PARLIAMENTARY.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3110, 16 June 1881, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wednesday. The House met at 2.30. QUESTIONS AND KEPLIES. In reply to Mr Macandrew, Mr Johnston said the Government were alive to the advantages the colony would derive from a direct steam line between the colony and the United Kingdom, both in a commercial and immigration point of view, and they intended to ask the A gent-General to obtain all possible information as to the terms on which such a line could be established, so that next session the House could consider tho matter with all information as to cost, etc., before it met. In reply to Mr Murray, Major Atkinson said the Government intended to make provision for increasing the number of lighthouses on the coast, but were not at present prepared to state the localities or the amount then. Now New Zealand was one o* tbe best lighted coasts in tbe world. In reply to Mr Murray, Major Atkinson declined to say whether it was intended to impose an import duty upon maize untU he made his financial statement. In reply to Mi* Murray, Mr Hall said he scarcely thought the Government would be able to amend the Public Works Act tb ; s session so as to restore the drainage clauses of last session's bill. The Premier, in reply to Sir G. Grey, stated that the Government hp:l reason to believe that the detached squadron would go from Melbourne to Auckland, and thence to Fiji, not calling at any other NewZealand port. PUBLIC LIBRARIES. Mr Gisborne moved that the House go into committee on a future day to consider a motion to place „COOO on tbe estimates for public libraries. Mr Hall hoped the motion wouM be postponed till after the flninciol s' ternent. Messrs Speight, Shephail, and Bunny supported the proposal, and Russell objected. It was agreed to go into committee on July 13. ADDEE3S IN REPLY. Mr Bunny resumed the debate on the address in reply. He said tbpt believing the Government had done the.'r duty well in a case of emergency, he would be very loth to do anything to c .idangev their 1 seats, but tbat was no reason why their friends should not give them good advice. Tho number of loc.il bodies should be reduced ; counties should be v-itrd and mr le independent; each chairman should be a member of the local Waste Lands Board, so that they vole morey to open up the country by rop.ds and bridges before selling tbe land, even if the money he.l to be borrowed. Ministers must take up the question of local government or he and others would support someone else who would do so. The railway management was rotten to the cove. If it was made what it should be the railways would pay far better. Mr Beetham thought that though county government was capable of improvement it was not so bad as represented. Mr Hursthouse expressed general satisfaction with the present position of puttie affairs. The motion for the address in reply was then put and agreed to. LICENSING BILL. Mr Dick moved the second reading of the Licensing Bill, explaining points wherein it differed from the bill which passed its second reading last session, and expressing a desire to push it through the House as early as possible. Sir William Fox said he would not oppose the bill, but he did not think it would do any good, as it was founded on a totally wrong principle. He was speaking when the House rose for dinner. The House resumed at 7.30. LICENSING BILL. The debate on the second reading of the Licensing Bill was continued by Sir W. Fox. He said he objected to tho principle of the bill, inasmuch as it was a retrograde movement. The principle had been affirmed of giving the people direct control over the traffic, but the bill rejected that principle in regard to existing licenses. Colonel Trimble argued that it had been shown tbat drunkenness in this colony was on the decrease. Mr Speight spoke at length in favor of the local option system. Mr Dick having replied, the bill was read a second time. CHINESE IMMIGRATION BILL. Major Atkinson moved the second reading of the Chinese Immigration Bill. He admitted the case was not a very urgent one, as the Chinese population was some 200 or 300 less now than it was in 1874, still the number was on the increase lately, and was now 4600. He thought that would be ac- I cepted as a sufficient reason for taking the precautions aimed at by the bill. He then briefly explained the provisions of the bill. Sir William Fox said that the attempt to exclude any race from the colony was not in accordance with British history 'and instinct. He knew that the Home authorities had been induced to assent to a measure of this kind passed by other colonies, still he questioned if this was not an infringement of the treaty entered into with China. Colonel Trimble spoke in similar terms, and asked how the question would stand if a Chinaman came to New Zealand with letters of naturalisation ? In that case would they attempt to. enforce this £10 tax ? Mr Turnbull thought this was simply an attempt to pander to a cry got up by a few persons who looked upon their own personal interests as being in danger of competition. Mr Murray adopted a similar view and asked if they were not all intruders, having intruded themselves upon the Maori possessions of the country ? The bill seemed the

sole outcome of the statesmanship of the Intercolonial Conference. Mr Fulton complained that the Government had not given the House more information as to the true reasons for introducing the bill. He had all along voted with the Government, but in a matter like this he felt he could not support them. Mr Shephard argued in favor of the bill, stating that it was an established fact that the Chinese did introduce vices and disease. He denied that it was simply a woges cry ; but even if it was lie contended that they were bound to protect the community against unfair competition. The competition created by the Chinese wa3 a most unfair one. Mr Swr ison spoke in similar terms. Sir George Grey very briefly supported the views expressed by the previous speaker. Mr Whitaker felfc perfectly certain that the Imperial authorities would fully recognise the right of the colony to do what was propose:! by the bill b3fore the House. Mr Hall thought that there were many reasons why the bill should pass. It was the fact that they had nob yet had the experience of some other countries from the influx of Chinese, but the Government hpd been induced to take time by the forelock and provide this restriction. Chinamen were not at all likely to create the domestic ties which were r-equisite to make them permanent settlers. He was afraid the popular cry had had the effect of prejudicing the minds of members against the bill. The fact that the bill had been assented to in the case of Queensland would be an assurance that it would be assented to in their case. Mr Andrews supported tho motion for the second reading. Mr Hutchison also spoke in support of the bill. The motion was carried on the voices. The House rose at 11.5 p.m.