POLITICAL NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4715, 5 August 1893, Page 6

POLITICAL NOTES.

.m i 1 [IBOMOUB BPBOIAIi OQBBBSPOMDBNT. | ',*''.' ,< WELLINGTON, August 4. . THREAT OB OPINION. When the House : assembled this afterj noon, Mr Taylor rose with a question of privilege, and : proceeded to read the following telegram whioh he had reoeived :— «B. M. Taylor, M.H.8., Wellington.— Disgusted with yoa totally disregarding pledges made prior to eleotion. You have forfeited all ohance of being returned.— F. J. Quinn, Seoretary Licensed Victuallers' Association, Chriatohuroh." Mr Taylor considered thiß message conveyed a threat to him, and he wished the Speaker's ruling on the matter, and also to know the. proper steps to be taken for his protection. The Speaker said if a telegram of the kind had been cent to Mir, Taylor under • oertain ■ circumstanpea; ie would have amounted to ■ a threat, but,, coming, it did, he considered i that it was simply an expression of opinion, {and that it was not necessary to take any aotion regarding if.. The following tele- ,- gram has been forwarded to Mr Qumn :-r---"tin reply to yours, I do nob think you ! have read Stout's Bill.— B. M. Taylor, M.H.8." ---vMCBNBINP XBGJSIiATION. Nothing has yet been done in the way of drafting or considering the Government proposals for the Licensing Bill, which the Premier has pledged himself tp introduce thia session. It is absolutely misleading to suppose, as has been alleged by a correspondent, that there is any divergence of opinion among the members of /the Ministry on the licensing -proposals. .An impression haß been erroneously conveyed that the Premier's Bill will be on the same lilies as Sir B. S tout's^ and that Mr Beeves will oppose it. The faot is i that the Premier pUelged himself, to bring in a reasonable meaabre acceptable to all,. and- suoh a Bill will, of course, have the unanimons Bupport of Ministers. One of its. provisions will probably be on , the .same linea 'as Clause 8 of Sir Bobert Stout's Bill, and Mr Reeves in his . speech deblared bimself wholly in favour of that olause and opposed to the doctrine of "invinoible prejudica ".as laid down by the Appeal Court. In the course of an article on the principle of the direot control of the liquor traffic, the Post, which strongly opposes, the'proposal, has the following remarks:—" The second reading of Sir B. Stout's Bill undoubtedly places- the* Government' in .-. a tight place. It imposes upon Ministers the imperative duty, to grapple with" the * question boldly and give the Honse' and the oonntry a lead upon it. .'. , The Premier attempted to shuffle when speaking on the subject; ;'. 'He evidently hoped that it would be quietly shelved, although he did not dare to vote against it. Still, we are perfectly, certain thafc hia ooavibtion .and sympathies are even moire opposed to the principles of the Bill than those of his colleague, the Minister for Education, who i voted against the second reading. The Premier was very careful to guard i himßelf against promising anything, but after the decisive vote of Wednesday night the Temperance Party ia evidently master ' of . the position,' and Sir B. Stout can, if he desires it,. press his advantage so as to compel the Ministry as a body to adopt and declare a polioy on the subject. We .can scarcely doubt that the member for Inangahua will do this. There can be no doubt as to his sincerity. We do < not for a moment suppose that any legislation is likely to take plaoe on the subject i thia se? won—the, time will not permit of it— but the Government can, and no doubt will be forced to formulate and declare a distiDct policy; on the subject to edbaiit'to the country at the general eleotion. Ab to Sir B. Stout's BUI, it" may be doubted whether he ever seriously contemplated its passing. It ia a cumbrous and incomplete measure, and would probably not satisfy eithor side. The forces whioh Sir B. Stout leads are strong enough to carry their demands a good deal beyond what this Bill concedes, and it is not at all lilrely ; that they will , hold their hands, or listen to any counsels of moderation, or refrain from exaoting the uttermost they can win." MINING. The Mines Statement laid on the table of the House to-day is a bulky and interesting document, the leading fabts and figures of which are as follow :— The mineral productibn (including katirigum) for the year ending Dec. 31 last shows an increase in value of -£25,620 over that of 1891. The total value for the past year was i _£1,866,306, made up as ,ibllowB :— Gold | £95 -,74.4, silver .