POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.

Otago Witness, Issue 1805, 25 June 1886, Page 11

POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) Wellington, June 17.

In the Gold Export Duty Abolition Bill, as reported from the Goldfields Committee, there is a new special proviso, applying only to the North Island, that the act is not to come into force there except on the following conditions : Ist. That a petition ,in favour thereof is presented to the Governor from not less than onehalf of the holders of mining rights residing and mining in any mining district in the said island, praying the Governor to bring this act into operation within such mining district. 2. That public notice shall be advertised in some newspaper circulating in the milling district proposed to bo proclaimed once at least in each four week*> immediately preceding the presentation of any petition signed by an R.M. stating that a petition duly signed as aforcsai-l is to bo presented. 3. That the counties and boroughs receiving the revenue derived from the dulits upon gold in any such mining district from which a petition is presented pass resolutions and forward the same to the Governor prajing that this act may bo brought into force.

In the Coal Minos Bill tho committee litu c struck out the clauses relating to the employment of women and children, and have inserted

a new clause providing — (1) that all underground furnaces shall have vertical air-tight shafts for the escape of smoke ; (2) that miners may appoint two of their number to inspect the mines, who are to be afforded every facility. Wellington, June 81. There has been a good deal of talk to-day outside the House, as well as inside, respecting the Midland railway. It was alleged that if the system of granting that company only the alternate blocks along the line, were persisted in, there would only be about half the requisite area within the 15-mile radius. This raised a fear on the part of South Island districts not traversed by the Midland railway that possibly their land might be touched upon to make up the deficiency, and on this basis there was danger of rather formidable opposition to the bill, but the suggestion has been made that all the land along the line ; within the 15mile radius should be granted, and this seems not unlikely to be adopted, the plan of reserving to the Government the alternate blocks, being probably abandoned. This, if sanctioned by the House, would get over an awkward difficulty, and I fully anticipate it will be sanctioned. In fact I entertain little doubt now that the House will agree to the validation of the contract, perhaps without even a division, there is so general and earnest a desire to see the long vexed question settled and the matter definitely disposed of. I hear that the thirtymile contract referred to in this morning's cable messages has been let provisionally on the vali« dafcion by the House of the departure from the syndicate contract. The debate on the second reading of the Midland Railway Bill was interrupted by the dinner adjournment. The New Hebrides has occupied the whole evening so far. It would have been adjourned at the outset but for the strange hesitation of the Government to lead in the matter. Indeed so strongly was this failure to lead felt that a one time there was a rumour afloat that Mr Ormond would move a vote of censure on Ministers for their failure to lead the House on so important a question. However, after several mpeeches (including an excellent one from Mi^Vakefiekl), Sir J. Vogel intervened very effectively, deprecating a premature discussion as likely to be detrimental to the public interest, and moved the adjournment ot the debate to next sitting day. Major Atkinson promptly rose and seconded the adjournment, expressing gratification that the Government had at last taken a lead, aud pointing out that had they clone so before the debate would not have taken place ; so the debate was adjourned. Mr Macandrew will call attention to an error in a return of moneys granted to local bodies under the Roads aud Bridges Construction Act, by which Peninsula County was charged with £4201 too much, and will ask whether this has been rectified so as not to prejudice the county in resnect of future grants. Mr Dodson intends to move in the direction of amending the Impounding Act by increasing the fees for driving and impounding large cattle, so as to make the administration of the act selfsupporting. June 20. A rumour is gaining ground that an alliance between the Auckland and Otago members is on the cards. The representatives of both provinces have been actively endeavouring to bring about an arrangement for the continuation of the Northern Auckland and Otago Central railways by means of a syndicate and land grants, but the Government is so decidedly adverse to this course that very small hopes are entertained of any concession of land grants for syndicate being obtained by ordinary means. Such being the position, naturally the thoughts of some Auckland and Otago members have turned in the direction of an offensive and defensive alliance similar to that formed by Canterbury, Nelson, and Westland for the promotion of the Midland line. So far as I can learn, the only steps yet taken have been in the nature of a consultation among a few members, but now that the idea has been broached I should not be surprised to find it spread and develop rapidly. The plan of operations suggested is that Otago and Auckland members should band together to oppose the final passing of the Midland Railway Bill, except on condition that similar concessions to those made to the Midland line should be granted to Auckland and Otago. This it is contended is only fair and just, as if one district gets such concessions they ought not to be refused to other localities. If this movement assumes a modified shape it may lead to new and hitherto unforseen complications. Wellington, June 21. Two directly contradictory rumours are afloat to-night respecting Government's intentions as to the readjustment of the Parliamentary representation. The first is that in view of the difficulty of taking away members from any district instead of depriving the South of three or four and giving them to the North in accordauee with the change in relation to population, the Government will propose to increase the House to 100 members ; or, in other words, to add five to the present number aud give all i these to the North Island, leaving the Southern representation unchanged. This would be, in i effect, a compromise, giving the North five extra members instead of three, but leaving the South with the three to which they are no longer entitled. That is one version. The other is that instead of increasiug the number of members the Government will propose to reduce it, and go in for a complete redivision of the colony and a total redistribution of representation. The report that comes to me on apparently good authority is that Ministers will recommend a diminution of the numerical strength of the Lower House from 95 to 80 members— -that is to say, taking off 15— with a readjustment of boundaries and an allocation strictly on tho population basis. It is asserted that the Premier warmly favours this course and is disposed to insist upon it, also that Major Atkinson is greatly favourable to it and will cordially assist the Government in carrying it out. Further, it is alleged that most of the city representatives would support such a step, and that a majority of the present House will be for it. Indeed, I hear that a card has been already pricked off afl or si careful canvass, with the result that a substantial majority is found to be in favour of the reduction on the score of economy. On the other hand, strenuous opposition is expected fioin districts likely to suffer most by the deprivation of representatives under this plan especially — Nelson, Marlborough, aud certain parts of Canterbury, which would lose members under such a system of redistribution. If these anticipations prove correct, there is some tough work in store for tho session yet.

