent to another bank for a term of years at 4 per cent. A COAL MINES BILL. Mr Millar is inrrodur ir-g a bill to amond the , "Coal Mines Acf 1891" in the direction of coru- , pelling managers ot mines to give uotica immediately ot any a"cmmt iv tho mine to the inspec'orand the Minister. Tue bill also givea tho Minister po«rer to exlercl the limit of tiruo 'in any ca«e within which notic-o of the rccidfut ; mu't be given to entitle th» injured person to the b.nv.lit of the nick and ncciilcnt fund. It is I further provided that a oh'ok writer may be appointed by any individual unio i connected | wirh the wdaAtry, the ut'ion incurring no responeibilsty whatever in rc«p'c vj to such cLeck weigher or his wages. The owner of the miue mast supply the we;gbts and measures teferivd | to in section 74 of the principal act. THE SHOPS ACT. Th.B Minister for Education was asked yesterday, by Mr Crowther, to stop tho legal prosccur ons of shophepers in Aucklind until he has h«sd an opportunity oi amending the Shops antl Shop Amis'acts Act Mr Crowther si id ha was piea-td to s=e tint the Minister hod givf n notice ot his amending bill. It was well known ihat jarge sumo of money had already/ been pneat ia litigation on this queshon, »nd the m-igin of pro^ iv business wa« no*- at pressnt such as to admit ot expenditure of this description. He aislced She question wifh the best mtentlcns to all concerned, bat was poreiudad th'-fc something mas'; be done to bring tbonl sn. amicable nettlemei.t. Tho Minister rtpli»d th»t the &eeond reading (f hU ameudmg bill had b< on put down for kii eaily date He was not awaro of any informttiiui having been laid a"ainsfc Auckland shopK>pppis tliis wtk, and Le i>ad no desire to unduly tar.ifs people in the conducE of their Uisiars? He hnppd the proposed amendments would bo approved by both aidei of the House, and would picvrut further faction in Auckland, Mr Crowther ajlrcd if Mr Heaves would stop fhd present Kwsuit The slini«t<j" did not reply; but Sir Roberfeinterjocted, "He can'fc do that."

In the aunual report of the Department of Labour Mr Tregsar admits that the. Shop?. and Shop Assisfcss.nts.Anb hits not beea easy of administration, especially at stick placs rs Giaborne and Greyiowri, arid, above all, Auckland. The exceptions are. the real cause of swenessj aud Mr Tregjear contends thai; if by having no exceptions' hardsbipn would be inflicted on a few it must bo remembered that a!i laws inflict hardships in souaft exceptional cases. Iv regard to the Csiog. of the half-holiday, j&lc Tregear cannot,-recommend th;tt the Giovecnment should arbitrarily fix Saturday unlesn it was made certain that such a couvsa would be preferable to local option. He is confident that unless -Wednesday or Thursday were chosen, especially iutb.eEOuf.hern town S) not only would strong opposition bs roused, but it would be very disastrous to trade for a time. It is highly improbable that any municipal body will' shrink as to the day. A poll of tbe inhabitants to decida the d»«y hs.3' much to reeommendit, bat all would not ba satisfied, end in the larger" towns there would always ha a loud minority of discontents. . CONSTITUTION OF THE LENDING BOARD. It will be remembered that in the Governor's Speech and during . the . Addieas-in-Eeply there were fiuch allnsionß to tbe Landing Board under the Advance*, to Settlers Act as pointed ,to an intention to reconstruct the board in the direction of making it amenable" to political influence. Moat, if not all, the leading pa-pers of the ( colony protested against aoy such ch^Dge, »nd it ia satisfactory' to flod that the .protest has tand effect if one can judge by the statement of a Minister mnda this afternoon. Mr E. M. Smith had naked the. Government if it jg their iutention to reconstruct the Lending Board of Advances to Settlers department, so that the small settlers may' be mure fairly dealt . with, or will they, as indicated in the Governor's Sp-ecb, give the Housa an opportunity to do no, and thts Treasurer answered tbut the alteration intended was not in the direction of reeoHS'rucjing the board but to give the settlers a second opportunity of application for advances. Tho board was cow profiting by its experience and giving prompt attention lo all the buainess that came before it. The Houso would have au opportunity of i expressing its opinion when the amending bill came bsfore it; ' ■ July 25. i THE CONSOLS INVESTMENT. I _ Yszterday th« leader of the Opposition asked the Colotrin.) Treasurer (1) what amount of ' deposit* has be<^u rtceived from Ihft Bank ot New Zealand to date under ths New Z«a!aod Crm- ; cola Act; (2) the currsncy of suca deposits; | (3) the tate of interest agreed to bs paid. Captain Rassell wa3 told fchsifc £150,000 had

