FRIDAY, AUGUST 5.

Otago Witness, Issue 2319, 11 August 1898, Page 25

FRIDAY, AUGUST 5.

In the Legislative Council to-day, the Law Practitioners Act Amendment and Wanganui Hospital Empowering Bills were passed, and a Wellington local measure was redd a second time.

BILLS PASSED

The Law Practitioners Act Amednment and Wanganui Hospital Empowering Bills passed their final stages. The motion of tho non W. C. WALKER, to adjourn till Wednesday week was agreea to, and the Council arose at 4.30.

In the House of Representatives to-day tho Financial Statement was not brought down, contrary to expectations. Tho amendments made by the Council in the Unclaimed Moneys Bill were agreed to, and the afternoon was devoted to questions and matters arising out of replies. The Banking Bill occupied attention in the evening. A motion to recommit the measure was lost by io to £0, and then a debate followed on the motion for tho third reading.

QUESTIONS. In answering tho question whether the time had arrived when the Government could tell tho J louse and country, with a view to dis-co-ira^ing other applications for railway construction, or letting the House and country know their intentions in the near future on tho question, if they can see their way as to finalises, in connection wiUi the numerous applications already sent in during the session, the Hon. W. HALL-JONES said he hardly understood the question, but saw no reason why the Government or the House should discourage applications. The intentions of the Government in regard to railways and other works would be disclosed in the Public Works Statement.

The POSTMASTER-GENERAL said the Government regarded it as its duty to open money order offices in districts where there was alarge working population, far removed from existing money order offices. The Hon. T. THOMPSON, in reply to sc question as to whether a recently-appointed justice of the peace had been sentenced to one month's imprisonment in Nelson gaol fox not contributing to the suooort of his mother.

