PARLIAMENTARY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 1040, 5 September 1883, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Tuesday, Sept. 4. CONSTITUTION OF THE COUNCIL. The Hon Mr Peacock moved—“ That, in the opinion of this Council, it is advisable that all future nominations made by the Government to seats in the Legislative Council should be submitted to the House of Representatives foe approval.” The Hon Mr Whitaker opposed the motion, to pass which would be prejudicing the Bill he intended to introduce next day, to be considered during the recess, for altering the constitution of the Council. BILLS. The District Railways Act Amendment, Native Land Laws, Middle Island Halfcaste Grams, Inspection of Machinery Extension, and Public Works Act (1882) Amendment Bills were read a third time.

LAND BILL. On the motion for the comm'ttal of the Land Bill, the Hon Mr Miller moved that it be thrown out, and after a short discussion it was thrown out by 20 to 16. Council adjourned to 7.30.

EVENING SITTING. The Council resumed at 7.30. BILLS PASSED. The following Bills having passed all previous stages, were read a third time:— Patents, Roads and Bridges Construction Act Amendment, Property Assessment Act Amendment, Industrial Societies, Otago Dock Trust, Rating Act (1882) Amendment, and Oaversham, South Dunedin, and St Kilda Street Improvement. SECOND READINGS. The Wanganui Bridge Bill and the Justices of the Psace Act Amendment Bill were read a second time. HARBOR BOARD LOANS BILL. The Select Committee having reported adversely on the Otago Harbor Board Loans Consolidation Bill, it was, on the motion of the Hon Dr Pollen, thrown out by 17 to 7. The Council rose at 11.55. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Tuesday, Sept. 4. The House met at 2.30. BILLS AGREED TO. The following Bills reported from the Legislative Council were agreed to— Counties Act Amendment, Roads and Bridges Construction.

THE CASE OF ANGELIQUB THBRASSB. The Public Petitions Committee re- ii ported on the petition of Angelique I Therasse, lately imprisoned for theft, that she had sustained grievous wrong, and I recommending she be paid LSO as compensation and L 5 for legal expenses in- i curred by the woman. f The Hon Mr C mnolly said that it was t a great mistake for members to suppose i this was a woman of unblemished reputa- ] tion. In Christchurch, from where she ! came, she was known to be a person of i bad repute in all respects of the word. A long debate ensued, in which the Minister of Justice was severely criticised for the action he had taken, and ultimately the motion for referring the report to the Government for consideration was put and carried. THE DAKGAVILLB ACCUSATIONS. ■ Mr Mason brought up the report of the Dargaville Committee inquiry, together with, the evidence and minutes, and he also gave notice he would move to-morrow that the report be adopted. DUNEDIN GAOL ENQUIRY. The report of the Dunedin Prison Inquiry Commission was laid on the table. QUESTIONS. Replying to questions, Ministers said: —That Gazettes for public reference would be posted in the different Post offices during the recess. The question of equalising wharf dues under the control of the Railway Department would be considered, —That the propriety of holding a Native Land Court at Wairoa would be referred to the Chief Judge.—That it was true the Government allowed a tramway by-law of the City of Dunedin, enacting that the tramway carriages be licensed. The ene ; disallowed in Christchurch was essentially different, and was strongly objected to by i the tramway Company.—That the traveli ling expenses of some of the Resident i Magistrates were most unnecessarily i large, and the whole question would have ■ the consideration of the Government, and j be enquire! into. i tion of the Goldfields Committee re sub--7 sidiea for prospecting and the discovery of new goldfields would not be cirried out, 3 as the thing was otherwise provided for. 3 —That the deferred payment sections at t Maerewhenua would bo withdrawn and - offered for perpetual lease. 8 LAND DAW AMENDMENT BILL. f The Hon Major Atkinson said the Go- . vernment would make a statement toi morrow as to what was proposed to be o done in view of the Land Law Amendt raent Bill having been thrown out by the ■ Legislative Council. r Adjourned at 5 30.

