THURSDAY, JULY 2

Otago Witness, Issue 2572, 8 July 1903, Page 36

THURSDAY, JULY 2

fn *bl>e "Legislative Council on Thursday the debate on tlte Addre£S-in-Jteply was commenced, but, as is gene-rally the case, it was somewhat lifeless.

In the House of HspresemtativCF on Thursday, after a 'batch of bills had boen read a first time, Mr J. A. Millar was elected Chairman of Committees. The setting up of the usual sessional committees occupied the remainder of the afternoon. In the evening the debate on the Address-in-Reply was continued and carried on till midnight. FIRST READING.

The following bills were read a first time : Canterbury 'Ooilegf Powers Aot, 1898, Amendment Bill {Mr Lewis), Wellington Harbour Board Reclamation and Empowering Bill (Mr Wood), Wellington Harbour Board Empowering Aot Amendment Bill ' (Mr Wood), Universal Saturday Half-holi-day (Mr Laurensotn), Divorce and Maitri-

monial Causes (Mr Laurenson), Supreme Court Judges (Hon. Mr M 'Go wan), Civil Servk» Board (Mr Laurenson), Contagioiia Diseases Act Repeal (Mr Laurenson), Distriot Courts (Mr Hogg), Rating on Unimproved Value Aot Amendment Bill (Eon. C. H. Mills).

THE OPPOSITION.

Some 23 members attended a meeting of the Opposition to-day. The meeting vra.a essentially one of straight-out Oppositionists, and d&i not include those Independent members many of whom are also opposed to Mr Seddon on various questions. Mr J. W. Thomson (Clutha) occupied the "chair. A " plan of campaign" for the next few weeks was decided upon. It was resolved not to appoint a leader for the present, and it is even possible that no leader may be elected this session. Tho names of Mr Massey and Mr Jamca Allen have been mentioned in, connection with the leadership, but absolutely no decision has been come to, and the probabilities are that the Opposition, will be more efficient without a leader for soiro time to come. It is generally understood that Sir Wm. Rus=ell has no desire to rcassume the leadership.

THE LAND QUESTION.

The land question is evidently going to bo a burning one in this Parliament. The Government to-day proposed to set sup a Waste Lands Committee, composed of Messrs Bt.nnet, Buchanan, Ell, Flataicn, Hogg, Lang. Lauieu'on, M'Ladilan. J. W, Thomson, Witty, AVood, and Duncan. There was a good deal of objection to tho composition of this committee, and it wa? a noteworthy fact that the Opposition membera of the House were by no means the only objectors. To bagin with, the Opposition had a representation of only three on a committee of 12 ; and Canterbury, it was claimed, had an undue representation of fivo members, wherea-s Auckland, wher<» there is a much greater area of land to be. dealt with, has only one member proposed on the committee. Further objection was taken because Messrs Lauren son, EH. and 1 Wood w-ere regarded us town members; while still further objection was made to the number of single taxers and land) nationalisr-rs proposed. Here, again, several of the Government members were in open rebellion. Eventually the motion was tai&ed out by Government supporters, the Government apparently not caring to risk a division just then ; indeed, it is doubtful if the Government will easily succeed in 6eU.ing up the committee in its present form. THE ORGANISING OF LABOUR, Speaking: on the question o_f setting up a Labour Bill Committee to-day, Mr Arnold said that for three years he had sat on that committee, aucl the question of party government had never entered into its deliberations. He did not think it would be likely to do so in the -future. The men proposed to act on it would look to the interests of tiie whole colony. He drew attention to fehe fact that the farm labourers were no-w organising and fighting cases before the Arbitration Court. The difficulty was not now between town and country ; it wa-? becoming n -question of employer and employees in the country and in "the towns. The Labour Bills Committee as set up is ac follows : —Messrs A-rtlton, ArnoM, Bedford, Barber, Bollard, Davey, Ell, Fisher, Eardie, Laurenaon, Millar, Sir W. R. Russell, Sidey, Tanner, Taylor, Witheford, Wood, Scddan, Allison, Colvin, and Kirkbride. BATING ON UNIMPROVED VALUES.

The Government Rating on Unimproved Values Amendment Bill proposes to repeal the provision in the 1896 act which binds local authorities when the unimproved value rating has boon adopted to strike rates a? near as may be, hut not exceeding in their producing capacity, the rates previously levied, and ,sul>&titntes the following clause--"Tlie rate made and levied by any local authority under this act shall be so adjusted as not to exceed iv itr producing capacity the limit of rating power on the gross value posseted by that local authority." The bill a\:o proposes to enact that when a. change is made from rating on unimproveu values to rating on the -capital or annual value, the new rates and every continuing rate «hall be- so adjusted so as to equal as nearly as may be, but not to exceed in ita producing capacity, the rats that would he made and levied -under the unimproved value.