£3996, antimony _84990, j manganese .21239, other minerals ___631, | coal exported .880,225, coke exported I _£5691. coal consumed in the Colony {.£297,202, kauii gum .-8517,178. 'Of {.the gold produced last year Auokland contributed 41,0520z, Marlborough 30550z. Nelson 27920z, We3t Coast ,101,6360z, Otago 80,1240z. The number of men employed at goldmining waa 12,197, a decrease of 427 from the previous year. Their average earnings were .£75 4-3 5d per man, a decrease from the previous year of £5 83 7d per man. The total output of coal in 1892 was 673,315 tons, benrg 4521 tons more than in the previous year. "The coal exported 'was 84,414 tons, being 924 tons.lesa than in the previous year, while the coal imported was 125,453 tons, an increase of 135 tone on the previous year. The Huntley mines in the Auckland district showed an increase of about 10,000 tons; the Westport Coal Company's mine, Coalbrookdale, an increase of 5860 tons; the Grey Valley Company's mine at Brunnerton an increase of 32,923 tons of bituminous coal. Considerable decreases took place in the output from the mines at Kawakawa, Eamo, Kaitangata, Nightcaps and Whitecliffa. The average number of coalminera employed laßt year was 1681, azsiaßt 1693 for the previous year, and the average yearly earnings are calculated at i£U9 7a Id per man, ugainat .8118 10j 2d for the' previous year. Under the heading " mining legislation," reference is made ta the Mining Act Amendment Bill that was before the House to-day. It is stated that a Bill has been prepared giving facilities for mining under private lands, on the outlines of a similar measure passed in Queensland. It having been found that the rates allowed by the existing regu*l&tions in aid of prospecting are inadequate, it is proposed to amend -them in this respect, and to enlarge their scope and operations to other metals and minerals. MIDLAND BAILWAT LANDS. . Mr Meredith has given 'notice of two questions to the Minister for.Lands on this subject. In one he asks if the Minister will purchase, under the Lands for Settlement Act, a portion of the Waitohi Plat from the Midland Company, with the view of affording an opportunity to the settlers of the Hurunui Peaks Village Settlement to enlarge their present small holdings. In the second, he asks if ib is correct that the Midland Company has disposed of 80,000 aores of land or thereabouts to one parson, of what is known aa the Horsley Down run. If so, did* tho Government approve of the aliena* , tion of the land in tbe manner described PTHE BLBOTOBAL BILL. . InCommittee on the Electoral Bill, Mr , Bobert Thompson suggested that three • months' continuous absence from a district should cause an elector's name to be struck from the roll. Mr Beeves: "That would disqualify all members of Parliament." Laughter by the House, and collapse bf Mr Thompson. The leader of the Opposition haa declared himself a supporter of the womanhood franchise, after the decided expression of opinion in its favour by both branohes of Legislature., "If," he says,, "the present Parliament dissolves without granting the suffrage to women, it will be a gross wrong." Several Government supporters having apoken on the Bill, Mr Bolleston twitted the Premier, asking if he and his followers meant to stonewall the Bill. Mr Seddon: "I am quite willing to take the Bill in globo." Mr G. Hutchison appeals to the friends of woman's suffrage to abstain from discussing the Bill, as it waa fully debated j lftßfc year. In this way he thinks it will be \ seen who are friends and who are foes of j this reform. j The subject of the Auckland eleotion was dragged into the debate. Mr Fish, d propos of nothing, had revived an old I suggestion that all electors who failed to