Bind ho had no knowledge of the case, but wa: obtaining a roporl from the magistrate. Tho Hon. .1. M'KENZIE said there were no official reports from Mr Jolin Holmes or flax or othor New Zealand produce. Tho MINISTER FOR JUSTICE did nol think it necessary boforo making appoint' tnonts lo tho Commission of the Peace to takt steps to ascertain whether the appointee cat read and write. THE MINISTER FOR LANDS said lit was personally in favour of a Fair Ront Bill applicable to all tenants, public and private, in the colony. The Government have no n> lention of extending the scope of tho Ad ?ances to Settlers Act to enable advances tc pc made on occupation leases in mining dis. .Ticts. The Hon. A. J. CADMAN said that hands had been discharged from the Govornmenl Workshops because tho funds requisito foi their employment had been expended, but in the Financial Statement proposals would be mado as to rolling stock and other appliance^, and he hoped the House wo\ild vni--sufficient to moot the c.iso of the viorkm ' and the necessities of the producers using t : it railways. Tho PREMIER said the Government had from time to time made arrangements to supply public vaccinators with calf lymph, and thought, that offoria should be mado for the uee of nothing but calf lymph if possible. A bill will be brought in this session to deal with the subject. The MINISTER FOR LANDS thought it desiraglo that lessees of education reservova ihould receive compensation for improvements on the expiration of leases. This principle already applied to new leases. The MINISTER FOR RAILWAYS could not sco his way lo grant members of platelayers' gang 3 ovary alternate Saturday afternoon as a half-holiday. The Government do not intend to bring down this session a bill to amend the " Printers' and Newspapers' Registration Act 1863," so as to leave discretion with tho magistrates whon dealing with cases like Spoon er's. The whole subject of protestation is receiving the careful attention of the Government. The Land Purchase Board intend to reopen negotiations for the purchase of the Levels estate, Canterbury, under the Land for Settlements Act. Captain RUSSELL moved the adjournment of the House so that he might comment on the roply given by the Minister for Railways as to the insufficiency of carriage accommodation on tho Wellington-Napier line. Tho motion was talked out, the House rising at 5.30. TIIE BANKING BIIX. Tho Right Hon. Mr SEDDON moved that t3ie amendments made in tho Bank of New Zealand and Banking Bill be agreed to. He pointed out that motions for recommittal of the bill could be» taken on tho motion for the third reading. As to the alteration of the elate on which the president shall vacate his office, he intended having it done oither in another place or by Governor's Message by substituting " 31st December, 1893," in place of " 31st March. 1699." The lion. Mr ROLLESTON said the Premier's proposal scarcely met the views of those members who had amendments to propose. Ho moved that the bill be recommitted for the purposo of consderw clv.no 2. It was in his opinion undesirable that. either Chamber should elect directors, which .would have the effect of making the bank dependent on the Ministry of the day. He was one who believed that the sooner they got rid of this banking concern tho better it would be for the peace of politics and tho good of the bank itself, which at present was in fairly good working order. The PREMIER said that so far as he know nothing had transpired since clause 2 had been passed to alter the decision of the House. Ho was astounded that an endeavour should be made to prevent the colony being represented on the directorate, and pointed out that if the colony was not represented the directors representing shareholders would not write down losses sufficiently, but would endeavour to declare large dividends. This would leave the liability of the colony as it was at present. The interests of the colony would not be conserved, and the £2,800,000, for which the colony was responsible, would not be properly safeguarded. n e referred to the increased cost of the management of the bank, and said it now amounted to 6 per cent, of the total gross business done. He and his colleagues were doing their best to put the bank into such a position that ultimately capitalists would tako it over. It would be agamst the best interest of shareholders if Mr liolleston s amendment were agreed to Mr GEORGE HUTCHISON poLled out that as shareholders had to provide for the cnargesin connection with tho colony's guarantee, it v/as to their interest to make the bank a success. He referred at some length to the provisions in the bill relative to the discharge of the president, and expressed the opinion that the president's attempt to obtain compensation would be fruitless The appointment of Mr Watson had been a great mistake, and ho firmly believed that he should be relieved of his present position. Mr Watson 3 request for an inquiry with respect to certain accounts showed that he had not been on good behaviour, and the last balance sheet of the bank, which he proceeded to dissect, Biin-ed that he had not been efficient in the dioc-hanve of his duties. The balance sheet of the bank for the past year was as bad as, »f not worse than, those preceding tho scandal of 189+, and none of tho.=e responsible for it should remain in office any longer. He had intended moving the recommittal of the bill in order lo provide that the compensation to bs paid to the president should be one year's, and not two years' salary, and that in any legal proceedings the issue should be raised whether or not the pr&iidont had bosn of good behaviour and efficient. Mr SCOBIE JMAOKHN'ZIFi asked if the equal representation of the colony and shareholders on tho directorate was treason to the colony, what had been the pooition when the colony v/as only represented by one director and the president with a power of veto? The Premier's o.rgumenl had been in the direction of showing, ho contended, that the management of the I >ank under that directorate had been extremely successful. No valid argument had harm adduced for any change in the diwloralo. Mr J)i;TflM'; conlomlod that an efficient cor/tioj >>f Ui<> hjtiik by the (ioyornwpfil will i:np<:r:iUv<j. 'l'l.a Proi/iier, h<* (-aid, hax.l oxplai;if'd lo Jiini thai Uia t'u-,1 of inj'iia^omont v/vv () \i(-v ffiii.. on t'xj cajjitaJ employed, not on i,U r > liu.'iiio ) ilnnc. Mr UM'l/ANAN caid Ji" would hnv<- i'o COJlfidf'i.f"! ill U;<; (xOV< i r/ilil''li''i ,'l[/pO'Mi <i<r v! • if llio bill (i:iif"fl, u,,,<\ n<\\" i ' !y <n(i<i>i'l i <-r- , tain reccii I Go'/fTurn< j 'il, •j',i]j(iinlvif'iti,-,. Mr Roll'ston'H anie'.'r'i'v, l v, an ln.il on a divi 'ion Ijy 36 to 25. Tho PieinW:: molie?i v.au ihen acfreod 10. Tho PREMIER, in moving tho third leading of tho measure, paid Iheie exisde'l a, klroiif? neco-Kily for :l change- in the policy and management of Iho bank. Tho want, of exer- i ciso ol Ilia mofct rigid economy by tho present ' direclorato had caused tho Government ;t con-