Tho followiug important notice of motion was given to-night by Mr Dnvgaville; — "That, in the opinion of 1 his House, the districts to be specially benefited by the proposed extension of the Olago Central railway and tho North oE Auckland (Kaukapakapa to the Bay of Islands) railway should respectively be constituted railway boards, and the control of the waste lands of the Crown in such districts and the proceeds of tho snlo or leasing of such lan Is should be vested

in incorporated local bodies or boards of land and works, to be elected by the district ratepayers, and to be empowered to sell their lauds in England or elsewhere for settlement only in limited areas, in order to induce immigrants for the purpose of settlement on their lands, to levy rates, and to be charged with the construction of the proposed railways within their respective districts ; such boards to be precluded from borrowing, except with the consent of the ratepayers and of Parliament, to be specially obtained iv each instance."

There is very little likelihood of the proposed alliance between Auckland and Otago members coming to anything. Most Auckland members are dead against the syndicate scheme, and it is very improbable that they will be converted. Some Otago members are, however, still very active in the matter.

Wellington, June 22.

The Bible-in-Schools Bill was lost in the Legislative Council, through the absence of some of its supporters. There is a vague rumor to-night of the erection of a new batch of Legislative Councillors being contemplated, of which Mr Ormond is mentioned as one, but I cannot find that this rests on any very important authority. Mr Dargaville's motion re the Otago Central and Auckland north railway is receiving a good deal of favour.

The Waste Lands Committee to-day reported on the claims of old soldiers that they do not see any reason to recommend these claims to be reopened, and consider if entertained that they ought to be first enquired into and reported on by the Government. The Joint House Committee to-day passed a resolution that the Speakers be requested to take steps to procure Parliamentary portraits, and busts and portraits of eminent colonists from various parts of the colony, in order to place them in the lobby of Parliamentary building.

The Criminal Code Bill differs from that passed by the Legislative Council last session in the following particulars: — In clause 6 provisions have been added : (1) Declaring punishments for felonies or misdemeanors created by unrepealed acts where no specific punishment is provided therein. This is necessary by the abolition of punishments under the common law for such offences. (2) Declaring that no person shall be punished twice in respect of the same offence. (3) Concerning the summary jurisdiction of justices of the peace in certain cases of indictable offences. The clause as to personal assaults on her Majesty has been erased. Penalties for perjury are extended to include declarations. The clause as to selling things unfit for food has been erased, as the matter has been sufficiently provided for in the municipal law. Thejclause as to sending unseaworthy ships to sea is also ommitted because it exists in the same terms in the " Shipping and Seamen's Act 1877," which, being a complete shipping code, seems a more fitting place than this code. The clauses relating to the protection of female children and girls have been altered, in consonance with the recent amendments of the criminal law in England, by statute 48 and 49 Viet., clause 69. It fixes age of possible consent at sixteen, extends the age of children to thirteen instead of twelve, and protects girls up to the age of sixteen instead of thirteen as heretofore. To this clauseis addad a provision from the above English statute for the punishment of offences upon idiotic women, when committed under circumstances which do not amount to that which formerly was punished as a capital crime. In the clause as to abduction of girls from their homes, in England the age has been extended to eighteen ; in this bill it is proposed to fix the age at seventeen. The language at the end of that clause has been altered in the same manner as iv the above Imperial act, but it should be added that in the English act fixing age of eighteen the defence is permitted that the offender believed the girl abducted to be of or above that age.