THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Evening Star, Issue 3282, 27 August 1873, Page 3

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

[By Electric Telegraph.] Wellington. August 25. The Auckland Improvement Bill was referred back to tho Select Committee for the insertion of a clause for the preservation of a drill-shed. Mr Macandrow gave notice of motion ot a Bill to amend the Otago Waste Laud Law, 1873 in reply to Mr Macandrew, Mr Vogel said the Government had re-considered its decision announced in the early part of the sion, and had decided to place on the Estimates L 5.000 for trigonometrical surveys, in accordance with the recommendation of the late conference of chief surveyors. In reply to Mr Sheehan, the Defence Minister said, regarding the Auckland drillshed, that the Government would see that the interests of the Auckland Volunteers were attended to.

The following Bills were road a first time ; —Bi lto Amend Savings Bank Act, 1858; Merchant Shipping Act Amendment Bill ; Steam Navigation Act Amendment Bill ; an I a Bill for regulation of coal mines. The Report of the Committee on Life Assurance Companies Bill was agreed to, and the Bill read a third time and passed.

The Promissory Oaths Bill, Weights and Measures Bill, and District Courts Act Amendment Bill were passed in Committee. The Promissory Oaths Bill and Weights and Measures Bill were read a third time. In the Legislative Council, the National Bank Bill, Auckland Supremo Court Site Bill, Canterbury Waste Lands Bill, Wan ganui River Foreshore Grant Bill, Canterbury Public Library Bill, and Port Chalraeis Waterworks Bill, were read a second time. The Washdyke and Pleasant Point Railway Bill, Islands of Ruapuke, Solander, and other Islands Annexation Bill, were read a third time, The Water Supply Bill is referred to a Select Committee.

In the House, on a motion to go into Committee on the Education Bill, Mr C. O’Neill moved its committal that day six months. He said he hoped, after the discussion, the Bid would be withdrawn. He looked upon it as a compromise between duty and fear.— Mr Swanson said that any education was bettor than none.—The Premier, and Messrs Bunny, Wood, Shepherd, and M’GUlivray joined in the debate. The amendment was lost by 29 to 11. The House is now in Committee on the Bill.

The following is a summary of the provisions of the Provincial Councils Borrowing Bill, which empowers Provinces to pass laws authorising the raising of loans : -Provincial Legislatures are empowered to pass Loan Ordinances for raising loans by Municipalities, Eoad Boards, Highway Boards, or other bodies or persons except the Superintendent, or any body or person en behalf of a Province. I he interest and principal are not to be payable beyond the Australian Colonies. The Colony is not to be liable for Provincial loans. No Loan Ordinance is to give security over the ordinary revenue. The purposes for which a loan may be raised are; Schools, colleges, public educational institutions, lunatic asylums, hospitals, harbor works, docks, jetties, wharves, quays, and public buildings generally ; the construction of roads, bridges, tramways or branch railways, waterworks, irrigation works, waterraces, sludge channels, drainage works, improvement of the navigation of rivers, reclamation of land, or the purchase or acquisition of land for the foregoing purposes. The special securities are Reclamation, public buildings, wharves, roads, bridges, tolls and rates, tramways and branch railways. For works in Goldfields : —Miners’ rights under the Act, irrigation, and drainage works. Irrigation and drainage works beyond the control of the General Assembly are excepted. Publication of the amount of proposed Provincial loan, with particulars of interest must be made at least forty days before the introduction of the Bill into a Provincial Council. A petition from districts is to precede rating, the petition to be signed by a majority in number of the occupiers and owners of rateable property. The petition must be referred to a Committee, all action will be dependent on the Committee’s report. The owner of land two years unfenced after the i?sue of the Crown grant, is to be deemed to have signed the petition. The owner of uncultivated land for three years, ditto. The owners of unoccupied land four years, ditto. Rateable districts are to be defined. Rating Commissioners are to be appointed to rate either on the annual or capital value to sell. The rate may be amended. Valuation to be made on rateable property, and valuers to make a declaration. The valuer may examine the occupier. Bates may be recovered before Justices. The holder or owner is liable for back rates. Annual valuation is compulsory. Debentures will be issuable after the rate has been made. The reserves may be special securities under authority of the General Assembly. Fifteen pounds per cent, from the land fund will be payable to the Provincial loan account. Except Government revenue, the proceeds from special loan reserves will be paid to Provincial loan account; proceeds of reserves for loans generally, to the general loan account. Where a rate is the special security, a separate Ordinance is to he passed. Where tolls are the special security, a separate Ordinance will be passed. Jn each case, the Provincial Treasurer is to cive directions for payment into the account; 2nd officers neglecting to pay in will be guilty of a misdemeanor. The money at general loan account will he subject to appropriation for payment of loans. There will be no priority amongst the general loans. The balance of loans on'special security may be paid out of the general loan account. If no loan is charged on the general account, lo per cent, of the land fund payable thereto may bo appropriated to other purposes. The Provincial Auditor will have powers under “The Provincial Audit Act, ibe Provincial Auditor will be guilty of misdemeanor if he wilfully certifies to a warrant, except in accordance with this Act. If the Supermtoadent, or

Auditor, refutes to make or certify to a warrant, the person interested may apply to the Supreme Court. Debentures, &c., are not liable to stamp duty. The debentures, Ac., are to bear notice of the non-liability of the Colony, August 27.

The Education Bill was considered in Committee last night. Part 1, “Preliminaries,” was passed without amendment. ■ ’art 2, providing for Boards, their powers, &c., passed (except clause 7, which was postponed), with an amendment, leaving in the hands of Provincial Councils the power to fix the numbers of members of Boards. Parts 3, 4, and 5, passed with verbal amendments. Part G, respecting the disposal of funds, and containing the “aided” clauses, caused discussion. It was proposed to strike out clause 54, enabling Superintendents to aid public schools when the Board refuse to do so, but on a division the clause was retained by the casting vote of the chairman. '! he Part was passed without material amendment. Part 7, providing what schools shall be deemedpublic, etc , caused discussion. Clause 53, making the attendance at religious instruction optional, brought op the question as to whether the Holy Scriptures should be read in schools. This point was discussed for some hours, and at length Mr Bunny suggested, as the Bill was permissive in its character, that a clause allowingthe Provinces to use any clause or none of Part 7 would relieve the House of the question, and leave it to the Provincial Councils. The Premier, he said, would propose a clause leaving the adoption of certain clauses to the Provinces, and the sub-section under discussion should bo included. An amendment to strike out the sub-section was negatived on a division. Progress was reported. The Premier announced that the Provincial Loans Empowering Bill would be made the first order of the day for Thursday.

(from our special con respondent.) Mr Reid’s Coal-mines Regulations Bill, introduced yesterday, provides for the proclamation of districts, the appointment of officers; that plans of the mines should be kept; regulations for the employment o( women, young persons, and children ; for the safety olf the mine ; that wages shall not be paid at a public-house ; that weighers shall be appointed by workmen in mines where minerals are paid for according to weight or measure; general and special rules for the safety of mines and the workmen. The Bill also defines the powers and duties of inspectors of coal mines ; and provides penalties for infringement of its clauses. The Act is to be brought into operation by resolution of the Provincial Council of each Pro.nco. vi . ...