PARLIAMENTARY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1288, 24 June 1884, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY.

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| The Council then adjourned till noon to-morrow. [by telegraph.] Tuesday, June 24. la the Legislative Council the Public Revenues Bill was passed. Both Houses have adjourned until two o’clock, when the prorogation will take place. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Monday, June 23. The House resumed at 2.30 o’clock. THE GUM FIELD LEASES. Sir George Grey renewed the adjourned debate on the question of the gum field leases. He had been charged by the Government with having while acting as Superintendent or Auckland been a party to the granting of a lease over a' large atea of gum field country. He had that day received from Auckland the papers which showed th-.t he had not, as had been alleged, been a party to the transaction. The whole negotiation took place between the Commissioner of Crown Lauds and the Governor in Council, and these documents showed that he had been unjustly blamed by Ministers. Mr. Dargavillb also complained of the unfair dealing in the administration of the gum fields on the part of the Waste Lands Board of Auckland.

Mr Rolleston said that when these large leases were provided for the whole administration of the waste Lads of Auckland vested in the Superintendent and the Waste Lands Commissioners, it did not proceed from the Central Government, but was purely the result of consort between the Superintendent and the Commissioners. In these circumstances it was absurd to say that this was not the action of the Superintendent. The motion for the proc.notion of papers connected with the gum fields was agreed to.

IN SUPPLY. The House then went into Committee of Supply. ■ The resolution for L 43,000 out of the Consolidated Revenue as honoiarium was put. Mr Holmes moved that the amount be reduced to L 21,000. Mr Peacock seconded and supported the amendment. The amendment was negatived on the voices. Mr Hurst moved that the amount be reduced so .as to make the honorarium LIOO. Mr Seddon said that this proposal for reduction came from wealthy men. He cautioned the supporters of the reduction that chey would not catch five votes mere by this sham proposal of theirs. (Lionel Trimble ipoke in support of the amendment. The House adjourned at 5.30. EVENING SITTING. 7 he House resumed at 7 30. Mr Fish resumed the debate on the smendment.for a reduction of the honorarium. He contended that the sum as fixed had virtually the force of law. Mr Moss said the object of fhe honorarium was to maintain the independence of the members, and that could only be achieved by making the amount suitable for such a purpose. He had all along voted against the reduction of the amount, and on the other hand he had voted against its increase. The Hon Major Atkinson admitted that members 01 Parliament lost pecuniarily, instead of gained, by being members. He thought the amount should ba kept at the lowest rate. What was wanted to be provided against was a loss against the lowest scale, so that the poorest man might be put to no inconvenience, while the richer class would not be provided against any loss they might sustain. It had always appeared to him that Ll5O was enough for that- purpose. All that had been affirmed was that members , should be recouped their actual expenses. In that case having only been a few weeks instead of months in session, it was only reasonable that they should accept the lower rate.

Sir O. Obey said that ho did not agree with the previous speaker. No man could personally benefit himself by coming to Wellington. He, therefore, concluded that the L2lO was small enough for any man. Again, they had to look to the fact that a great contest was about to be entered upon a contest against wealth, and it waa therefore necessary they should be prepared for the contest. Major Habbis said that if Ministers would reduce their salaries he would be prepared to vote for the proposed reduction of honorarium.

Mr Stevens supported the amendment, contending that Ll6O per session was quite sufficient to recoup members their outlay, whereas the higher sum was calculated to introduce the professional politician among them. Swanson looked upon the honorarium as a mistake. As they were to have payment c.f members he advised them to levy a special tax for the purpose. The question was pot that the amount be reduced. The Committee divided :

Ayes, 25—Atkinson, Beetham, Bryce, W. C. Buchanan, Gadman, Dick, Driver, Fulton, Hobbs, Holmes, Hursthouse, W. W.JJohnston, Levestam, Locke, Mitchelsen, Newman, Peacock, Pearson, Poatlethwaite, Rolleeton, Shephard, Stevens, W, White, and Wilson, Noes, 35 —Bathgate, Bracken, J. E. Brown, Daniel, De Lautour, Feldwick, Fish, Fitzgerald, George, J. Green, Grey, Hards, Hutchison, Joyce, Kelly, Larnach, Macandrew. F. W. McKenzie, Montgomery, J. McKenzie, Moss, Mnnro, O’Callagham, Petrie, Pyke, Seddon, Shaw, Sheehan, Steward, Tawhiao, H. Thomson, J. W. Thomson, Turnbull, Watt, and Dodson. The remainder of the votes were put and passed. The House resuming, the resolutions as , passed were reported. WEBTPOBT AND GEEYMOUIH HABBOB. On the motion of going into Committee of Ways and Means, Mr Munko moved as an amendment that immediate action be taken for the improvement of the harbors of Westport and Greymouth. He pointed out the great importance of the coal trade. Mr Petbie seconded the amendment, which after discussion was negatived on the voices. WATS AND MEANS. The House went into Committee of Ways and Means. The resolution was adopted by the Committee, and on being reported the Revenues Bill was introdqced, passed through Committee, and reported. MINISTERIAL STATEMENT. The Hon. Major Atkinson, in moving the third reading, said that they would prorogue to-morrow. The dissolution would take place, if possible, on Thursday, but perhaps it would be Saturday, as they bad not got all the polling places fixed. Immediately that was done the dissolution would take place. The nomination days rested with the Returning Officer to fix, but they would take place about the 16th July. The fixing of the polling day rested with the Government, and they had decided upon i the 22hd. July. The writs would be made returnable on the 28th, and the new Parliament would be convened on the 7th August, With regard to appointments to the Upper House, the Government recognised fhat in its position no such appointments should he made, nor would that view bp departed frpm unless it Was found on the assemb■ling'bf the new Bouse that an appointment of the kind was nece&ary for the I purpose of carrying on the Government

i business in the Council. That was the conet:tul:onal practice, and it was also the conditions imposed on Government at the dissolution granted in 1877. With regard to the appointment of the Agent-General, prior to the recent vote atftcting the s position of the Government, the present Agent-General had - been offered i a re-appointment for a period of two i years from the Ist January next., the date on which the present appointment expired. They were induced to do jso from the able manner in which the AgentGeneral has discharged his duties, more especially those connected with the inscription of stocK. 1 hey had not yet re- ■ ceived any answer from the AgentGeneral, but still they had no reason to believe that he would not accept their offer. After further discussion, the motion for the third reading was put and carried, and the Bill finally passed. The House rose at 1.25 until 12.30 tomorrow. [BY TELEGRAPH.] Tuesday, June 24. PROROGATION. Both Houses of Parliament were prorogued. shortly after 2 p.m. to-day, the Commissicneis being Sir Wm. Fitzherbert (speaker of the Legislative Council), Sir G. Whitmore, Hon R. Oliver and Dr Grace. The formal prorogation was until July 24tb.