HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3153, 5 August 1881, Page 3

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Thursday. The House met at 2.30 p.m. CHTTBCH OF ENGLAND TBTTSTBES INCOKPOEATION BILL. Mr Stevens moved that the report on the Church of England in New Zealand Trustees Incoiporation Bill be adopted. Mr Sheelian objected to the adoption of the report. He desired to see the whole ,of the Church endowments looked into with the view of ascertaining how they were being dealt with. Mr Stewart supported the motion, stating that the provisions of the bill were meant to apply exclusively to Otago. Sir George Grey suggested that the bill should stand over until the next meeting of the General Synod. Although classed as a private bill it was one which affected the whole colony in a greater or less degree. Mr Thomson moved that the report be remitted back to the committee to take additional evidence. Mr Stevens explained the object of the bill to the incorporation of the trusts with respect to the diocese of Dunedin. Mr Pitt said the objects of the bill were objected to by the dioceses of both Nelson and Wellington. The House divided on the original motion —Ayes, 25 ; noes, 33. On the question for recommittal of the bill the House dived.—Ayes, 31; noes, 27. The bill was ordered to be sent back to the committee. NOTICES OF MOTION. Notices were given of the intooduction of ten different Harbor Board Endowments Bills. Mr Finn gave notice that he would. ask whether the R.M. and Warden at Kumara did on a recent occasion open his Court for the transaction of business between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m., and whether he did Juring such hours take the evidence of certain girls of the age of 10 and 15 also at 3 a.m. issue a warrant for the arrest of an accused person, and if so what action the Government intended taking under the circumstances. QUESTIONS. Eeplying to questions it was stated that it was intended to bring down the Public Works Statement next week; the police and armed constabulary uniforms were manufactured out of colonial-made cloth — they were tendered for, and the present price paid was £3 12s 6d, the Government would attend to the suggestion that Justices of the Peace should be appointed at Charleston and the Lyell j a bill was in pre-

paration for dealing with native l'eserves generally, under which provision would bo made respecting the management of the reserves at Greyinouth. TIMAItCT MKCHAiaCS INSTITUTE. Tho Timara Mechanics' Institute Act Amendment' Sill was passed through all its remaining stages. The House adjourned at 5.30., and resumed at 7.30. PENSIONS BILL. Mr Shrimski moved the second reading of the Pensions Bill, explaining, that, its object was to prevent any pensions being paid until Parliament had had an opportunity of considering the grounds upon which it" was to be given, and the manner in which it was computed. Mr Hall opposed the bill, as it would involve a breach of faith to those whose pension rights were accruing. 'Mr Ballance, Sir George Grey, Mr Sheehan, and others denied that it would in any way prejudice juste and legal rights, but would prevent pensions being illegally granted, as had been done in the past. Messrs Fulton, Shepherd, Hursthouse, McLean, Kelly, and others, supported the bill. Messrs Collins, Fisher, and others, opposed it. The bill was read a second time. GOLD DUTY ABOLITION BILL. Mr Seddon moved the second reading of the Gold Duty Abolition Bill, the object of which, he said, was to reduce the duty Is per ounce. Mr Crown supported the bill, but thought the duty should be abolished altogether. Mr Reeves and others .urged further encouragement to prospecting by means of diamond drills, and giving looal bodies power to rate mining property if the duty was abolished. Messrs Weston,. Hursthouse, Hirst, Gisborne, and Spright, snpported the bill. Mr Rolleston would not oppose the bill, and admitted that the mining interests deserved greater attention than they received. After the session he hoped the charge of the Mines Department would be given to some Minister with more time than he had. Mr Sheehan suggested that the reductions or abolition of the duty should be left optional with the local bodies. Mr Seddon expressed approval of this suggestion, and the bill was read a second time, and referred to the gold-fields committee. ADOPTION OF CniLDUEN BILL. Mr Tole moved the second reading of the Adoption of Children Bill. . . Messrs Stewart and Bowen approved .of the principle of the bill, but thought its dotails would require great consideration and amendment. Mr Shepherd feared the bill as ib etood might legalise white slavery. This bill was read a second time. G-ISBOBNB lUBBOB BOABD BILL. Mr McDonald moved the second reading of the Giaborne Harbor Board Bill. It proposes an endowment of 44>,000 acres which had cost the Government only £10,600. Mr Hursthouse strongly opposed all these endowments. Mr Eolleston thought this one of a class of bills not to be encouraged. Mr Turnbull supported the bill. Messrs Hall, McLean, Fitt, and others would support the bill so far as it related to establishing a Harbor Board, but not the endowment. Messrs Kelly, Macandrew, Murray, and others, supported the claims of the Easfe Coast to consideration. It had not heretofore been fairly treated. The bill was read a second time. The House rose at 1.10.