' reoord their votes should be etruok off the | roll. Thereupon, lis Soobie Mackenzie [rose to defend the sacred right jof every man to abstain from yot* 1 jng if he found that no candidate in the field represented his views. In illus* ■ tr&tion he cited the Auokland eleotion just ■ deoided, in which nearly one-half of the ' voters' on the roll had abstained from • voting. By their attitude the minority • praotioally said, "Both candidates are \ Government supporters, and we will have • neither of them; we want an Opposition ; man.*" Speaking a few minutes later, the Premier took occasion to congratulate the ' . Liberal Party on the fact that its deoided < \ majority in the Auckland district was ad* ' ' mitted by suoh an authority as Mr Scobie ' , Mackenzie. Hearty laughter greeted this | ) effective turning ofthe tables. I j Sir R. Stout made an earnest declaration I I .that the system of eleotoral rights was the •i only effective way to purify the rolls, and • j Messrß Soobie and Thos. Maokenzie warmly > aupported this view. JOTTINGS AND INCIDENTS.' In order to' faoilitats Native legislation ' the Premier ii moving that after Wednesday next Native Bills shall havo prece* ' dence, and that the Native Affairs Oom* mittee may sit on days when the House ie not in seßßioD. • ' ' Another sign bi a desire to push on ' business is to ba found- in the intimation > that Monday sittings of the House Will I start on August 14. >'*- ; _fy> William Hutchison intends to move - a olause to the Licensing Act Amendment ! Bill, providing that Clubs shall come under ) the operation of the direot veto, and' tbat ■ no licenses shall be iaaued to Clubs except I I by the Licensing Committee of the distriot 1 in which suoh Clubs are situated. > Mr Cadman's : victory .is very, popular, ' and bis return to the Ministry is now fully | expected. 1 Mr Bolleston's little joke— " The present 1 ey/stem of appointing Justices of the Peace >. had led to a large increase of colour •blindness." *-y Mr James Kelly has given notice of an • amendment to the Electoral Bill, providing • that shearers shall be on the same footing *, as commercial .travellers with respeot to > electors' rights. '•■•■' ' A large number o! congratulatory tele* • grams have been seat, oy. members .to ■ Mr Cadman. Those who were confident » of his return formed a Bweepstake to go to ■ the one who should jnake tbe nearestguess at Mr Cadman's njajority.: MicLawry, • who^e estimate "B.a^ 722, wa3 the winner; of 5 the stake. ; . .■■'-.'.■•' i.-. ■ I The Hon J, G. Ward has gone to Inver- •; cargill, and will be absent for a week. >, The Post cays. the. Treasurer's absence at ''. such &n important period of the session is y inconvenient, improper and unprece- >. dented. [ ' The Mayor of Christohuroh occupied a I seat in the Speaker's gallery during the i evening, sitting. Replying to ;Mr Taylor on the subject > , of the capitation earned by and not paid 1 to certain rifle corps in Christohuroh, the ' ! Minister for Defence explained tbat he had ' ; made an allowanoe of 25 per cent from the ' | minimum fixed by regulation; he could < j make no further concession. Mr Rhodes > 5 took occasion to ask further quea- ! tions why oertain corps in Christ*, ohurob which were efficient last year had got no ammunition, while other corps 1 { that were non-efficient had got ammuni--1 tion. The Minister replied that letters had • been sent out intimating that ammunition ' would now be provided to all. companies ■ entitled to it. .■. •, > The Publio Aocouats Committee has > found it necessary to fake the further evi--1 dence of O'Hara Smith and the Hon 1 ;j. B. WWte. M.L.C, on the subject of i irresular dealings in Ellesmere ■_ Lake ' land scrip. Consideration of tbe Canter- > 1 bury scrip transactions is now. completed, '(and the Committee's report will Bhortly be « } presented. :...,■ 'j Mr Joyce has withdrawn his question j J regarding Captain Linn's application for • j permission to form an oyster-bed on the . I Sumner estuary, as he understands that ' negotiations are in progress on the Hubjeot. ' In asking the Minister for Eduoation to provide money to enable the North CanterI bury Board of Education to provide I teachers' residences, Mr Wright said many : residences were at present rested at great i diafcan jes from the. sohools, which was both - acoatlyand aninconYcnient feyateui. .'Xbm • caused suoh , a drag.oh the maintenance l fund that the Board was unable to undertake > necessary repairs. As an indication of the > dilapidation that occurs owing to the C scarcity of money, he mentioned th? case » of one teaoher who complained that ther* » was not a dry room ia the residence proI vided for him by the North' Canta-tbury ' Board. Mr Beeves, ia reply, said he hoped, ! with the approval of J . the ' House, ,;r, make ■ muoh better provision, for building grants i to Boards of Education than had hitherto '< been made, bat all miast be treated alike, ■ and no one Board could have