GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume VI, Issue 527, 2 August 1881, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

In the House of Representatives on Thursday, Replying to the lion W. GisWne, 'jLhe .lion T. Dick said that it would take some months to prepare tho census tables .showing tho adult male population in each County and electoral district of the Colon)'. Replying to Mr Reeves, The Hon T. Dick said he was not aware that Charles Kyland Tylden, of tlio Auckland Provincial District, bad boon bound over to keep the peace for 12 mouthy when they appointed him to a Coniniiswion of tho'Peace, They luul then, nnd ati'l had, every reason for believing he was a very suitable person to hold such v Commission. Mr Heaves gave notice ho would repent the ajove question, and add that if Government found he hud been bound over to keep the peace, what action would they take under the circumstances ? The want of confidence debate was resumed by Dr Wallis. He conceived that tho Government scheme was tho best that had been brought forward. Bat for the No Confidence issue raised, ho would probably have voted otherwise than ho proposed doing. He did not believe ths Government had the confidence of the country. They were a mbiod lot, but he. desired to see the Government keot on the Treasury benches until tho end of tho ivcjsion. Mr Tumoana complained tbci. r,ho GovcMtnient had not dune justice to tho Maoris, md i'ci , thai: reason he intended to oppose then! on iiiis vote-, Mr loner, coxpiaintid chat Government was wlrong in :is ';endeno;es, aim its whole :\\m \va;j to legits to tcr U;e v/o;:iihy classes, Even ii they were not tanibd outoii thi'a cccasioiij tho time v;m ::ot, In wus ;;u;v, Zi<.c aiblant. whoa! Ministers.: would siuk into tiioir poiUicr.l g-raVGii :iri-vepi, uiiiicnorof l ,. urA unsung. They \vo::!d :!ie by tiicir own r.ci, Ju , pykf. ;.;,vid rliat i.lie House having so consideiatoly v/jiitoci until ho had returned from bid visit ie the South, het'ei! ; bouiici iv f-Tji '■<.';'" to vKiires? bis on !

the question at i<s ! te. Referring to tiio amendment h" said In; was not tliere to listen to any side issue depending on it. The threatened dissolution had no terrors for him ; he Avas not there to express confidence in Mr Ormond. What ha was there to do was to express no confidence in Government as constituted. Then, again, an attempt had been made to intimidate, by the threat that there would bo no Hudistribntion of Seats Bill. He did not believe even although there was no dissolution that they would get redistribution. If Government meant honestly in this matter, he asked why was not that Bill as also the Railways Construction Bill before them ? Ho would vote for the amendment, leaving those who condemned the measure, but refused to vote for the amendment, to reconcile their conduct with their conscience. Even although the amendment was not carried, he was sanguine that this discussion would be the means of compelling the ignominious abandonment and withdrawal of the Government measures, and in that case this discussion would not havo been in vain.

Mr Seddon said, he would give his voto with the view of sending the House to the country. Ho would therefore vote for the amendment.

Mr J. B. Fisher regretted Government had not stated its views after the lengthened, debate that had taken place. At the outset they showed more anxiety in the matter. He could only account for it on the pica that they kept the debate going until they had manipulated members, and secured a majority. Alluding to redistribution, he denounced the excuses made for not having that measure brought down before this, as being false and unfounded. Ho was inclined to think that Government had everything to lose by a new Eepresentation Bill, and the Opposition everything to gain. So strongly was he convinced of that, that even although the amendment be lost, they believe they would go to the country without this promised Bill. The question was then put—" That the Bill be now read a second time."

The House divided —Ayes, 41 : Noes, 37.

The following is the Division List:— Ayes—4l. Messrs Allwright, Atkinson, Bain, Beethatn, Bowen, Brandon, Bryce, Bunny, Col beck, Dick, Sir W. Fox, Messrs Fulton, Gibbs, Hail, Hirst, Hurst, Hursthouse, Johnston, Kelly, Kenny, Levin, Mason, M'Caughan, Murray, Pitt, Richard - son, Eolleston, Russell, Saunders, Seymour, Shanks, Stevens, Studholme, Sutton, Swanson, Trimble, Wakefield, Woston, Whitaker, Whyte, Wright. Noes—37. Messrs Andrews, Ballance, Barron, Brown, De Lautour, Finn, J. B. Fisher, J. T, Fisher, Goorge, Gieborne, Sir G-. Grey, Messrs Hamlin, Harris, Hutchison, Jones, Levestam, Lundon, Macandrew, M'Donald, Montgomery, Moss, Onnond, Pyke, Reeves, Reid, Seddon, Sheehan, Shrimski, Speight, Taiaroa, IWhai, Te Whc-oro, Thomson, Tole, Turnbull, Wallis, Wood. Pairs. Ayes—Messrs M'Lean, Oliver, Moorhouse, Collins. Noes—Messrs Stewart, Bastings, Tomoana, Shepherd.