besn reoeived from the Batik of New Zealand, with a currency to 1910, afc 3£ per cent., conditional upon the public not dwsirircg to take np I ooneols stock to the amount pernuUed by the' act, in which case ths bank Bgreed to accept j transfers. , ~ . -, ! OLD AGE PENSIONS. There will be no attempt to legislate f6r old s.ge pensions this Eessioti. ' So much has been . raivde clear, for the Troaauror, baicg asked if le2!Sia!iion waa intended, aid at fcho same time I ramifided of his promise that it should be so as | Rontainud in hia speech at Auckland in ! December last, replied first, with the nsual i furmnta thab precedes negotiations, that ths, I Gov^ramonli recognised it tyaa a very important matter, and it was receiving greafc attention. The reporb of the English R 3 jal Commias-lon had proved ungßtisfaotory, i and there the scheme was considered too large for tha j Government to take up. Ho (the Treasuror) | aod hij colleagues were, however, making exhaustive inquiries iDto the whole Eubjcci. A CENSURE ON LORD RIPON. Mr ,W. Hutchison is anaoyod with Lord Ripon for having dissented from the reaolufciens of the Ottawa Conference recommending I differential tariti duties. -..He considered the ! seuiiiiisnt3 of his Lordship of a kind to interfore with the liberties of our trade and commerce, as also the conduct of our political affairs, and for his part he was prepared to resist the invasion of those liberties. The T/eismrer assured the grave end reverend junior of Danediu that if ha would but wait a lew days he (" the.Yfijwrd") would show him something thai .-would allay his fears. ; MR S. VAILB. . ,-■ ; I have rßKsou (o bßlteva that tha Minister for Riilways hxa bsen care. r uliy consideriDg the fichem"! of ?aiii?Ey moiiagemenl; which Mr Sawutil Vaile; of Auekknd, has for so niiny yc-.MM bsea advoc»tinj with untiring ability, and thathsis incliued to giva the Vaile system a trial ou a section of the' New Zealand Government vail ways. has yet, however, bseii definitely, settled a? to this matter; but if the authorities decide, to submit the scheme to a practical test it appsars to'bs understood thafc Mr Vaile himself vsill ,ba requested to conduct the esperimenfi...: ■•.' ..-.'■ ... ,- :; •■ DAIRY,FACTORIES." ; : Any legislation ..hi tbe way of assisting1 settlers to establish dairy factories will, ; I vundorstand,; come in the form of an amendment to the Advances: to Settlers-Act. Special precautions: will ba taken to protect the State from any loss in this connection. : ... THE IRON; INDUSTRY.' - ] In view of the negotiations opened by the firm of Siemsna and Co. for concessions conns cted with the wo! king of Now Zealand ironfaud- within the colony, Mr B. M. Smith has put a series of qusstiuns to the Minister for Mines. Mr Ctdman stated that he"had given instructions that She Ag«n!rgenerol be requested fcp communicate, with Mr Siemens upon the subject;, and the Koi!3B woald be .informed as soon as any definite information' w*s reaeived. It was, however, impossible yet to say what the terms s.nd conditions ought to bs. Should any company be in a position to carry out the conditions imposed M did not think it would ba wide: for the State to undertake to iise no other iron or stesl for railwaysland other.pubUc works than such as might be m»de in the colony.out pf the colonial oras. Still the GoveruW.ot, if thb article!. should pcevo suitible, might guarantee to take a certain quantity for a certaia tarin of years. He wes oppotedto the establishment of a monopoly, for if the (industry proved snecessfut rival compapies wore sure to spring up in the colony; / ! THB TOTALTSATOR. In Rccoidance notice prtviousiy given, Mr Camellj 'the member for Napie?,' auktd I leave thia -afternoon to introdnco a bill to j •amead; tbe } Gaming and Lobtariea Act. in the ■direction of abolishing the totalizator. Oa tho question bting put a chciras af " hoes" was ' eiicited; but Mr .CaTOeil preased theinatter'to a ciivisioa, with the result that line House g.