THURSDAY, JUNE 25.

Otago Witness, Issue 2209, 2 July 1896, Page 21

THURSDAY, JUNE 25.

In the Legislative Counoil to - day the motion to adjourn for 14 day* was withdrawn. By 20 to 11 the bill to repeal the O.D. Aot was thrown out. Two of those recently appointed to the Conn oil spoke against the bill. The Adulteration Prevention Bill pa*sed through Committee, and the Defamation Bill was read a second time. , ■

ADULTERATION PREVENTION.

In Committee on the Adulteration Prevention Acts Amendment Bill a subsection whi added to the effeot that any condensed milk in tins, &c, must bear on the tins a labal giving an analysis of the condensed milk, showing the percentage of pcoteids, butter fat, &o. contained therein. Another mbseotion to the effeot that the ingredients of coffee should be stated on packages containing that article was also added.' The bill was then reported.

The bills of private members occupied the attention of tha House of Representatives to-day. The Wesleyan Methodist Church Property Trust Aot Amendment Bill, the Removal of Disabilities from Women Bill (by whioh women are ' to be .eligible for. any position to whioh men are appointed or elected), and a bill to amend the Truok Acb passed the second reading stage in the after* noon. The question of the periodical revaluation of land leased under the lease in perpetuity system was debated in the evening, when Mr G. W. Russell's bill to effect that; . -object was rejeoted. PERSONAL. Leave of abcence was granted for 14 days t» Mr J. G. Ward on acoount of urgent private business. DISABILITIKS OF WOMEN. Mr G. W. RUSSELL moved the second , reading of the Removal of "W omen Disabilities Bill. He said the bill was not new, and there was only one operative olause to the effect that; women may become eligible for any office or position to which men may be appointed or elected. The object of this bill was to remove the disabilities under which women suffer at; present. In the first place, women are debarred from becoming members of the legal profession; in the second place, they are expressly debarred from being elected to the House of Representatives or appointed to the Legislative Council. • Women were further debarred from serving on juries, whioh, he held, was undesirable. Betides the legal disabilitiesunder whioh women suffered they were also prevented from being justices o£ , the peace ; and by custom they were shut oufe from suoh honorary offices at visiting gaols, asylums, &c, where they might do & great deal of good. No reason was given for these disabilities of women except that of sexual distinction, but as that definition had been exploded by granting the franchise to women ha failed to see why they should, not be equal on those other grounds he had mentioned. He saw no reason at all why a women should not offer herself as a candidate for the suffrages of the people, and could tee no ground for refusing that privilege to an educated woman. No womsn or person who had committed felony could offer themselves for thafe position. He fully expeobed to hear the objection that women did not want this privilege, but to that he replied that several conventions-, of women in the oolony passed unanimous resolutions in favour of tho proposals now before t the House, and he asked the House to grant to women the full privileges that they were , entitled to.

Mr ALLEN would like to hear the opinions of the Government on this bill. In his opinion it went a great deal to far, and he thought ib . should nob be done by -bounds, bub by a very gradual system of evolution. ( Women now had the franohise, and he thought time should be allowed for them to prove whether they were fitted to sit in the House and on juries, &c. Mr Russell asked what we were to do with our women, but he (Mr Allen) asked what wa were going to do with our boys, and sai&the competition now growing up between men and women was a very serious matter indeed. He pointed out that the highest and best in the land were exempt from serving on juries, and instanced members of the Executive, judges, members of either House of Parliament, &c. Those people did not serve on juries, and he questioned very much whether women wanted to sit on juries themselves. His opinion was that it was better to take a step of this bind gradually, and not in the hasty manner proposed by this bill. He could not conceive of a woman sitting in the House or as a judge of the Supreme Court. He hoped the House would not paei the bill. The Hon. Mr HALL-JONES did not speak as a member of the Government, but he supported the bill last year, and should do so again this year. He thought if there were female justices of the peace it would be to the advantage of the country. He did not know whether it was advisable to proceed with this bill at present, but he should support it. Mr BUTTON /(lid not think the disabilities under which womoa suffered were any reproach at all. When he was younger he had to copy, words that "modesty is a quality that quite' adorns a woman." He still believed in thafL adage, and he thought that modesty would be very much impaired if women were "brought into olose intercourse with the rough affairs which had to be transacted by men. He should oppose the bill. The motion was agreed to by 26 to 22. The following is the division lists— Ayes (28).— Messrs Buddo, Buick, C&rneross, Camell. Duncan^ Earnshaw. Flatman, Guinness*