On the motion of Major Atkinson, the Bill was ordered to be committed in a fortnight, and the House rose at 12.30.

On Friday, in the House of Representatives,

The Goldfields Committee brought up their report on the petition of W. J. Flynn and fifty-nine others, praying for the removal of Mr Wardan Robinson from Mount Ida. The report states that the petition itself does not allege any failure of justice under the administration of Mr Warden Robinson. The Committee added to their report a suggestion that no petition alleging , charge;; of roaladininstration against Magistrates should be received by the House for consideration unless such charges have first been represented to the Minister of Justice, and been refused consideration, or been dealt with by him unsatisfactorily. The petition was remitted to the Standing Orders Committee. Replying , to Mr Barron, The Hon. J. Hall said that the Redistribution of Seers Bill was ready, and would be introduced without delay. When before the House ample opportunity would be given ior its consideration, until which time Government did not consider it requisite to afford opportunity to enable the House to indicate its opinions as to whether it was desirable to increase the prosent number of representatives.

The following Bills were read a second time: — Crown Suits, Diseased Cattle, Public Reserves, Employment of Females and Otherp.

The Banks and Bankers Act, 1880, Amendment Bill was passed through Committee. The Gaming and Lotteries Bill was considered in committee. Clause 8. The use of the totaliaator. Mr Shephard objected to this instrument being legalised, and moved that the provieo in the clause, "except the same be used in conformity," etc., be struck out. On the question that the clause stand as printed the House divided—Ayes, 30; Noes, 27. The clause was passed as printed. Clause 9, Chinese, fan tan. j Mr George invited the Hon T. Dick, who was in charge of v o Biil. to explain what fan tan was. Mr Bowcii thought that this ahould certainly be; done. He que-iuoni-ui whether' ftm tau v.'ay much n:ore th;in a game at 100. Mr Speight hoped that the lion T. Dick would not corrupt their morals by doing anything of the kind. Mr Bryce suggested that fan tan was Chinese fer chests. Mr Reeves thought it niisjit lie as innocent as kiss in the rin/i , . J\v, suggested that if the MunT. Dick did imt know what if; was ho should postpone the clause till he learned the game. The lion T. Dick admitted that he knew nothing about the nature of the game. They must have soon that Chinese had boon brought up in vsi'lovr.* parts of the colony charged with playing this game, t\?'■<■! it hud L'oou dsclftred illegal by the B'j'ch, Tho Bii'.hiid comedown from the Council, and no JouM the members of that body kn's.v s.ll about it, Uγ Vfiiilia ;;;ud thai; ian tan v/as a game where a lot of Chinese stood round a table on which i. lit of countara were thrown flo-.vji. Tisra one Chiu.unar, swept all the counters ay one, -iva\ it depended on -.vluch comw ox. tho table that the oonntor wsis ;, :ai(. 3 i. who won. Mr Li'.;>\'.n aaid tii;>r. '.h?.; wss an attempt purtut tiisi Cbines3 further than the Europeu , ,. The latter v/as only prohibited from ii; public, placoß, while the iormer could, under I)w>. Act, be pursued iutu Lifi oirii liouso. lie considered that unfair.

Mr Sheehfin snid that while they were legislating in tin's direction he might leil them that more than thirty new halts changed hands amongst members of that House over the late division. He thongbt that, fhpy might do worse thnn direct a little legislation in the direction of that class of gambling. Mr Reeves moved that the clause be * struck out. Mr Hirst hoped that it would not be stru..-k out, stating that in the district he came from a Chinese gaming house had become a perfect nuisance, besides demoralising the rising generation. Mr Leveßtnm seid it might be a highly intellectual game for nil they knew, and he thought nntil they had more information it would be unfair to come to any adverse conclusion on the mil>jeer. Mr Biirron concurred in tne opinion that gambling waa corrupting a great many Europeans. After further consideration, Mr Macnndrew suggested that the matter should be left to the local government bodies. Mr Barron moved that the words " stcheok pool " be inserted. Agreed to on the voices. On the question that the clause as amended be passed, the House divided— Ayes, 39 ; Noes, 14. On consideration of the penal clauses, an ineffectual attempt was made to substitute imprisonment without the option of a fine, but the clauses passed ac printed. On clause 15, providing a penalty for advertising betting houses, Messrs Stevens and Dr Lautour thought that the parson inserting the adversisenient should be punished and not proprietors or printers of the newspaper. Ihe Hon T. Dick said that the penalty even in its application to the newspapers was nothing uncommon. They were liable for advertisements of a libellous character. Still he would not oppose the amendment. The clause was passed. Clause 18—Penalty for establishing A lottery. The excemptions in this clause were increased, and the clause as amended passed on a division by 26 to 10. Clauses 19 to 23 were passed as printed, and the house rose at 1 a.m.