Parliamentary Notes.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVI, Issue 10, 29 June 1888, Page 13

Parliamentary Notes.

'Wednesday* aotlt.— Resolutions of regret for the death of the Emperor Frederick and sympathy with the Dowager Empress were passed by both Chambers. — In the Assembly Sir George Grey's Land for Settlements' Bill wa9 considered in committee. The Minister of Lands opposed the subsection providing for taking private land, and moved that it be struck out, the motion being agreed to. Mr. Scobie Mackenzie condemned the proposal alluded to as monstrous, considering that there were thousands of acres of Crown lands available for settlement. Mr. Mackenzie, however, who is an interested party, and naturally an advocate of monopoly, cannot be expected to consider also that there are thousands of acres of land shut out from settlement by monopolists, and that to the great injury of tbe colony, and the exceeding great detriment of particular localities. This, in the point of fact, is one of the chief causes of the Colony's evil condition. — It is rumoured that there is a desire on the part of the party who support Freetrade to get rid of the protection tariff by inducing Sir Hairy Atkinson to go Home as Agent-General. Thursday, axst.— Tbe Hospitals and Charitable Aid Act Amendment Bill was read in the Assembly a second time, Mr. Macart hur arguing in favour of the separation of the Manawatu district from Wanganni because of the distance, and Mr. Stewart complaining of the unfairness involved in the Waimate district being obliged to pay nearly the whole cost of the Timaru hospital. Provision is made by the Bill for the separation of the districts referred to, as well as that of Ashburton from North Canterbury. — The Divorce Extension Bill was committed, Mr. Fish opposing it on the plea that it aimed an exceptional blow at the fundamental principles of Christianity, and ' Mr.' Blake denouncing it as lowering our social status and illegitimatising our children. Friday sand* — In the Legislative Council the Hon. Mr. Stevens presented a petition from gross bigots at Christchurch pray. ing that aid might not be given to Catholic schools. The Council passed a motion insisting on the amendments made by them in the Chinese Bills 'and with which the Assembly disagreed. Dr. Pollen, who was the mover, claimed, that the Chinamen showed a good example to Europeans by their diligence and general behaviour, and Sir F. Whitaker seemed substantially to agree with him. But these honourable gentlemen should remember that habitual association, at least, with the lowest filth of the European population is hardly a good example to even that degraded fellow the European settler in general, and the abandoned women themselves are regarded as still further debased when they reach their lowest ftage among the Chinese. How such facts as these, not to speak of other things, can be reconciled with the assumed virtue of the Chinamen we are unable to see. But the monopolists and their friends and supporters, as they are eiger to exclude a European population from the Colony in the interests of monopoly, promoted by cheap labour, and, above all, cheap labour of the class that seeks no permanent settlement in (he country, will not scruple as to how they advance tneir object. All this gush, however, about Chinese virtue is fustian of the most sickly kind, and, even those who make themselves most prominent in uttering it cannot but know that Chinamen in the colonies, as a rule, are filthily vicious, Even the very reports current concerning them in a neighbourhood where they have formed a colony are of an intensely degrading and demoralising character to the European settlers. — The discussion on the tariff, the Bill being under the charge of the Hon. Mr. Mitchelson, during the absence through illness of the Premier, was resumed in the Assembly and carried on with results favourable to the proposals made. Tuesday a6th. — In the House of Representatives the tariff was further considered, a proposal made by Captain Russell for the reduction of the duty on tea to 4d being rejected. — An imprest supply of £200,000 was granted.