PARLIAMENTARY. Wellington, August 27, to 28.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 295, 1 September 1888, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY. Wellington, August 27, to 28.

THE COOK STRAIT CABLE. I> T considering the vote of <.b,X}QO for the repair of the Cook Strait cable en SaUuday morning. the Pr-mier stated in answer to ~Mv Peacock thatthe onoinal cable !.iid "many years ago wa*> in as gooci condition as when iaid down. 11 was a wonderful cable. Di. Newman said the llinemoa wa* used on one occasion to pick up the cable, and ho asked why the expense of biinj^intr a steamer from a great distance should have been mcurrecf. 1 " The I'remiei 1 explained that the Hinemoa was once employed to lift n cable in shallow water under iavourable circumstances, bub on the recent occasion tho work could not ha\e been done without elaborate apparatus and skilled men.

MEMBERS' BAIMVAY PASSES. The gold j cnclant railway passes w Inch adorn the watch chains of member'? of tic Legislatuie ha\ c been the su hjccl of «i ccood deal of lidicule in-ide and outbids- oi L'ailiamentary wall.-. Thi* session these baubles, as they "have been termed by the member for Sydenhani, ha\c cost tlie colony no less than £220. When the vote was leauhed in the Supplementary E>timated on Satiu--day morning Mr R.- Thompson, iv a lit of -economic zeal, moved that the ite.n be struck out, and that members bo alkn\ cd to pay for thtir own passCb. He was quite Milliner to pay for his, and he belio\ed thai other membois do likuwite. JNir Levesbram- declined, tor one, to pay ior his .medal, which was the most; miserable thins? he had ever seen. The motion was lo?t by 25 to 15.

MONEY BILLS THROWN OUT. Being unable to amend the District Railways Purchasing Amendment Act — it being a money Bill - the Council ha\ c laid it aside. They have also thrown out ihe'Spicial Contracts Bill dealing- with the purchase of .-ite from Mr Kissling, at Auckland.

MONDAY'S SITTIXU,. . 'PonßO-anet.sabH eie,\en a m. to-day, .vwhex»»Mr~Joyce-ga\e notice to a>k Lhc Defence Minister if men of the Permanent Ai'tilleiy and police force who ha\e served fourteen years and upwaids are entitled to long-service and good-conduct medals ; and if so, will he gi\e instructions that this regulafcio-n be speedily pub in force .' Mr Barron intimated his intention o r asking the Government to-moirow if befoio sanctioning the construction of a tunnel at Purakanui or agreeing to any de\iation of the railway line between JHmedin anri Waiteti, they will give lull considemtinn to a route by KaiUoiai Valley. • On the Premier's motion the Committee appointed to search the records of the LegislativeCounciltoasceitain thefateofthe District Railways Amendment Bill and the Naval and Military Settlers Bill had'leaVe granted to sit dm ing the meeting of the House. Consider -it ion of the amendments made by the Council on the natn c Bills has been fixed for 7.30 to-night.

SURVEYS OF NEW ZEALAND. A report on the surveys of the colony by the Surveyor-General was presented to Parliament last ni^hb. lJurin.EC the year 118 miles of cart load weic formed. In the opening up of Crown lands for sale, 73 miles of bridle track were formed. 63 miles felled and cleaied, and 78 \ miles maintained, at a cost of t'61,670. }Jr McKerrow leports : '"• I ha\e to express regret al the iecent reductions made in Lhe" Department, whereby the ser\ ices of thirteen surveyors' and ten draughtsmen weie dispensed -with, from no fault of their own but because of less work in several landdistricts, and partly in compliance -with the instruction to reduce expendituie. Within the last two months four young- ?ui \eyois, trained in the Department at»d highly qualified, resigned their appointment?, after a service of fiom fi\e to eijrlit yeais each. The strength of the Department now stands at sixt3 r surveyors, sixty-five draughtsmen, and eight accountants and clerks."

THE INCIDENCE OF TAXATION". • In deference to the complaints made by Sir Georjre Grey and other mcmbeis about the difficulty of finding- an opportunity for . the . consideration, of the question of the ■ property tax* versus a land and income tax, the Piemier has pledged himself to set apart a day next session for the dit> cus&ion of the matter as &uon after tlic delivery of the Financial Statement as 1 possible.