* siderable amount of anxiety, and he quoted the decision to build now bank buildings in Wellington and the appointment of an assistant manager as examples of extravagances. Had he the power, he would do away with the present competition between banking institutions, their touting for business, and undercutting for exchanges as the ultimate result would be that some of the institutions must suffer. He agreed with Mr Rolleston that the bank should have peace and be allowed to work out its own salvation. I Captain RUSSELL said the debate on the j bill had shown that nothing but misfortune would follow the establishment of a State bank. The present legislative proposals respecling the management of the bank placed ! he colony in a worse position than it held i under the previous legislation. The abolition of the office of president and tho substitution of Government-appointed directors did away with any continuity in management. After dealing at some length with the propesod treatment, of the president, he drew a '■ivp&riFon betwean the extravagance of (he Government with respect to public buildings , and tho careful expenditure of bank on their ! buildings. He intended to voto against ths third reading of the bill, as its provisions would neither benefit the colony nor the bank. The Hou J. M'KENZIE said that the Government were not responsible for tho policy , of the bank, but they were responsible for the directorate being so constituted that it has tho confidence of the people. A periodical change of directors would be one of the best safeguards possible of tho colony's interc&t, though he thought if ths directors left the management of the bank to the manager, as was done by the National Bank, its management would better. The bank would not be a political machine, and he repeated a statemen!, ho had previously made that if the bank dabbled in politics it would either have to go into liquidation or be sold. He did not consider the House was treating the president badly in granting him two years' salary as compensation for the abolition of his office. He thought the proper thing to have done was to have made Mr John Murray president of the bank, as he would then have been available to prove the statements made by him oil which tho State guarantee had been decided upon. Mr MONTGOMERY considered that the action of the Government in introducing tho bill at tlie beginning of the session and pushing it forward showed that the Cabinet were in earnest about it. He objected to the proposed cancellation of the president's contractas it would create an undesirable precedent. Sir SCOBIE MACKENZIE moved as an amendment to the motion for the third retdinq — " That in the opinion of this House it is not desirable to proceed with the bill until the president and directors of the bank have had an opportunity of being examined on all matters proposed to be affected by the bill." Mr piFi'HJE supported tho amendment, and said the tenure of office of the directors was too limited, and there was no guarantee that they would potass banking exnerience. The Hon. J. G. WARD dealt exhaustively with the history of the recent banking legislation, and denied that he had advised that the Bank of New Zealand should purchase the business of another Lank. He replied at considerable length to criticisms of the Ward Association by the last speaker, and said that at tho time of the bank crisis the association j was solvent, and would have remained solvent liad it been allowed to do bo. j Mr W^JSON deprecated the Government borrowing money to purchase highly improved estates when tho Assets Board had so many properties on hand. | Mr BUCHANAN considered the banking , legislation was going from bad to worse, and j he regretted the Government had brought in the present measure. Mr CARNCROSB pointed out that the present legislation was forced on the Government by absolute necessity. If Parlia-nao-.xt decided to sell the bank it would at once bo thought that, it was a rotten concern. The Hon. Mr ROLLESTON said the debata had shown the nore^sity for an inquiry such as was proposed by the amendment. The president should either retire on full compensation or be given an opportunity to reply to the charges brought against him. Mr J. W. THOMSON regretted that party feeling had been imported into banking matters. Mr MASSEY considered that the passing of the bill would result in a loss of business to the bank, and consequent loss to tho colony. Mr LANG said the bill would make the bank more of a State bank, and it was undesirable that the bank suould be under political control. Mr BROWN thought that the best thing for the colony was to get rid of the bank as Boon as it could. Mr FLATMAN contended that the Conservatives were responsible for the bank's difficulties, a statement which was warmly combated by Mr MONK. Mr DUNCAN contended that a levy should be made on the province of Auckland to make up tho bank's deficiency. Mr GILFEDDER said that a material amount of micchief was done by bringing tho affairs of the bank on the floor of tho House. Mr MORRISON spoke strongly in favour of the bill. At 4.30 Mr Scobie Mackenzie's amendment was lost by 23 to 11. The PREMiiu^-v. in reply, said never had n political party had a severer strain put upon it than when in ISB4 the present Government had to come to the assistance of the Bank of New Zealand. The attitude of portion of the Opposition with respect to tho banking legislation showed, in his opinion, tho degeneracy of political mankind. There was a general consensus of i opinion throughout the colony that a change i in f'.o management of tho bank was desir- | :>Uf\ '['hough the bank did half of the bank- | iiig business of the colony, it would be along I time bofore its position improved generally. The bill was read a third time by 2G to 10 and passed. The House adjourned at 5.10 a.m. OUR SEA FISHERIES. When Captain I'airchild was in England in 1896 lie was osked by perso.is interested in doep-soa trawling for information as to tho probability of (he industry boing successfully established in this colony, and on his return ho submitted tho correspondence on tho subject to the Government, who considered that the bo -it way of oneouraging the industry would bo tho granting of monetary assistancej towards tlio co t of suitable vessels. A &urn ' v. ;i's accordingly placed on tho Estimates, and i'A^V) v.as voiod for tho purpose, but .is tho Government promised the Hou&s that nothing should bo done in tho matter of making any grants out of the voto until the fishing grounds lutfl been lerl.e.d by experimental trawling, no oni/agcments have becti entered into. Tho lessees of (lie Auckland Islands have asked that the prohibition against the taking ; of seals may bo relaxed ao far as regards sea I lions, ou tho ground that these teals now exist ' in largo number and destroy tho grass on tho inlands. This cannot, bemovcr. Ijo done

