ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 4256, 10 July 1895, Page 3

ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT.

(From our Exchanges.)

Some of the most notorious scoundrels in New Zealand, says Mr T. Mackenzie, have been made justices of the peace. The Minister of Agriculture has in preparation a Bill which will enable the Government to acquire compulsorily lime kilns whose owners persist in charging exorbitant prices and lime-bearing country t that is not at present utilised.

The Premier's advice to the Prohibition party is to be gradual and moderate in their ' demands. The desire of the Government is that the police should carry out the licensing law, but they do not wish them to be harsh in administering it.

The Premier has promised that copies of Bills affecting local government shall be supplied to the Municipal Association immediately after they are in the hands of members.

The Minister of Railways informed Mr Allen that the Government had not received any general complaints of excessive charges on the Kaitangata branch railway line. His opinion was that the whole of the railways of the colony should belong to the Government ; but it was a question of ways and means, and the state of the Treasury would not permit of the purchase of these private lines. A considerable section of the working classes do not regard their debts as debts of honor, but try in many cases to evade payment of their just liabilities. This strong statement came from one of the Labor members— the representative of Invercargill (Mr Kelly), who does not approve of legislation which lessens the security of traders in case of debts.

A very favorable reception was accorded in the House on Friday evening to the Family Homes Amendment Bill, which the Minister of Lands, in introducing, said was necessary, as frequently they met with men homeless who had been in a position to have secured the home property to their family if such a law as this had been in existence. — Sir R. Stout said that this Bill was similar to one introduced by him, and he warmly supported it. A similar law had proved eminently successful in the United States. Its object was to preserve family home life, and to prevent people from being driven from the land. — After some friendly speeches, in which only committee objections were raised, the second readings was agreed to.

" Their cup is not yet full. We should fix them in the pillory of scorn, so that the people may know them for what they are." — Mr G. Hutchison on the Ministry. There is a story going the rounds of the lobbies in connection with Mr G. W. Russel's perf ervid avowal of belief in Ministerial perfection the other night, in such marked contrast to his opinion respecting Ministers recently expressed at Riccarton. The story goes that Mr Russell contemplated the formation of a new Party, of which he was to be leader (and ultimately Premier), and he is persuaded that Government propose to add a new Minister to the team for the purpose of securing him and preventing the other calamity.

The Beetroot Sugar Bill authorises the payment of a bonus of £50,000 to the person first producing in the colony 10,000 tons of sugar from native-grown beetroot or sorghum ; the bonus to be paid in annual instalments extending over fifteen years at the rate of Jd for each pound of sugar produced.

Mr Duncan wants provision made for the Crown taking under the Compulsory Act any land that may be found to contain gold and other minerals or lime.

The Minister for Lands says the Government recognises the necessity for enabling farmers to obtain lime**ior agricultural purposes as cheaply as possible. With this in view, instructions have been issued to the Crown Land Commissioners not to dispose of lime-bearing Crown lands, and a bill will be introduced this session giving the Government power to work lime quarries.

Mr Wilson asked the Minister for Lands to bring in a bill to amend the Stock Act, so as to make sheep-driving at night illegal. He had voted against the Minister's bill containing this clause, but the loss of 400 sheep, taken out of his paddock one night recently, had shown him the error of his ways. The Minister, in replying, pointed out that he had fought for three hours to get this clause into his Stock Bill, but had been defeated. He recognised that so long as these night prowlers were allowed to go about driving after dark sheep-stealing would continue, therefore he would be y^ery pleased to introduce a bill to give effect to Mr Wilson's request.