LABOUR SETTLEMENTS. :': ' In accordance ■with a promise made eaily on. Saturday the Premier yesteidav afternoon brought up for recon^idci ai ion the vote of £10,000 passed on the Supplemental y Estimates for the pvucha&e of lands Jui sale in small block?-, ior-the purnose of establishing >aboui settlements. Sciong objection wa& offered to the idea ot affirming a new principle of settlement in a manner which \\ ould pi event the Legislative Council irom faiily di?eu&-iny it. The \ote was proposed at the instance of Major Stew aid and obliei membei -> who had waited on the Government and asked themtoplacea small sum on theestimatc- foi the purpose of giving the labour settlement proposal a trial. It wa-s denounced by Sir George Grey, who said the object was to aid large land-owneis in .selling their propeily in small areas. The Premier defended the .vote, but admitted that there was agieat deal ot lorce in wbab had fallen from the opponents of the proposal. When the matter wan looked into, howevei, it amounted to this, that lion, members ware afraid to trust the Government, fearing that the temptation placed before them ,in making the land purchases would be too great, or else they wished to protect the Government. Hu was- vei y much obliged to those hon. gentlemen who were afi aid of putting the Government in a false position. The Government recognised; in proposing this vote, that they opened the door to accusations of a grave chaiacter being levelled against, them, but in view of the state of the country they decided to lisk that and a&k that the vote be agreed to. The reason why Government proposed the vote was this : They were v aiteel on by a very laige deputation consisting 1 oi members from both sides of the House, and with a practical knowledge of the requirements of the country, who repiesented that tins was a crying want — that large numbers of our best settlers were" leaving, and that if some such proposal as this were given effect to, many of .such settlers would be inclined to stay. He confessed that he was convinced by the arguments of the deputation, and therefore he was prepared to accept the odium of proposing the vote. If the Houso chose to throw it out, well and good. If it were re tamed, he believed it would, be the means 1 of retaining a large number ot settlei.s who would go away otherwise. Despite this -appeal, the Committee negatived the vote by 32 t0,, 30, and thus reversed their prc- • vions decision.

\ CLEARING THE ORDER TAPER. A very satisfactory day's business has 1° be recorded. Yebterday members showed every desire to gel the remaining Bills disposed of, so thai the prorogation can 'take place as speedily *as possible. In the House „ the Local Bodies

Amendment Bill and the Uovennnent Life Insurance Bill . were read, a third time. The Pioperty Tax Bill was passed through its final stages. The Koad Boards Ace Amendment Bill was read a second lirno aud iLh committal iixed fof tomorrow, and the Appiopriation Bill was inUoduoed and read a hocond time. Very lifctle business now rcuiun^ to be done.

SYDNEY TAIWrfANGA'B ATTITUDE. ]t was undci-otood that J\!r Tniwlmnga and his fiiendb, who so vigorously obstructed the imthc Hills A\hen in then ecu uer ?ta^eb, intended to resume .stonewalling hiM, nj{ihb w!\en the timendincntb made by 1 lie Lcjrisl.ilh c Council came before the House. Tliia*, liowevei-, pioved not to be the case. Mr Taiwhanga spuke at sonio lenjjth^ expre^siu<i hio willingness if ntccs&aiy to ijo into a liery oven like Shadiacli, Me.shaeh and Ahedneoo, in the inbereet of his JMaoii people, but finally contented himselr with enteiing hig piote^l. against the Biile.

THE CHINESE QUESTION. The Council ha\e api'ced to a ino^aii^o from the IToiue oi Hepic-eulafcive^ forahec conlerence on llic Chinese Immigration .- ci, Amendment Bill. The Jlon. Sir Y. Whifcakoi 1 , 8. E. Shim)j-ki, R. Pluu-axyn, and G. M. \Yatcihonse,voicappoxntGci mana^ois to meet managers fioni the oLhoi CJmuuljci at 10.30 tins morning.

NATIVE BILLi?. The ll ou.-*o ha-> agreed on tao Premiers motion to accept tiie amendments made in the Nalho Land Bill and Real Estate Bill, but protects were entered itjaiust the ivitt\e policy ot the (.Jovornment by Sir U. Ciey, Messrs Carroll, Tai.vhanga, Taipua, and otbou. Tlie JMaon mt-mbci-. expie^^cd ! egret that fclio mo,i^t:ied had not been delased till ,iilev the Waitaii^i meetiny in .Mrti'clj next, in answer io a question, the Premier promised that if the bilh did not unei^e tiom the House in a fomi which tin, (in'or.imcnt eoiiMdcieti achanta^eous to tlio I'ountiy, he i\ ould lecommend the CJcnetiimuit to cii^-ailo^th-m. Cet rain' amendme'nt:^ made in 'lue '!N"ati\''o X »nd Puv.'cl^ l J ievcn\ion v\el v ere di^agieecl with, and the Hoc. Mes--i-> Bcdlanee, Hir-l p, i\fitehel-on and Majoi Jackson were appointed a committee to draw up leasons for dipaeveeinc m the ca^e or tin's Bill and the Native Land (Joints* Bill.

