HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1546, 30 April 1887, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Friday, April 29.

The House met at 2.30 p.m. NEW MEMBER. Mr Mills, member for Port Ohalmiri, took the oath and his seat, LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL REFORM. Sir R. Stout gave notioe to iatrodaoe the Legislative Oounoll Constitution Bill. , QUESTIONS. ■ Mr Taylor asked the Government whether they will during thij session bring on a Bill to Amend the Property Tax Act m the dlreotlon of levying the tax upon a graduated scale In order that all olassea of the oomrauity shall contribute their faic quota m aooordanoe with their meanß, towards the expenses of governing the country. Sir J. Yogel aaid the matter would be dealt with m the Financial Statement. - Dr Newman asked the Government if they will arrange that when tenders are called for any public works, the acceptance, of any tender shall be published within one week of the final date of sending m Buch tenders, Mr Richardson said he was not able to grant the request. NEW BILLS. The following Bills were introduced ;— To Amend Municipal Corporations Act, 1886, to Define the Hours of Labor within the colony of New Zealand, Local Bodies Loans Act Amendment Bill, Government Loans to Local Bodies Act Amendment, to Provide for a Female Franchise, Post Office Act, 1881 Amendment Bill, Local Authorities Jubilee Expenditure- Bill, Naval and Military Settlers and Volunteers Land Bill. EMPLOYMENT OF FEMALES, Sir B. Stout moved the second reading of the Employment of Females and Others Act 1881 Amendment Bill. He explained that the Bill was similar to the one passed m the House last year, but which was thrown out by the Legislative Council. Mr Levestam raised several objections to the Bill, and he hoped it would be amended m Committee. He also took exception as to the half holiday on Saturdays. Mr Turnbull . hoped the Bill would be amended, so that the half 'holiday might be taken on some other day than Saturday. Sir R. Stout had no objection to this. The motion was agreed to. men school reserves. Sir R. Stout moved the second reading of the High Schools Reserves Act Amendment Bill. The Bill was brought mto allow those schools to alter their reserves for the purpose of buildings. The motion was agreed to. ELECTORAL ACTS AMENDMENT BILL Sir R. Stout moved the eeoond reading of the Electoral Aots Amendment Bill, which he explained was brought m to remedy certain defects m the existing electoral laws. The Bill provided that the Registrar wag to remove off the roll the names of persons who have changed their residence, and no objection would be taken at the poll against a residential voter except that he ia registered elsewhere. He also stated that the hour of pollinglin the BUI was extended till 7 p.m. Mr Hamlin, as a country member, would oppose keeping the poll open till 7 p.m. He thought the present hour of six o'olook answered the purpose very well. If town members required an extension of time, he waß quite prepared to grant it, but it was not required m the country. Mr Downie Stewart thought the proposed alteration for extending the hour of polling was a very desirable one. Mr Fergus objeoted to the Bill, beoauae it extended the hours of polling, Mr Buchanan agreed with the proposal to extend the .time m large cities and boroughs. Mr Frnser supported the Bill, and said his recent experience had shown that several people were kept out of the polling booths at six o'clock. Mr Tnrnbull asked whether the Premier would agree to insert an amendment pro* viding that persons would be allowed four* teen days after the issue of the writs to get their names on the rolls. Mr Barron expressed latisfaction with the measures about to be taken to purge ** the rolls. He agreed with the proposal to extend the hourr« Mr Bryoe thought that In some oases an extension of the hours of polling would have a beneficial effect, but m others It would be jnot the opposite, . Sir R. Stout replied to the various objections to the Bill. The motion was agreed to. REPRESENTATION BILL. Sir R. Stout moved the second reading of the Representation Bill. He referred to the Bill of last session, and said the pro* sent Bill was one intended to rid Parliament of tk great difficulty. He felt there was need of some special system other than w.ib already m forse m the colony. The principle of the Bill m Borne respeots, v waa not new, and he thought there would bs no particular objection it. Theoharge had been formally made that districts bad been altered to suit certain members of Parliament, and he thought on this ground the appointment of a Commission would commend itself to the House. As to the number of members the House should oonsist of, he thought that was an open question. If the present number nas decreased it might be said it was injurious to country districts. On the other hand, it might be said that New Zaaland might do with fewer members, and that it had more than Victoria ; but Victoria was differently situated m many respeots. He himself was not m favor of reduction beyond a few. They might, m hla opinion, keep the Houae to eighty-six European members and four Native members, which would be five less than the present, He was strongly of opinion that tho city oonatituanoioa shonld be Amalgamated, aud should vote for it ; but that should apply to country districts as well. The difference ia the percentage of population m hoth islands waa very little and if this proposal was agreed to it would cause equal justice to both islands. He submitted that the Government had gone as far aa they could by the Bill to meet the objections that were raised last year. Tho Bill, no doubt, rouid require oertain amendments, which he would be glad to cjnßidor. Ho would ask what the House represented 1 It was not representative of area, taxation, or wealth — the only principle on which they could base their representation was population. He would like If thoße members who differed from the principle of this Bill would point oat what principle they Bhould follow. He was glai In one respect that this Bill was discussed this Besslon, and he asked the Houae to look at the Bill carefully and calmly as embodying a principle that would be the law of New Zealand for ht hoped a long time to come. He shonld be glad to hear any member of the House advocating any other principle that would meet the difficulty bettor than the population basic. He would ask what members had to fear if the population basis were adopted. It was not likely that people m Urge towns were going to ague to give blook vote* toj

any particular meiabers. If It were de.atred that the minority should rule, then the BUI would be opposed, but those members who wished tho mi»j ;tity to rule uhoold support It. He should wait with great anxiety for any arguments on any better system of representation than prpulatlon. A division was called for, but not pressed, and the motion was agreed to, The House then rose