HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1558, 14 May 1887, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Friday, May 13, „. v The House met at 2.30 p.m. .; : BILLS. •:-■■:: On the motion for the Introduction' by Sir Jullaa Yogel of the Bill to Amend the Oaatoms Tariff, Mr Moas strongly ' vro* tested against any addition of Customs dutlus exoepj for the encouragement of looal Industries, Sir Julius Yogel oatd that the proposed additions to the Qastoms revenue would not be bo le-ge as it was m 18&2-83, notwithstanding the large iucreane of popnlauon; As for the present tariff there had nerer been one proposed whion appeared to give more general satisfaction. The motion was agreed to. ...... Sir Julius Yogel moved the second reading of the Government Loans to Looal Bodies Act Amendment BUI; The motion was agreed to. • ■■■■■;■* Sit Julius Yogel moved the second reading of the Local Bodies Loans Aot Amendment Bill. The motion was agreed to, A lengthy discussion ensued on the motion for the recommittal of the Elections Act Amendment B)ll for the purpose of farther coLslderatlon of clause 6, providing for the extension of the hoars lor polling to 6 p.m. The motion for the recommittal was carried by 43 to 23. Mr Seddon moved that the polling Bha'l not close til 1 7 p.m. In the following oitlei and boroughs :— Aookland, Thsraet, Parnell, Napier, Wellington, Wangatal, Nelson, Obrlstchuroh, Timaru, Sydenham, Walmate, Oamaru, Dunedln,,OaveT&h»m, Roslyn, Tnveroarglll, Linwood,, St. Albans, Sontn Dunedln, St. K.lda. The debate was interrupted by the 5 30 p.m. adjournment. The House resumed at 7.30 p m. Me Hhlop moved the addition of. Kuaiara to the borough?. The amendment was pressed to a division and lost by 56 to 15. Mr SeddonV olauae. as amended was added to the Bill by 40 to 37. Mr Hatch a new clause re depoalt of £25 exoited considerable discussion. Mr Seddon moved that the amount be raised <o £50. The motion nas carried by 38 to 32. Oa Mr Turnball's motion the deposit - was restricted to eleotions m which a poll was demanded. Several members said that the ticca was being oocupied with this B'll merely to keep back the Representation Bill, which wa3 next on the Oder Pap&r. The Premier denied that such was the case . • Mr Turnbull moved a furlber amend* nient to alter one-fifth to on-tenth. The motion was carried. The olauae as amended was passed by 33 to 32. REPRESENTATION. The Representation BUI was further considered m Committee. Mr Caiman moved an addition to sub« section 5, clause 3, requiring the Oommiasionerß m forming electorates to combine community of interests ai far as possible. Mi* Seidon wished to see the present boundaries retained as far n practicable. Mr G, P. Richardson proposed that facilities of communication and topographical featuiea should also be taken Into consideration.

Mr Seddon insisted on ha views, remarking that they were trying to take away lights without asking the people of the osuntry, a thing which they would not dare to do by force m some parts of the colony— Kumara for Instance. The Premier said he would aocept Mr Seddcm'a and Mr Richardson's suggestion*, and Mr Cadraan's emendment was alteied accordingly. Mr Seddon moved a further amendment giving the Commission power to take a supplementary census if they have reason to believe that a change of population has ta'<en«£>lace m any diatriot sinoe the preceding official oemns. The Premier Baid this might apply to mining d'striots m oaso of a sadden cash, but thtre would be no firality^f it were made applicable to the whole oolor.y. Mr Sed don's amendment was negatived by 64 to 25. He moved a further provision that there should always be two census returns, taken before the electoral representation of goldfislds were altered. He pleaded for falrplay to the .West Coast Districts, whose representative power has been »aken away. He remarked that he felt the blood of 1881 stirring within him. Mr Flahor remarked that Mr Seddon had taken up about two hours of the Committee's t me, and bogged him to remember that other members had .amend*, ments to bring forward as well as him* self, - • v ••■ Mr Fergus thought that Mr Seddon - was within his rights, and would have His' support m all reasonable proceedings. MrJFeldonsaid he was obliged to move his amendments m their proper place, and he denied th-\t he had occupied two hoars of their tf»ne. Mr Dargavllle warned the North Islrnd members that they were being led into • trap, and It was evident that oertain mem* bera had no Intention of allowing the Bill to be passed if they could help it. He characterised this as political perfidy and the outoome of Intrigue. Mr Fergus eaid the honorablo member .. was barking up the wrong tree. He denied that h<3 had any Intention of stonewalling the Bi'i, or helping others to do it. But he would vota against the third reading if the B-ll cime out of Committee m a ahape distasteful to him. The Premier mid he fowod Mr Fergus hid plotted against the Bill In the lobbies Mr Fergus denied the troth of this statement. The Premier«replied that he had been doing all he oou'd to prevent a oompro* irlsa. In his opinion Me Fergui did not want the Bill to p a at a", especially clause 3 m it i present shape. An for Mr Seddon'a amendment it would not work, and the colony oould not afford to take two censuses, Mr Lerestam said thero were other districts besidci goldfields subject to fluctuation, and the provision did not satisfy him As to the BHI generally, he would rather have none than this. Mr Dargaville s-^d there was a solemn engaeremeut by the loader of the House ii 1881, which ou«ht to be res^ctdd. Mr Leveßtara snfd there wpa no intention of a population b*slg In that declaration, and he denied that it was m any way binding. The Prem'er said It was distlnot that the Bill oould not go through unless a compromise of pome sort ww nude, |fo

suggested that the number of members be raised to 86, and a conoesslon made ft the percentage. If thh were agreed tc with slight alterations Id the lemaintaf clauses, he thought the Bill' m'ght rea louftbly be allowed to pass. Mr Bryoe aald there was no question 'o ptino'ple as jailed It was only one o dag'ee. The country members hau ahowr themselves ready to give up a portion 0 their present advantage, and he thought lha Premier might very weil recede from his posllon. The Premier Bald that if there was fo bo no compromise they had better go m and fight the Bill. Mr W. Buokland, Mr O'Oallaghan and Mr Reese, expressed themselves m favor of compromise. Mr Barron objected to alter the number of members again. Mt Bryce did not think any good woul come ?of an attempt at a private com promise. They oould aettle it bettor on the floor of the House, Tbe discussion was kept up till 1.30 a.m. when the Premier suggested that they should adjourn m hopes, after what had been said, of arriving at a compromise on Tuesday. Mi Bryce said that If they adjourned then he was afraid they would see the Init of the Bill. MrMoKenzle Bald that the majority of the House had plainly deolared Its will with regard to the 20 per cent. Mr Hlslop said there ought to be no eompromisefn a matter of this kind. It •hould be settled by the will of the majority. After a short further dlsouaslon the motion to report progress was carried . Mr Bryce asked the Premies It he wonld make the Bill the first order of the day for Tuesday. Sir R. Stout said that he oonld not promise that. Mr Rolleston hoped tho Premier wonld give way. Efforts outside the House already made to effeofc a compromise) showed how Inexpedient it was to rely on that process to arrive at an agreement. Although he had voted for 71 members he waa prepared to yield that rather than see the Bill dropped. On the motion that leave be granted to sit again, Mr Bryce moved to insert words fixing the Bill as the first order of the day for Tuesday. Sir R. Stout siid that he had never heard such ft motion and It would do no good. The House divided :— Ayes 31, Noes 32. The amendment was lost. The House rose at 2.5 a.m. 1