PARLIAMENTARY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1315, 14 August 1886, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Fbidat, August 13.

The Council met at 2 30 p.m. t t A motion was agreed to that the rJ Council on rising adjourn to Saturday. In committee on the Property Assessmeat Bl'T the question as to whether the Ci Bill w-a a money Bill was raised, and 1 B , the matter was referred to the SpaaKer, 1 who ruled that the Bill could be amended | Q as it did not affect the question of op- 1 c propriation. I ; The debate was adjourned ito the even-1 log- , 1 The managers of the free conference I on the Municipal Corporations Bdl j brought up their report recommending j that the Council’s amendment* be not I | insisted 00. I The question was adjourned. 1 1 The amendments of the House In the j Settled Land Bill were agreed to. 1 The District Railways Purchasing Bill 1 was road a second time, committed and 1 1 reported without amendment, read »1 ' third time, and passed. | 1 The Council adjourned to 7.30 p.m., J and on resuming the Babbit Nuisance I 1 Bill, tho Property Tax Bill, and the r Public Revenues B : ll were read a first | t The managers of tho fall conference '■ on the lineal Bodies Lioan Bill, ana Hari burs Act Amendment Bill, reported that 0 they bad been unable,to arrive at any :o The Property Assessment Bill was read a third time and passed. t>f The reports of the managers of the ha conference on the Counties Bill and the a • me t.l 1 Ttill WAI*A A?fBBQ

The Property Tax Bill and the Public Revenues BUI went through a’l their stages and were passed. The Council adjourned at 9 20 p.m.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

The House met at 2 30. Mr Connolly brought up the report o the Committee ou the Owh.sko and Kalmanwha blocks, Mr Balance said that the Government would state on next sitting day waat course they proposed to take respecting the report. „ The Premier moved that the House at its rising to-day adjourn I*ll half-past two to-morrow. The motion wes agreed to. Replying to questions it was stated that a sum would be put on the supplementary es*inodes for giving concessions for the encouragement of companies deniring to work the bed of the Olutha river for gold ; that Government were not aware of any complaint! being made on the question of placing police officers on the same footing as prison officers, with regard to allowances for uniform, and theta was no reason to increase the pay of the police ; that the number of gaols In New Zealand being so much m advance ot that of Victoria, was the cause of extra expenditure in the cost of prisoners per head in New Zealand ; that Warder Ferguson being an old officer of Dunedin gaol, of twenty-five years standing, and being dismissed without notice, his retiring allowance was taken Into consideration, and £6O was about half what he should have got had he been allowed to resign ; that Government could not put a sum on the estimates for subsidising voluntary contributions raised by associations for the purpose of importing the natural enemies of rabbits; that Instruc tlons would be given for the purpose of reporting upon the result of a series of close seasons that have been observed in

regard to the seal fishery. Mr Richardson said that the exigencies ot the publ'o service required that Government should take np the Bui wbl-ffi stood in Mr Beetham a name, entitled the Railway C instruction and Land Act Amendment Bill, The House went into commiitee on the Bill, which was read a third time, and passed with amendments, a clause providing that a railway should not be rated, being struck out. The Babbit Act Amendment Bill was re-commltted. Clause 25—Subsidy to be paid out of Consolidated Fund—was amended so as to limit the amount of subsidy to £IO,OOO In any one financial year, and to limit the amount of subsidy under clause 38 to£6ooo. , , ... . The Bill was reported, read a third time, and passed. The Property Tax Bill was read a second time and passed through the re-

