POLITICAL GOSSIP.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume V, Issue 655, 5 September 1891, Page 2

POLITICAL GOSSIP.

WOMAN TRIUMPHANT. THE“LORDS”TRAMPLE ON THE SHOP HOURS BILL. A FEW NATIVES TRYING TO RUN THE GOVERNMENT. MR SEDDON IN THE “BLUES." A “MODEST" VETERAN. [BPXCUL TO THI ITAXDASD.J Wblunotox, last night. Women have been made eligible for seats in Parliament. The Legislative Council threw out the Shop Hours Bill by a large majority. Though the Premier accepted the amendment providing that women's suffrage should not begin until 1894 it was lost, and the Bill now stands that it is to come into operation on June I, 1893. Captain Russell presented a petition from Judge Edwards, praying the House to take his case into consideration. Ministers propose going on with the Legislative Council Bill to-night, On Monday they intend clearing off as many as possible of the smaller Bills. The Public Works Statement will be brought down then, and the Public Works estimates will be circulated. The Minister of Public Works, in an interview concerning the Statement, said : It will, I am afraid, be the most satisfactory statement ever laid before the House. There is hardly any money to dispose of. The total sum available is only £200,000, including the unexpended balances of former loans, and of that 97,000 is imperatively required for roads alone. Then there are public buildings, defences, telegraph extension, and other necessary works to be provided for, so that next to nothing will be left for railways. If we even had the whole of the £300,000 derived from conversion available for expenditure on public works, that would have made a great difference, as an extra £100,o«o would have enabled provision to be made for several works which now must be left unprovided for. I am not sure now that we have done a right thing in taking that £lOO,OOO for paying off loans. lam inclined to think the money might have been more usefully employed on public works. However, that cannot be helped now, and all we can do is to make the best of the very small sum that is disposable. As it is nobody can pos« sibly be satisfied. It is considered very unlikely that the Native Land Bill will pass this session in face of the opposition that will be offered to it from the native members, who wish to see it postponed till next year. An effort will probably be made, however, to pass a short Bill in the direction of validating titles to native land that arq at present defective. At a meeting of natives to consider the Bill complaint was made that it had been brought for* ward at too late a period in the session, The Committee appointed to discuss the Bill met yesterday, but the natives asked them to postpone consideration of the measure. They would be prepared to submit certain resolutions embodying their views. This was agreed to, The natives object to the great powers proposed to be given to the Crown, and contend that the Bill actually restores to the Crown the pre-emptive right. It has been suggested that a committee representing the tribes should be allowed to confer with the Native Land Court, because it is claimed that the Courts will nave too much power as the Bill now stands, This suggestion is agreed with by the natives of the East Coast, but those of the West Coast dissent from it, as they consider that the lands of the Gisborne and Poverty Bay natives were hypothecated. Resolutions setting out tb,e objections of the natives have beeq framed, and are to be placed before thl Committee. A recommendation by the Accounts Committee that £1389 be paid to Hon, Dr Pollen, based on services from 1873 to 1876, has caused much indignation, Dr Pollen at present receives over £t a day as pension.