Hall-Jones, G. Hutchison, Joyce, J. W.. Kelly, Lawry M'Nab, Millar, Morrison, Newman, O'Regan, Piraui, G. W. Russell, Seddon, G. J. Smith, Steward. Tanner, T. Thompson, Willis. NOKS (22). — Me*ars Buchanan^Button, Cadman, Crowther, Grahom, Green, Harris, Houston, Laug, Larnacli, Lewis. T. Mackenzie. Mackintosh, Massey. M'Uc.wan, J. MKonzie. R. M'Kenzie, Millfi, Montgomery, Pinkerton, R Thompson.— [Only 21 names were teleg aphed.] REVALUATION OF LANDS.

Mr G. W. RUSSELL moved the second reading of the Periodical Revaluation of Lands Leased in Perpetuity Bill, to provide for the revaluation of lands leased in perpetuity. Ho regretted that in this matter he found himself bo completely in conflict with the Minister for Lands, as that hon. gentleman was so ideatiiled with the Liberal party. He recognised fully the efforts made by Mr II 'Kenzie for tbe settlement of the piople on the land, but this with him was a question of principle. He held that the State should secure to the people of the country that wealth which was created by the people, and this view was held hy the labour classes of the country. He referred at length to the lease in perpr-tuity sjßtem, and said the whole of the lands now purchased under the Land for Settlements Act weivs beiug administered under that system. He hald that a periodical revaluation should be made of the lands disposed of by the State, and he admitted that lease in perpetuity wns the best system that could be est&b'itbed, provided that in connection ■with it there was a periodical revaluation, TvhicrVhe contended was a sound Liberal prinorplo. This brll was not retrospective, and it accepted the Tease in perpetuity as the tenure of tbe land. The bill would equalise land values, and it. would remove speculation from land purchases. He was aware that a Fair Rent Bill was about to be brought down, and he held that if that bill were confined to the lease in perpetuity there would be no trouble in passing it. He felt convinced there wts a growing fteling in the Colony in favour of a periodical revaluation, and he hoped the House <nould agree io the second reading of the bill. Mr 'BUTTON was pleased that. foe once he could support & measure brought in by the member for Riccartou. That was one objection be had to the Land for Settlements Aot that it gave leaseholders the right to fix the rate for bo long a time, and he thought that was unjust to the rest of the community.

