HOUSE OF REPRESBNTAIIVES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1549, 4 May 1887, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESBNTAIIVES.

Tuesday, Ma/ 3. Mr Harulin took the chair m the absence of the Speaker. NOTIQB, Mr Pyke gave notice that he would move m Committee on the .Representation Bill that a modified form of the Hare system be introduced into the Bill. LEGISLATIVE CODNOIL RBFOBIf. Sir K. Sicut moved for leave to intrdduce the Legislative Council Reform Bill; Major Atkinson asked what the nature of the Bill was. He thought a Bill of that nature should have emanated from the Council and hot from the House. The Council would have good .reason to feel aggrieved m the matter. • Sir It. Stout quite differed from the hon member. He contended the House waß the proper place to introduce the Bill. He regretted Major Atkinson

Bhouid try to fetter their rights In dealing with the Constitution of the colony. Major Atkinson waa aorry he had boen miurepreaented. He did not attempt to Ettiet any righto m dealing with the Constitution. He submitted (t was very unwiee to introduce a Bill m the manner In which it waa brought m. He was sure the Legislative Council would be rery ijlad to consider any reasonable propoial brought m by Government for the refom of that body. >rf 4 Sir It. atout aald it wan not only within tha right of the Houoe to consider suoh a Bill, but it waa alio their duty to oonaider it before introducing it into the Council. The Bill was read a first time, and the second reading w»8 fixed for Friday next, LOCAL INDUSTRIES. MrßftUanoe moved— "That a Select Committee be appointed, to con slat of Major Atkinson, and Messrs Garrlok, Jones, Bracken, Peacock, Bruce, Darga* ville. Hatch, Mobs, and the" mover, to consider how manufactures and Industrie! may be encouraged. Colonel Trimble objected to the coneM* tution of the Committee, as all but three members of it were well-known proteotloniata. He looked upoa it as a farce. Mr Wakefiold alao objected to the Government evading Us responsibilities by proposing a Committee of this kind, Mr Scobie McKonzie quite agree witli Colonel Trimble's remarks. Mr Mosb hoped the Oommltte would not be appointed, Mr BarroD thought if the namen of the Committee were withdrawn, and the names of six Ministers substltnted,it would be a great improvement. The Government were really trying to put thia mattes on other men's shoulders, Mr Downle Stewart thought some members had a good doal to learn on thfi sabjaot. Yet his opinion was that men engaged m the aotive business of life would naturally be able to throw a good deal rf light on the question, " He had do obj?otion to the appointment of a Com mittee. Me Butter opposed the Commit' ea on the ground that Ministers were shirking their duties. Mr Ballance defended the appointment of the Committee. He Baid tha object of it was merely to obtain information with regard to the indoßtries of the colony that required encouragement, and be wished to leave their hands entirely untrammelled. They would simply take evidenceregardiog the progress of industries of the colony, and not of manufactures only. It wbi impoßsiblo, too, for Government to obtain i all the information they required without aa itquiry of this kind. He coald not understand the position Mr Moia had taken up, as he had himself brought In a motion regarding the iron industry, and he assorted that not half a dczan members of the House lrnew anything of that industry. As for the charge of relieving Government, of its responsibility, he oon* tended this Committee's labors would > prove of great value, not only to the pre« sent Government, but also to future Governments. This Committee m hie opinion, was the best means of obtaining information respecting the moat important industries of the colony. The motion wbb agreed to. L*ND ACQUISITION BILL. Mr Ballance introduced the Land Acquisition Bill, which waa read a first time. MR JUSTICE WARD. Mr Tole moved th« second reading of the Ward Conservation of Bights Bill, which was brought m to conserve the righto of Judge Ward as a oivll servant, notwithstanding his acceptance of the office temporarily as a Judge of the Supreme Court. r lho motion wan agreed to, THE REPRESENTATION BILL, On the motion for the committal of the Representation Bill, Mr Leveatam referred at some length to tha proposed percentages to country districts. He con* tended that Sir R. Stout's proposal wai simply to increase the representation of towns, and take it away from the country. He condemned the proposed Committee, aod thought the matter should not be taken out of the hands of Parliament. He thought the Government should not have left tb,e number of members blank. They should have led the House, BDd In* formed it what number m their opinion tha House should consist of. Mr Downie Stewart BUggeßted that the University of New Zealand should be given representation. Mr O'Conor said the House had had quite enough of appointing Boards to decide important questions. He did not think the proposals of the Government ai to country districts were at all fair or satisfactoiy, and he also deprecated taking provincial bcaadnries, as propoßod by the Bill. Mr Taylor wanted to know what all thia talk of country v towns meant. He waa not aware of any instance m which the country wont against the towna. He protested againßt the cty that waa being raised, Mr Hobba said the Government had no sympathy with the country dlatriota. Mr Pcobie MoKrozie thought the leaders of tho Opposition were doing a very wrong thing fn not dicousaing this Bill, and ha thought tbo 8.1 l would lead to a good deal of trouble yet. He held that the Bill was an exceedingly narrow and illiberal one, based on true Gjnservativa principles. It proposed to take from those who b&d little already to spare i He di»pr« (sjted antagonism between town. and couutry, and he felt Bute that if the demands of the country members were fair and reasonable the town member! would not decline to support them, Aa to ihe proposed Committee, he admitted it was following the English brecodent, but ha objected to a certain extent to a Coaimiaaion of civil servants, because however capable they might ba they were not entirely ii. dependent of the Government. Be thoaght tho proper o.mro waji.to bestow the function .upon a Committee of boih Mouses, and ho ahould propose that when the BJ}| wag m CommiH9e<

Dr. Neirman was surprised at the ipeeoh of the member (or Mount Ida, as it breathed a spirit of thorough-going Conservatism. Se would ask on what other prinolple ban population representation should be based. Sir R. Stout thought Mr McKenzle should have oonoluded his speech by moving that the House should not proceed further with the Bill. Ho contended that the towns had no advantage under this Bill, and said that If they wore going to accede to the large demands made by oountry members the Worth Island would receive no increased representation at all. He assorted that suburban and seml-rnral districts had largely increased m population, and the Bill had to meet that emergenoy. It was absurd to say that districts of this kind should not receive additional representation. He did not think the charge cf inequality made apainst the Bill had been fairly met. He defended the proposed Commission, which would only consist of one Civil Servant, and he thought the Board would work well. If fell were given to the oountry districts that they ask for it would be better not to pass the BUI at all. The motion for committal waa [oarried on the voices. The House rose at 5.30 p.m.