maining stages. S.r Julias Yogel moved the ssct/Ud reading of the Public Revenues Bill. He said he proposed to increase the ksue of deficiency Bibs by the amount of £200,000, which was partly necessary on account of a falling cff in the revenue. Major Atkinson thought that In the face of the statement by the Treasurer as to the falling off in revenue, they were not justified in reducing taxation by £12,000 Tho motion was agreed to, and the Bill passed through its final stages. The Premier moved that the House go into Committee on the Representation Bill. He said that if the population basis was not agreed to by the House, he should not go on with the Bill. He had received a memorandum from the RegistrarGeneral, which stated that the census returns would not be completed till the end of the year, which would prevent the board going on with their duties till next year. He wished to say that he should not proceed with the Bill unless a eub.»i?ntial majority of the House was favorable to it. The reason why he did not go on with the Bill at an earlier period of the session was in consequence of his illness.' Mr Montgomery thought the Bill should be passed, as something might happen which would necessitate going to the country on the present basis of representation i He should like to make a few amendments but generally he would support the Bill. Mr Macandrew said It was evident by the temper of the House that, if this Bill got into Committee, some weary nights and a very acrimonious discussion would arise. Ho moved as an amendment that it is inadvisable, at this late period of the session, that tho Representation Bill should be proceeded with further until next session, and that Parliament should bo summoned for the despatch of business not later than tho first week in May next. Mr Down's Stewart said that |they had a duty to perform in tho matter and they should performs that duty now. Ho was well aware that If It were left till next session it wou'd bo held over the:? heads in an undue manner.

Mr Bold asked whether if the number of members were reduced the Premier would proceed with it The Premier would say frankly that he did not think the number would bo reduced, bnfc if the number were reduced, he should still go on with the BilL In reply to a further question by Mr Reid the Premier said he hoped the House would meet in April nest year, and b« thought the now electorates would be arranged iu three months. Mr Beid thought there was no necessity for the Bill this year, and that the question should be submitted to their constituents

Mr Mentoath was speaking at the 5.30 p.m adjournment. On resuming, the Premier announced that an agreement had been come to with the Council on the Counties and Municipal 00-porations Bills. The conference on the Local Bodies Loans Bill bad not been able to agree.

Mr Menteath continued h ; i remarks on the Representation Bill. He asked what was the haste for the measure this session, and protested against so important a Bill being shouldered through in the last moments of the session. He objected to population as a basis without regard to territorial limits. It was Impossible to reduce the number of members. Mr Bruce pat in a word for tbe sailors wbo had no voice in the affairs of the country. He was in favor of the Hare I system with some modifications. Country I districts ought to have the largest share lof representation. He defended the country members from the.impntation of inferiority. S The Premier said be Intended to stand by the principle of population basis. I In answer to Mr Horsthonse, the Premier said the majority he required to induce him to go on with ihs Bill was

about five. Mr Bryce said both Government whip* had been actively canvassing against the. Bill. Mr Ballance said that was not correct, es Mr J. Mackenzie and only one,

Mr Bryce said one or more member* of the Government also opposed the measure, and had been canvassing against it. It was a peculiar state of affairs; Probably the. Premier if he abandoned the Bill this session would also do so next session. (The Premier: No.) Would the hon member make it a Government question and break up his Ministry if he could not carry it I The Premier said be cmld hardly answer such a question off hand. Mr Bryce said the abandonment of the Bill till next session would be a very serious matter, and if the Bill were postponed now, the difficulty of carrying It next sesssion would be infinitely Increased. The Premier said he hoped daring the recess the sense of the country would be made so marked that their w< aid be a good majority in favor of the Bill. Mr Bryce said the present Act ceased in December next year, end If no fresh measure were passed no elections coni I be held, as Parliament expired on August 9 h 1887. It would be easy for a few unscrnpnlona partisans to block the measure next session altogether. The inference he drew was that it was absolutely necessary to go on this session, and it was the duty of Government to exert themselves in the matter. Be rea'ly could net believe that tbe Premier was serious and warned.bim of the danger of trifling. Mr Barron did not agree that the Bui could be successfully blocked next year if Parliament met in April. He was certain that the number of members cmld be reduced, and intended to move to limit them to sixty, and also to reduce tin number of ministers. After some remarks in opposition to the Bill from Captain Sutter, the House divided. Mr Larnacb, Mr Richardson, Mr Walker, Mr McKenz’e (Government whip,) went Into the Opposition lobby, and were received with load applaaie. Ayes 3 5, noes 39. The result was received with cheers.