The Hon. J. M'KENZIE regretted he oould not support the bill, but in saying so he (hanked Mr Russell for the reference he made to himself. H« had no fault to find with membsrs who upheld revaluation bill*, bu*, in bis opinion, the time was not ripe Toe such a change. If the bill was passed the Taw would become a dead letter, for no one would take up ail, acre of land for it. They bad at present a l-hoics of tenure. Settlers could choose a freesold tenure, a lease with a right t of purchase, »nd a lease in perpetuity ; and wasithkety that people 'would take Nip the' land system advocated in the bill ? If Mr Ru*seß was consistent ho should bring down a bill to provide that not a single acre of land should be hereafter sold in New Zealand. That was the only logical outcome of his proposal. He bslieved thfr day would ccma when it would be the duty cf every State to become the owner of alt land in its territory ; but thxt time had not come yet., If one. class.of tenants alone was subject ■W revaluation ib wcu'd make all the other tenants discontented and there' wou!d be endless'" trouble. That wa<i where Mr Russell failed, -andunleas^ he brought in a' system by whioh everyoMe would be treated alike his proposal would Rot be practicable. He had thought ttfr Russell would be satisfied with having brought up this question lspt year, and that it was' disposed of by this Parliament. If this system was established no one would care ia take up Und under it. He (Mr M'Kenzie) had already gone as far &• the colony was prepared to go at the present time. He did not wish to unduly pr»ise his own nyatem because it was introduced by him, but he was *ure the regulation f-ystem would not.be acceptable to the people of the colony. He did not wish to say that hii sjstem waa perfect, but he felt it was the best thing he could establish ftt the present time. He had endeavoured to Lki practical in any, legislation he had brought beforß the House, and in all matters of this kind any system must ba a failure unless it bad the Approval of those who would become tenants under it. He hoped the Home would allow the land legislation to remain' as it wae, at any rate till after the gener^e'.eotion. - Mr.R. THOMPSON said if tS&ere was anything more than another that tended to impair tho land legislation of the colony it was this perpetual bringing in of bogus bills of this kind. Mr Ruef ell knew perfectly well there was not the slightest chance of passing the bill, but no doubt ha would 1 pose be'ore his constituents in Canterbury as the advanced Liberal of the Bouse who ba& brought down this bill. He condemned the bill altogether, and said tho whole thing was nob worthy ,of debate. It was wa«te of time todiscuss it in tbe House at all, aud h's should move that the bill be read that day mx months. ■Mr O'REGAISr said they bad just Hs'ened to a- characteristic' ppetch from Mr Thompson, who never ceattd. to attribute motives 'to •hou.members. He (Mr O"Reg»n) supported ths bill, and contended that Mr Thomptos, who professed to be* Liberal, did not know what liberalism meant when he epposed a bill of this kind. ' If the country was not ripe for the bill, as they were told by the Minister for Lands, it showed that the country was not sufficiently educated. Ho spoke at length on the land question and the unearned increment.

Mr MACKINTOSH contended that a man who wed^he land had the best right to it, And they had a right to a good tenure. If Mr Russell interted a ctause in his bill that the lease in perpetuity could be turned into freehold there Would be no objection to it. If they passed a measure such as that proposed oy Mr Russell no one would" tike up any land under ib, is there would le no security and no one would lend money on it. Mr T. MACKENZIE said they had had the lime speech from. Mr O'Regan, who wanted to give all people free land." He now gave them another phase of the land question by supporting this revaluation system. He replied to several of Sir O'Regan's arguments, and said Me Russell wished in bis bill to benefit the towns at the expense of the country. If they had a revaluation every 10 years it would wreck the tenure altogether, and they would get nobody to go on the land at all. Who was going to estimate the value of tbe unearned increment represented by tno bone and sinew of those wno tilled the land ? He held they mutt give the people security of tenure, otherwise they would not obtain any land gettl'ement at all,' He should gladly support the amendment to read the bill six months hence.

Mr MILLS opposed tte bill, and said that it find been the aim of Mr M'Kenzie and the Government, for the last five years to settle people on the land near towns. He thought the value of land was no more than could be made out of it, and there was no occasion for reva!ua 7 tion. A, great, muty people in the colony had taken up land od lease in perpetuity, and why should they disturb these people and upset most comfortable farmi by & bill of this kind ? If » bill of this character w*b fasied it rsaUi

&fl more to retard tbe progress of the colony in two years than they could recover m 20. Mr HOGG said the bill was the means of discovering f'.r tho first time the advanced section of the Liberal party. He was afraid this advanced section did nob reflect mnoh credit on the House. The; wanted to make everyone TwJergraduates, and convert them into pocketpickers. They were very anxious to shed their brothers' blood, aud the reason why they were not laud-grabbers themselves was because they had never had tho opportunity, and they now wished to be grabbers of the unearned increment. He thought the title of the bill was wrong, and it should be called the "Periodical Repudiation Bill," as ib proposed nothing lets than a process of repudiation among small settlers, and it was aimed at the poorest men in the colony. If the bill passed they would have no more working men. It contained no principle whatever ; on the contrary, it was utterly unprincipled.