without an alteration of the law, unless an open season is made for all kinds of seals. On the Hinomoa's last visit to these islands Die master was instructed to kill a few sea lions and bring their skins and oil back with him, in ordor that their commercial value might bo ascertained. This was done, and tho skins ara now being tanned, and inquiries aro being made as to the value of tho oil. THE MARINE DEPARTMENT. The annual report of the Marine department, shows that the cost of the maintenance of the lighthouses during the year was £12,860. but this amount does not includo the proportion for lighthouse work of the expenses (£6775) of the Government steamer, which periodically visits all the stations with oil and stores. Such proportion may be estimated at about £5000. The erection of the tower and other buildings at Cape Pallisor was completed in July last, and the light was exhibited for the first time in October. The light is a second order dioptrio revolving white light, flashing twice every half minute, with intervals of three seconds between tiie flashes, and can be seen in clear weather at a distance of 25 statute miles. The cost of the erection of the lighthouse-keeper's dwellings, outbuildings, and tho formation of a road to tha tower was £6243. The sum of £17,851 was collected for light dues during the year as compared with £15,935 during the previous year, being an increase of £1856. VACCINATION. The vaccination question, which is just now receiving considerable attention both in Now Zealand and the mother countiy. was broug'n under the notice of the Government by Mr Lewis to-day. Mr Lewis ur^cd that in future nothing but calf lymph shall be used by tho public vaccinators. Mr Carroll, after referring to the fact that the medical authorities were divided ac to the necessity for compulsory vaccination, said that the Government woulJ see that sufficient calf lymph was suppliod. StiJl. it was felt that an alteration in the law was necessary, and the matter was receiving the close attention of the Government. If possible they would bring in a bill to de.;l with the question this session. Amid much laughter, Mr Carroll explained that as the law stood no_ one was at present eligible for office | in the civil service unless lie had been vaccinated. Some one here asked the Premier was that the reason of his rofusal to be conl eidered a civil servant under the Banking Act, refei ring no doubt io the proposal to exclude members of Parliament from the Assets Board. , The Premier said he had been vaccinated, and had also suffered from small pox. Ke hopad no one would ask that, the Auditor-general should be requested to examino all candidates for the civil service to scs that they had becu duly vaccinated. THE GREAT UNPAID. Mr M'Guiie afked the Minipter foi Justice ■whether it was true that a recantly-appoiuteJ justice of the peaco had bean sentenced to cue month's imprisonment for not contributing to the support of his mother. Mr Thompson, in reply, said he had no more knowledge of the matter than the information in a newspaper paragraph quoted. Lut he had asked the TJndor-f.ecietary for Justice to get a repori from the magistrate. Later on Mr Brown asked the Minister whether, before making appointments to the commission of tho peace, ho would take slops to ascertain whether the appomtecs con read and write. His ioason for asking the question, he said, was that ono of the recent appointees in bis district could not at the time he was appointed sign his own mime. Since he had been proclif-.ing assiduously, and he could now write his name. The Minister for Justice said this showed the necessity for members being very careful in making their iecornmen r ktions for the appointmont juetices. Mr Brown said of the seven or eight appointed in his district, he only recommended one. lie did not know who lecommended tho others. WRECKS ON THE NEW ZEALA.ND COAST. During the year the wrecks on the coasfs of the colony numbered 48, representing 20,357 tons, as against 60, representing 22,058 tons in the previous year. The number of total wrecks within tho colony, including a sailing vessel, which founded after collision, was 6 of 3302 tons, as against 9 of 1450 tons :n the previous ycor. The number of live 3 losi was 28, as against 15 in 1396-97. Of those 27 were oil or rear the coasts of the colony— via., 12 from the Zulieka, 13 from the p.p. Tasmania, and 1 each from the Clematis and Maud Graham. Tho life lost beyond the colony was tho result of an accident to a greaser eraployed in the refrigerating engine room <jf the Fifeshire. LANDLESS NATIVES. Jane Maria Phillips, &ister of Sophia, the well-known Maori guide at Whakai ewarewa, near Ilotorua, petitioned recently to have her claim foi* laud favourably considered. Siio and her sister being away from the Taraneki district when the lands of their ancestors were adjudicated upon, they wore totally excluded from the division, and arc now landless. The Native Affairs Committee recommend their cape to the favourable conpideraliou of the Government. They recommend that legislation bo passed this sosrion to deal with this and similar cases. THE WAIMEA PLAINS. In answer to a question as to whether the Government will, in view of the increasing demand for land in the vicinity of Lumsden, acquiie property in that locality, and whethor negotiations have been entered into for tho purchase of blocks of laud in the Waimea Plains, the Minister for Lands said some time ago an offer had been mode in regard to j some land in Waimea district. The Waimea ' Plains property, however, was now in chancery, and sometimes 12 months dapped befo.'e a reply could be got from the gentleman in chargo of that court. There was a large area of sparsely-populated land in the district jo ferred to. If tho Land Purchase Board should require land there he would bring the matter beforo tho chairman of that board, and the | fiist ume that gentleman was in tho locality j he would make inquiries as to what demand i theie was for the land. THK FERNTIILL MINE. Mr John ldayes, Acting-Inspector of Mmes, reporting on the Fernlull mine on tho 21-jl September la-it, cays that In found the ventilation very bliujgish snd several places sealed off on account, of fires, also ono or two places hoy ting. Tho Dunedin Corporation's Silver stream water raco crosses the v, orkings, and tho le^nee alleges that water percolates from ' this mre through the strata into the mine workings. The inspector &pys ho found v/ator dripping in several places. This has a tendency to induce spontaneous combustion in tho coal mine in the locality. The manager of tho mine feared that unless the corporation siphoned the race for a few chains it might ultimately break through and flood the miiu. IJq is consequently afraid of opening out tho coal to tho dip until steps are taken to secure the stability of tho watqr race. Mr Miramo, ! filv onn-i'imop limi'Avnr flinoloims nnv linVnlil.v.

