POLITICAL NOTES.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 471, 24 June 1890, Page 2

POLITICAL NOTES.

THE PROGRESS OF THE SESSION. [special to the standabd.J WELtiKOToir, last night. The Bible in Schools Bill of last session will be introduced next week by Mr Tanner. A Bill to provide for Parliamentary representation of seamen is to ba introduced by Mr Joyce on Tuesday. Mr Izard is to ask Government whether they will make provision for better payment of jurors in civil and criminal cases. The Address in Reply debate was adjourned till Tuesday. The reason for the adjournment is said to have been that Messrs McKenzie and Duncan are on their way to Wallington, and telegraphed that they want to speak during tbe debate. The Opposition will not vote for Sir George Grey’s amendment as a body, but a large majority of the Opposition, including Mr Ballance, will support the amendment, believing tha proposed dissolution to ba the correct course to pursue. Should the debate on the Addresa-in-Reply be concluded on Tuesday night, Government will probably ask the House to allow tha Financial Statement to be made on Thursday evening. Tbe Premier is again very ill. It is now considered extremely improbable that he will resign. The probability is he will maintain the leadership of the Government nominally, being relieved as far as possible from the arduous duties of that office. The Postmaster-General has cabled to America the decision of the New South Wales Government re the 'Frisco service, and notifying tha* unless an assurance is given that an American subsidy will be granted ihe New Zealand Government will be compelled to recommend tbe discontinuance of the ’Frisco subsidy in November next, The matter of our divorce laws is again engaging the attention of Mr Samuel, who is introducing a measure of similar purport to that which engaged the attention of Parliament during the past two sessions. The Bill has, however, been slightly altered so as to embody some provision! which have been inserted in the Victorian Divorce Extension Bill, recently assented to by Her Majesty. Criminal prosecutions cost the colony no less than £12,641 the last financial year, apart from the expenditure upon the main, tenance of the Supreme Courts, which alone comes to £7575. In the debate on tha Address-in-Reply Mr Ballance spoke roughly on the appointment of Judge Edwards. Major Steward's School Committees Election Bill seeks to ra-affirm the principle of tbe abolition ot the cumulative vote, which the elective House has assented to on no less than seven previous occasions, but which the Legislative Council has studiously refused to confirm, notwithstanding the strong expression of opinion from all parte of the colony, The measure provides shortly for a distinct definition of the term “ householder,” to facilitate the machinery for the election 0! committees, to make provision tor prior nomination of candidates, and to repeal tilt OiiifiWaiitt voth