PREFERENTIAL TRADE,

Messrs Soagaer, Langguth, and Co., of Auckland, have addressed a letter to members of the House on preferential trade in which they point out that Canada at present does not onjoy the moet favoured na-licin clause in Germany, this being done in consequence of Oantidft imposing an extea heavy duty oa German imports. "The'GermanE," ccnlinn-cs the letter, "have no wish to quarrel with amybody. but if existing trade relations are disturbed, prompted perhaps by unfriendly feeling, no one can be- surprised at Germany retaliating." The letter proceeds to point out that the exports of Canada, to Germany and of Gercyny to Cimada have increased eince tlie tariff war was started, that many articles will have to be imported to ISew; Zealand from Germany iai ppite of additional duties, and that suoh articles ac wool, hides, and aidus, pJieep casings, kauri gum, grass seed, and flax are admitted to Germany free from New Zealand, and tbore is only a small import duty on wheat, tallow, extract of moat, and tinned meat. The import duty collected in Germ-any for all Australasian, pioduce amounted anuiually to only £30,700, but if Australasia did not enjoy the most favoured nation -clause tlie amount would be £40,350.

WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY

Tlio Wireless 'Telegraphy Bill introduced by the Government proposes to authorise the Governor 'to establish stations "for receiving 1

and transmitting messages by wireless telegraphy, and provides that no private individual or company can establish any station or plant for the purpose of receiving or transmitting wireleea telegrams without the consent of the Governor-in-Council, the penalty being not exceeding £500 and the forfeiture of file material.

GOLD DUTY.

The Minister of Mines has brought forward • bill providing that the Governor may distribute goid duty among boroughs and counties in the neighbourhood where the gold wae procured in such proportion as he may deem just, notwithstanding the Gold Duties Act Amendment Act of 1882.

REBATE ON CROWN LAXDS. Tho Orown Tenants Rent Rebate Act Amendment Bill extends the rebate authorised by the act of 1900 to ©very Crown tenant for five years from the date of his lease or license. It proposes that the rebate be allowed on every half-yearly instalment of rent, if paid on or before March 21 and September 13 rcspectiveily, and that it be allowed in Tespeot of leases issued either before or after the commencement of the act. The last clause of the act runs as follows: — "If any Crown tenant entitled to a rebate as hereinbefore menticned is in arrear with any previous instalment of rent, then such rebate ehall bo credited to that Crown tenant in reduction of such arrears, but subject thereto nothing herein or in the principal act shall relieve any txnant from payment of any instalment of rent in arrear, nor deprive the board of the power to sue for reait in arrc-ar, or to forfeit the lease or license ENGINEERS' SERVICE CERTIFICATES.

The Government Inspection of Machinery Act Amendment Bill proposes to legalise tho issue of service, eertifieatee without examination to persons of good repute who applied for certificates before the Ist of January of this year and produced testimonials to show they had been in charge of an engine^ or boiler for 12 months prior to the application.

TENANTS' RIGHTS.

The Minister of Lands' Tenants' Rights Bill provides for computation for improve mente being paid on determination of a lease, though th© provision in th© lease may be only for compensation on the expiration of the lease by effluxion of time, and this provision shall after the commencement of tho act be deemed to be inserted in every lease where provision is made for compensation, anything in such lease to the contrary notwithstanding. Every lease of Crown lands 6et apart aa endowment* granted after the commencement of the act shall be deemed to contain the abovementioned provision.

JOTTINGS.

Mr J. Allen wants tho Miniate- of Mines to cause the Government geologist to visit the G-'enledi district to report on phosphate deposits raid to exist there. Mr Herdinan is to ask the Minister of Public Works whether, in view of the fact that there are a number of men clamouring for work who reside in the vicinaty of the Otago Central railway works, he will take stops to give 6uch men employment before giving work to men who reside in Dunedin and elsewhere.

Mr Herdman is to ask the Minister of Mines whether he will take steps -to amend the Mining Act with a view of affording the following facilities to miners residing at places distant from a registry office — viz. : (1) Appointing in such plnces a-gente to receive mining applications, and (2) Hinting the lodging of .such applications, with an agent equivalent to filing the same in the office of the registrar. Mr Taylor was greeted with cries of *'Hear, hear" when he gave notice to ask the Government if it will this session amend the Publio Revenues Act in the direction of restoring to the Audit Department control over the colony's accounts.

The pifcfcanc© paid to pupil school teachers mouses Mr Rutherford's indignation. " They must keep respectable, and how can they do it on £20 a year?" " The Premie* does not find out that he has been miisreportcd till it is convenient for him to do so," remarked Mr Massey yesterday. During a discussion on licensing laws in the Supreme Court the Chief Justice said: " Another extraordinary thing is thait if a man makes a false representation and gets liquor he is liable to a fine of £5 If he makes a false representation and docs not get the liquor he is fined £10."