an I JOTTINGS. Y n ! Tbo Petitions Cominilloo recommend that the > L ucy B # Gillios, of Greei) Island, whoso hußl?n9 | band was lulled in a coal mining accident iini, | vviihin the meaning of tho " Eaitangata Re b P° lief Fund Transfer Act, 1892," should receive \ in^ relief if there is any fund available for tho ° purpose. Tho Petitions Committee state that ex-Con- i stable Pascoe, of Catlins, has no claim upon ienL tho colony. j;) ie Mr Fraser wants the Minister for Lands to but P^ ace the administration of the Crown land*) ; j on situated at tho head of Lakes Wanaka and Hawoa under the jurisdiction of the Ota.jo xli- Land Board instead of as at present under ]. os . that of the Canterbury Land Board, out The Minister for Lands, in answer to Mr her Hunter, intimated that he lias no intention in of introducing a Fair Rent Bill this session, the The Minister for Lands intimated to-day md ; tbat as soon as the manager of the companding ' returned from Scotland fresh negotiations of { would be entered into for acquiring the Levels be j Estate under the Land for Settlements Act 25 The land was Aeiy much wanted for settleof merit. ildt ha SATURDAY. AUGUST 6. |I/as One who professes to know, and i 3 usually as i well informed, avers that t'<e momber? of 3115 " another place " arc being actively can- ! vassed against, the Banking Bill. THE HEIIIOT RAILWAY, ow Messrs Sim and Edio, settlers at Crook&ton, otv Tapanui, have come to Wellington to urge f'is upon Ministers tho necessity for extending Mr the Heriot railway and purchasing the Moa ! ire Flat estate. They contend that it will pay .ho to onen the line for five or six mileo now, j ng ai;d later on to Moa Flat, if land is acquired • ;re for settlement there. 55 THE VOLUNTEERS. jj # A correspondent in Saturday's Evening uv Post says: — '"I he very cruellest and falsest a g economy ever displayed by a Government is ' 2f now being exercised in iS'ew Zealand in re)(J ] sard to tho volunteers. In .England tho c jj people are bearing heavy and increasing taxaVJV lion for the purpose of defence, and they are cc never likely to be attacked as Aye are. The IC . volunteers cuno forward to secure the safety j 8r of these islands from an armed occupation. v . The least that they could expect wa,s that _k they shoiild get modern arms. Ihey were fa told that they were to get Los-Metfords (a !"'j* quite gratuitous falsehood), the rifle with 1 j which tho British soldier is armed. Instead, i they find that tho r< -••->!•• Jm pnrr\ased "i a cheap and nasty lot of one shot rifles, re- ' jected by Canada. 'I he first time our lolunteers aro opposed by soldiers of another nation they will bo butchered, for what will courage do agaiast an enemy that can pump lead into you at the rate of ten shots to your one? Noli. ing can stand against the maga- \ zir.e ri.'le wiL'i which even poor , bankrupt ' Spain a^rus her men. Surely the whole lcvsL ,P son of America and feipain h that the most J ; "' modern armament A\ins. Kvou if wo in New P" Zealand came to close nnartcw the new cheap j , > 9 rifle is armed, not with the bhort sword ' ( X L>avir>et of the British troops, but with an ! j IC ( old-fa^hioped triangular baj-onet, about 4ft ! ( r ' long, good perhaps In keep off cavalry when n Russia or France attacks Now Zealand with ?' cavalry and horse marines." TLs Post, on \ ? » -making inquiries at tho Dofer.rw department, ' !e learns frhat the now weapon has arrived in n tho colony, and that a first issue will be im- n l ° modialel" made to the Auckland volunteers. , v It is not a magazine rifle, but the 303 Martini- j;' n Eufield, which is a single shot weapon. The ( !