LOBBY GOSSIP AND NEWS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVIII, Issue 32, 9 August 1900, Page 3

LOBBY GOSSIP AND NEWS.

The output of coal in the Colony last year was close on a million tons. The value of the gold exported in IS 1 .)'.) was over £1.500,000. Nearly 400,0000z of silver, valued at clo&e on £41,000, were exported from New Zealand during 1899.

A salary of £1 .">oi ) is provided for Judge Martin, President of the Arbitration Court, undpr a Bill which has baen introduced making provision for the appointment of an additional Judge.

Over 11,000 tons of kauri gum, valued at £607,910, were exported last year from this Colony.

Mr Gilfedder intend* to introduce a Press Association Copy* right Bill, the principvl provisions of which will be — (I) Reduction of entrance fee for town papers to £2."> and for country papers to £10 ; (2) extension of voting power to all papers joining the Association. As the maximum entrance fee i-* at present £900 (in the four cities) and the minimum amount £l.") 0, it will be seen that the member for Wallace wishes to substitute a nominal entrance fee for these excassive amounts. Ie is not propjsel to interfere with the existing copyright in cables.

Replying to a question on Fri.lay af cernoon with regard to the influx of Au3tnanß into the Colony the Premier said that 40 Austrians had been brought to Auckland recently, and the Government had allowed them to land on a bond for £10 being given that they would not becoma a charge on charitable aid. There were 50 now in Sydney, aud some were arriving in the Colony, having booked under English names in orde- to evade the conditions. The Huddart-Parker Company and the Union S S. Company had refused to bring them because the companies had been informed that they would not be permitted to land Austrians. He (Mr. Seddon) had received a letter from an Austrian in Auckland stating thit 200 more were on the move. Ihe men were being brought here under false pretences, and had no means whatever. There were already 3000 Austrians north of Auckland, and if the influx were to continue the settlement of that part of the country would be destroyed. No 5 only that, but it was undesirable to have congregated in one part of the Colony 8'))') or 4000 foreigners. Some months ago he had communicate! with the Austrian authorities, and he was given to understand that these men were not leaving their homes with the approval of their own Government. The Government of New Zja'ani hid already stated that they would not permit any more to come, and the Legislature had passed an Act preventing the issue of licenses to them to dig gum for three months, which was aa much as to Bay they were not wanted. The Government must do its duty, while desirous of being on friendly terms with Austria, but the shipping companies must take the responsibility if they continued to bring these Austrians here, ani, if necessary, he would ask Parliament to prevent them coming, otherwise the north of Auckland would soon be entirely in the hands of aliens.

A meeting of members of the Opposition was held during the week for the purpose of bidding farewell to Mr. George Hutchison, in view of his early departure for South Africa. Captain Russell, on behalf of the Opposition, presented Mr. Hutchison with a solid silver salver, bearing the inscription. • George Hutchison, Eeq , M.H.R., from his comrades in the New Zealand Parliament, July, 1900.' Mr. Hutchison, in returning thanks, said he was going next week to the Transvaal, and in so doing would sooner or later, he believed, have to sever his connection with the Parliament. He was very sorry in some respects that the step had to be taken. It might almost look like deserting one's friends, but he assured them that it was not bo, and not from any feeling of that kind that he was going. There was a unique opportunity in South Africa, he believed, for such as himself, but that would not have induced him to make the change were it not that he was convinced that for a time at least the fortunes of the Opposition were not likely to be in the ascendant,