WELLINGTON NEWS NOTES.

Otago Witness, 14 December 1893, Page 21

WELLINGTON NEWS NOTES.

(Ffioii Our Own Correspondent.) Wellington, December 6.

PREPARING LEGISLATION. Ministers intend engaging at once iv the preparation of bills for tho coming session. In labour legislation premier position will be given to the four l'ejected billb of last session, the Shipping and Seamen, Couspiracy Law Amendmoub, Conciliation a.ud Arbitration, and Shop Assistants. The Shipping Bill will be carefully reconsidered, bub will be substantially the same as revised by the Labour Bills Committee. The Shop Bill will be varied somewhat, but will contain a compulsory half-holiday, with the option given to local bodies to fix the day. December 10. THE PREMIER AND THE KNIGHT. According to the Post ib is stated, on apparently good authority, that within the last few days written overtures have been made to Sir Robert Stout to accept a seat in the Ministry with the portfolio of Attorney-general, Sir Patrick Buckley retiring in his favour. The proposal was decisively rejected. Sir R. Stout replied tbat he had 6000 good reasons for declining to listen to any suggestion of the kind. THE CHEVIOT WHITE ELEPHANT. It has been decided to re-offer the Cheviot estate mansion house and 5000 acres of land surrounding ib for cash. The upset price has been fixed at the same amount as before, £25,000. From this fact it is safe to assume that a purchaser will be found for what has been felt to be the most unsaleable portion of the estate. The balance of the land which was to have been sold for cash at the recent sale, but failed to find a purchaser, will be disposed of under lease in perpetuity. THE VICTORIAN MINISTER FOR LANDS. The Hon. J. M'lntyre, of Victoria, has come and gone. He was entertained by Ministers and entertained them in turn. I learned from him that he confidently looks forward to Victoria soon coming into competition with New Zealand in the frozen meat trade, and while recognising the great future for this country in dairy products is correspondingly gratified that Victoria has gob such a long sbarb in the business and so great a hold in the London market. He is a strong opponent of the women's franchise and declines to be convinced to the contrary by the example of the recent elections, contending that it is because the political woman has not yet learned her real power as enfranchised that she has not misused ib. THE ATTORNKY-GENKUAL. Sir P. Buckley hopes to leave for England on Saturday next. December 11. RECIPROCITY CONFERENCE. The Cabinet had a continuous sitting of four hours this afternoon. It was decided that the colony cannot bo represented at the Canadian Reciprocity Conference. The Commiseioncr for Customs will formulate and communicate reasons to the Canadian Government. CUUNET nU^lNl'sb. The Cabinet business was mainly devoted to appropriations for public works aud departmental purposes, as to which ib is fair to say there is probably some difference of opinion in the Cabinet. RAILWAY CWnri'DSIONERS. The question of the composition of the coming Railway Commission was not considered, and I think ib safe to say that it will be held in abeyance until after the Christmas holidays. A DENIU,. The Premier says the r-tatemrnt that Sir R. Stout )>aq bt&n offered tho Attorney-general-ship in Sir P. Buckley's place is incorrect. No

negotiations at all have been goiDg on. Sir R. Stout was offered the Attorney-generalship when the Government was formed.

f'IIARIT VISLE AID

When the Premier was at Masterton a deputation urged him to make an alteration in V v charitable aid law which would enable localities to devote their own money to their ( WB paor. In the case of Wairarapa, they si ate i that they paid much mere to tLe "Unittd Board than they received. Mr Seddon expressed an opinion unfavourable to the act, bub said thab the Legislature waa opposed to a decrease in the size of the districts. He, however, promised to look further into the matter.

THE PREMIER AND THE LICENCING BILL

A deputation from the Prohibition Leagup, introduced by Mr Dubhie, waited on the Premier this morning to urge a summer session. Mr D. Gain, presideut of the league, said they claimed that the elections had resulted in the return of 40 direct vetoists, 24 of whom are in favour of a summer session, and suggested that if an extra session could not be held an Order-in-Council might bs issued postponing the operation of the Alcoholic Liquors Sale Control Act till next year, or varying some of what they regarded as objectionable provisions Mr Atkinson urged that this was not an ordinary case, as the country had no opportunity of pronouncing on the bill before the election. Mr Collins said it would be almost impossible to get 50 per cent, of the electors to vote.

The Premier said he at once joined is^ue with Mr Gain's calculation as ta the result of the elections. The Government had information which threw a very different light on the intentions of members. T&ey had documentary evidence showing that some of those put down on the list handed to him as favouring the repeal of the bill are really anxiou3 to give it a trial. The league no doubt were perfectly honest, but their conclusions as to the result of the elections were quite erroneous. This question was not a party one, but really a side issue. The election had been fought, not on the bill, but on whether the policy of the Government met the approval of the electors, and there could be no doubt as to the result. There was a large party in favour of giving the bill a trial, and not half a dtzen members who put prohibition before everything else. The Government did nob feel justified,under the circumstances, in putting the country to the expense of an extra session just after the turmoil of a general election. They must give trade and commerce a chance to recover, and give politics a rest for a while. There was no power to interfere with the act by Order-in-CouEcil, nor did he think ib necessary. After experience of its working the House would be quite able to deal with it, and make alterations if demanded by the country. He hid himself been in favour of leaving the whole question till after the election, but there had been such an outcry that the Government had been forced to deal with the matter there and then. He could hold out no hope of the House meetiDg before the ordinary time. Mr Gain said he did not wish to make the question a political one, but reminded the Premier that several members had lost their seats on this question and no other. The Premier replied that in some of these cases the successful candidates had expressly stated that they were for the Government first and prohibition afterwards. December 12. CABINET MEETING. Ministers were in Cabinet all day discussing measures to be introduced next session. Among these are the Labour Bills rejected by the Council during last session, and these, with probably slight modifications, will be introduced at an early date ; also a Land for Settlement Bill, Railway Bill, Betterment Bill, and others ; besides a measure providing for giving effect to the Premier's proposal for londiug money to farmers at a cheap rate of interest. Another question discussed to-day was the increase of Native Laud Court judges, but nothing definite was decided. The question of sppointments to the Legislative Couucil, aud also that of railway commissioners, will stand over until Ministers reassemble about the middle of January. LEGAL TENDER NOTES. A report being in circulation that the Treasury contemplated the early issue of legal tender notes under the Postal Notea Act Amendment Act, I have learned that the question has not even been discussed by Ministers. I am informed that money is abundant for all purposes, the votes ample, and the revenue receipts most satisfactory. The Premier's new tactics as to the Council's opposition are not yet developed, but the Times iv a leader says of the Government appeal to the people: — "This appeal covered a vast multitude of subjects, as the Council will learn when Parliament meets, and will have to determine not to forget it."