■ saaio rifle has, it is said, been procured for j V Q the Caps Colony volunteers. The statement 3- to t'-e. effect tbat the Martini-Eandds pro- ' . X cured by our Government are a part of tlico 'f j rejected by Canada is denied. \ .' J EDUCATION VOTE. j I Q Now that tho Education Boards of the ' n colony have forwarded particulars, of their j requirements for school buildings in newly joj o ssttlod districts, Ministers state that thov in- i i 5i 5 tend to distvi!>;i!,e the £25,000 vote out of loan j 1 s | placed on the K-lapsitos list 1 ? h:.i. p U n 5 MONDAY. AUGUST 8. The report of t'.e Flax Dressing Cjmiiiisrfion " a j has just "been issued as a leaflet 'by the Agri- " ;' cultural departmoni. The Goveviiment of- ll , fered a bonus of £1750 for a machine or n y process for cleaning Nev/ 2'ealand flax, which " should be an improvement on the machines ' or proeeises now in use, and a second bonus "-' ' of £250 was offered for a process of utilising n '" the Avaste products. There Avore 17 claimants s | S for the first bonus — Meosrs Gumming and ™ c White, Christchurcii Fibre Company. J. Marsliall, and 11. "Wio-ram, of Christcliurch ; W. Twogood, of Fe.itherahon ; R. Chambers, of & Cambridge; if. J. Sankey, of Auckland; W. d; 3 H. Smith, of ilikelu; Nolan, J-)'-cnton, cine) D Corry. and W. i'airv/cathcr, of Blonlieim ; H. ,sc [ Bergen, of Vv T olhngton; T. R. Gillman, of m 3 Onelamga ; J. H. Hooper, of Y/aiiganui ; A. : Blackc, of InA'ercargill ; George Thomson, of cc > Tepuko; A. J. Park, of Dtmcdin ; W. E. \ Fifeficld, of Urrnui. For bonu^> No. 2 there , A-iCro se%cn rpphcautc — viz.: W. Twogood, of ; ■ Feaiher^ton ; T. tScolt, of Invprcavgill ; 11. I Wigram nnd tho Christchurch Fibre Com- m pa-ay, of Christchurch ; 11. Bergen, of Wei- ar . ! Ihijjlon ; J. H. Jenkins, of Pa'iiatua; G. Gibbon, of Blenheim. By tho time the com- P« mission started inspecting they found that >v several competitors had dropped out of the a^ ! contest. The commissioners &i.ato that for in care in tho dressing of flax the southern mills si take the palm from other parts of the colon3 r . W Mr A. G. Kidston-lluntor, city analyst, Duneciin, supplied a letter in the report dotailipg hih> chemical treatment of flax, and considers lc it only a question of time, by anyone nropei'ly qualified to deal Avith the subject, to solve £ . it. He suggests the employment of such an ■ ono to cjutmue along tho lines he has ex- _ ' perimented upon. The commissioners ap- 1111 parcnllv lean towards chemical processes for U V the otLy hopeful process scan during their tour was that submitted by Mr T. R. Gill- 2n man, chemist, of Onehunga. Tliey point out tin that his process, if not a success, is tending soi in that direction, and continue: "Hitherto vo' j the co?t of chemicals and the dark colour left f,]^ |in tho fibre have prevented chemicals being ail( used. Mr Gillman, however, has nearly annihilated the cost, of chemicals and has left _r a healthy colour. Thio is <he ro&ult of many yeors' expcrimonling. Had Mr Gillman ?'' proved to us that A^iat he claims could be „ used to commercial advantage, and A\e are \ Aery much dis])o&ed to believe ho can, we V m should have felt, justified in awarding him a \? vportion of the bonus, as the plant to produce .' J a quantity A\ill ro«f, moro than he can v.ell JllJ 11 afiYm l . He thinks the Govenimenf- might 'V^, I carry out 1113 discovery to a decided is^ue, ' •■ and n vo would recommend the Government \ to arrange A\it)i Mr Gillman to do bo." j\!r \' S. S. Bostard, an Auckland cliemist, had for many months been experimenting along somo- y^, what similar lines to those of Mr Gillman, { r ; c but u^ing a different chemical, and tlm lead* I c .j] the CDinmiHsioners to remark that if those o f clieni cal meeluinical proces?e<! can .bo proved c ar i econ< >micaJ in fuel and chemicals the after- llla ] i manipulation is simplicity itself, and the cost ren of bk'achir>K and time avill be much reduced, wir