THE ADDRESS IS REPLY. The H.B. Herald’s Parliamentary correspondent wires the following description of the moving of the Address in Reply, in which Mr Arthur did not have a chance of distinguishing himself : —The movinx of the address in reply to the Governor’s speech this afternoon took place under the most extraordinary circumstances. It may be explained that a motion of this character is almost invariably moved at the evening sitting of the House, and that the proposer and seconder are always, in accordance with time-honored custom, arrayed in full evening costume. The task of moving the address this session was entrusted to Mr Tanner, and it was noticeable this afternoon that the member for Waipawa was seated in his accustomed place, wrapped up ia a great coat and muffler, evidently suffering from a severe cold. When the motion was reached shortly after 3 o’clock the Speaker called on Mr Tanner in the usual way to address the House. Mr Ballance thereupon rose and said that several members had left the House, being under the impression that the motion would not bo moved till 7.30, as was usually the case when moving the address in-reply. Mr Mitchelson (in the Premier’s absence) said that owing to Mt Tanner’s illness he had asked to be allowed to move the address in the afternoon, so that he should not be compelled to be out at night, and if the House were willing to hear Mr Tanner’s remarks the Government would have no objection to postpone the debate till 7.30. Mr Ballance agreeing to this, Mr Tanner rose, aud in an almost inaudible tone simply said that owing to severe illness he was compelled to move the resolution standing in his name without making any remarka on it. He then resumed his seat amidst some laughter, and members looked round for tbe seconder, who proved to be Mr Ross. Now it so happens that tha member for Roslyn, who rarely Addresses the House, generally speaks in a very subdued tone of voice, and on this occasion he was quite inaudible in the gallery. Mr Boss was understood to say that he had not expected to make a long speech, as he thought Mr Tanner would have gone over all the ground in bis remarks. He then added a few words about something or other, and he also met with hearty laughter as he resumed his seat It ia probably safe to say that ihis proceeding is quite unparalleled in our Parliamentary history, the speeches of the mover and seconder of the Address io Reply having scarcely occupied a couple of minutes altogether. When the merriment had subsided, Mr Ballance rose and gravely moved the adjournment of the debate till halt-past 7 o’clock, which was at ones agreed to. REPORT ON EDUOATION. The annual education report was presented to Parliament on the opening day. It ia, as usual, very voluminous. The increase of children attending the State schools is reported as “ normal." It is estimated that 15,000 new pupils will have to be .provided for annually. The school attendance for the year was 115.456, an increase ot 2771. Tbe number of schools was >ll5, with a mean average attendance of 81. The number of teachers was 3058. Tho aggregate of all salaries being £295,237. The highset salary was £506; there were five £4OO and upward, 59 of £3OO and upward, 215 of £2OO and upward, 1022 ot £lOO and upward, and 677 (besides sewing mistress and pupil teachers) receiving less than £lOO. Tbe Sumner Deaf Mute School had 62 pupils, tbe same number as in the previous year. Tbe cost was £3253. of which £253 was contributed by parents of pupils. Tbe inmates of Industrial Schools hive decreased in number from 1158 two years ago to 1054. Of 169 children received during the ye ir 67 were committed as “destitute” and 47 as “ uncontrollable.’’ THE BANKRUPTCY LAW. The H.B. Herald, in discussing the Governor’s Speech, hits out strongly at a certain class of bankruptcy cases, and the remarks are well worthy of repetition In particular it is to be strongly hoped that eome satisfactory legislation on the bankruptcy question will be agreed to. The existing Bankruptcy Act is so much of an evil that things could not be worse if all legislation on the subject were abolished. At present there are many representatives of the criminal class in the colony who have discovered an easy method of robbery by Act of Parliament. In saying this we do not not allude to those non traders who have been driven to bankruptcy by misfortune, but to that section of swindlers who make a trade of getting goods without paying for them. Were it needed we could point to scores of instances, in this province alone, of men who come under this category. In receipt of salaries (in several instances good salaries) these people are so dishonest that they will not pay for the food thay eat nor the clothes they wear if they can possibly escape from so doing. These pests eat, drink, and wear the best, living at twice or thrice their salary till they are fairly brought face to face with refusal of credit, and then they seek the Bankruptcy Court, get “whitewashed," and start the same old swindling game in another district. If the Government can devise some means for stopping these gentry great benefit will be conferred upon honest people, who at present are made to feel fully the force of the old proverb " He who pays does so for himself and for him who won’t pay.” Taken as a whole tbe Governor’s speech promises some useful legislation, and we can only hope that ths obstructives in the House will not cause that promise to be belied. THS DYINh GROANS. For the last time the guns have fired to announce the opening of a session of the tenth Parliament of New Zealand. It is to be hoped that the celebration of its funeral obsequies will not long be delayed. Its record has not been a good one. In useful legislation it has been sadly deficient, while in mental calibre it compares unfavorably with its nine predecessors. It will pass to the Parliamentary Iladei, unwept, unhonored and unsung, unless indeed it be by those flies in amber whom it ii to be hoped a dissolution will relegate to their native obscurity. Whether the large districts and the number of members will improve the intellectual tone of the House we are net sure. We rather fear that the new Houea wifi include the usual number of faddists, mental medioorites, and log rollers. If so their power of mischief will be greater in a small House than in a large on<>. If, however, the electors are wise and wish to see the country prosper, they will at the next election ba more careful than in many cases they were at tbe last one in their choice of those whom they delight to honor as their Parliamentary representatives.—Post,