PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9865, 6 October 1903, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

(From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. In the House last evening the Military Pensions Act Amendment Bill was read ! a second time, and tlie Legitimation Act Amendment, interpretation Act Amendment, Intestate Estates, Commissioners, and Native Townships Bills passed . final stages. Tlie Wellington Employers' Association have decided to appose the Labor Department Bill as being unnecessary and inquisitive. Many experienced parliamentarians with whose judgment, I am inclined to concur declare it impossible to bring the session to a close m t?me for the Canterbury carnival week as the Premier desires. In. the House tliis afternoon Mr Arnold gave notice to ask the Premier whether he liad received the Canterbury Journalist Union of Workers' series of resolutions re the reoent breaches of privilege, ■protesting against the Premiers statement to tlie effect that repprters are m the press gallery of the House at tlie pleasure of the House, aiid particularly objecting to the threat of disqualification m the event of future refusal of any reEirter to divulge to a Committee of dhe ouse the source of information he has recived and made use of, which may be considered a breach of tlie privileges of the House. The member for, Dunedin wants to know if the Government will ! set up a joint Committee to report on the question of placing the status of Parliamentary reporters on a more satisfactory basis than now exists.

The Commerce Extension Committee had under examination the whole of the forenoon Mr Jameson, secretary of the Flourmillers' Association, m connection with Mr Taylor's charge that a flourmillers' combine existed. The Committee have decided to examine six witnesses on each side.

The Petitions Committee will to-day report re the State Bank petition, recommending that .the State should have an interest m the Bank of New. Zealand m proportion, to its guarantee.