EVENING SITTING.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1874, 22 June 1888, Page 2

EVENING SITTING.

The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. i-EnriONs. Mr Rhodes presented a petition from over 500 residents of South Canterbury, protesting against the separation of the Waimate Hospital district from South Canterbury. Major Steward presented five petitions, signed by nearly one thousand person p, praying that "Waimate should be conati tmed a separate hospital district. HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID. Mr MacArtbur moved the second reading of the Bospital and Charitable Aid Act Amendment Bill, providing for the separation of Manawatu from the Wan ganui Hospital didtrict, Waimate from Bouth Canterbury, and Aebburton from Notth Canterbury. Mr Bruce said he had- no doubt such Heverance3 as those asked fot* were opposed to the spirit of the Act, but nobody believed it all a perfect Act. As for himself he should adopt a central course on the Bill, and would, at anyrate, not oppose the second reading. Mr JRhodes hopei the House would throw out the Bill by a largo majority. Major: Steward o?Dgratalated Mr Rhodes on mt»klog the beet he could of a very bad otae. He said the Waimate dlstriot was moat unfairly treated m the matter of levies, and was called on to pay nearly tbe whole coat of the Timaru Hoepital, which had made a large profit oat of Waimate for the last two or three years. He denied that they wanted a separation; they merely wanted to go back to the position they occupied before. He was not surprised that the South Canterbury peoplo ware averse to giving op a position that was so profitable to them «nd so disastrous to Waimate. The contributions from the Waimate district, he asserted, were at least two to one In proportion to those from Tlmaro. He ■trongiy appealed to tho House to agree to tbe second reading of this Bill, bb a matter, of justice to his constituents. Mr Turnbull said the Timaru Hospital wa3 In existence loop before that of Waimate, and as tha report proved, that hospital was second to none m the colony, Mr Duncan supported the BJH. Mr Reeves (St Albans) said If the Bill were allowed to pass, it would be the forerunner of many? similar BUla, and would result m the towns throwing back on the country the burdens that the country dla'rlo's were now inflloting on them. Mr Walker, referring to Mr Beeves' remarks, said common misfortunes made nssroiatlon of any sort acceptable. He hoped the Hoij3e would give this Bill a patlont hearing. Jfc was absurd to say that they now possessed local government, as members who ljred nearly a hundred miles from Ghrlstchurch would have no possible oontrol of Boards sitting ia that place. He pointed out that his district was different from tbe others, as they had their own hospital at present, and what they wanted was to be lcdependent m charitable aid matters They only wished to be lccally governed, and to deal with their own efftlrs as they would with private business. . . Dr Newman opposed the Biil. Me Buchanan supported the measure. Me Jones trusted Government would resUt any attempt to interfere with the Act. Mr Smith would vote for the BUI. Mr Smith moved that the Bill be rend a second time that day six month*. Mr Fish supported the amendment. Mr Hobbs thoagfrt the ß,ill a reasonable one. Mr Hlslop thought the Government ooald bo excused for this session at all events, if they did not feel themselves m a position to deal with this question. He said It was (tae to a certain extent that the poor gravitated from the country into the towns. He stated that he had informed a deputation that waited on him recently la connection with this saVjaot that Government intended to prepare a measure during the recess whioh they hoped would maot with tho approval of the Honse. Mx Baxton agreed with the statement made by several of the members; that the the poor went from the town into the country. He supported the Bill, Mr O'Oonor hoped the Government would prepare a measure during the recess to deal with thia great question. Me Fi zheibert supported the BUI, and combated the statement that the poor flocked to town from the country. Mr Hodgklnaon opposed the Bill as a country member, on the ground of common cense. The Bill was simply an attempt on the part of the wealthy to i escape taxation. Me Hu chteou c tip ported the second reading^ h-o loobed.on it aaa convenient peg on wbfg'i to li^ag a. number of amendments separating outlying districts. ilTlie amendment was loifc by 33 to 23. g *Wh,aßlll waorwja leaoud,

DIVORCE BILL. Mr Samuel moved that the Bouie go into committee on the Divorce Extension and Amendment Bill. Mr Fish moved to defer it to thtt day three months, on the ground Jthat no private member ought to be allowed to dabble with such important measures. Moreover he considered that some portions of tho Bill were very miscbevious, especially making adultry alone the cause of divorce from the husband, Mr Samuel said that, m face of the opposition, it was no use proceeding further that night, and moved to report progress. „ The .mqtipn. : \v.as..agceed..tQ, l .and : ..the Houee rose at 1.5 a.m. -,•.-.