HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1872, 20 June 1888, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Tuesday, Jcne 19. The Honae met at 2 30. CUSTOMS DUTIES BILL, I Mr Miichelson moved that farther con-'side-ation of the Customs Tariff Bill be | postponed till Friday. Agreed to. PETITION, i A lengthy discussion took place over a report from the Public Petitions Ooramitteo on the potilioa of Elliot, who bad been removed from tho Newmarket Railway Workshops to Greymouth at the same salary as ha hid received at Auckland. Mr Moas spoke on thi question at some length, and moved that the report be re ferred back to the Committee for further o midera'lon on the ground that the cost of living was muoh higher than m Auckland, Mr MHoholson opposed the amendment, and said that the removal was part of the general scheme of retrench ment. Mr Seddon; Mr Levestam, and Mr Korr, supported the amendment. After further debate Mr Moss' amend* ment was lost by 47 to 18, and the report was ordered to lie on the table. QUESTIONS Replying to questions it was stated that the question of readjustment of railway freights for transport of agricultural and pastoral produc'i would no doubt receive attention from the Board of Management to be shortly appointed by Government ; that Government has not considered the question of selling the Hinemoa ; that instructions would be given to the police to strictly enforce the provisions of the Act which referred to females m hotel bars not being employed after 11 o'clock at night ; that Government intend to aek the House to pass a Bid for appointing a committee to enquire into all land claims during the recess ; that if there had been any miscarriage of justice on Sunday trading m licensed houses it would be dealt with by GbVernmont ; that a depot would be established at the Kermadec Islands for the benefit of shipwrecked crews, THE OHIMEBE BILL Mj Hialop moved that the amendments , made hy the Council m the Chinese Immigration Act Amendment Bill be agreed to. Mr Seddon strongly condemned the alterations. He urged that Ohineee passengers be limited to one for every five hundred tons burden o£ the vessels bringing them. Sir George Grey warmly supported the previous speaker. He was positive that Councillors did not know the meaning of the clause they bad inserted, defining tha term "Chinese." He suggested as sn amendment that the alterations be disagreed with. Mr Hialop said that thus clause did not apply to the original Act Government were anxious to have temporary legislation m force at once to prevent tho colony being flooded with Ohine:e, They would give tho Hou-e further opportunity of dealing with the subject on the lines laid down by tho Sydney Conference, Mr Ballance, while agreeing m the main with the alterations, thought that Mr Hislop's explanation was unsatibfaotory and useless, and rendered us liable to be overrun with Chinese from Hong Kong and other polonies Mr Hielop said that if the House would agree to accept njl the alterations excopt clause 2, ho would consent to ask for a conference with tlio (Jouroil on that. Mr Kelly moved the adjournment of the de"bate. Mr Fish pointed out that It was understood the present Act would receive the Governor's assent, but any measure baaed on the decisions of the conference would probably have to be Bent Home for approval. Mr Fergus said that if they did not pass the Act they wou'.d be loft open to the Inroads of Chinese who had been shut out of other oolonles. Mr Ormond supported the adjournment, to give time for the result of the conference to be obtaiued. He Was not at all eatlafied with tho present legislation. Mr Reeves (Sfc Albara) thought that the prrsant Bill, with the alteration of olanse 5, was exactly what was wanted — aßtopgap, He appealed to Mr Kelly to withdraw his motion for adjournment. After some further discussion, the amendment was negatived on the voices. The House divided on the question that the Connolly amendment be agreed to. Ayes, 42 : noes, 35, Mr E. Richardson moved the addition of the worda " with tho exception of clause 2." Sir George Grey and Mr Seddon wished to have tho o'.ausea reinserted preventing Chinese voting, which the Council had ptruok out. 3?he former' •poke u'gainst any compromise, and proclaimed that ho was against allowing' any more Chinese to coma hero at ail, Mr Guloneea aaid it was waste of tlrao to go od. ffe moved the adjournment of the debate. Some personal recrimination took plaoe bettroou Mr Fergus and Mr Seddon on account of the former saying that a motion was only negatived beoause the latter proposed it. The proposal for adjournment was xngatlved on the yoloes after some debate, "fair "rent bill ' Mr Carrol resumed the debate on tfre Fair Bent Bill Re intended to vqto aga<nst the second reading as it involved a question oi tampering with private property. As lopg as it was confined to Cr, own lands' he did nqt object. Mr Ballance opposed fbe Bill. It jnterferetl with finality' of tenure, and pracfipalty meant three 3 ear leases only Mr Walker said the Qtjeot of the Bill waa to prevent there being land speculator^ and bo far as that went he cordially endorsed those principles. As to this being a temporary meabtire, as advooated by jlr Ballanoe, what thpy wonted waß not a temporary measure, but ooe that would laat for Borne time, and he trusted the House would rise to the oocasion and make tho Bill one that would setve for all time, and meet tho difficulties that at present cxiotid. He held that tho Bill made a distinction between private lands nnd trust lands, and a measure of this ■kiud iyap absolutely necessary. He thanked £he Government £or introducing tho. Bill, nnd he hopod (that m future thoro would bo no killing contracts with reference, to Orowa lanas, 'as tenant as well as landlord had to live oa the land, MrHobbs said > that at the present time people must have relief, and he abould Support t)Ve Bill. ■Mr Cowan also favored the measure. Mr' Peacock thought that tho Bill was likely to become a good useful measure, rftr Mc Pratt o^paed the Bill. " ' Mr Wbyle ' agreed with Mr Ballanqe that 1J; would be better to t?pa^ tt)la asa temporary rather than ao a permanent meaoare, MrLMule hailed the Bill with pleasure. Mr J McKer zle thought the Bill went J ioo *'.~ ~ nA w '** ot a dangerous nator©. j Mr D'luc.i : aupported the Bill. I)r I!;jl.kios>i) would oppose the meaauro it -jt >^ro |.q be o^tonded to private propDjrty. • ' " " •' ' M Thomas said that the absolute i' ' ■■'. ly for some nuoh measure at the! \> ■» •> t'mo must be apparent to all. ii. U'Gonor thought that fair loot w&H ,

only part of ih* consideration. Am qaally important branch of the subject was tonaut improvements, for whloh tbey now got no equivalent, Mr Kolly considered that some aaoh measure should have been passed years ago. Mr Oadman did not agree with all the details, bat uphold the prlnolple of the Bil l . He qaoted instances of hardship which had come under h'n personal observation. Dr Fitohett thought it would be better to narrow the operation of the Bill to Grown lands, otherwise there would not be much chnnoe of its becoming livr. Mr Baxton su t 'prted the 8.11, and said if It was carried out an a Fair Bent 8111 there won-.d be no necessity at all for interfering with private lauds. Mj >r Steward oongratninted the Government on Introducing a 8.1 lof this nataro, and oaid it was absolutely neoesaary that aotne means of relief should be f. and for Betters who were needy. He pointod ont that there was nothing In the Bill which proposed to deal with private landa; Mr B. Thompsm viewed the Bill with some BQBplcion. It would b 9 made an engine of political agitation, He was not surprlrei that the Native membera objected to It. , Mr Hutchison looked upon the Bill ai a more important event than the Tariff. It was the beginning of a great floolal revolution, whloh could not have but a beneficent result. Mr Jonec, Mr Blake, and Mr Samael sapported the Bill. ... Mr Taiwhmga opposed the Bill. Mr Feldwlok supported the Bill brleif . Mr HiaJop, m reply, s»ld that Government generally had no reason to complain of the manner In whloh the Bill had been received. The suggestions would receive proper consideration. The Bill was read a aeeond ttmv The House adjoarnei at 1.10 a.m.