HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1735, 14 December 1887, Page 3

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Tuesday — December 13, The House met at 2 30 p.m. QUESTIONS Replying to questions It was stated that Government would look into the resolutions passed at the Stock Conference m Sydney with a view to having a general law on the subject ; that if found desirable a Bmall sum would be put on the estimates as bonuses for the three bent eaaaya un local Government ; that a number oi special settlement associations Mould be allowed to take up land to the extent of 320 acres ; - that copies of all pubUo Bills introduced into the House during each session could not be forwaided to the public libraries of the colony. ABSENT WITHOUT LEAVE. Mr Semuel wished to draw the attention of the House to a very important maiter. He aaid be found by the journals of the Legislative Council that nu less than six members of this chamber bad been absent without leave of He? Majesty or Government for two whole sessions, and he questioned whether they had not forfeited their seats m consequence. The gentlemen he referred to were Mr Phanzyn, Mr Oliver, Mr Waterhouße, Mr Holmes, Dr Menzles and Dc Pollen. He detailed the periods which those members had been absent, and said he thought ii right to bring the matter before the Houße. He hoped Government would look carefully Into It, and If necessary bring la an Indemnity Aot to protect thoae gentlemen against possible penalties. The Premier said that It would be the duty of Government to look into the matter and bob what steps had been rendered necessary. SECOND READINGS. The Auckland Girls' High School Bill, Pharmacy Act Amendment Bill, and Public Beserves Bale Bill, were read a second time. IN COMMITTEE. The Hov e went into committee on the Auckland Girta' High School Act Amendment Bill, and Christchurch Hospital Bill, •which were passed with slight amendments. THE LAKD BILL. The Land Bill was further considered m Committee. Mr Marchanf, moved a new clause that when any block of land excooding 10,000 acres has been held by any person for 3 years before 31st December, 1837, and no occupation or improvement has taken place on it, Government may take poses--1 eion of such land on payment of the properly tax valuation with £10 per cent added, and it should be dealt with as waste lands of the Crown. i The clause was lost by 32 to 27. , Mr Wa'ker moved a new clause to the 1 effect that education reserves may be * dealt with under this Act. 1 The debate was interrupted by the 530 ' p.m. adjournment. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m.' The motion for reporting progresa was ; lost by 37 to 26. Mr Fiah protested against tna clause, i and aaid it wa3 a most improper thing, for ; which the Minister of lands was reepon- ; ftible. There had evidently been an intrigue between the Minister and the 1 member for Wa'ruate over this olause. Major Steward denied that thero had , been any Intrigue whatever. The ODly : communication that had passed on the I matter was that he and Me Walker had ; asked tba Minister whether he would 1 agree to the olau3e moved by Mr Walker. [ Dr FUchett moved a proviso to the , clause that the Governor should not issue 7 a proclamation with respect to education ; reserves until it had been shown that they ) had been administered m such a way as to r prevent or Impede settlement. , Mr Barron moved an amendment that ) bodies m whom reserves are vested should . also concur. p I Mr Fiah again protested pgalnet this ; insidious aitecapt tj take the control of , education reserves out of the hands of t bodies qualified to administer them, r Mr Walker also denied there had b9en t any plot m the matter, He was prepared , to take the whole responsibility for the b clause he hod moved, 0 After further discueßlon Mr Barron's 3 amendment was lost by 4.0 to 34 c Mr Walker accepted Dr Fitchett'e c proviso, which was tarried on the voioea, Mr Walker's clause wan then thrown s out by 35 to 31. y Sir George Grey moved a new clause to r the effect that land courts ba established c to have power to regulate rents paid by - deferred payment settlers, r Mr Richardson said that Government 1 had that day oiroalated a Bill dealing 9 with that matter. He should therefore c ask Sir George Grey to withdraw hii r- olftooe. c Mr Baliarce Bald he found nothing It ie the Bill referred to dealing with the 0 matter brought forward by the membei n for Auckland Central. d Mr Scobie McKer z;!e said that he hac d supported Sir George Grey's Fair Ben a? B,UI. a?, with all due deference to th< te Premier, he coosidered it a usefu 3e measure. He thought It uncßnal, how It ever, to endeavour to Insert the priuclpli ie of that Bill m the Land Bill, as the Fal i. Bent Bill had been rejected by the House m I*, might aho endanger the passing of th m Imid Bill m the Council if Sir Georgi ." (iroy'o clause were Inserted m it. to The Premier said that it was to be re ie gretted that a Bill had been nasented t )n by a large majority of the Souse ahoul _3 be Interfered with by a olause of thl kind} whloh bad already been rejected b

the Hou3e. He asked waa it tight that the time of the Houae should bo wasted m dlecfaßslng clauses which Government declared were not workable. He had already stated that Govornrnent would bring down a BUI next session dealing with this question, and he hoped tho House would go to a division and allow the Bill to proceed, After a lengtby dlsousslon Sir George Grey's olauße waa rejeoted by 41 to 21. Several other new clauses were proposed, bnt Mr Richardson appealed to the Committee to allow the Land Bill to be reported without further delay, as time was gotting very abort. The Bill had yet to go before the Waste Lauds Committee of the Legislative Council previous to being considered by that chamber. Mr Monk moved a new clause to secure freehold tenure to village settlers after four years' occupationThe motion was loat by 34 to 26. Mr Guinness moved a new clause providing that it shall be lawful for the Goveiaor from time to time to make reserves out of Crown lands as endowments for such borough oounoUs as to him shall B6era fit. The clause waß read a second time by 34 to 26, Mr Moate moved to Insert " county connolla " after borough counoils. The motion was agreed to. Mr Thompson (Maraden) moved to include town districts. The motion was agreed to. Mr Jones moved that road boards be included. The motion was agreed to. Mr Fisher moved to lnoludo harbor boards. The motion was agreed to. Mr Rhodes moved that drainage boards ana hospital and charitable aid boards be added. The motion was agreed to. Mr Mills moved to include • public libraries. The motion waa agreed to. Sir George Grey strongly protested againßt the House indulging m absurd nonsense of this kind when it had just retnsed to paßs a clause that would oonfer immense benefit on struggling settlers. Mr Guinne&ft' olause as amended was the,n put and thrown out by 42 to 16. On the House resuming after supper adjournment (11.20 p.m.), Mr Pratt moved a new clause. Mr Blohardßon said he Bhould not aooept any farther amendments m the Bill. The clause was lost on a division, and no further amendments were proposed. ThQ Bill was ordered tn be reported. GOVERNMENT RAILWAYS BILL. The Government Railways Bill was further considered m Committee. Clause s— Constitution of Commie* alonera. Mr Turnbull moved an amendment that a railway board should be appointed for each Island. Mr Fish suggested that an Important Bill of this kind should be postponed till next session, as it was impossible to oonßider it properly at this Btago of the session, Mr Reaves (St Albane) moved that two boards be appointed consisting of three commissioners ar ;h. There was an overrhelmlng opinion m the Bouth that there ehould be a board m the South Island, to enquire into any grievance that might arisa. The Premier said that the objections now raised were those that should havo been made on the second reading of the BUI. What they wanted was to get a board that would administer railways not m the interests of particular localities, bat of the community generally. Alon<hy discussion followed, and the House roae shortly after 5 a.m.