GENERAL-ASSEMBLY.

Waikato Argus, Volume VII, Issue 490, 21 September 1899, Page 3

GENERAL-ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. TUESDAY. The Council met at 2 30 p.m COPYRIGHT TKLKGUAMS. Mr Lee Smith moved that the Government be rtquested to take steps to carry into effect the recommendations of the Copyright Telegrams Committee in the report presented"to the House of Kepre sentativesin 1898. The report recommended that the copyright on Cable messages to the Press Association should be withdrawn, and explained that there was a general desire to break down the monopoly which now existed. He took exception to the large entrance fee cow Charafd by the association, the consequence having been Hint newspaper enterprise had not gone on in the way it should have douo if there had not been such a heavy tax on proprietors, tor instance, there had been a-propositi to establish a paper in Dunedm recent.y, but the pioirvters had been deterred by the large sum nee ssary to pay in order to join the Association. Ihis entranco fee was merely a penalising fund against the introduction of fresh newspapers. - . The Minister for Education admitted that the question was one of considerable importance, but there was a certain amount of difficulty connected with it. Still, the Government was giving tb» matter careful consideration. He complained of the questionable quality »ml bad selection of news f om abroad, and also of the partial and coloured political reports that were spread throughout the colony by the association. Mr Kerr argued that the association had worked in a manner generally sa isfactory, and denied that the organisation hid itself out to circulate misleading reports. It the association wa3 Bwept away, what would be put in its place ? It had served its purpose well, and should be supported by the Government and the people. Mr Twomey contended that a huge monopoly existed, which, in the interests of the colony, should be hrokm up It had for year 3 prohibited the establishment of fresh newspaper enterprises by the prohibitive entrance fee. He charged the association with political bias against the Premier, who was continually being held up to ridicule and odium, and assorted that during the jubilee celebrations in London instructions had been issued by the association that Mr Seddon was to be boycotted by not sending any news about his movements. . , Mr Jennings thought it might be wrong to charge such a large entrance fee, but there were already far too many papers in the colony. Messrs McLean and MacGreaor opposed the motion, and Mr Jones had just commenced to speak when the debate was interrupted. WEDNESDAY. COPYRIGHT CABLEGRAMS. The debate on Mr Lee-Smith's motion ro copyright cablegrams was resumed. After Mr Jones had advocated the abolition of the entrance fee now charged to newspaper proprietors, the motion was put and agreed to on the voices. HOORS LABOUR BILL. The Miller's Hours Labour Bill, introduced by Mr Lee-Smith, was road a second timn. . . The measure proposes to limit the hours of labour to nine hours per day. TRUSTEE ACT AMENDMENT BILL. The Trustee Act Amendment Bill was read a third time and passed. PAYMENT PREVENTION BILL. The motion for the committal of the Employment of Boys and Girls Without Payment Prevention Bdl led to a long discuesion on labour matters generally. Mr Rigg urged that tha principle embodied in the Bill should commend itself to the Council, particularly as it provided for the payment of all female workers. Mr Macgregor did not disapprove or the measure, but had grave doubts whether it would be effective. Further discussion was interrupted by the 5 o'clock adjournment. HOUSE OF EEPEESENTATIVES. TUESDAY. The House met at half-past two p.m. WELLINGTON 01TY >XTENBION. Mr Fisher gave notice to introduce the Wellington City Extension Bill. LEAVE OF ABSENCE. Leave of absence for 14 days was granted to Mr Rawlins, on account of illness. THE ESTIMATES. The Houbc went into committee on the Estimates resuming at class two, Colonial Secretary's Department, miscellaneous services, £18,414. On the vote for analysts, under the Adulteration Prevention Act, three at £IOO each, Mr Allen wished more particulars. He thought that the work of the analysts in the Defence, Customs, and Police Departments were unsatisfactory, and urged that sufficient funds should ba provided for a thoroughly competent man for the whole service. He moved that the vote be reduced fcy £l, as an indication that au alteration in the system was necessary. Messrs Massey, Herries, Meredith, Taylor, Bollard, Land and Wilson all spoke in favour of more attention being paid to analysing bonedust and artificial manures. Mr Massey urged that what waß wanted was the appointment of an analyst in the four chief ceutres in the colony, whose services would be at the disposal of farmers and others for the purpose of analysing manures, etc. Mr Allen pointed out that altogether some £I6OO was on the Estimates, spread over different Departments, for the analytical scvices. Surely for that sum somelike useful work could be done. The reduction of £1 was carried on the voices. .