EVENING SITTING. The House resumed at 7.30. THE MACHINERY INSPECTION. This Bill as reported with amendments from the Legislative Council was adopted on a division of 34 to 27. The amendment was the elision of the clause rendering Government railway machinery subject to inspection. The Hon Mr Johnston promised to make sufficient provision for this under the Public Works Act. OTHER BILLS. The following were also reported from the Legislative Council and the amendments adopted : : —Public Works Act Amendment, Native Lands Act Amendment, Road Boards Act Amendment Bill. THE CONTROLLER’S LETTER. Mr Moss brought up a report from the Public Accounts Committee, to whom was referred the letter of the Controller and Auditor-General laid on the table of the House on the 3rd September. It stated

that the Controller seems to have acted with proper motives in sending the memorandum to the House. The report oonc’uded by saying that no further action need be taken by the House, as it is the intention of the Minister for Public' Works to immediately repay it to the amount referred to to the New Plymouth Harbor Board, in accordance with the expressed wish of the House. The motion that the report lie on the table was agreed to. GOVERNMENT BUSINESS. ’ On the motion of the Hon Major Atkinson, it was arranged that the House meet at 2 p.ra. to-morrow for Government business only. LICENSING ACT AMENDMENT BILL. In reply to Mr Feld wick, it was stated that the Government saw no prospect of the Licensing Act Amendment Bill .being gone on with. GOVERNMENT INSURANCE DEPARTMENT. On the motion forgoing into Committee

of Supply, Mr J. Buchanan took exception to the manner in which the Government Insurance Department was conducted, and the principle on which it was founded. The practice of canvassing for business was, to his mind, moat reprehensible. He moved, as an amendment—That in the opinion of the House the security of the colony should not be given to any insurance policy issued after the Ist October next, and that this principle should be embodied in any Bill amending the Act by Government.” Colonel Thimble opposed the amendment, and in doing so reviewed at considerable length the system of Government insurance.

Mr Macandrew opposed the amendment as being ill-timed. It meant shutting up the department altogether, and that he was not prepared to do. Mr Moss hoped the inquiry would be completed exhaustively early next session.

Sir G. Grey said that appointments could be only madeby the Governor in Council, but they had not been so made, and that fact alone showed that the officers of the department conducted the business in a loose and irregular way. Mr Turnbull spoke in favor of the amendment.

The amendment was negatived on the voices.

On the original motion being put, The Hon Major Atkinson denounced the debate rs a moat unjustifiable proceeding .at a time like this, when the last moment of the session had arrived. He defended the working of the department, and blamed Mr Buchanan for having brought down such a motion without notice, and at the very close of the session. The House then resolved to go into Committee of Supply presently. SUPPLY. The House at 12.30 went into Committee of Supply. Vote—Legislative Department,L4l,B43. Mr Turnbull moved that the item, Chairman of Committees, Legislative Council, LIOO, be struck out. The Committee divided Ayes, 36 ; noes, 21. Item—Clerk to the Council, L 200. Reduced to LIOO.

Item—Clerk’s Assistant, L4oo—Reduced by LSO. SecondCierk’s Assistant, L22s—Reduced L 25.

Contingencies, L2oo—Reduced to LIOO. House of Representatives’ Second Clerk Assistant, L4so.—Passed as printed. Item—Sergeant-at-Arms, L 250. Mr Turnbull moved it be reduced by LIOO.

The Committee divided. —Ayes, 38 ; noes, 4. . In class I—Legislative, the following increases to permanent salaries of officers of the Legislative Council were struck out on the voices Chairman of Committees, LIOO-; clerk of Council, L 10 0; clerk assistant, LSO; second clerk assistant, L 25. In the House of Representatives, increases of LSO to the second clerk assistant, and L 59 to the reader were carried, and the item Sergeant-at-Arms also passed on a division.

