PARLIAMENTARY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1547, 8 July 1885, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Tuesday, July 7. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. The Colonial Secretary moved the second reading of the Whitmore Enabling Bill. The Hon G. McLean protested against the Bill, and the Hon H. Scotland also opposed the Bill. Sir F. Whitaker, Captain Fraser, Hon W. H. Reynolds, Hons Pharazyn, Pollen, Richmond, Shepherd, Grace, and Colonel Brett supported the Bill, which was agreed to on the voices The Bill w a then considered in Committee. An amendment to provide that the Act should only remain in force one year, was negatived without division. The Bill was then read a third time and pass d. The Council then adjourned.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. I Tuesday, Judy 7. AFTERNOON SITTING. I The House met at 2.30 p.m. I QUESTIONS. I Replying to questions Ministers said, —• I The Government did not iutend to reI sums the system of nominated immigraI tion at present —lt was a fact that two I females had been detained in the Wei* I lington Lunatic Asylum since May 27 and 30 last without medical certificates The Magistrate would be required to report upon the subject. The Government would, when possible, give employment to men who have lost an arm, but are other- | wise strong and capable. THE BBUOE BEAT. The Speaker retd a letter containing the resignation of the member for Brace., The Premier moved that a new writ be issued for the vacant seat. Agreed to. THE TABIFF. Sir JT. Vogel said he desired to make a short Ministerial statement as to the course intended to be taken by Government on .heir Tariff ill. He said Government bad considered carefully all suggestions and criticisms upon the question of the proposed alteration of the

I tariff, '’'hey had also considered how far I it was possible to suggest modifications in I the tariff consistent with the primary ob* I ject of raising the revenue. He said the J alterations conld not be dealt with quickly, I and very great care would be necessary ] in regard to any alteration in the duties. I He would, therefore, ask the Honse to I give them Wednesday evening to deal I with the question. It was very important I it should be dealt with without further I loss of time, in consequence of the nn I certainly prevailing in business circles as Ito the proposed duties. The Government I wopld be able to come down on Wednes* I day evening, and state what modification I they proposed ’to pjaka to the Hons?. If I private members agrepntqgivbnp Wednes* I day for this purpose, Government would concede them Friday evening for private business 1 After some discussion as to the advisability of adopting the suggestion, the Hon R. Stout moved that Government business take precedence on Wednesday ne.jct, which was agreed to. ] 1 ‘ BUiL'* FASsBB. The Administration Act 1879 Amendment Bill was reported, read a third time and passed. Xbe Borne rote »t 5.30 p.na.

EVENING SITTING. ] The House resumed at 7 30 p.m. CEMETERIES BIEL. The Hon R. Stout moved the second | reading of the Cemeteries Bill. Agreed to. BT ITS FORESTS BILE. The adjcnrned debate on the second reading ot the New Zealand State Forests Bill was resumed by Mr Moat, who said he would cordially support it, because he believed it would have a good effect in conserving the forests of the colony. Mr O'Oonor supported the Bill. Mr Barron said he intended to Oppose the Bill.

Mr Steward supported the Bill. I Mr Macandrew said he should not Op* I pose the second reading. I Dr Newman also agreed that a eeparete j department was not desirable. He hoped I that if the Bill went to its second reeding, I the House would strike out the objection* j able clause relating to borrowing. { Sir G. Grey said the Bill did not at all I fulfil what it promised to do. It did not I aim at the conservation of forests, because I no provision was made to prevent people I from cutting them down. He admitted I the necessity that existed for preventing I the wanton waste ot our forests that was I now going on, but he thought the Bill I should be postponed till next session, to I enable a better measure to be prepared. I Major Atkinson did not like the machinery of the Bill, although he sympathised with the object the Treasurer had in view. He should not object to the second reading, but would not vote for the third reading unless soma material altera* 1 tions were made in it. Mr Wakefield said he would support the second reading of the Bill, as it had for its object the conservation of the forests of the Colony. He objected t® the Bill itself, however, and thought if it ever came out of Committee, it woold have a very different effect than the conserving of the forests. He did not see any good reason why the Forest Planting Bncour* agement Act should be' interfered with. It would be a great mistake to repeal that Act in favor of an untried scheme.

Sir Julias Vogel said the objections { made to the Bill were not sufficient reject it as a whole. As to the objections to creating a separate department, the Bill was so framed as to give the House entire and thorough command of the working of the Bill. The object of the department should be to educate the local bodies into a better system of judiciously presesving their forests. As for the borrowing powers he confessed he would have preferred to make the scheme a charge upon the consolidated revenue. Government would be prepared to receive suggestions in Oommittee, with the view of making the Bill as complete as possible. The motion for the second reading was agreed to. POSTAL NOTES BILL. Sir Julius Vogel moved the second reading of the Post Office (Postal Notes) Bill. The motion was agreed to, and the House adjourned at 8.55 p.ra.