POLITICAL NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5687, 5 October 1896, Page 2

POLITICAL NOTES.

[From Our Correspondent.! WELLINGTON, Oct. 3: JOND OF THB BBBSION. It is confidently expected that Wednesday week should see the close of the present session, though it is quite possible that the dissolution may not take place till the Saturday following. Members generally are becoming restless and anxiousto get away, and overy effort will be made to bring business to a speedy close. Banking legislation, it is considered, will not beintroduced this session, and one or two* members have expressed the opinion to me that if such should be proposed it will beobstructed. ■..*■• THE .MINING. BILL. After Friday night's experience on the* Mining Act Amendment Bill the opinion is • very generally expressed that it will not become law this session. It is understood that the Minister intends making strenuous • efforts to put the measure on the Statute Book if possible. The Bill had a very narrow escape from an untimely end at the hands of the House last evening. After thesupper adjournment it was found that aquorum was not present, and the division bell was rung, to summon members to theChamber. After waiting the cttstomary time the doors were locked, and the Chairman of Committees, on making a count,, declared that there was . ,an insufficient number of members present, and reported the fact to the Speaker, which, if found to be correct, would have the effect of killing the Bill. In the meantime the Premier and a whole troop of members were knocking at the doors seeking" admittance, whicn could not be granted them. The' -Speaker, h'otyeyeiyonV. counting the House from the Chafrmanof Committees as to'the number of members present, and' declared that there was a quorum in attendance, and the Bill was saved, it is understood, by the narrow majority of one. LEGISLATION O_T THE SESSION. A very general opinion is expressed that the present session, so far as legislation isconcerned. has been a very unproductive one. It is undeniable that un to the present but little legislation of general importance has been passed, but thoiollowing list, which has been compiled up to date, shows that a considerable amount of legislative work has beon accomplished 1 :— Public Acts— lmprest Supply, Rfepresentatipn Act Amendment, Criminal aDode Act Amendment, Gold Duties Act Amendment, Rating on Unimproved Valwfe,/Imprest Supply No. 2, Imprest SuppMs!-To7 8,. Railways Compensation Adjfi-ftment, Municipal Corporations Act, 188(i|Amend'ment, Asiatic Restriction (reserved for Royal assent), Female Law Pratftitioners, Public Morgues, Married Persons Summary Separation, Imprest Supply No. 4, Aid to Public Works and I/ftud Settlement, Photographic Copyright, Imprest Supply No. 5. Abattoirs and Slaughterhouses Act Amendment, Chinese Immigrants Act Amendment, Ngatitoa Trust, Poverty Bay Lands and Deeds Registration Districts, Public Revenues Acts Amendment, Law Practitioners and New Zealand Law Society Act Amendment, Infant Life Protection, Trade Union Act, 1875, Amendment, Government Advances to Settlers Act Amendment, Municipal Corporations Act, 1886, Amendment, Urewera District Native Reserve. Local and Personal Acts — Caversham Waterworks Account, Dunedin City Borrowing, Picton Recreation Reserve, West-ppt-tp Harbour Board Loan, Lyttelton Harbour Board Enlargement; Mount Welington Public .Domain : ;^fl. •:Tho_n__.;\__bri*_a'^_!x- . change of Land, Dunedin: Garrison Hall Trustees Empowering Act, 1893, Amendment, Gisborne Harbour Board's Enipdwei*ing, Lake Forsyth Land Vesting, Greytown Trustees Empowering, Waimakariri Harbour Board Lands, Bishop Suter Art Gallery Trustees.