POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10956, 10 November 1897, Page 2

POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.

(From Ooa Otys Corrkspondbnt.) Wet.i.in'GTOS-, November 9. NATIVH LAND LAWS BILL.

This bill has been referred to a select committee, consisting of Messrs R. M'K'M.zie, Carson, Duncan, Graham, Monk, MorrisoD, Blit'6. J. AY. Thomson, Wi Pere, and the Hon. J. Ciirroll. A vigorous protest was ma.de by the Opposition agaisist Messrs'Carroll and;Wi Pere besing membars of the committee, in consequence of their.connection with Native land transactions'. Subsequently Mi- Seddon gave notice (o move that Mr Plata's name should be sub'tituted for the name of Mr Wi Pere. MINING COMPANIES .BILL. . Tbe Golrifield* Committee of the Legislative CouncU had b. fore it to-day the Mining Compais'u'S Ac>s Amendment Bill. The Hon. W. JVrCullough ('he chairman) read several telegrams which had been received from the . Auckland Sharebrokers' Association, and from the Associated Brolcerfl suggesting tha,i certain alterations should be made in clause 7, principally hv tb.9 directiun of tnskiug the issue of scrip csrliflsatea in respect of shares optional instead of compulsory. The Aucklmvi Chamber of Mines also telegraphed to tli« effect that thay had,no alterations to suggest. A commuoic/ition from th« W«!ling^ tou Sfc:ck and Sharpbrokers' Association was also received, suggnoHug the addition of a new sut-claiise to clause 7 to the effect that a trausfersfi' ijiiiy demand from tte manager o. any mining oiiivftny, oh lodgment of a transfer, sn immediate ducket oa the back of ac«bifionte ih*i the within shares have been transferrea to A B ; and aach do^ke.tbhiH be binding on the company, and al any time the last holder aisiy demand the exchange of such docketed certificate by a new certificate' under the s?a! of the com;>».ny r.nd bearing the signatures of two directors thereof. The committee, after carefully considering Llie.various suggestions brought before them decided that it was inadvisable to make any »lter«.Uon iv Uiexlanse as priu'.cci. GOVERNMENT ;CAUOUS. A caucus of followers of thp present Ministry was bold this forenoon, and sabsequei'.tl? the Gwernment Whip fu'tiiished the press with the fullowing brief report-;of the xJrcceedingß : — "There were 32 members present, aud eiaht accounted for. Iv the course of th« discussion which occurred there was a general concurrence of opinion thfct there had b'sen a great deal of t'inc; wasted this session, and as members were desirous of getting home bj,Christmas, it was 'neoessaiy that they should .sftt to work in eaißi'st. It was.decided the jparty should unite to jji-t through the work on the < >rdftr Paper, and so vnaks the a profitable one. The question of .passing tbe Esthnafcts was considered, ami the snagettion ni»d« that they should be, got oafc of thii wnj a* coon as possible, so th!t6 the Pnbiic AVorlcn Stxtsmeut could be bwugh!; down. Unles* tbi* was (lone, it.w.is pointed oat, it was probable-- that the charge would bs rcsde ;,g:urist Ministers that th.'y had kept things back so as to rush them Ihroujh at the Iks 1; minute, when there w»s no t.im« for full ooKsideraiicn, as had. been cuargf d ag'iisist .Miuir.tcr? in the past. It was s'lbmi'te^i that there was practically nothing debatable in the E^imates, which must be g»t out of the way lirs'fe Vnmg and botore they proceeded with the dthri1 business. The■ riexb matter discussed was the question of the se»*io.Bi»l cornmitleeß. Much ai.xiety was expressed concerning thf.se comrai'.tee.<, »ud it wbb agrat'd that they should be sftt up at once, as'there are many iioporUub billri to bn eoneidtired, and that thereq"e»t of the Opposition as fo.the proportion of Opposition and Gav^ruineiit'members on thfiflfi.comtuibtecs shuuld be conceded. The Old, Age EVnsious Bill was fully discu-seil, and iba parly was again unanimouxly iv favour of getting the bill through this wssioa."