THE COLONIST. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNINGWEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1913. SUMMARY NOTES.

Colonist, Volume LV, Issue 13843, 15 October 1913, Page 4

THE COLONIST. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNINGWEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1913. SUMMARY NOTES.

Parliament. Parliament continues to make painfully slow progress, and it is evident that; if the Government intends to place on the Statute Book a considerable proportion of the legislati«n it proposes, the session must be extended a good deal beyond the ordinary limits, or late hours must become the rule. The Opposition is up in arms against the tendency in the latter direction, and as it has given more than one proof of its ability to enforce compliance with reasonable conditions, the Government is not likely to put it to a further tost if it can be avoided. Last month an attempt on the part of the Government to force certain classes of the Consolidated Estimates through in the absence of the official reports, was responsible for a "stonewall," which the Opposition maintained for several days until the Government was constrained to return to constitutional procedure. At the end of last week a similar impasse appeared to bo developing in consequonce of Mr Massey's apparent determination on Friday night to rush the Land Bill through committee at one sitting. The Liberals took particular exception to one clause affecting the leases of Hauraki mining lands, giving tho holders of licenses in respect of pastoral i land in that district the right of conversion to freehold. The member for tho district, Mr T. W. Rhodes, moved an amendment to this clause making the land subject to the Mining Act, and all fees, royalties and rents payable to tho owners of tho freehold upon conversion of the licenses. The Government accepted tho amendment. It appeared that Mr Rhodes himself was :i licensee, and the Liberals held up the amendment until it was eventually ruled but by the Speaker as an appropriation clause, which cannot be introduced by a "private member. The Prime Minister thereupon announced that he would introduce the substance of the amendment by Governor's message. He offered to postpone the obnoxious clause, but as he refused to report progress the stonewall was sustained until midnight on Saturday. The debate was resumed on Monday, when tho Prime Minister met the House to the extent of promising to report .progress after a reasonable amount of business had been done, and the stonewall w»s accordingly suspended. Tho Industrial Conciliation and' Arbitration Bill, one clause of which brings unregistered as well as registered bodies of workers tinj der new provisions for the prevention of strikes, has had a very hostile .reception from the labour organisations, and promises to consume much time in committee. Other important policy' measures have not yet made their Appearance. The Legislative Council ■fro.-/ jected the Bill to make the p^per House elective, and it is not likelj/thai the Government will proceed-fjirthcr with its proposals in this direction during the present session. Sir Hall-Jones, the 'ox-High Commissioner and a veteran of Mr Seddon's and Sir Joseph Ward's Administrations, has been called to the Council, a graceful act on the part of Mr/Massey which has met with general approval.

a few days. In 1889 he again accepted Cabinet rank as Colonial Secretary, Minister of Defence, and Minister of | Justice; remaining in office until-1891, I when Mr Ballance came into power. Shortly afterwards he became Leader of the Opposition, retaining that position for a number of years while Mr Seddon was Prime Minister, and retiring in 1903. During the whole of his long connection with Parliamentary life Sir William Russell earned and retained the respect and friendship of his fellow members of all parties by the admirable personal qualities he always displayed, and the news of his death was received with general and deep regret. Appropriate tributes were paid to his memory in Parliament, and the funeral, which took place at Napier, was attended by a very large and representative gathering. Sir William Russell had only a few months ago been called to the Legislative Council. Another Wreck. Still another fine vessel has been added to the number which have come to grief upon the New Zealand coast within the last year or so. The latest victim was the Tyrone, formerly known as the Drayton Grange, a liner of 6664 tons, which was recently purchased by the Union Steam Ship Company. Early on the morning of September 27th, while making the entrance at Otago Heads, she ran ashore on Wahino Point, becoming at once immovably fixed on the rocks, where she lies a total loss. A dense fog obscured the land at the time of the mishap. Fortunately tho wreck was not accompanied by loss j of life, all on board being got off with-! out much difficulty. The customary j Court of Inquiry investigated the circumstances surrounding the casualty! at Dunedin, and its finding, which was announced this week, is to the effect that tho disaster was due to the vessel's speed being accelerated considerably beyond that indicated by the log, by an unusually strong current, together with the untoward weather conditions prevailing at the time. The captain and officers were exonerated, and their certificates returned. A few days prior to the wreck of the Tyrone, the Norwegian barque Okta, with a cargo of timber, struck a rock while entering | the Bluff harbour, and sank. The; Tyrone is the third ocean liner to be lost! in New Zealand waters recently. About fifteen months ago the Tyser steamer Star of Canada became stranded off Gisborne, becoming a total loss, and shortly before the Tyrone disaster the Federal-Houlder-Shire liner Devon was' totally wrecked at Pencarrow Head ' Besides these heavy losses, the Indrabarah, also a Tyser linor, went ashore on the Rangitikei beach a few months! ago, but was refloated after remaining! fast for some months. j

Vice-Regal Visit.

I Their Excellencies the Governor and Lady Liverpool paid their first visit to Nelson on September ,22nd, when they were greeted with a. very warm demonstration of welcome and loyalty. There was a large influx of country residents for the occasion, and the official welcome, at the Church Steps and presentation of an address were witnessed by a very large crowd. Subsequently Lord Liverpool performed tho ceremony of opening tho massive granite steps giving access to the top of the Church Hill, which through the generosity of Mr Thomas Cawthron have taken the place of tho unsightly wooden stepway which did duty for many years. The donor of tin's .splendid acquisition to the city was present on the occasion, and formally handed the steps over to the civic authorities, receiving an enthusiastic ovation. Later in the day Lord and Lady Liverpool visited the colleges and public institutions, and were taken for a motor trip through the Waimea district. In the afternoon their Excellencies were the guests of the Nelson Rugby Union and its sub-unions at a representative football match at Trafalgar Park.