POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11182, 3 August 1898, Page 3

POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.

(From Oup. Own Correspondent.) Wellington, August 2. THE BANKING -BILL. Mr Sligo made a very forcible speech on the Banking Bill to-night. He said he had been opposed to the banking legislation all along, but he recognised the force of numbers was against the opponents of this measure. He, and those who thought with him, had been outvoted time after time, and it was ! useless to go on fighting the bill indefinitely, thereby interfering with the business of the country. He believed if the bill passed it would injure the bank, but the responsibility must be. placed on tho shoulders of the j Premier, who ought to know far more aboiit the matter than he (Mr Sligo) did, and if Mr Seddon thought it was such a good and necessary measure, in God's name let him pass it. Mr Sligo spoke with considerable warmth. MR WATSON'S PRIVILEGES. After Mr Millar had moved an amendment in favour of Mr Watson in the Banking Bill this evening, Mr Taylor said:—" I don't know j what is the matter with the hon. member, but ; during the last week or two he has been runj ning amuck in regard to privileges; first the i privileges of the brewer and then the privij. leges of the banker.—(Laughter.) There I'must be something in the Wellington air that does not do Labour members any good.— : (Laughter.) Captain Russell: "It has a stimulating effect."—(More laughter.) Mi1 Taylor: " Yes, it gives some members German measles and some members other things." (Laughter.) Later on tho Premier rather let the eat out-of the bag. Mr Millar's amendment provided for setting ab rest any doubt ■as to the legality of Mr Watson's appointment as president of the bank by the insertion of the word " duly" before " appointed." Mr Seddon, referring to this and other amendments given notice of by Mr Millar, said that a similar amendment had been submitted to him last year. "Who from?" promptly interjected Mr Taylor. " From Mr . Watson's solicitor," replied the Premier, and : members smiled. Later on Mr Taylor said . it was an extraordinary thing that an amendI ment suggested to the Premier by Mr Watson's solicitor and rejected by him last year was now being moved by Mr Millar. A CURE FOR DRUNKENNESS. Mr Hogg is asking the Government whether ;they will make inquiry into the claims of the promoters of the chloride of gold treatment for drunkenness as carried out at the Hagey Institute, and. if found desirable, favour its adoption under the auspices of the State in extreme cases. , He staled that in America 100,000 had passed through these institutions, and from 70 to 90 per ■cent, of them were completely cured. He knew of several very bad cases that had been cured in Wanganui. Instead of getting prohibition orders out against such people it would be better to give them the option of this treatment in preference to their going to .gaol. I Mr Seddon said that cases had come under [ his notice where great good had been done by this cure, but he believed it was more a question of self-control than the effect of taking chloride of gold. There had been | some cases given out as cured that after a ! short time had failed. As they had passed the Inebriates Hom#Bill it would, he thought, be better to arrange for a supply of these medicines and treat the patients in our own institutions instead of in institutions kept by private individuals. However, he would get a report on the matter, and see v hether there was anything in it or not. MOTOR CARS. Considerable opposition was ■■ shown to the M'Lean Light Locomotives Bill. The committee to whom the bill was referred made it a general measure, giving Mr M'Lean ihe right to collect £3 from anyone who may hereafter desire to run motor cajs in the colony, until a public bill dealing with the whole question was passed. These payments would recoup Mr M'Lean for the cost of promoting his private bill. ..The-power of charging £3 was, however, strongly opposed. It was urged that the local bodies should le given some say in the matter. It was further contended that the question should be dealt with by the Government, but the Premier said that- the moment the Government brought in a measure there would be a general onslaught on it. If the local bodies wera given the necessary powers, they would not tise them. "Why do.you not give them a chance?" interjected one member. "Tru.st the people," said another.- The Premier rej plied that the lo'caJ bodies very often did not represent the people. The wider the franchise the more generous were the representatives returned. "In taking- what does not belong to them," added Mr Crowther. The ■bill was eventually referred back to the com^ mittee for the reconsideration of the clause regarding Mr M'Lean's right to charge £3, referred to above. THE WAIRARAPA ELECTION. The Public "Petitions Committee M.' to Z have been for some time considering the petition of Mr Coleman Phillips in regard to the action of Mr Adam Armstrong, returning officer for the Wairarapa. Mr Phillips, who was a candidate for Parliament at the last general election, alleged that through the action of Mr. Armstrong in fixing the wrong date for receiving nominations "'he .suffered great personal inconvenience and loss. He therefore prayed that in future greater care should be exercised in selecting returning officers and for other relief. The committee report: "That the evidence goes to show that during the last general election the conduct of Mr Adam Armstrong, returning officer for the electorate of Wairarapa, was irregular and improper; thnt it is expedient that in future the Government should make careful inquiries before appointing returning officers, and that the Government should ] amend the law in the direction of definitely j fixing the day and hour for the closing of nominations." PLAIN TALKING. There was again some very plain talking on the Bank Bill. Mr R. Thompson spoke about the two years' salary to be given to Mr Watson as hush money. The Premier considered the issue of the circular by Mr Watson as a very ill-judged action on his parr. Mr Meredith characterised tho position taken up by Mr Millar as one, to say the least of it. . that was calculated to arouse suspicion. He also said the Premier was apparently keeping back as much as.he could with a view of not damaging the future reputation of Mr Watson. Mr Millar warmly repudiated' the suggestions made about him. As the telegraph office is closing the House has jusfc resolved that the/ directors shall elect their own chairman instead of being itppointed by the Govornor-in-Council. JOTTINGS. The Railway department during last year spent £4688 on buildings, additions, and alterations at Cross Creek, at the foot of the Rimutaka incline. Mr Fraser to-day presented a petition from bushmen and residents in the Greenstone Riding, .Lake Wakatipu, praying that the new regulations for New Zealand forests be repealed, and the previous rules again brought, into force. A petition signed by a large number of settlers in the Otara, Oteramika, Waiau, Belmont. Merrivale, Clifden, Hokonui, Limeliills, Oroydon, Waikawa, Tokonui, and Moicoreta districts has been presented by Mr M'Nab. They ask for relief from the excessive valuation put upon their sections. They want the House to oass a Revaluation Act. An instance of perfunctory drafting and careless consideration was given in the Legislative Council today when a clause was added to the Animals' Protection Bill providing a penalty for killing a dead hen pheasant. Mr Parata is pressing the Minister for Lands to expend the £100 promised last session for the Merton-Corner Bush road. A number of petitions have been received from school committees asking the Government to place the education inspectors under the control of the Education department in Wellington. Mr Pirani wants the correspondence between the Justice department and District Judge Kettle in reference to the Barnes charges laid on the table of the House. He is also moving for tho correspondence alluded to last session by the Premier in reference to the offer of a judgeuhip in the Validation Court to District Judge Kettle. Mr Flatman is agitated about the transport Of fat sheep from Southland to Canterbury for the purpose of allowing them to be exported as " Prime Canterbury mutton." He urged that all carcases bear a distinct mark showing the provincial district in which such sheen were fattened. Mr Morrison is again tackling the Government on the subject of discharging men from the railway workshops at a time when the increase of traffic, the demand for extra waggons, and the proper equipment of our lines urgently necessitate additional rolling stock. Mr. Pirani wants legislation to give Icssea3 of education reserves some compensation for their improvements on the expiration of their leases.