Friday's Business.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 158, 26 June 1886, Page 5

Friday's Business.

Mk T. Thompson, who has for bomo time been endeavouring to induce the Government to provide increased accommodation at the Whau Lunatic Asylum, received, a letter from Auckland yesterday, in which the writer says : —" You can imagine the

etate of the place when we inform you that it is necessary to whitewash some of the* rooms daily." Mr Thompson immediately saw the Hon. Mr Tole, who assured bin* that the vote for this work was actually on the Estimates. He also eaid he would be> surprised if it were tound that patients were not already moved to the Old Men'a Refuge. ;

Proposed Railway Districts. Mr Dargaville gave notice of the following motionjyeeterday:— "Tbat,in the opinion of this House, the Districts 10 be specially benefited by the proposed extension of the Otago Central Kail way and North of Auckland (Kaukapakapa to Bay of Islands) Railways should respectively be constituted separate railway districts, and the control of the waste lands of the Crown within such, diatrictsandproceedsofsaleorleaeingofsuch. lands should be vested in the incorporated local bodies, one for each of such districts j such local bodies, or boards of work?, to be elected by tae district ratepayers, and to be empowered to cell their lands in England or elsewhere, for settlement only, in limited areas; to introduce immigration for the purposes of settlement on their lands ; to levy rates ; and to be charged with the construction of the proposed railways within their respective districts. Such boards to be precluded from borrowing, except with the consent of the ratepayers and of Parliament, to be specially obtained in each, instance. ' The Government are perpetuating the system of naming their fortifications afterMinisters. On Saturday one ol the forts at Kaiwarara wag christened "Fort Buckley" in the presence of the Governor and two members of the Cabinet. Pressure is being brought to bear by the rival parties supporting the Wanganui and Taranaki Harbour Rating Bills'; the former body seeks to borrow £60,000, and the latter £100,000. A sum of £200,000 has already been spent on Taranaki harbour.

Otago Auckland Coalition. The "Titneß" hints at a probable coalition of the Auckland and Otago members to compel tho Government to agree to the construction of the North Auckland and Otago Central lines by syndicate, otherwise they will oppose the Midland Railway Bill, Such a coalition is not contemplated, and as a matter of fact a large number of Auckland membeis are opposed in principle to the system of giving lands for the construction of lines Several members, I know, are anxiou.s to form such a

coalition^ Later. It now transpires that the rumour of a, probable Auckland— Otago coalition originated in a conversation which two or three members had on the subject. The matter was not laid before either party, and it is believed that the majority of both would oppose it.

Military Land Grants. Mr Moss having received several letters respecting military land gran*e, informs me that air George Grey has already done all that could be done in the matter, which now rests with the Government. They have promised to bring the subject before tho Waste Lands Committee in a day or U\o, Nothing more can be done until the Committee report*. Sir George Grey is not a member ol the Committee.

Military and Navnl Claims. At. the Wrxftte Lands Committee to day> tho. Minister tor Lands moved for the appointment of a Committee consisting of Mp>sTfl Fulton and Bruce, to be as-Uted by Alajor Gudgeon, to furl her investigate claims of old .soldier?. This wa* met by an amendment by Mr Rollefiton that the Commisteo do not see any leason to recommend tho Legu-latuie to reopen the Cdte ol the claims ot nival and military settler-, and is of opinion that such claims, if entertained at all, fchould, in thcfin-l instance, be inquired ino and reported by Goveinnieut. A long and animated discu^ion resulted in the amendment being caiiied, on division, bv 6 to I. Tho wnolc ot the member? were present and took pirt except Ormom.il. Ex-Judge Fenxon's Petition, Sir Georcc Grey has telegurphed to Ex-, .lud^o Fen Con thv-t the* Committee, to consider his pctmou, mec-t on th-> 30th inst. Grimivnl Code Bill. Mr Tole i* going to pu*b on the Criminal Cede Bill at 01,00, receiving tue twenty neu ulausc^ piopoved tni committal of the mcanue on Juno 29th. Representation and Retrenchment. The nil abtoibiuu; topic ot lr.teie^t just now i« iho lepn rent-uiun que-uon. and speculation is t'fo os to the intention* of ihe Government on the matter. The Cabinet ioi a couple of hours yesterday afternoon, but adjourned without juming to any conclusion, and there is to be ciuother nioer<ii>g to-day to further considci tho mitto.. It" i-, ;m open fceciet that tho L'renm-r d'snr>«* to boldly lace rhe qaestion at nice, .aid v,ouM Hbo as a first Hep fowaids ieai retienchment to 1 educe tho number of nvm'ieis by one htrh ; but hi^ colleague-- are disinclined Lo muvo till novt cetf-ion. and several (Government pupparters are urging that to take the matter in hand now would prottacfclhe se-eion needlessly. The announcement as to the intentions of Mmii-tere. will be made ci her this afternoon or to-night, but meanwhile mumbers are actively on the t)in are to ascertain in what direction these will be It hns been detiniUly decided that the Public Woiks Statement; shall be brought down at the end of his week. The Waste Lands Committee have daeided to recommend the Government tQ waive- all technicalities iv dealing with the Volunteer land cl urns. It id quite on th« card* that the Ministerial announcement will be to the effect that the que-Mon will bo dealt with, during ihe nee??. Iv that event, a nonpoliticxl board w ill be appointed for the purpose of readjusting th-d boundatieb of electorates LAThR (noon). The Cabinet meet at 130 to consider tho question. Ministers are rather undecided v hUher to ptopo-»e: (1) A boaid adjustment, or (2) to boldly adjust thompelves ledur-tng the membecs by 30 (to one tor e%eiy ten tKou=and), or {2y ask tor a nos-lponnnent ot the bill til next session in order to get full mrormarion for adjusting. Thesec ji d piop.^al, w htch cer'ai'ily hay an air of boldness to commend it, is fcuppotWl, i undpiot.md, bv Mr Tole and Sir li Stour, and wor.iir, carried, would mean a s-aving of l"0 000 1 year, Hk real stop towaid^ ictjenchmeur. It the> Govo»omont have the coufa^e to Cv-)m« down and pay "theie ate your m^ps with GO electoial district?," tlmio is pure to ba a protracted fijiht. but no doubt a majority of the House would support them. The 33sst Coast Settlement Schema. Mr W. f.. Kees is heie in the interest of the Eu-t Coapt Land Company. His object is to get the law amended to enable the. Company to piocsed with their scheme foe settling tho East Coast District. He says the Company could acquire C>ol\ooo acres ofgood land from the Government and private individual?, and he proposes to go Home and arrange for special settlement organisers to take the land and place people upon it. He saj s that people already here, would also bo at libeity to join in thesettffc-* menta.