Total vote —Legislative vote, L41,668> including honorarium for both Hotuea* 1124,500, passed without further debate. On the vote chargeable on Government Insurance Fund, L 39.205, 'Mr Bcojanaw, referring .to Major Atkinson’s remarks in replying before going into Supply, repudiated, with scorn, the insinuation that he was in any way influenced by or interested in any private Insurance Company, and addressing Major Atkinson, he said “You have been charged that you are the slave and tool of a particular institution, and you ootild not disprove it.” The Hon Major Atkinson moved that the words be taken down and reported to the Speaker. . This was done, and the Speaker said

to Mr Buchanan that there, were three courses open to him, viz, to explain the words, retract them, or apologise, for them. i >

Mr Buchanan replied that he had stated a fact. Major Atkinson bad been so charged. The Hon Major Atkinson said that

this made the matter worse. The Speaker said he understood Mr Buchanan adhered to his words, and <‘he ordered him to withdraw from the .House, which Mr Buchanan did. The Hon Mr Rollbston moved ’that the hon member for Napier has KBQd words, for which there is ho foundation, and which deserve the displeasure of this House. Mr Montgomery said that it wa#a fact that such a charge as that alleged had been made against Major Atkinson, and it was a matter of opinion whether, it was disproved. Mr Buchanan had otily repeated an old charge. He should, if the Speaker considered the words .unparliamentary, be called in, told so, and

asked to withdraw them. , ... . The Hon Mr Koileston said he had no objection to this opportunity being given, and he withdrew his motion.

■ Mr Buchanan was then'produced by the Sergeant-at-Arms. The Speaker addressing .him said that the House agreed that if in his opinion the words used were unparliamentary and ought not to have been used, the. hbn member would probably see fit to, with* draw. He did consider them unparliamentary and derogatory to the dignity 6f the House, and he thought he had before the hon member withdrew sufficiently’indicated this opinion. , Mr Bochanan said it was probably due to his infirmity of hearing that he had not so understood the Speaker. He had'been brought up in too good a school not to know what was duo to the House by at once bowing to the decision of the Speaker, and he would therefore entirely withdraw the words. *

The Speaker said no doubt the words had been used in the heat of debatej and he was sure the House would have extremely regretted had it beeacalled on to censure an hon member who, since he had sat in it, had gained the esteem of all its members. The motion then dropped. ; Mr Hutchison, MrTuENBULLand ope .or two others kept up a general the items of salaries until3.6o a.m., when the total vote was passed, leva redaction of L2BB moved by the Hon Major Atkinson in the item Superintendent of Agents L 450, as a new arrangement bad been made with that officer. _ ■ A motion to reduce the Actuary’s wary by Ll5O, was negatived on tue voices, Major Atkinson promising full enquiry into the value of certain tables of surrender value, which had received a special sum of Ll5O. • The Supplementary Estimates were then proceeded with. On class B—Higher Education, Mr Petrie moved to reduce the item Girl’s High School, Auckland, ,lil>ooo, by LSOO. ■'

Committee at 4 60 divided, on this reduction. Lost by 25 to 17. Mr Seddon moved to strike out the whole vote of L 2,350, and Mr Hursthouse strongly supported striking it out. The vote was retained as printed by 27 to 15.

The Hoa Major Atkinson announced that all the increases, with three exceptions on these estimates, applied toofficera receiving leas than Ll5O a year. The three were LSO to an exceedingly valuable officer who would otherwise leave, the service, making this salary. L2OO ■; an additional LIOO a year each to the! Undersecretary for Grown Lands and the Undersecretary for Defence; so as., to place them on the same footing as the. other Under-Secretaries. [ : Mr Ddnoan moved to strike out the item subsidy of pound for pound to local bodies for destruction of the kea pest, L3OO. _ , , The item retained on a division of 21 to 20. _ , Mr Allwrioht moved to strike out the item L 2,000 for erection of new printing office at Wellington. ... Item retained by 24 to 15, The remainder of the Supplementary Estimates were then passed, and at 5,45 a.m. progress was reported, and the various votes read a second time and agreed to. The House, at 5.55, adjourned until 2 p.m. to-day.