THE PROROGATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13632, 29 June 1906, Page 5

THE PROROGATION.

It has lieen stated that the prorogation will bo till the middle of August. In the case of a prorogation, however, no date is mentioned, and Parliament can lie called together at any time by proclamation by the Governor. It could be summoned again next week if necessary. On the other hand, it need not bo called till the end of August.

THE AUDITOR-GENER AL. The Alidilor-general to-day informed the Houso that tho officers of I lie Railway Department, to whom moneys are issued by way of imprest, hail paid out of such moneys for services after the 31st of March, 1906. the extra nay voted under section 3 of "The Public "Revenues Acts Amendment Act. 1900." for llio services of the financial year ended on (bat date, with the result that the iiiuouiiLs. paid under the authority of the ilcins so voted had. contrary io the provisions of the section, exceeded the tola! sums of such items. The Acting Minister of Railway.?, in 11 letter dated June 16. admitted thnt the voli! had been inadvertently exceeded. The _ Government, he said, would ,isk Piirliatneiit to validate what had been done. The Auditor-frenernl also forwarded correspondence in certain oases under section 53 cf the act of 1891, in which the. Audit Officer declined to paM the nay of members of the Working Railways .Department, as excluding for the purpose, of the basis for the deduction of the contributions under ."The Government Railways Superannuntiifh Fund Act, 1902," the amount for extra pay to members .in the second division, from the Ist of November, JBos—viz.. £18,000 in the appropriations for IDOS-6. The Governor-in-Council determined the matter in dispute under tho Public Revenues Act by deciding that the sum .of £18,000 was not " pay." hut "allowances." within the meaning of the act. and that, consequently, tho same should not be taken into account' when making the deductions.

LIABILITIES AT MARCH 31. Tho Audilor-geiieval submit led to Ihe House an abstract of liabilities on March. 31 last in compliance with tho thirty-eighth section of the Public Revenues Act. The total amount of liability was £742.636, ihe principal items being:—Consolidated Fund, £174,829; Public': Works Fund. £526.671; Hull Railway Road Improvement Account, £19.707." NATIONALITIES OF MEMBERS. A list of the nationalities of Ihe members of the now Parliament, which has been compiled by Mr La wry. shows that out of a House of 30 members there are 33 colonials, 23 Englishmen. 13 Scotchmen. 10 , Irishmen, _ and one Welshman. The lame proportion of colonials is hailed as a hopeful sign by tho advocates of the formation of a Young New Zealand party. THE NEW LABOUR PARTY, At a meeting held to-night tinder Hie auspices of the New Zealand Workers' Political Association it was decided to form a branch of the association in Wellington. The speakers, who included Messrs Hogg, Laurenson, Ell, Tanner, and Barclay, M.H.R.'s, urged that _ the present alliance between the Progressive Liberals and tho Labour members of the' House should bo maintained. TAIERI MOUTH BRIDGE.

Mr James Allen to-day presented a petition for a for a bridge over the Taieri River near its mouth in place of the present inefficient punt.