TUBLiC WORKS SjMTEKENT. It was uigecl upon the (lovcrnmcnt last night by the Hon. 11. .Richardson that the Public Works Statement ou^bb in fuluic to be brought clow n at an earlier j stage of tho "-cation chan w.is the > case this year. On this occasion, lie said, it hatl been absolutely impossible to jjive the mailer i>roper consideration. The Piemier agreed A\iiu'n the lion, gentleman s remarks, and said that he hoped next be=;siou to biing down the Staiemct at a I ver} much eailiei date chan this yeai. I

TAXTNU A BSENTHES. Tho Premier ccc*>c cc*> no reason whatever why absentee laud-owner^ should not be subject lo additional tax, but thinks it wouM not be fair to tako action !sucluonly and without duo notice. Howc\ei, liiTpiesciiu statement nn^hfc be taken a& a rea-on-able naming, .-o that it woakl bo quite competent to cake actioj\ next be^sion. The Government will ivuefully coiif-idcr the matter during the reeebrf.

NAVAL AXP MILITARY .SETTLEUfcT CLAIMS. Thl Cabinet have decided not to resuscitate the di-Uict lailway- imrclwMng 1 question this bJi&ion, but the Juival and Military Settlers B\ 1 will lie le-inuoduccri, with tho tvcitiuii ot the clau^o nppoiiifcins^ a Coinmis&ion to consider further clainio, and leuxinp: out some objectionable names from tho schedule.

OUR iIINEKAL EXHIBITS. Inspector (lorclon, of the Mines Dopartmcnt, lea\es for Melbourne shortly to take charge of theXesv Zealand mineral exhibits at the Centennial Exhibition.

THE CLOSE OF THE SESSION. The Hou-se met at II a.m. to-day. TT e Piemiei, in answer to Air Lance, said h e did not sec bis wn/y at piesenl to annount, 0 definitely when the pioiogafcion v, ould take place. That depended on the free conferences now beiny held ; bufc othen\i-c he baw no re i -on why the bitMne^s should not be finished caily this afternoon.

THE UOTvAU I AND CLAIMS. Mr Ilorigkinson pie-s-ed on the Premier the necessity for bunging in a Bill this se-< f-ion to »ive relief to Mr .lonhuu Jone-, of Mokau. His claims had been faAourably reported on by the local Commission, and unless immediate relief weie atioided he mi^-lit lote hi& piopert\. bir H. Atkincon auicl ho hoped to be aide to biinsf in a Bill this session. The ditficults was in arranging teini^ v. ich Jones, who had already -ent m a lou^h diafl of a measure wnicli was not sati-iactory. AnoLhci Bill had since been piopoted b}- 2.1 i Jone^' soliciU)!-, and warf unciei 1 the consideration ot the C.ibinefc.

POINT RESOLUTION AKFAJJU. I

COMMISSION OF INQUIRY, feir Gcoi^e C ! iey icminded the Picmiei of his piouUits Lo announce Lo clay whclhcr lie would appoint a Royal Commission into the twuK action re Point Resolution. Sir H. Atkin-on lcplied that if he wetc .«abi&iied that im thei 1 facts would he difcdo.-^ed he would appoint a commi-^ion. Sir Cleorgc Giey .said it was important to have the evidence of the trustees and of Mr Kis-jlinjr, and such c>ainination could only take place at Auckland. The L'lemiei : "I think that irf a point. The Government will appoint a comun&sion "

PRESENTATION TO AIR LAUNCH. The illuminated ad~lre?s to Mr Larnacb, juepared by the mintrs of Thames district, \tas> ijrefcented to the hon. gentleman by Colonel JbYaser and Mi Culmnn in the lobby of the lfou&e fco-day in the piesencc of u considerable numboi 1 ot lnembeit.

AX EDUCATION JOB THWAUTEJ) Most of the forenoon sitting wa? occupied | with local Bills. Strong opposition to the Wellington School of Design JJill was shown Ly Messrs Samuel, R. Thompson, Goldie and Fish. The latter, in moving to report p;ogress, said that tho Education Board desired to divert oidinary revenue applicable lo primary education to purchasing a building to cost £4.000. He regarded thio as one of tho mo.st pernicious attempts to peivcrt funds belonging to primary education ever attempted within the walls ot the House. Those supporting fie Bill pointed out (hat the Educat on Board intended using the building lor ofhee purposes thus having the rent ot £250 a year now being paid. Mr Beetham, ab a member ot the Education Board, assured the House that no local swindle was being tried. The Board Mere anxious to conserve piinwiy education and at the same time assist technical education. Dr. JTjtchett counselled the friends oi the Bill to .succumb to the inevitableand accept amendments otherwise the measure would bestonowalled and a day wasted. The piopos.il Avas clearly an effort to devote funds for primary education to the purposes of

inccondary; , education. ,6a a clivibion being, t taken-*" twenty-'oighb c votes wotc recorded on either side, and with a \ iovv to allowing further consideration the C'liainnau voted against reporting proo'iess. The Minister ot Education, u:ho in charge of the Bill, however, said that as there was a strong feeling agaw&t proceeding fmthot, he had agiecd with his Iriends thai the Bill should bo w ithdiaw n and intioduccd at an early flage next session.

GISI3OKNE HARBOUR BOARD BILL This measure was passed through the final stages.