Parliament & Politics.

Colonist, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5896, 1 September 1890, Page 3

Parliament & Politics.

(By Telegraph.) Ll?hoh Oub Own Corbespondeht,] Wjf lington, August 29 Aa bearing on the politics of ihe time, the strike is rapidly taking first place, end every little incident connected with it is discussed with interest amongst the members. One of thesa was the departure today of the Takapuna for South. The wbarf wasorowded, and there was a email posse of Police in front of the crowd. All wera good humored. There was a good deal of chaff between ihe Unionists, the clerks, and office men at work in handling quarters oi beef and other articles. On deok there were few of the newly shipped new men to be seen. The captain and officers in uniform were pulling as the hawsers and getting the steamer away from the wharf when the old crew made their ap. pearanoe from the foreoa3tle, and. afraid of finding themselves at sea, they threw among the crowd their bsg3 of clothing and boxes, and jnmped quickly to the wharf. To me they looked sad but resolute, and no sign of excited feeling wa9 shown on any Bide. The ship bsgan to move, whea suddenly a small torrent of water gashed from the escape jripe at the sida, drenohing all within its reach. The Police got tha largest share, but took tue joke good humoredly. The crowd laughed, and thus merrily did the Takapuna go her way. It is now eaid that the gentlemen dieised and passing off as passengers w^re really the non-unionists shipped in that gmse at Nelson. If so. you will know batter than we can here. Later on in the day the strike oame before tbe House in coDnsotion with telegrams from Greymomh to seme of the members, complaining that the railway authorities had ordered plate layers to discharge coal from one of tho Company's steamer. The men objected, as it was not their work but that of lumpers, and the result was their suspension. There was strong speaking against tbi3 bs oruel to the m^n and unfair as fore iag them into the strike against their will, or the necessities of the case. The Government were pressed upon ih9 point, and replied that they wou<d look into it, and see that neutrality was preserved so far as the railways were concerned. Their attention was also drawn to a telegram from Australia, that the mine proprietors had resolved not ' to sappy any steamers with coal where the ] owners refused to jsin the Colliery Owners Association, as there are the Jubilee and other steamers free from this combination. The Unionists also expect si earners. This prohibition was regarded as imp- r;ant. The colliery owners were held to be only trustees of public property, and if they refused coal on the alleged ground, the Government was urged to interfere and to run steamers of their own to save the public from the unnecessary trouble and suffering from this cause. _ This waa suggested by Mr RLss, and met with favor from several members but dissent from others. Ec was asked how the ptsomers could be manned, and answered that he presumed it could easily be done by applying to tbe Maritime Council. The management of the Publio Trust Office also oecupiad some time to-d*y. The member for Kumara brought it up, and was strongly backed by the member for Motueka. Each of them mentioned cases in which great objection was made to the machine and routine spirit in whioh tha work was done, leading to delay, iujnry, and needlessly great cost. A Royal Commission was asked for and strongly supported also by Mr Samuel, who spoke ef the difference between management by officials and by persons aoticg in sympathy with thoee whose .trusts they administered. There is an increasing number who think that this office should be abolished, and the work done by companies with proper capital to guarantee the performance of their duties, and working under Government in. spection. Saoh companies in each town, knowing the people for whom it acted, and known by them, would be successful here as in other colonies in which they do great .good and pay the shareholders remarkably well. The management of Native lands by this office was one of tbe points on whioh the member for Motueka laid great weight, and which therefore I judge to be a-q.uestion of interestamengyour readers. After this oame a Ion; discussion over the Goldfielda Committee, and over the case of George Mansfield and others seeking compensation for sufferings and los 3 oauaed by the catastrophe at the Kumara sludge channel. It wouid take too muoh space to report this, but the essence of the matter is, that the Committee attribute the accident to the neglect of Government agents, and consider the minera are entitled to compensation. The disoussicn in the House seemed to be an ebullition of party and personal feeling rather than an impartial consideration of tho oase.