Mr R. M'KBNZIE thought there must be some reswon for Mr Hogg aud the senior Ministerial whip making speeohts suc v i as they lfed done. Liberalism was advancing, whilst Mr Hogg was going btrhind. He could not see what there was to object ta in the bill now before the House. ' The bill would have his support, and he only wanted it to apply to lauds leased in perpetuity from the present time. Whether they got the bill this seasion or next did not much matter. He was convinced they would get the bill bafore long, and ho should support it. Mr COLLINS would Jiave liked, to defer to the opinion of the Minister for Lands on the lands question more tbau to any other number of the House, but one could not do so on every cccasion. The Minister for Lands had admitted he had at one ttme'brougut in a bill himielf for revaluation. Why had a he gone back on itP If the principle was right then, why was it not applicable now P Mr Hogg had for some reason or other made an attack on what he called the advanced Radicals of the House for their support of this bill, but he had more than once heard 'Mr Hogg himself pride himself on his advanced radicalism, and the member for Masterton must now be lishing for something or other. He strongly supported the bill, and said they had snoner or later to adopt a sjstem of revaluation. He denied that they wished to harass the small settlers. The bill was meant to give relief where relief was needed, and to give the State a highor rental than it obained at present.

Mr ALLEN had frequently beard Mr Hogg declare that be was a member of the advanced section of the House, and yet he had just denounced that section, and accusrd them of beiug grabbers. Why, no one was a better authority on the system of grab, as far as his own district was concerned, than the member for Masteiton himself. Mr Hogg was formerly a supporter of the perpetual lease, and had declared in the House that the unearned increment was the property of tho people. But be iww attacked Messs- Russell acd O'Regan for stating bhtt the unearned increment belong' d to tbe State. Mr Mills had told them that the value of the land was what you could geb out of it. In- the face of ' that declaration, how could Mr Mills vote ag»iosb this bill ? "He aaseirted that the lease in perpetuity settlers .paid do land tax, and unless they had a revaluation they would.nevtr pay land tax at all. .The Minister for Lands had not referred to the principle of the bill, *nd the rea:-oa was because -Mr M'Kerzie, in 1892, had'the principle of revaluation in his mind, but he had altered his bill because he could net get the perpetual lease carried at that time. He (Mr Allen) advised the Minister to try it again, as he had been in favour of revaluation in 1891 and 1892. - The leaiie in perpetuity had not been the sucoess that was anticipated for it, and the average of laud taken up under perpetual lease-was, much more than under the leaa'a in perpetuity, because there waa revaluation undar the perpetual lease.

Mr M-'GOWAN opposed the bill, not so much owing to the prinoiple of it as because he thought there waa nothing so detrimental to ■ the country as frequent ohanges io i<s land laws. He deprecated the perpetual tinkering with the land laws of tbe colony, and thought it was very unwise to adopt cuoh a course. If the revaluation could bs- applied to freehold as ' well as to lease in perpetuity lands there would not be no much opposition to it, but ha failed | to see why one class of settlers should be i singled out for thio system of revaluation. The whole thing waa tinkering with principle, and those who supported it were dealing with tbe excrescences of the system. There was neither logic nor principle in the views advocated by those who supported the bill.

