JOTTINGS FROM PARLIAMENT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VIII, Issue 1370, 12 July 1881, Page 2

JOTTINGS FROM PARLIAMENT

On the occasion of the delivery of the Financial Statement there was a very full attendance of members, and all tho galleries were densely packed. The Legislative Council gallery had every seat occupied, as also had the ladies' gallery, while the public and speaker's gallery were crammed to suffocation, not even standing room being obtainable. The usual preliminary proceedings were watched with obvious impatience. These, however, occupied but a few minutes, and at 7.35 Major Atkinson rose amid hearty applause, and moved that the House go into committee of supply. He then proceeded to deliver his financial statement, which was listened to throughout with the closest attention. Some surprise was I felt at the statement being delivered without the Speakor ltaving his chair, it being almost invariably the parliamentary practice for the House to go into committee before tho budget is brought down. It was evident that the Treasurer had originally intended to follow the ordinary practice, as ho several times addressed " Mr Seymour," instead of " Mr. Speaker," and spoke of " this committee " instead of this House, each verbal slip creating irrepressible merrimont, in which Major Atkinson himself joined heartily. It was thought at first that ho had a special object in taking this unusual course, and intendod to concludo by moving the introduction of a Bill, but it turned out afterwards that his not waiting for the House to go into committee was a piece of pure inadvertence. The House was very quiet during the early part of the statement, the first indication of applause beingatthe announcement that the railways had paid 3| per cent net profit, but when the Treasurer stated that over » million was available for public works the applause was quite vociferous. When Major Atkinson alluded to local finance there was some derisive laughter at the proposal to givo bodies rating power up to two shillings, and one voice called out " make it threo " eliciting renewed laughter. The proposal to relieve local bodies of their annual valuation by utilising the property tax valuation was a good deal applauded, but the greatest outburst of cheering arose when the Treasurer said that the estimates were reduced £334,000 below last year's and when he announced the various reductions in taxation. He concluded at 8.65 amid hearty cheering, having spoken an hour and twenty minutes. Messrs. Ballance and Thomson immediately roae together, but the Speaker called on Mr. Ballance, who spoko about a quarter of an hour iv a somewhat carping strain, and was instantly followed by Mr. Wakefield, who spoke well, hitting Mr. Ballance very hard, and accusing him

of having prepared his speech beforehand, while wholly ignorant of the nature of the statement. Mr. Wakefield was much applauded when he declared his opinion that the financial statement would be favorably received both by the House and throughout the country. Directly he sat down, after speaking half an hour, Mr. Speight jumped and made rather an amusing persona) speech, attacking Mr. Wakefield and accusing him of tergiversation. It was noticed that Sir G. Grey, on this occasion, occupied the seat usually allotted to the leader of the Opposition, but remained quiescent. Mr. Saunders in a brief, sensible speech, closed the discussion, and the House adjourned. As regards the budget, the verdict seems to be on the whole decidedly favorable, particularly respecting the report of reductions effected since last year. The policy of remitting part of the property tax is open to question, and opinions vary as to the local finance proposals, the preponderance being in approval Some little disappointment is expressed that not more extensivo borrowing was proposed in connection with local bodies but the general weight of opinion seems to be with tho Treasurer's scheme.

The New Zealand Times, in mentioning that tho rumoured hiUntion to apply a ten.per cent reduction to all salaries over £200, was nol decided upon, goes further, and asserts roundly that no reduction will be made on any salaries. This, of course, is inaccurate, for Ministern are pledged to exhibit a reduction of a quarter of a million as compared with last year's estimates ; but, as a matter of fact, the precise shape in which these reductions are to be carried into eflect is not even yet finally determined. A circular was issued on Saturday to heads of departments, instructing them to make a reduction of 10 per cent, in furnishing their departmental estimates, but this was withdrawn in tha evening, and the matter is now in abeyance.

It is reported that an extraordinary scene occurred between Sir George Grey and Sir G. M. O'Rorke, originating in the latter having convened in the Speaker's room a meeting of Auckland members ou local subjects. Grey warmly protested against O'Rorke's action, and vehemently condemned his taking part in any matter of controversy. O'Rorke retorted with equal warmth, declining to be dictated to by Grey, and a violent altercation ensued, which rumour says ended by Sir George Grey being firmly, and by main force, but not roughly, turned out of Sir G. M. O'Rorke's room, and going away in a rage. The affair has created a good deal of talk.

The result of the two divisions on Mr. Hursthouse's motion respecting rating localities to makeup the deficiency in railway receipts created a good deal of surprise, it being a complete novelty fur Ministers to be defeated on a matter which they pressed to a division on a motion moved by their own whip. Probably it is the first occasion on record when a Government whip has carcied adverso resolutions against a Ministry. This tends further to show the utter disorganisation of parties. fcuch unfavourable comment has been excited by the rude interference of the constables on duty at the House with the Press representatives, who were forcibly prevented from going about the lobbies and into the bill-room as usual, the constables pleading that they were acting under orders, which at length were traced to Major Campbell, clerk of Parliament. Prompt representations were made, however, to the Chairman of both House Committees, Mr. Bunny and Captain Baillie, who instantly disclaimed all responsibility for the offensive interference, and direcitb immediate and total discontinuance. The officious clerk was very severely snubbed.

Mr. Rolleston presented a petition to the House of Representatives, signed by the Most Reverend the Primate of New Zealand as president of the General Synod of the Church of England, representing that any fully satisfactory measure for education Dy the State should contain provisions for grants in aid being made to schools set on foot by any religious denomination, provided that the attendance and secular instruction in such schools shall come up to the required standards, and satisfy the Government inspectors. The petitioners further urge that the Education Act should be so amended that provision be made for the communication of religious instruction by ministers of religion or persons duly authorised by them to the children belonging to their respective communions within school hours. It is prayed that effect may be given to these recommendations.

The Hon. Walter Johnson, intends going in largely for "entertaining " this session. He has now attached to his residence a magnificent ball-room, said to be the largest in Wellington.

The Governor's ball takes place on Wednesday, July 13th. The fourth report of the Friendly Societies of New Zealand haa been laid on the table. The registrar aays that much delay has arisen in the completion of the compilation of the statistical tables of 1879 on account of the difficulty experienced in obtaining returns from some of the societies. The custom frequently adopted of appointing as officers of societies persons ignorant of any system or principles of bookkeeping, and who perform their duties in a most cart>l«ss manner, has rendered it very difficult, and in some cases impossible, to obtain accurate returns of accounts, or correct information as to facts that should be on record and that serve as data for acturial valuations and for the compilation of important statistical tables. The correspondence entailed 'upon the department in consequence of such negligence, and al«o in the eflort to enforce compliance with the provisions of the Act, has been considerable. The registrar has felt it his duty to institute three several prosecutions for neglect in not having furnished returns after repeated applications.