POLITICAL NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5326, 2 August 1895, Page 1

POLITICAL NOTES.

• fFROM OUR OWN COBBBBPONDKNT.I WELLINGTON, August" 1. DEVELOPMENT OF GOLD-MINING. The Minister of Mines has received the following telegram from residents of Reef ton :—" We, the undersigned residents of Reefton, desire to express our sincere thanks to you and colleagues for getting Mr David Ziman to visit Reefton. His coming here is likely to be of the greatest advantage to the community, and the foreign capital which Mr Ziman is introducing will greatly develop the mining industry here, and prove of per* manent advantage to the field." IMPOST DUTY. ON COAL. The Tariff Commissioners, in their report referring to the recommendation of witnesses that an import duty should be placed on coal, say that in view of the fact that coal is a prime necessity in many, industries, and of the further fact that' an import duty upon this article would tend to increase the rates of freight on agricultural produce exported .from this colony, on accoant of the stoppage of return coal freight, and of the further consideration that the trade is now mainly controlled by one carrying company, they are unable to agree to the suggestion. THE ALLIANCE AND LICENSING LEGISLATION! The executive of the New Zealand Alliance is to meet to-morrow evening to consider the Government Bill to amend the Alcoholic Liquors Sale Control Act, and resolve upon what ■ attitude the Alliance should adopt towards it. In the course of a converaation to-day with Mr Field, Secretary to the Alliance, I elicited what would probably be found to be the opinion of the Alliance with regard to the measure. Me Field sums up the Government Bill in one word, " valueless," ao far as it touches the vital principle for which the Alliance contends, viz., direct control of the traffic by the people. He says that there would assuredly be great confusion of issues if the electors were asked to vote simultaneously upon the four separate questions proposed to be placed on the ballot papers. A more serious objection is that the consequent division of votes would render it practically impossible for prohibition or the local option vote to be carried. Clause 8, which regulates the method of declaring which proposal is carried, is all in favour of a continuance of licenses as at present. He recognises that the Bill proposes many useful amendments on the existing law, and provides excellent machinery for enforcing prohibition i.n the event of a national prohibition vote being carried, but all these are mere sops to the Temperance Party, apparently intended to divert attention from the real demand of those who have agitated for the direct power. of control. The temperance members of the House will be asked to nse every effort to have the ' Bill amended in committee, so as to have a national prohibition vote taken at the time of the general election, in order to secure the largest possible poll being taken on a straight out issue. They will also be urged to secure Alterations in the majority required to carry reduction and local option. THB TOTALISATOR. Mr CarnelPs Bill to abolish the totalisator is somewhat of a curiosity in legislative proposals. It provides that the Aot shall come into force one year after its passage, and thereupon every policeman is empowered to seize and forthwith destroy every " instrument known as a totaliaator," or conducted upon a like principle. Any person found with atotalisator or similar instrument in bis possession, is liable to be fined JBSO, or imprisoned for six months, with or without hard labour. AN AMUSING INCIDENT. There wbb quite an amußing episode in the Houae this evening, in which the member for Riocarton was the central figure. Mr Russell's new clause to the Coal-mines Act Amendment Bill, providing for the opening of State coal-mines, was opposed by the Premier, on the ground that the country was not ripe for such a proposal. Thereupon Mr Russell declared with some heat that he knew perfectly well that the Premier did not wish advanced questions to be discussed, but was not going to be bluffed with regard to this or any other subject that he thought should be discussed in the House and the country. He added that he took this stand by way of intimating to Mr Seddon that his eternal policy of palling back advanced proposals mußt not be continued. The Premier, in his blandest j manner, then got up and deplored the tone adopted by the member for Ricoatton. j He did not at all object to men of advanced ideas, faddists as they were' sometimes called. -He classed Mr Russell amongst the advanced thinkers, but he reminded that gentleman that he would take a different view of things when the time came that he would have responsibility upon his shoulders. This statement was received with shouts of " Hear, hear," " The cat'a out of the bag," and loud laughter. The Premier continuing, said that some advanced people were apt to injure a good cause by being* impulsive and erratic. Mr Earnshaw hoped that the new Minister, having received his first Cabinet lesson, would cease lecturing and withdraw the clause. Mr Ruseell retorted that there were different kinds of lectures, but those of the member for Dtmedin resembled Mrs Caudle's. He declined to withdraw the clause, and the incident ended by bis defeat on a division. MISCELLANEOUS. Constable Costin's thrilling experience in the Bnow between Culverden and Awa«

tere, in recovering the body of a man who perished in the atorm last month, is being brought under the notice of the Defence Department by Mr Buddo, who thinks that the Government should accord some recognition to the constable, and some recompense to Mr Gilbert Gordon, who acted as his guide on that occasion. H. E. Crofts, formerly employed in the Deaf Mute Institution, at Sumner, is petitioning the House for an inquiry into his claim for £151 13s 4d as compensation for losb of office, which the Education Department refuses to recognise. The Railways Committee, reporting on Mr Yaile's petition to be allowed to apply his ttage system to some sections of railway, makes no recommendation, because the matter is still under the consideration of the Government. A recommendation that may have the effect .of saving publio money now spent in useless returns, has just been made by the Reporting Debates and Printing Commit-; tee. It is to the effect that with the exception of motions by Ministers, no order for printing papers shall be made until the committee has reported upon.it. The Presbyterian Synod Of Otago and Southland is petitioning to have the term of desertion, which it is proposed to make a ground for divorce, extended from three to five years. A rival to Taranaki ironeand has arisen, and comes under the notice of Parliament in the form of a question by Mr R. M'Kenzie, who asks the Government to forward ten tons of Parapara iron ore to Messrs Siemens and Co., England, free of charge, to have it smelted, manufactured, tested and reported upon. He also wishes Ministers to place fall information on the subject in the hands of the Agent-General. The first tariff question to appear on the Order Paper emanates from the member for Napier, who wishes the Government to place 40 percent ad valorem duty on all boots imported to the order of residents in the colony for their private use.