Mr FLATMAN had opposed the bill lasb year, buts he was uncertain now- which way he should go. He did not like the look of the bill at (ill. It had been s*id that: the period of 10 years could be altered in Committee, but be should wish to have some' assurance on that point, as otherwise he might have to vote against the bill on ita third reading, and probably throw- it outi Those who supported the bill called themselves advanced Liberals, but; he considered they were going back to rabid Toryism in advocating it. Ho asked why only land held en .lease in perpe'.uity should be revalued. If they wanted the unearned in* pr(-ment r wby nob go for the freehold as well aa tho lease in perpetuity p Mr MEREDITH thought coming events cut their shadows before, as there was a sinking m'miJarily between the Left Wing and'the Tory party in the House. It looked as if something like a coalition wrra contemplated. It ms evident the Opposition did nob want to continue the leas-- in pwipatuifcy ; they wanted the freehold sys'em, aud ho reminded Mr G. W. Russell that in currying favour with a certain party in the House it meant the downfall of the land system. He found no fault with Mr Rossoll for introducing the bill, as be wag quite within hss right. He asserted, however, that outside the four large cities there was no desira for this bill. He (Mr Meredith) had delivered about 150 addresses to his constituents and in the country,- and in no single instance had he ° been asked whether he was in favour of revaluation. He was opposed to the bill because it w»a not in the interests cf the people of the colony. Mr HALL opposed the bill, and said it waa a thing which hit* constituents objected to. If Mr Russell were consistent he would advocate that no more land should be sold in the colony. Mr HARRIS also opposed the bill, and said if there was to be a change in the land system it should come from tbe Government. The Hon. Mr SEDDON combated the arguments of nu'D b^rs who said tho lease in perpetuity 6} stem was not popular, and quoted several properties that had been <ffered to the Government, for which a large number ofi applications were already received. If there wasjso i be a revaluation every 10 years; be was convinced the same class of people would not apply for the land. They would go to the Government and get' land on the cash system with a right of purchase. There was no doubt the system of lease in perpeluity was popular, ts wag shown by the large number of applications mjd'e for land wherever any was available. Mr BUCHANAN said the statements of the

] Premier and the Minister for Lands on the i land policy were entirely different and oould not be reconciled. He had opposed the present bill last session snd would oppose it now, because ha did not believe in anything that would interfere with the security of tenure. Mr MASSEY opposed the bill, as in would seriously interfere with the security of tha tenure of csuntry settlers. Hi DUNCAN opposed the bill. The amendment was carried by 31 to 17, and tbe motion for the second reading lost.

A RADICAL PARTY.

| Signs are not wanting to show that the Left • -Wing, or more independent members of the Governmenb party, are forming a party of their own, to be known as the Radicals. Whether or not this means that the members of tha Left Wing intend to sever altogether their oonuec- ; tion with the Government party is not clear, j but it is plain that the movement afoot will not ' add to the security of the Government's position. The Premier certainly resents the independent action Of this so-called " advanced stctioD." It is the cause of much annoyance to Ministers, as it makes it quite impossible for them to know upon whom they may depend. ' In case of an emergency these members may at ' any time combine without giving notice to the Premier, and defeat some important policy measure. Mr Seddon feols sjme definite understanding must be arrived at, and I understand • that he intends to summon a caucus at an early date with the object of breaking up this Radical combination.

METHODIST UNION.

The question of Methodist union occupied nearly two hours of this afternoon's sitting. This discussion took place on the second reading of the' Wesleyan Methodist Church Property Act 1887 Amendment Bill. After j the Premier had moved tbe second reading in a i short apeenh Sir Robert Stout said he under- , stood objection had been fent in from the , Mount; Eden Free Methodist Church. This ' matter depended upon the constitut'oa of the ohurch, and it did not seem to be the , business of Parliament to deal with the question of itinerancy. Mr Crowther, who followed, strongly objected to the bill being rushed through so quickly. The members of the churches cocctrned were by no means unanimous on tbe question of union. The unanimous consent of the Mtuot Eden Church would never be obtained. They had at great self-sacrifico acquired their property, and it would be mosb unfair to compel them to hand it over to the oombioed church. Mr M'Govran, though like the other speakers he approved cf ohurch union, protested again? t what he called the present attempb to introduce ecclesiastical contro 1 . The Hon. T. Thompson and Messrs Massey, R. Thompson, and Lawry also thought it would, be wrong to compel the Mount Eden Church to amalgamate against their wi>hes, Still, them gentlemen agreed with the prii ciple of church federation. Mr T. Thompson, however, pointed, out thnt the position of the Mount Eden Church would not. interfere with the general provisions of the Premier's bill. Messrs G. W. Russell, G. J. Smith, Maelin, and other southern members supported.. the bill as lit stood, contending that the churcbe? 1 concerned werj .pracliea'ly unanimous. If. i the Mount Eden Church had any grievance as regards its property it could ! have the matter settled by the Supreme Court, i The eeoond reading was- eventually agreed to j without division, it being understood that Ike I position of the Mount Eden Ohurch will be I more fully debated in Committee.