-ahted .leave to introduce tiie measara by Wto 19 It remains to be seen what".facilitibs ;tue member | n chftrjfe will ba able to secure for.pushing, for- i , wavd. hi 3 measure, but' the general opinion is ■] that ita charieag are varj- small. Bfei-jr effort I will be made by aconaiderable section oE the i H«usg to block the billlaO every, stage. ; r PURCHASE "OF THE PERNEILL ■- > ~.:,.:;....,;.,,,■,,. RAFLWAY..,. ; : , '.; :,.. The Goveinaient has agreed to purnha.se the Fwiahill; branch railway line, near Dancdin, I which hat) so frequency beenunder disensfion! in_tho Housa.- 'Theprice is io bs» £1150. The j original cost of ooastVuctipn to Mr Lc'giin wan j £8000..,-..T1i8 Miny.tery.for. Railways is intro- i ducing a bill to authorise the parcbase, . - \A,pUNEpXN"paTITIpN,' " "': '\ ;,.. Mr .Fiedecick' Mallard, .of Dnneclin, is I petitloniu'g the House; through Mr Enrn*haw, praying that as the sharehslders of tho Bank of j New Zealand got no ridtice, as required in the deed of teUlement, of the change in their liability": effectcflPby last'year's legislation, tha deed;of settlementi'be again altered. The pjstitibuer says thai by these alterations " arbitrary, power has.been placad in the hands, first, of auditors whomayhiye no interest in tho b«nk, and then of thg: Colonial. Treo-surer of the day; and although the preaent holder of, that office ja doubtless possessed of every qualification needed, to make him'irifillibly right oh every qucsfcioh,' yet in tue>v,ici,'sittides of life another •r>ian may hold the office, who will be of a very different political persuasion and therefore:would be more than fallible, and power in-tbe bands of suoh a person, is uaprece'denle'd arid exceedingly dangerous>" therefore ho wants the act altered; ;, ..,;,,,, ~.,, : ; .-■■■ ;- •-■■*■•-■-JOTTINGS.--''•■■■'';. ■ ;;: ;< ■ '' Mr Dnthie worild have the Postmaster-general reduce the cost of suburban tel( phoae messages, but the Minister sajs it maybe ntcestaryto raise the rates to saVe the department from lose. •_''■■"■ :;;; '-■ ■<'■■•■■>■■< :■• \ ;■: .;■ ••;:.■- •', \ Mr Massey. who ..belongs; to the Auckland group of members and nits with the Opposition, wishes to know it the Government .will accept an . amendtnenfc ouythe Corrupt PraeticoF? Preventioh Bill, mtkiDg promises by Ministsrs bo elcators to influence', an eltiation a" corrupt pmctica." This is:of eouwe directed ad tha Miniiiterial iuterfereaca with the AuckUhd election. Tbe.Pj'ensiei: jiuotily rsplied that to say that Ministers should not corrEsporid with* a candidate would bs to 'interfere with the liberty of the- subject, and as for his Govc-rn--me'iit, tbayliadnflver aoduly interfered with any election ; and the House believed in the usual way.,., . ' , ; \ ]'* \ '".'_■ '.''"/' Last yea,r Wie Petitions Committee r^coinmend&d -that' an .bill should be ps ssed; on bshalf, of Charles Young. Mr Tanner ■srieb.es to knov/ if the Government intend moving in the matter this session, aud the Miaister for Justice has answered that he will go into the matter forthwith. . : :

