POLITICAL NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), 30 September 1893, Page 6

POLITICAL NOTES.

[FEOM OXTB SPECIAL CORBESPONDENT.j j WELLINGTON, Sept. 29. POLICE PBOAtOTIONS. Mr Sandford this aitaraoon asked the J Minister for Defence whether, seeing that ! the police in the towna have much more : diffioult duties to perform, and greater riak ; of having minor charges placed on their' defaulters' sheets, he would reconsider the question of promotions, making a difference in thoße officers serving in towns and . theae stationed in the country. Mr Seddon, j in reply, said that ihe Government had j some time ago resolved upon, promoting j third-class constables who had. served j seven yeara, and had no eh .rgea against them on the defaulters' list. He had since . been informed that many of these charges were of a trivial character, which ought j not to interfere with promotion.' He. promised to have enquiry made, and would see that the constables received .fuU justice, and that, charges of a -trivial character would be no bar to promotion. * j THE. AUDIT CONTPQVSJ-SY. !, Further correspondence arising out of the alleged landscriptra_ißaej.io__ia which Mr j. , B.. Whyte was cOnceraed.and the consequent controversy between the Hou J". M'Kenzie and Mr, Fitzgerald, the Auditor- General, on the subject, waß presented to the Houße by the Public Accounts Committee. Three letters are embraced ia this paper. The first, from Mr C.O'Hara Smith, explains his connection with the land scrip inquiries, and justifies hia actions. In concluding, ha requested tha fullest investigation into tha matter. Mr Fitzgerald, in a long communication, controverts _.ou.e of Mr Smith's statements, and repeat, hia former complaint that the Minuter for Lands had otooped to obtain information disparaging to the Auditor-General from a subordinate officer. He adds that his regret at hia appioaching. retirement f_om public life . " will be somewhat modified by the senso of never being e-gain exposed to insult aa the reward of long service." The final letter of the seriea ia from tho Minister for Lands. Mr M'Kenzie saya.. he. would •be pleased to have the mattera in dispute thoroughly investigated. He also declares that he does riot deem it inconsistent with his duty as a .Minister of >the Crown " to.ses that the revenue of ;his department is $\xly collected .aad properly accounted for, and that, offenders" again. t public justice are fearlessly and properly dealt with, irre-spective-of their positions." ' ' . SUBSIDIES TO LOCAL BODIES. A return laid on tbe table of the House shews that the total _ urn of _3 64,085 la was paid by the Government during the last financial year iv the Bhape of subsidies to . local bodies. Tbe amount paid to Borough Councils and Town Eoard- was -212,822 23 2d; to Counties where there are no road districts, -314,110 43 9d; to Cou_ ties with road districts where the Counties Act. ia not fully in force, -38727 16a Gd ; to Counties ; with road districts where, the Counties Act is in full force, -828,518 17s 7d. JOTTINGS. The Petitions Committee cannot recommend that the prayer of Dr' Bussell's . petition be granted. "No recommendation to make" ia the decision! of the Committee with rogard to the petition of W. Owens, of Linwood, praying for a compassionate allowance on account of hia long service on the Government railways. Sir R. Stout this afternoon rose to a point of order while Mr Fish was speaking, and on it being found that he was labouring under a misapprehension, Mr Fish sneeringly said it would be well if the member for Inangahua kept his e_ra :_ opan. "Yea," said, the ready-witted Mr | O'Conor, "and it would bo well if some members kept their mouths shut." | The St llbans Public -Library Transfer ! Bill was reported to the House from the Council with several formal amend- . ments. These were agreed to, _ and the ! Bill will be transmitted for the Governor's J assent. - .A petition from Colonel Bailey, of the ! Salvation Army,' bn the subject of the recent prosecutions at Milton, was pre- , Bented by ■• Mr Cadman. The petitioner ; prays that all by-laws which interfere i with marches and religions services in public Btreets be declared void, and that the Municipal Corporations Act be amended ao aa to prevent by-laws . interfering with such services being passed in future. . -Telegrams have been cent by the Minister ior Justice to Dunedin, ordering the release of the two Salvationists remaining in gaol for a breach, of the Milton by-laws. [Pcs Pbess Association.] AUCKLAND, Sept. 29. The Liberal Assooiation, on Monday evoning, will hold an open air meeting of workers to protest- against the action of the Legislative Council in the rejection of certaiu Liberal measure.. . At.'a. thaukagiving service, held by the Women's Christian Temperance Union, resolutions were passed thanking Parliament for gi anting the franchise and expressing a determination to exercise it for every right cause. The Educational Institute has passed a vote of thanks to the members of Parliament who are in favour o! a colonial scheme of salaries for teachers. WELLINGTON, Sept. 29. A number of clothiers announce that having failed to secure united action relative to the half-holiday, and the liegislative Council having thrown out the Shop HOurs Bill, thay will not in future observe the Wednesday half-holiday. ' DUNEDIN, Sept. 29. The Cavers-iain Liberal League has selected the following candidates for the geueral election :— City, Messrs Earnshaw, Plnke'rton and Hutchison; Port Chalmerß, Mr J. A. Millar ; Caversham, Mr A. Morrison. Nine hundred claims from women have been received to be placed on the Port Chalmers roll.