exceptional ', favour shown. • On the petition of 108, Canterbury i fishermen . and fishmongers, praying tbat > they should not be compelled to use squate 1 meshed nets in catching flounders, the • Publio Petitions Committee ireports that ) there is no necessity tor the fishermen ■ being compelled to use suoh nets. , , . " ': The Co-operative Works Bill to be [ introduced by the Minister for Labour, ■ provides that local bodies may let a pro* I portion of their works on the co-operative ' eystem instead of calling for tenders. " , > Important proposals affecting the "•' endowed schools of the '.Colony, and ' designed in tbe interests of the people are. " embodied in the Eddowed Schools Bill, " which the Minister for Education is intro--1 duoing. This measure proposes to enact 3 that all schools supported by ehdowmehta 1 of public land, eball' give free education " to one pupil for evißry £.0 of annual » income derived from such endowments. It I is also provided that 1 endowed sohools shall be open to the visits of the Inspecfcorl i; General, who shall have full power to > examine every class., - The Pablio Petitions Committee has no J recommendation to make with \ regard' to ; the Auckland petition for the abolition oj? 1 Grand Juries. "' . ' : ' The Stamp Act Amendment Bill, intrb- \ ducsd by Mr • Beeves., proposes to. remit ; the Btamp duty on receipts for wages. ' The. other clauses ate designed to prevent' »? evasions of stamp duly that now take 1 place in oonnection with registration and ' other dealings with legal instruments. \ A return has been presented, on Mr Allen's motion, showing th 9 number of ►'{men actually employed oa Government I j works in each mon 'h 'from January, 1891,, 'j lo June, 1893, inclusive. The number ■ employed in the firat month embrftjed in i i the return was 1098, and ia the last month ' i it was 1996, which Js tha largest number i; in any moiith of the period. The smallest » j number iv any month wa.3 in May, 1891, ■ 1 1 when ouly 907 men were employed. • J [Pbb Pa-ess* Association.] ' j • A deputation of Wellington shopkeepers, ' i introduced by Mr Duthie, interviewed the » Minister for Labour to-night regarding the > j Shop and Shop Assistants Bill. Several ■ j members of the deputation urged that the I liberties of tradesmen should not be our* tailed, and maintained that the penal - * clauses of the Bill would ruin many small > ; shopkeepers and give a monopoly to the ; large traders. It': "Was admitted that : the principle of the Bill was a good I ono, but what the deputation objected ':" to wa.a the' compulsory clauses. Tbe Hon I . W. P. Beeves said if he did what the ' deputation asked him, he would simply ' drop the Bill, and he could not do that. . ! The Bill would not, he was sure, do anyi'- thing like the harm which was feared, i .; Air the shops would close together, and it i would mean that they would have to do in • five and a half days the work now done in i , six days. He could assure the deputation i-., that the Bill had not been brought in at : ' the demand of a few large traders. As for ! the argument that the Bill would interfere . ' with t&e liberty of the subjeot, every Bill ■ : dealing with industry did that in a greater I or less degree. i ■ A deputation, introduced by Mr • Richardson, M.H.8., and consisting of 1 , several members of the Surveyors' Instii tute, waited on the Premier to-night to ! urge the Government to bring in the Institute of Surveyors' Bill this session. , It was urged that certain general lineß had , been laid down at the Sydney conference, . at whioh the Government was represented, i that other Colonies were taking aotion, and

tbat it was a mater of honour for New Zoaland to keep to the arrangements there determined upon. The effeot of the proposed BUI would be to make Colonial certificates Australasian, to ensure uniformity in examinations, and to safeguard the publio from incompetent men and improper charges. The Premier promised to bring the matter before the Cabinet and let the Seoretary know the result ia a few days. DUNEDIN. August 4. At a meetingof electors of the Pen insula portion of the Waikouaiti distriot, t. con-, eider the question of Beouring a representative, it was stated that Mr. Soobie Mackenzie would stand if a good requisition were presented to bim. A requisition going round the' dißtriot is - very well signed, and the general feeling waa in favour of Mr Mackenzie. - * '