Ministers were unaware thab the four large fitroiers' associations of the colony i>raposcd s^nditig -a .delegate to China ahci Japan to iiscertaiu tho possible excensiona of trade until Mr Biiddo asked for dome* assistance. The reply was not eiicoftraging. No!;, having heard anythiug of the matter, the Cabinet iisd not cbnsidered it. , Country . constit-uencies concerned had batter make a nbte of this.

Mr J. W. Kelly wants an 'inspector of fisheries appointed at the B<uff, »ud has received a promise that the question shall be considered. :

Mr Tanner his presented to Parliament no hsi than 53 petitions from residents of Christekvuch and its u'eJg'nbourhood against the Pt-araiaey BUI. The signatures number 1800. Sir Robert Stout is af opiniou that .ifc is a mere farce to call together the Public Accounts Committee, for it wonld be served as the House is bj the Government, and refused ell the financial information neee?siry to its work.

Sir R. Stuut is to ask the Colonial Treasurer why the provision of seetiou 19 of "The Public Revenues Act 1891," declaring that thel return of securities held in-England shall be laid before Parliament within 30 days after the opehir.g of each o«R<iou, has been disobeyed. ■■ * ' Bir Joyce has ascertained from Captain Adams, of H.M.S. Pylades, that at leaft 100 trained boys are sent from England annisalfy for the Australian squadron, and he is urging thi3 as a practical reason for the establishment of a training ship here. The Native Affairs Committee recommends to the favourable consideration of the Government the pstitsoa for tha appointment of a medical practitioner to attend ou the Wairarapa Maoris. The committee considers a medical man should be subsidised without delay.

The Labour Rsporfc gives the experience of a mn.uufacturer with I«rg3 worka in England and a factory in Wellington. He p&ys his girls 10s to 15u a week ia England, and 20a lo 30s here, bub considers the colonial girl's intelligence and phjs:quein£ke3 her work worth all the difference.

MrMassey yesterday presented petitions from 345 psroons prajing that " arm to arm '•' vaoKicatitm bu abolished, that the Government keep healthy heifers from which to procure lymph, aud that it bo made a penal off-snea to uss any other.

I ue Labour Report strongly condemns undergrouud workroom?, which, it says, should be legislated a ß aio3t. Mrs Gracs Neill in her report instMice3 tailoresses' worlcrooms in cellsrs

-The Public Accounts Committee met this morning and elected Mr Saunders chairman, •bir lvoberb Stout gave notfea of motion with a view of obUiping through the committee financial information which he has bean unable to sscura in the House.

The J?re.i3ur«r says the New Plymouth bondboMero wero offered and refused par value for their bonds when Mr M'Guire was in London, buo thought the security good enoogh to hold

Mr G. W. Russell says it may te.ke many years ot l.ght before a Liberal party can pass a fair rent bill.

>iir Robert Stout saya the Publio Accounts Committee is just as unable to get financial information e.s the House, and it is a farce to keep it gaiag.

The_ Premier thinks a good deal of fcha advertising now compulsory on local bsdics Bhonld Ym roade optional.

Though the publication ia a protection to tbe public, Mr Miliar is urging that fcho advertising of local bodies' bslascs sheets be dispensed with. ■ .

Mr Joyoo is asking that the erection of a lighfchoTiso at East Cape be proceeded wih. Mr Button is to ask tho ColonJal Trosisurer whether his Attention' has been called, to tito fact that afser certain New Zealaad manufacturißg chemists and' druggists had gone to great expenso to produce bl»cking from co'oaial material/",; and : M employicg a conaiderabla amount of labour,. an 4 English blacking maniifacturing firm are now shipping blacking to New Zealand ir.noh under cost in order to kill the colonial industry; and if so, ■will the Colonial Treasurer take the matter into consideration wifcti a view to so adjusting the tariff as will enable the New Zealand manufacturers to meat such unfair tactics on the part'of the English firm.