The concluding paragraph of the report covers the verdict upon applications for both bonuses: — "The commissioners express regret that no practical demonstration of an improvement, coming within the terms of the bonuses, was submitted, either for lessening the cost of production or by improving the quality of the fibre to secure a bolter price. BtUJ they think there is every hope fchafe the chemical processes will come nearer to what is wanted than anything yet discovered." THE MOA FLAT ESTATE. The settlers who have come to Wellington about the extension of the Heriot railway and the purchase of the Moa Flat estate are Messrs Sun and Edie o f the Tuapoka County Council, and Mr Tamblyn, a well-known fruitgrower. In company with Mr Larnach. they have waited on the Premier, the Minister for Lands, and the Minister for Public Works Ihe Government recognise the importance of extending the railway, but they will not move in the matter until some arrangement has been arrived at in regard to the purchase of the Moa .Hat estate. No doubt in a year or twothe Irovernmonfc will acquire this estate, and the railway will then be extended *s far w Moa Flat, if not as far as Roxburgh. 1 JOTTINGS. The Cabinet has approved of the doj tails of the Accident Insurance Bill and tfc is expected that the measure will be circulated m a tow days. With regard to tho sale of ammunition to Natives the Government have decided that the old regulations shall be enforced, tad that no one shall be allowed to sell ammunition to JNahves without a license The application for the New Zealand Cross made by Mr M. O'Connor, of Wellington, has . bten declined. Tli9 smn of £2000 lias been authorised by the Oabmct for expenditure on the North Island Main Trunk railway. Mangawheka section. | The Public Accounts Committee have been considering (ho question of the Pacific cable, but so lar havp come to no decision It is now understood (hat (ho Premier will drop the clause in the Technical Education •Kill piovidmg for gram's to denominational ■ Bchools. The tender of Mcdsra J. T. Burton and Scott Bros., of CbriPtchurch, has been accepted for the supply of pipes and valves for the Eweburn dam.

v