THE TRUCK ACT.

Mr Firani is introducing a bill to amend tho Truck Aob so that if the ccuit should ba of opinion that the employer has not; acted knowingly in wilful contravention of the provisions of the principal iict r or that the matter in respect of which- any of the provisions of the principal aot have been contravened waa a matter of mutual agreement between, the employer aud the workmen 'without coercion of the employer and for. the benefit: of the workman, or that under the circumstances it would be contrary to equity and good- contcieoce that the' provisions of the principal act should be applied, the court may give judgment according to equity and gcod conscience without regard to the provisions of the principal aot.

DISPOSITION BY WILL.

Sir R. Stout is introducing a bill styled " The Limitation of Disposition by Will Bill," to limit the right of a man to dis-pote of only one-third of his property away from his widow and children. A wife who dies possessed of property is limited to a similar extent in the disposition of it.

- A. B. WORTHINGTON.

It may not be generally knowu th&t the Government made an erToft to obtain the extradition of A. B. Worthirgtoh from Ne* Zealand. Oa the 22n<i" November 1895, Lord Glasgow wrote to the Right Hon. Mr Chamberlain as followß :—": — " I have the honour at the request of my Government to forward to you the Accompanying paper*, and, in explanation, to iuforcn you that they relate to a person of American nationality bow residing in Ohristcburch, Arthur Bentley Woithington, who h»s thera founded a jKarss'-religious sect called tbe ' Students of Truth ' to the detriment, as is believed by my Government, of public morality and well-being, for whom he has erected a building for worship. If all, or even a part of ■ what is alleged against him be ttue, it is the opinion of my Government that he should ba brought to justice. If the statement sst forth ' in the accompanying pamphlet which 1 enclose is to bo relied on the man is a notorious bigamist and forger, and he has- as recently as, An gmt lait in Christchurch gone > through the form of tnartiago bofore tha Registrar iof Marriages in that city with me of bis • followers. '.Che Attorney-general has advised me to forward the accompanying papers to you, and I hav6 the honour to request that represeutatious should bf> made to the United States Government, and that, the necessary steps be taken for the extradition of this person from the colony, and I accordingly request! you to be good enough to do so. I have only to add that, in July 1894, the attention of the ; American C< mul at Auckland was celled to this matter, and tha*: he communicated with his Government, but aFter this no reply has been received A letter from the Foreign Office, dated sth February 1896, to the Colonial Office intimated that Lord Salisbury was inclined to conclude that the United States Government were probably content that Worthington remain abroad, and in such circumstances his Lordship did not consider it advisable (hat any formal representation should be made to the United States Government. Lord ) Salisbury, however, instructed the ambassador »t Washington *to mention tbe matter to the United States Secretary cf State. In doing this he wrote :— •• The United States Government aw probably content that Wbrthington should remain abroad. It is not my wi?h that your Excellency should males aDy reque*t to them tbat*they should apply for his extradition to the United States for the offences 1 wliich he is stated to have committed ; but you J miettt, in conversation with Mr Oleey, mention

' to him that the New Zealand Government haVe reported ths presence at Christchurch of Worlhingtoii, who, they understand}', is wanted in America for offences which are set forth in the pamphlet which they have sent him, and which you might leave Mr Obey."

HANSARD AGAIN.

Mr Thomas Mackenzie again complained today that his references to the Premier had been omitted from Hansard for the second time. It was, he said, rather a peculiar thing. The Premier axtd he had nothing to do with it, and so far as he was concerned he did not objeob to Mr Mackenzie's references appearing, as they were always complimentary. — (Laughter.) The speaker mentioned that he was always ready to hear any complaint in regard to j Hansard.

SESSIONAL COMMITTEES.

The sessional committees were set up this afternoon. Mr W. Hutchison asked that his name be withdrawn from th<s Old Age Pension Committee, and this was agreed to. The committee, he stated, did not work last cession, and he regarded it simply as a sham committee.

DAIRY FACTORIES.

