PARLIAMENTARY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 982, 29 June 1883, Page 2

PARL IAMENTARY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Thursday, June 28. L SCAB PREVENTION. On the motion of the Hou Mr Robinson for the production of papers connected with a prosecution at Ksikoura for scab* —The Hon Mr Whitaker promised that the Government w<> ’M continue to use the utmost endeavoi 3 to eradicate scab. MARRIED WOMEN’S PROPERTY BILL. On the motion for the committal of the Married Women’s Property Bill. —The Hon Mr Mknzies moved that it should ,be thrown out on the ground that it went too far. The motion was rejected by 11 to 8. The Bill was considered in committee, and reported with amendments. ' ; \ L The Council rose at ten minutes to five o’clock.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

Thursday, June 28.

The House met at 2.30 D,m. THE RAILWAY QUESTION! | Sir George Grey gave notice that, in Committee, he would move —“ That a sum be placed on the Estimates for the purpose of constucting a line of railway from Christchurch to the, Weat.Coast. QUESTIONS

Replying to questions, . Ministers said : —The funds at the disposal of the Government would not,, in the meantime, admit of the eCtablishmeiii 6t &University College in Wellington.—That the Government was not prepared at present to incur the expense requisite, for causing- copies of all specifications arid drawings of intended patents to be lodged for inspection at the several local Patent. Qffices,—Thflta ip terms of the Act, Reserve 19x, Waitaki, could not be sold tor -a period of three months. \Vhen sold, the terms would be partly cash and partly deferred; payments —That L2d0,000 had been ‘ advanced by the Government on acc >unt of the Dun-troon-Hakatoremea railway on the security of L 59.000 worth of debentures and likewise a mortgage over the line. They were not ,aware L3p,OOQ was ; still ope.ito . the contractor for the line, but believed the company was being wound up. There would be no loss. to : - the colony.— The Government was not at present prepared to abolish the sj stem of licenses under the Animals . Protection Act in favor of a gup license, which would be local revenue. —There was no- truth in the report that the Government intended to withdraw the proclamation under the Thermal Springs Act in respect of land ; required by the Thames Valley and' Rotorua Railway.—The provision for planting the domain was only given for nursery purposes, so that the product might be distributed. In that case they could not afford anything for planting ornamental trees in the Botanical Garden, Nelson.— Cohi Bush, Ormond, had T been “reserved permanently for timber purposes.

PENSIONS. Leave was given to Mr Shrimski to introduce the Pensions Bill, which was read a first time. AUCKLAND COLLEGE. Mr Hursthousb moved for leave to introduce the Auckland University College Repeal Bill. ■'' ! Ayes, 24 ; Noes, 33. Sir George Grey explained he voted with the ayes as he regarded it as a matter of principle that all be allowed to be introduced, and his vote was not to be construed as sympathy with the objects of the Bill. MOTIONS. The following were agreed to: —A. Select Committee to be appointed for making a complete inquiry into the alleged evasions of the provisions of the Waste Lands Act in the provincial district of Otago, known as “ dummyism,” and to report in one month, the Committee to consist of Messrs .Rolleston, Pyko, Fulton, J. W. Thomson, McMillan, W. White, Steyens, Harris-, J. Buchanan, and the mover (J. McKenzie). —A return showing the amount received by the various central education bodies, and the amount disbursed;’in office, -expenses, salaries, and travelling, and other expenses of members and officers (Mr Shaw). —Copies of any communications between the Government land'the Auckland Harbor Board with a view to the Manukau harbor being placed under. the management of the Auckland harbor ; return for the year ending 31st December, 1882, to 31st March, 1383. pf the revenue and, expenditure of the Manukau harbor for such year, such return to show nnder distinct headings the amount of revenue acUing at . each; wharf in the harbqr, and the cost of its collection (Mr Hamlin). — Return of the number of men '"employed ■in the Detective Department in. each provincial district, and the cost of same for the year ending 31st March, 1883 (Mr Watt). ■■ - ■ ■ -

IMPERIAL REPRESENTATION. Mr Beet ham moved —“ That in .the opinion |of this House action should be taken in conjunction with the colonies to obtain a fair representation of the colonies in the .Imperial Parliament-” He quoted satistioal information to show the-; magnitude of the trade transacted with Great Britain and the colonies, and argued that on many grounds representation in the British Parliament was desirable. The introduction of colonial bloed into the Home Parliament would, he thought, be of advantage to the latter. Unless iu some such way the bonds of union were drawn closer, he feared the oelonies would drift apart from the Empire. Mr Joyce argued that the tendency of the self-reliant policy entered on by the colony was not in thA direction of the federation contemplated by the motion, but in the direction of mure complete - disseverance.

