Parliamentary Jottings.

Thames Star, Volume XLII, Issue 10683, 11 August 1905, Page 4

Parliamentary Jottings.

The New Liberal party have returned safely to Wellington after their struggles in, the South. As to the tone of public feeling in the South, at every point on our way' down, said Mr Fisher we met with, undisguised hostility, but in point of fact the opposition we met with ultimately proved to be of benefit to us, as it awakened a great public curiosity. After we publicly announced that we were still confident, that the attitude I Had taken in regard to the now famous voucher would be justified in the long run, public opinion gradually changed, and the hostility with which we were greeted on the way down was turned to curiosity on the way bnck w and we found everywhere intense eagerness to know what course we were going to take on our return, to Wellington." The Minister for Customs YMr Mills) eluded Mr Fisher as a. "young man," and with not having sufficient manliness to "stand up and apologise." Not a. single charge had been proved. "I don't hesitate to say that a, mountain is made out of a, molehill," said the Premier in defending the system of franking of telegrams by Ministers during the debate on the Estimates. j Mir Moss asked the Minister for Mines—(l) Whether he will direct, the Warden to hold an inquiry, and distribute the gold duty in the Upper Thames Mining district, as provided by the Gold Duties Act, 1903? (2) Whether he thinks it is fair to the residents of Waikino to allow the said Act to remain in abeyance?" Mr McGowani replied as follows:—"Before the 'Warden can be directed to make inquiry and assess the proportion' of gold duty payable to local authorities, the Minister must be satisfied that- the main object of the Gold Duties Act 1903, which isi to provide funds for clearing the Ohinemuri River, will be oaiTied out." Mr Moss, in taking exception to th© answer, said that. the. Premier, when in Paeroa, in March last, promised that he would get, the Minister for Mines to instruct the Warden, to allocate the gold duty. He complained of the unfairness of this neglect to the residents of Waikino and the farmers of Ohinemuri. At present the borough of Waihi was receiving £-17,000 or £18,000 a year in gold revenue, as against only some £1300 or £1400 in rates. Its annual value . was only ' £26,000 or £27,000, a,rd under the | present anomalous position, its revenue was rapidly approaching the same amount. Mr Herries said that although the Waihi borough received a large amount in gold revenue, it had some very large and important works; in hand, and most of these had to be met out. of gold revenue, as the rates were so small.

After the first item on the Estimates had been under disoussiqn for some hours, Mr Herdman, sprang a surprise on, the Government by mov-! ing that the Legislative Counoil vote i be. reduced by £1 as an indication j thai the present method of making appointments, to the Upper House is i unsatisfactory. Mr Herdman quoted | the Premier's! own remarks in sup-' port of his motion, which caused a j flutter in the^camp, the Whips send-. ing outi to hunt up some absent Government members. The division was taken at 1.30 a.m., and resulted in the defeat^ of the. motion by the narrow majority of.ifcwo votes. . Mr Hetties,asked,the.Mjiniisfcer fi. Publio Works whether he will take into .consideration, the low wages, of ■ rotfi meni in; the employ of the Roads . Dep-artmen*, and whether, in view of '. theigenerajl rise in .the CQBt of living, he cam,'see bis way to raise their wages?''-The'Minister stated the wages paid to labourers in the employment of ttie'Roadsi Department are those whiohi are ruling jn the distriot in which the men are employed, and' for ' the class of work they are engaged .ujtfJi,- ' J ;>' "'■'" ": , •' ■ ■ *