Messrs Hegarty (mayor of Greytown) and James Brown (of the Taratahi Dairy Company) waited on the Minister for Lands, and asked whether it was intended to take steps to place advances of money within reach of dairy factory promoters. The Minister stated that a measure giving the Government power to advance money for such purposes wai now being drafted, and he hoped to be able within a few days to submit it to Parliament. The intention was to lend money oa the recommendation of ths Agricultural department, the company's property and guarantees being taken in security.

ALCOHOLIC LIQUORS BrLL.

The Alcoholic Liquors Sale Control Act Amendment Bill, wnich is now circulated, provides fee a national option poll, which shall be oarried if three-fifths of the voters whose votes are recorded are in favour of no licence's. It is &\eo provided that club charters are to be subject to the result of the licensing poll. The clauses giving effeob to tbe above are similar to those introduced last year and rejected by tho Council. The following new provisions have been introduced : —Section 18 of the principal act as regards bottle licenses is Amended by addiDg to the end of subsection 2 the words " and may be renewed by the Licensing Committee from time to time until the licencing poll next after auch expiry is taken, bat thereafter shall not be renewed." Section 19 of tha act is amended by adding to the end. of subs'ction 2 the wprJs "aud at eve"ry meeting tf such cemmittee the quorum shall be four," and also by repeiiling in subsection 3 thereof the words •' subsection 1 of." Section 20 of the said act Bhall apply to conditional licMues. It shall not be necessary for t!ie chairman and the two members to be actually present together ab one birae and place for thfc purpose of jointly exercising any of the powers in that section referred to. (3) If the chairm&u refuses to crncur with tbe two members in granting any conditional or other licenses or other document, then the same may be granted by any three members of the committee, and in snob, c*se the l'equisiteltoeuse or document shall be signed by thetbi^e members snd be cotinteisigned by the*" clerk; any- . thing :in section 31 of the act to the contrary notwithstanding.

RECIPROCITY.

The Customs Duties Reciprocity Acfa Extension Bill has b.en circulated. It is a short measure on the l ; noi indicated in a former message. It provides that the power, by section 4 of the act of last year, conferred upon the Colonial Treasurer fo enter in agreements. with Canada and South Australia is extended to include agreements to be entered into b; him with the United Kingdom or any British possession. The bill sball come into operation on a day to bo appointed by tho Governor by Order-hi- Council gazrtted, provided that no 6uch order shall be made until the Governor testifies by pro lamatiou that her Majesty has decided not to disallow this act.

THE COMING STRUGGLE.

Tbe Temperance party will loom large at the coming elections. The Rev. Mr Isitt wiil keep matters pretly lively during the next few month*. Mr Walker, who is on his way over f-om the other Bide, will aot as his first lieutenant, and the ccountyt ty will be systematically stumped.

POLICY OF THE ASSETS BOARD.

Me Eraser's exposition on Tuesday night of the policy the Asset* Board intends to pursue in dealing with its ehtate— viz., to obtain the higheßc price posisible irrespective of political cousideratiou— must ba deemed satisfactory. What is to be (aid, however, of the statements: made by Me»»r« Hall-Jones, Maslin, and Flatman that the Premier had jastified his appointment to tbe board by forcing it— in the case of the Arowhcnui estate — to sacCifioo material interests to a question of pol cy. Mr Fraser proved there statements to be incorrect,' bat how came they to be made P The, Premier, had' eitber endeavoured* svi rota, to make political " capital out of f omotbing which he* incorrectly asserted that be had done, or Messrs HalI 1 - Joaen, Maelin, and FUtman' were imputing improper conduct to their chief,, who calmly submitted to it in silence.

A TESTIMONIAL.

I bear on the very beat authority that some of tho public sftrvanfs have been attemping to raise subscriptions from amongst tbe Jgost Office officials for a testimonial to the late Post-master-general. Mr Buchanan is to ask the PcS'rvusttr-geueral whether, be is aware that a .subscription risr is- being handed round among the officers of the Pott and Telegraph dep&ttrnent for the purpose of presenting a testimonial to the late Foitm&eter-general.