On item, bonus for discovery of coprolites, £2OO, Messrs Carncross and Buchanan urged that either the amount should be increased or struck out altogether. If Btrata could be discovered it would he of immense value to the colony. Mr Merries thought that it was the duty of the Geological to advise whether strata in which coprolites were found existed in any part of the colony. . The vote was passed without amendment. . On item, bonus, to aid the flax industry, £2500. Mr Massey hoped that some encouragement would be given for the production of European flax. Mr Hemes took exception to the expenditure, out of tho amount voted last year, of certain money for an inspecting engineer, and moved that the amount be reduced by £1 as an indication of the dissatisfaction of the House with the mode in which the money was expended. Messrs Brown and Hemes wished to know how the £377, part of the bonus voted hm& year, was expended. was that the bulk_ of the expeudituie was for the travelling expenses of officers in other Departments inspecting flax machinery, etc. Mr J. Hutchoson, as a practical man, said he did not believe that phormium would ever prove a substitute for Manila hemp. The expenditure under the vote of last year probably belonged to Departmental expenditure, and should not have been charged to the flax bonus. He hoped, however, that the bonus would be continued, as the industry hid proved of great beuefit. , Mr Field considered the flax industry one of the most important in the colony. It employed more unskilled labour in proportion to the capital invested than any other industry. Mr J. Hutoheson believed that a large and important industry by hidden in

flax, and advised that the temper of the House should be tried in asking for a vote of £SOOO tor an improved process, either mechanical or ohemical, of treating the fire. Mr Hogg contended that instead of sending away our flax to other ecuntries, and importing rope, the manufacture or rope in tha colony should be encouraged. He said all the great inventions of theage had been the result, not of Go vernment subsidies, but of private enterprise. Mr Sligo was of opinion that despite any bonus Parliament might offer, private industry would continue to bo directed towards improving the machinery and process of treating flax. The motion that the item be reduced by £1 was, after further discussion, negatived on the voices. The other items were passed unaltered, and the whole vote of £92,035 was passed. On class five, Post and Telegraph Department's salaries, £230,254. The Premier, iu reply to Mr Bollard, said that the Government could not see its way to give effect to the penny inland po.-t, but was prepared to extend the areas iu the vicinity of the four largf centres, from six to nine miles, within which penny postage would be available on January 1 next. Conveyance of mails by sea, £48,081. Under this heading the Premier explained that with regard to the 'Frisco service he intended to ask for a renewal of the present contract for one year from March next, with a view to a fresh contract for an extended period, when a better class of steamers would be employed in the service. WEDNESDAY. The House met at 2.30 p.ln. The amendment to the Lands for Settlement Act, introduced by Governor's message, was discussed, amendments were agreed to and the Bill was reported. A Bill to amend . the Government Valuation of Lands Act was also introduced by Governor's message and read a fi;Bt time. The Joint Lihrary Committee's report that applications for post of librarian be called tor in England, met with considerable opposition. An amendment that applications be culled for within the colony was carried by 41 to 16. The debate occupied nearly the whole of the afternoon and was interrupted by the 5.30 p.m. adjournment. OHUAPO. ♦ CjucKiiT. —The annual meeting of the Ohaupo Cricket Club was held in Mr Teddy's Hotel, on Saturday last. About sixteen were present. Mr A. Edwards was vc ted to the chair. Mr Colhoun the Secretary, read the miuutes of the last annu 1 meeting and also the balancesheet as folloW3: —Receipts, £l4 lis 6d ; expenditure, £l4 12s 4d, leaving a debit balance of 10d.« The minutes and bal-ance-sheet were adopted. Election of rfficers: Mr Colhoun was elected Secretary ; President, Mr J. T. Edwards ; VicePresidents. Messrs W. J. Hunter.E. Lake, J, Teddy sen., J. Gildroy and M. Laurie. It was decided that the number of the committee should be five including the Secretary. A ballot was taken and the following were elected : Messrs Colhoun (Secretary), Stevens, A. Edwards. F. Gillett and J. Cavanagh. the committee also to act as a selection committee. Members subscription to be ss, boys under sixteen years 2s 6d. The selection of oaptain was left open till after the first match had been played by the C üb. Mr Teddy's presentation : After some discussion it was agreed that the player who had made the best average score in not less than two thirds of the matches last teusnn should be awarded the prize. The Secretary then read the soores and declared Mr Chittenden the winner, and Mr A. Edwards' being the best bowler was the winner of the ball presented by Mr Uloth. Mr Teddy, in a neat speech, presented the bat to the winner, and also on behalf of Mr Uloth (who was unavoidably absent), the ball to Mr A. Edwards. Messrs C. Stevens and A. Ed ware's were appointed delegates to the Waipa Cricket Association. Votes of thanks wero pissed to Mr J. T. Edwards for the use of his paddock, the ladies for providing afternoon teas, and Mr Teddy for the use of his room. This concluded the meeting. Be Hunt Club Races. —Considerable dissatisfaction was expressed at the action of the Hunt Club holdiug their races on a market day, Some members of the club who were at the sale thought that an arrangement could have been made to avoid clashing with the sale.—