HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8509, 27 June 1889, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wednesday, June 26. — The House met at 2 30 p m.

• In replying to questions the MinisteT Stated that they intended to iotroduce a bill to protect tbe wages of mechanics and others on the lines of tbe mechanics' lien laws of America ; that the Advances made to tbe New Plymouth Harbor Boa -J were secured by accr ring land fund and rates. Part of the advances had been repaid, and it was expeoted the wholo amount of advance would be repaid by September. The Government had acted on the advioe of its law officers before making advances.

Mr Fisher moved for (tbe production of copies of all correspondence between tbe Governor, the late vice-consul for Frcnoe, and the late member for Eden relative to the escape of the convict Gaspaiini, which was agreed to. Mr Hislop moved to introduce the Hospital and Charitable Aid Bill, which would hand over the administration o2 charitable aid to local bodies. The Government had first intended to have some mch body as a Charitable Aid Board, but thought that such a body would not be sufficiently representative, and had substituted one which he believed would be representative. The Government intended to contribute so much per patient, instead of pound for pound as formerly. The bill was read a first time, and the second reading was fixed for Friday week. The Premier intimated that be would take the financial debate on the sccouH reading of the Property Assessment Bill, which he proposed to bring down nex': week. Tbe House went into Committee of Supply, and adjourned till 7.30 p.m. for' discussion of toe Estimates, und on resuming the following voles were passed : — Legislative Council : Salaries and other chargeß, £1550. House of Representatives', salaries and other charges, £4087; General Assembly, salaries und other charges, £8693; Colonial Secretary 'b Office, salaries £2075 ; Ministers' Private Secretaries, salaries £750 ; Messengers and Officekeepers, salaries £4021 ; Electoral Department, salaries £900. Wjen the item, Audit Office, salaries £6215, oame on Mr Saunders moved that the vote be stiuck out. Mr Hislop moved to report progress. The House rose at 10.30 p.m.

The last of the Taranaki rifles lost' at Wanganui at Easter has, Bays the Herald, been found at tha rifle range and forwarded to New Plymouth. It was very rmty when discovered . London Truth hue some unkind remarks about the New Zealand Episcopacy. It says :—": — " New Zealand Churchmen have just eleoted a new Primate in place of Bishop Harper, and they have chosen Bishop Had field, of Wellington, who, after Dr. llurper, is considered to be the best of the New Zealand prelates, which, however, is not saying much, as they are a weak lot. If the Primate has any duties it does seem absurd to have tlected a mun who is in his seventy-sixth year, and in very feeble health." Mr Silas Harding, says tbe Melbourne Leader, has received praotical proof that honesty is the best policy. To evade the land tax he made fictitious sales of valuable property to his wife, and when, two or three years afterwards, she died inlestute, her family claimed their share of the estate. To evade this claim Mr Harding a*uin resorted to a fictitious sale, the property this time being osten<>ibl> transferred to his nephew, Mr Silas Tangye. The Court decided that the sale to Mr Timuye was not a genuine one, nnd the Full Court confirmed this decision, but Mr Hardinsr, hoping for greater regard tor the rigi'ts of property in conservative England than in democratic Victoria, appealed to the Privy Council. But he is defeated once more, with the result that the wife's family will get their share of the estate, and Mr Harding will have to pny the whole of the costs of the different trials here and at home. We muy be ■•retty sure that Mr HariUnj»*B next ]aod s'^le will be of n bonu fide character. It will bo positively refreshing for this litigious gentleman to have an honeit trußßßCtioa in jape},