Col. Trimble supported the spirit of the resolution, although he admitted, that at present it was prethature. • > > Mr Moss proposed the adjournment ef the debate. • Half’ a dozen of rich colonists residing in London . never ~ could fairly represent the colony. ... . ; Mr Fish opposed the motion, stating it was a well known fact that the colonies never thrived until they gbt quit of Home interferences. He counselled them to dismiss the-subject at once, and to proceed to discuss something that came within the range of practical politics, , . Mr M. W. Green spoke in support of the motion.

The Atkinson thought that this was a question of practical importance. The question was not yet ripe for discussion, but still he thought it was a question nearer at hand than some supposed. Out relation With the Home’ country would have to be strengthened, but still he questioned if this ;was the right way to do it. He believed that federation was the right course; arid 1 Great Britain was awakening to the'importance of the subject,. He believedsome great changes were impending, .and, it was right they should consider the subject, so that when these changes ; wete given effect to, they might be the better able to make up their minds. j, !». , Mr Montgomery said that he hoped the time would never come when they would jjgo voluntarily into a system of federalism., It was put pf .the question to say that this colony was to be bound by what five or tefa mien say'in the’ Imperial Parliament. He was clearly in favor of Hew Zealand remaining untrammelled and allowed to .manage its own affairs. ■ ' ? t ' i *"•' Mr Bketham said that he never for a momept' supposed that the Colony would lose its own powers of .self-government. Having been instrumental in introducing the notith hwwouSdlbd .content

to acquiesce in the amendment;'for adjournment The question for adjournment was put and carried. , - HASTY LEGISLATION. * :

Mr ’OADMAN moved—“ That in ordef to prevent hasty it is the opinion of the 'House that after.ihe present session all Bills , foe, .. circulated within the colony not less than one calendar month before being .discussed i|t, Bapy liament ” . r The Hdh Major Atkinson said the proposal was impracticable, and to give effect to it would practically stop Legislation altogether. L A. * 4A. The motion was lost on the voices. SKILLED LABOR IN GAOLS.

The adjournadjdebatje was resumed, r m| Mr Hutchison’s motion—That the to%ching of trades and'the employment of skilled labor in gaols "are inimical to an enlightened, system' of; prison discipline, and that the same be diycoptinueAi; | The House divided op .the amendment —That a return 1 foe applied ’fSr' showing the value of the skilled Isfopr performed in the prisons, together with..the.number of prisoners employed thereon, Tpe original motion was loati; J '/'■/

, ■ EVENING;SITTING; • The Hopse MBUmedat,7.3<S < ;v‘' MORAL TRAINING IN SCHOOLS BILL. Mr. M. W. Green moved theaeopiwi reading, of the Moral TraininginS<jhoQM Bill. He asked permission to alter the: tjCl* from Moral Training to Bible Beadfftj£ in Schools Bill. The necesaity' fdr thptaL training of the young, be thought, "wu conceded. , In these colonies there W&a found a great wabt of reverence iii tha mind of youth, which, he attribut&Oo the want of this description of S&inmg. There was likewise a laxity which he : ascribed to the -samb, cttqfte. > Whether the Bible is or is h&t 'ah'i&spiTiif