Major Atkinson said he was not so surprised as he ought to be. No more disgraceful scene had taken place than that just witnessed. (Uproar.) The Prem’ee bad taken bis stand on a principle, and yet three of bis own Government voted against him. Let him adjourn the House at once and tell those gentlemen who ' voted against him, that he could no louver work with them. What could then think of his sincerity wheh they saw a decision carried against him by three of his owa Government. He (Major Atkinson) denied that he was anxious to see the Bill passed b cause it would add three more to his following, as Insinuated by the member for Inangahua. He proceeded to point out that the last Representation Bill was with difficulty carried, though a large majority was In favor of it, and be predicted that they would have more difficulty next session.The following is the division list : AYES, 36. Atkinsor Lake Ballance Locke Barron Macarthur Bruce Mitchelson Bryce Montgomery Buchanan Moss Buck land, W. F. Newman Conolly Peacock Pargaville Richardson, G, F. Fergus Boileston Fisher Stout Fitzlierbert Thompson Fulton Tole Hakuene Trimble Hamlin Wakefield Hirst Whyte Hobbs Wilson Johnston Noes, 39. Be van . McKenzie, J. Bradshaw McMillan Brown Menteath Buckland, J. C. O’Callaghan Cadman O’Conor Co wan Pratt Dodson Pyke Duncan Reese Fraser Reid * Gore Richardson, E. Grace Ross Guinness Samuel Hatch Seddon Hursthouse Steward, W. J» Joyce Sutter Kerr Taylor Lance Thomson, J. W, Larnach Vogel Levestam Walker Macandrew Pairs—For. Moat Beetbara Mackenzie, M, J. S. Smith Oimond Hurst, W. J. Stewart, D. Against. Garrick Turnbull lyess Pere Harper Coster Holmes

Sir Julius Vogel said the whole tenor of Ms jot Atkinson’s procedure this session bad been to fling himself at the Premier’s head, The latter did not want the assistance of the Opposition to carry his Gills, and it was not likely that the bead of the Government was going to be beholden to men who were always in opposition to him, and let him treat a great measure as they pleased. Personally) he voted against the Bi!I because he did not think there was time Ip carry it this session. He challenged Mapr Atkinson’s right to oritoise his vote. Was It a party measure or was it not ! If not, why should the members of the Government not vote as they liked ? Ho advised Major Atkinson to busy himself organising his own party, and not interfere with the Government following, Mr Turnbull said M»jor Atkinson had been hoist with his own petard. It was not likely Government were going to pass a me.- -are to bring him into power next session. Mr Moss said the only reasonable course now was to have a dissolution, and he proposed an amendment to that effect. Mr Rolleston said the Premier was bound in justice to himself to resign. H« could not apcept Sit Julius Yogel’s explanation "that he voted against the Bill because there was not time for it this session. For some time the Government had been wi hont head or t*il—a miserable corpse without life in it. The Midland Railway had kept them In office the if at two sessions, and the sooner the House went to the people the better. He seconded Mr Moss' amendment. The Premier said that his original promise had been to give an opportunity for discussing the question, and even when he introduces, the BUI it was drawn In a form to suit this session or next, |t was not till the second re*Ub|

be cits way to the promise tp go on wi It. After that he found out that the were some members who would suppo Die second reading but not tl BH’i Had he gone on a Bi would have been passed, but m this. He had distinctly stated an the Opposition had cheered hii that it was not a party question. H bad never made a promise which he ha not kept. A Bill on the same lines woul be brought down next se a'on early, as Government measure, and he intended t do his best to make it law. He wont not depart from the population basis. H wished to say that his colleagues woah not have voted against him had this beei made a party question. As for ihi whips, he had never known they wer« expected to surrenders!! liberty of though! and conscience. Similar instances had repeatedly occurred. The Supplementary Estimates were then brought down by a message from the Governor, and fre'h managers were appointed for a conference on the Harbors Act Amendment Biil. Mr Moss’ amendment was lost on the voices, and Mr Mscandrew s amondmsnt now became the substantive motion. It was put and carried. On the motion to go irto Committee of Supply Mr O’Conor said he wished to the House to endorse the recommendation of the Committee on leg's' tlvo expenditure that all officers of ihe House should be under the c >ntrol of Government He considered the of (ffioers who received high salaries for Work done dming the session should be at the disposal of the State daring the recess. The Premier suggested that It would be better to leave the matter t'll next a ssloa, , The motion w«-> negatived and lue Supplementary Es’lmates were coisidertd In committee. A few items were nassed and then the Railways Authorisation Bill was passed through all its stages. The House rose at 12 30 a. m