PARLIAMENTARY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 1003, 24 July 1883, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Monday, July 23. EVENING SITTING. The House met at 7 30. CONTEMPT OF COURT. Mr Tole moved the second reading of the Contempt of Court Bill. In the Superior Courts the powers of the Judges in the punishment of contempt of Court were practically unlimited, whereas in the inferior Courts that power was restricted. The object of the Bill was to assimilate the law in this respect and limit the powers of the Judges in both cases. The Hon Mr Conolly ageed with the principle of the Bill. A Bill of this kind was now passing through the British Legislature, and it might be advisable that the Bill should not be passed until they had the opportunity of seeing the English Act. In these circumstances, he asked the mover to be content with affirming the principle by the second reading, and to allow the matter to stand over until they got the measure as passed at Home. Sir George Grey hoped the Bill would be allowed to pass this session. They were quite capable of walking alone and passing their own measures without reference to any other Legislature. Mr Feldwxck spoke in favor of the Bill passing. As matters stood, newspaper proprietors were subjected to inconvenience or loss, and the sooner it was put an end to the better.

The motion for the second reading was carried. CHARITABLE GIFTS DUTIES. Sir George Grey moved the second reading of the Charitable Gifts Duties Exemption Bill. Its object was to encourage men to assist in founding a nation rather than founding families. The Hon. Major Atkinson would not oppose the Bill, but he considered that in Committee clause 2 would require material alteration. Mr Kelly opposed the principle of the Bill. He considered that when a person died and left property, and had no further use for it, that a portion should be devoted to the use of the State. Mr Peacock supported the Bill They had been told that bequests of this kind would be more common if this duty were remitted. He looked upon that as a strong inducement in iavor of the Bill. Mr Shephard supported the passage of the Bill.

Colonel Trimble protested against the principle of the Bill. In the old country these endowments had been flagrantly abused. He thought they should protest against the creation of permanent endowments such as those proposed to be encouraged by the Bill, and quoted the fleriot clospital and other endowments in Scotland to show that under proper ( management great good was wrought. Mr Shrimski and Mr Feld wick supported the Bill. The Bill was read a second time. SCHOOL COMMITTEES ELECTION BILL. This Bill was considered in Committee. On clause 6, Mr Miinro moved that the proviso abolishing plural voting be struck out. The amendment was lost by 42 to 9. After considerable discussion the Committee divided on clause 16, defining the meaning of “ householder.” The clause was carried by 31 to 27. The Bill was reported, and the House adjourned at 12 35.