I book was question apart altogether from ; the present one at issuer It* #as, how* lever, a most valuable Bfiatory., the want !of which Would be a £r6a.t loss, world. Seeing that Christianity' wak-mt ; terwoven with th?- affair# 1 , of '“fhelkdailw : life, it was a great mistake tipfeicl Sddldmt 1 part of- 1 the Bvbl'e frbm ■ their 1 ' He contended that a majority pfthe.peppl® in in favor of tne'Bihle in ; schools. It had .been contended that this Bill would tend to break up.the national I system, .but he contended that reasonable reijupi^t, was concede*!, i lieve l that system wbi;ld'',bp“' and the country revert , alism—a retrograde step he wqpid“ deprecate, , more especially m' where it was so necessary, to ti^ain r pp “She young as a united whplA J ‘The hardship iof compelling teachers who did, not beI lieve in the Bible bo teach .it, I tenable argument in opposition, inasmuch ■ as that such teachers ware hut aninsigoi- ! Scant part of the teaching staff as a.whole. j It would be unfair" to abrogate:Bible read* ling on that account. He admitted I|hat ‘ there were portions of the' Bible, unlitfor 1 children to : read. The Bible waSj'a Eds* ‘ tory of the human raee, and 1 , as such it i was bound to contain the dark hlptohes incidental td human'nature. 1 These parts 'might be avoided until at "all events they came to understand matters , more'fully. :He had consulted with Roman (jathplio* on the subject, and the result was that ho .< matter What modification might'he made iit would not sati-fy them, unless they had i the teaching control of their children under a separate roof. 'lf the present ■state of things went on, in a few. years.the ■ position of matters' would be 'most'dis* lastrous, and oust inevitably result in a reversion to denominational teaching., Ha believed a great majority of the people of the colony were in favor, of. the Bill, which he felt it an honoir to introduce. I The Hon Mr Rollbstov said it‘was a ■ periodical BUI which he had always voted against,'as he did not believe it' represented public feeling. The words /‘moral training” had been perverted into, reading,” so that the' motion was not what ■the Bill professed itself to, be. It was an 'attempt to narrow moral training into Bible reading of twenty times week, without note or comment. ; That waa.,,not religious or moral training,' and to.alarga ‘dtimber of the population it suggest denominationalism. If the country decided upon denominationalism, well and good, but let it not be introduced, as it were, bya side' wind. The priciple : of ’a- national system was that all classes and oreeda'bf children should be able to attend, and teach and s learn in the - one schobl. 5 The system as it stood could' not but tfe'reflogi; l niaed to be a moral training: The ‘SWtisf had no responsibility for - the ■: religtbUd ; teaching of children, and all it : coUld 7 undertake to' do was to i mpart asecular education. ■ in >; <U.

Mr Postlethwatte supported the motion. - f , , Mr Montgomery said that themover of the motion had said that they could reacL the Bible without comment. • 1 He' askMrcould‘ they read it all withbut suoh-cbm-ments ? He knew the answer wquld be no, T Then who was to select : ttie h |&rlietiHr parts. Again, what review of the Bible was to be read t Was it the , one taught by Protestants or Roman Catholics I If the former, was the hitter'to. be excluded, or if the latter was the f brink): be Preluded 1 He would certainly vote ightnst’’ the Bill. Nothing would ever induce him to vote for the introduction of .denominational teaching into our National syg-i : - Rtf Bolton said there wmTin»V I trifling difference in regard to the two Bibles," so very trifling that" the Bible Association, a Protestant institution, circulated the Bibles issued from the Roman Catholic press. Mr Macandrrw denied that there ,WWK any dogma in the Bible. Rather (than have the Word of God excluded. from their schools he would be prepared to accept the Douay version. He believed that the majority of the population wm;in favor of the Bible,, and he was -sorry ) ,to hear Mr Rolleston scout the Bibla A : historical book. . uu]v»'3 Mr Hursthouse, Mr De Lautour, (md; Mr Fergus spoke against the Bill. Mr Sodden moved as an amendment—- “ That the second reading of the Bill be postponed till the will of Parliament was known in regard to the question sent from the Roman Catholics.”

Mr Shephard and Mr „Sdtt6n .supported the amendment. . Mr Bathgate supported the Bill. \ v Mr Lkvestam would oppose both'His j motion and amendment. • ■ ‘ -

Messrs Daniel, Sutton, and Tomopaa spoke against the Bill. ~ The Hon Mr Conolly looked, upon Bible as too high and sacred to be need 'in the manner proposed. Instead culcating reverence for the book it would have the very opposite tendency. Mr Iv ess and Mr Feld wick would only;, support the Bill if it was made and Mr Petrie and Mr O’Callaghan opposed both the Bill and the amend*, ment.

Mr M W. Green said he was willing to make the Bill permissive.- » • ; ' - >\ The House divided on Mr Seddon’s amendment, which was lost by 54 to 14.

MrJ. Buchanan moved theprevipaa, question. : , The House divided on the second read* lug—Ayes, 16 ; Noes, ,62. ;!' . j.: v j ; The House adjourned at 1.20. t; ” 1 •- j