THE DUNEDIN .RAILWAY STATION.

Mr W. Hutchison, in asking the Minister for Railway* if he would take hteps to provide a suitable railway station at Dunedin,. characterised the present station as a series of sheds I placed on the wrong side of the railway. There was d&nger to life and limb while the present arrangement was allowed to exist. The Hon. Mr Cad'man, in reply, said he- was afraid this was oce of the things he would have to keep steadily, in view-. He admitted that tha elation was not a suitable one. It had been placed there some' years ago as a temporary mensure, and the foundations for a new building existed on tha other side of the line. Still tha oott of a new station was so great that it could not now be undet t*ke n. It would cost | £17,000 exclusive of tbe platform and necessary alterations to the sidings.

f THE EDUCATION REPORT.

The nineteenth arinual report of the Minister for Education is a bulky volume of over 100' poges. The strict average attendance at public schools for 1895 was 108,622, and the working average 108,394, an increase on that; of the preceding year of over 3000. In each case the percentage of passes is the highest yet recorded. The number of schools and the number of

teachers are greater in proportion to the number of pupils than they were a year ago, At the . end of the year the number of schools was 1464, and there were 2386 teachers, an increase of 106. Of pupil teachers, there were 1020, a deorease- of 26. The salaries incre&Mid by' £9509, the total as the end cf the jmv being I £338,774. Auckland received £7800 from the i school building votes of 1895, North Canterbury £6850,. Sooth £1700, Otago £6600, Southland £2850, Wellington £4700 The number of children in the Native village (schools has increased - rapidly, and the preponderance of Xtaori children amongst the- pupils is on the increase, 1800 copies of fche "New Zealand Reader " were sold. The average attendance ab Auckland College is 315 ; Wanganui College, 179 ; Wellington - College, 210 ; Wellington Girls' High School, 132 ; Christ's College Grammar Sohool, 133 ; Christohuroh Boys' High School, 238, Chriafcohuroh Girls' High School, 124 ; Ofcago Boys' High School, 188 ; Ofcago Girls' High School, 141.

JOTTINGS.

Lord Ripon concurs in the views of his Excel* lency in regard to the importance of the protection of animal and bird life in New ZealandIt looks very much as if ths Government and some of their followers have for the past; two evenings been stonewalling witha viaw of blocking Sir, Robert Stout's Defamation Bill. This meanuce received bub scant courtesy at the hands of the Government last session. . Mr T. Mackenzie referred to some Minis* terislists who are for ever clamouring about putting people on the lapd as " asphalterft'Vr that is, politicians of the town, who did nothing but walk about the pavemenbs. No one, he ironically remarked, knew more about cultivation and settlement of the land than those wha had nothing to do with it. , Tho first instalment of the purchase money of ths new cable steamer Tutauikai waa.£7693. The Mart-mi-Henry lifl^s supplied from the War Office, London, cost £11,333. Mr Buick ha? introduced an amendment to the Municipal Corporations Act^providing that , evary ratepayer whose name appears on the. defaulters' list shall,, on the payment of his rates, have the right to exercise his vote at the election of mayor and councillors, or ht the polling for a .<p*ci»l loan. Mr W. Hutchison is to move that in the opinion of the House no concession! or subsidies should be granted to any foreign gold* mining syndicateor company without an agree* meat being catered into that the ruliug rat© of wages fu tbe diskicb for miners and labourers pbail be paid by such synd : c»te or company. Since writing tho foregoing I learn. ih»t tha member's of th« Left Wing have goce bat>k on Mir •* Ricotrton " Russell, who aspired to the leadership of the Radical party. Tbete cm be no doubt, however, jtlnt there wa* some intention of takiug a stand in tbe direction mdicstted, but probably, as already tuggeated, King Richard bas alrettdy been at work, and, as a result of bi« lobbyism, he is able to laugh in his sleeve and say, " Where is dot barty now ?" " No Ti-oman will divorce her husband on the ground of ad'iltery nlour, because she is afraid that he will go straight over to the other woman."— Dr Grace' on the Divorce Bill la Council. , „. ;