GENERAL.

Southland Times, Issue 14712, 3 August 1900, Page 3

GENERAL.

Judging by what took place at tbe Opposition korero last night, it is evident that Mr Geo. Hutobi.on, while continuing to keep his seat, is not likely to take farther part in parliamentary deliberations ; in other words, is merely holding the fort because, were he to resign, the Patea electorate would be captured by a Government supporter. The party met to make a presentation of a handsome silver salver, bearing the inscription : " Geo. Hutchison, E?q , M.H.R-, from his comrades. N.Z. Parliament, July, 1900." Captain Russell, who acted as spokesmen, said tbey looked forward to a day when, whether Mr Hutchison game baok to Parliament or not, he would return once more to New Zealand and foregather with his old comrades of the Opposition. Mr Hutchison, in reply, said he was going next week to the Transvaal, and in doing so he would sooner or later have to •ever his connection with tbis Parliament. He was very sorry iv some respeots that that step had to be taken. It might almost seem like deserting one. friends, bnt he a* sured tbem it was not from any feeling of that kind that he was going. There was a unique 'opportunity in South Africa, be believed, for such as himself, but that would not have induced bim to make tbe change were it not that he was convinced that, for a time at least, the fortunes of the Opposition were not likely to be in the ascendant. It appeared to him as if the majority of the electors of the colony had really forgotten themselves. He would not believe that most of them sympathised with this corrupt administration, but evidently t.he majority of them were content to forbear from anything like determined opposition, and it Beemed to bim the Government would be allowed to " dree their weird" by administering and legislating very muoh as they liked. He trusted tbat when he returned the members of the Opposition would be largely augmented, for he believed that the people would eventually come to ace that a change waa not only desirable but imperative, and ha trusted that might be within tbe nest three year, from sow. Pomahaka Downs settler., to the number of 17, are again petitioning the Houae through Mr J. W. Thomson for a reduction of their rentals. They say that owing to indifferent returns from the land they have ?;ot in arrears with, their rents, that their eases have been forfeited and that they have received notioe from the Land Board to give up possession. During the past year 42 permits for raffias for church purposes were issued. Of these she Church of England received 13 and Catholic Churohes 29. Last year 154 totalisator permits were issued, involving 278 days' racing, and the State tax totalled £16,011. While the Treasurer reoeives Buch a welcome addition to the surplus there is little hope of the abolition of the totalisator being within measurable distance, Under the Stock Act Amendment Aot, 1898, a horse, three sheep, 500 swine and 2907 oftttle were destroyed by order of the Stock Inspectors as diseased, the compensation paid totalling £5157, but £827 was reoeived by the Government from the sale of tbe carcases of the animals destroyed. A NBW LIBEL BILL. Mr George Fisher, who strongly opposed the Libel Bill introduced by Mr Carnoross, has brought in a bill of his own, and this afternoon ft was read a first time. He explained its provisions in a lengthy speech, remarking tbat tbe measure was no .ham, bat woala provide completely against any ohance of libel in the future. He went on to complain of the way in which be had been reported in the Dunedin Star in hie speech oa Mr Oarncross' Libel Bui and said that what • ha objected to was the innuendo— the oblique blat— and be proposed in his bill tbat in

suoh cases th^re should be some civil pro cadure open to the person aggrieved anc tllat the penalty reooverab'e should be a fin< up tj £10. He proposed fcr he -that where a community was libelled the csal authority fhould be empowered to bring a civil action ag-inet the liballer and that the court should have power to impose a similar penalty, and that if a newspaper published any scandals arising out of court proceedings heard in camera it should be liable to be civily prorecuted and liable to a fine net excediog £10. Another olause in his bill provided that not later than two days after the attention of the defendant has been directsd to the publication of an injurious or defamatory statement he shall, if requested to do so, by the pf non injuriously effected, sur>je_t to a penalty in csne of refusal of £10, and not e_ceeding£2o, publish in an equally prominent part of the p>per an answer, denial or explanation of the injurious or defamatory statement. He hoped that clause, if no other, would ba agreed to by the House. He also proposed that wl er a lib-1 appeared in a letter from a correspondent the defendant should be obliged to give the true name of the writer of the letter.