POLITICAL NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5357, 7 September 1895, Page 7

POLITICAL NOTES.

[from our own correspondent. I WELLINGTON, Sept. 6. THE FBEMIER AND SIR MONTGOMERY. This afternoon Mr Montgomery asked the Premier to give a full explanation of his interjection, made while the Banking Bill waß in Committee, that he (Mr Montgomery) had better hold his tongue on the subject of the Disqualification Act. Mr Seddon, after acknowledging Mr .Montgomery's courtesy in showing him the question before it was put on the Order Paper, said that what had been said, on the occasion referred to by both parties had been very plain. He dealt with Mr Montgomery's action on the question of the sergeant-at-arms appointment last session, and with Mr Montgomery's assertion before his constituents that the matter was' one o2 small moment. He (Mr Seddon) had not intended at the time when the remark waß made to imply that Mr. Montgomery had brought himself within the Disqualification Act. He regretted that another "' matter had been brought in reflecting on his once chief' colleague and all-time friend the Hon Montgomery. He was much pained thaij anything he had said to the eon had been twisted into a reflection on the father.. Mr Montgomery thanked the Premier for his reference to Mb father, but considered that Mr Seddon'a excuse respecting his remark to him was lame and impotent;. MISCELLANEOUS. In answer to Mr Flatman, who asked if any inquiry woald be held respecting the mysterious disease causing mortality amongst dairy cowa in the Bunny thorpa district, the Hon J, M'Kenzie said that the inspector ot the district had reported that any deaths there were attributable to scarcity of feed. In replying to Mr Montgomery, who asked that arrangements should be made for small' country mails being delayed when deep snow renders travelling dangerous, the Premier,, for the Post-master-General, quoted from a letter from the Postmaster at; Christchurch, in which he stated that in the Canterbury district delivery was not insisted on if the weather rendered travelling dangerous. The Premier, in" the absence of the Postmaster-General, told Mr Buddo. that arrangements had been made for the telegtaphisE at Bealey to warn the Kaiapoi Borough Council 'when the anew began to melt and there was danger of a flood. Telephonic communication between Styx and Belfast stations will be supplied if tn estimated deficiency of £27 on five years' work should be subscribed. REWARDS FOR GOLD DISCOVERIES. ' The Goldfields Committee has had under consideration the frequency with which petitions claiming rewards for the alleged disoovery of goldfields are presented to the House, and has passed the following resolution:—" That, in the opinion of this committee, no application for rewards for the discovery of gold said to have been made more than five years before presentation referring or claiming under the same be considered now or in future by the Goldfields Committee." Mr Guinnesß is suggesting to the Minister of Mines that the following scheme dealing with the. goldfields of the colony should be submitted to the Goldfields and Mines Committee for it to report on :— That the several goldfields in the colony should be divided into districts; that in each district unemployed workmen should be * employed, in constructing water-races and reservoirs and in working auriferous ground, all such work to be undertaken and carried out under the direction and control of a mining inspector of practical experience ; that fair wages should be paid for the work done ; that all gold obtained should be the property of the Crown; that at least .£50,000 should be provided annually for the payment of wages, and that a rental of 10a per sere per annum should be paid by miners for valleys, and that hill-tops should be at the Bame rate as that charged settlers who rent Crown lands. ' PETITIONS. Major Steward presented a petition on behalf of j. E. Hutton and fifty others asking that County Councils should be given power to deal with the stoppage of nuisances in small townships. Mr Maslin presented a petition on behalf of John M'Keague, Beturningoffioer for Bangitbta, asking for a refund of a portion of the licensing election expenses, which the Aahburton County Council compelled him to pay.