GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Evening Star, Issue 3578, 11 August 1874, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

T , August 10. the House of Representatives, Mp g ave notice that he would introduce tnree resolutions :—(l). That, considering the altered circumstances of the Colony,' it is desirable that the Provinces in the North Island should be abolished ; (2). That Welliogtoh should be made the seat of Govern* meut; (3). That the land revenue should be made a local revenue, according to what ia known as the Compact of 1856, and that Government shall, during the recess, consider to give effect to these resplu- ' . August I}. There was a crowded House last''night to hear Mr Fox on the Licensing Bill. His speech was a failure. He advanced nothing new. He blamed the Government for interfering in last year’s legislation without due notice, and for the failure of last year’s Act. He characterised the Wellington petij turn as having been obtained by beer and i bribes, and concluded by an appeal to the I House to preserve iutact prohibitive legislation. Mr Vo*, el repliad in a modest speech, and said that fiery action like that of Mr Fo* daused mope hafni than gpofi. If hi accompanied the permisivh clause! with'fait compensation, it might be entertained. He would rather not have dealt with the matter, and was not at all sure it was not a worse plan than repealing last year’s Act altogether. People oould no . b m .? de Bober b y legislation. Ho asked the House net to deal with the question as sentimentalists, but fairly, jointly, and equitably. The House went into Com’ mittee. On clause 4, Mr O’Connor moved a postponement with the view of bringing in ro amt + dme i Ut l. giving people in districts power to elect licensing benches. The amendment was negatived by 4 J against 20. n clause 12, Mr J. L. Gillies moved the omission of the word “quarterly.” Mr Vogel d e §pie4 the clause did away with the prohibitory yeto of the BUI' of lalrt yW I w& agreed to extend the time on clause 15 frdij fourteen to twenty-onedays. On clause 17 Mr Vogel moved an amendment. The Act only applied to bottle licenses in the Provinces providing for the issue. Mr Creighton said the people of Otago were against the bottle licenses altogether, and pressed the Premier to strike out the clause. Messrs Wales and ®PP OB ed the proposal. Mr Vogel said he had dene all he reasonably could do. he feeling of the House was for going right through with the Bill, but Mr Vocei con. B. ; nted to meet Mr Foi’s wish"' anS ISO mesot J*ft 8 rep ° rted * th e Committeehavmg got as far as clause 25.

Committee baa just 525? ! p } ] be ! ir re -P ort Th °y tot that the utanrit* ? a^e j»V J ud S« Ward are not sub. ? ad l t “ a * “ issuing an ex parte order, tuough not m accordance with the practice of the r;° oUrt in other parte of the Colony, Judge Chapman did not act partially. It ii reterred to the Government the desirability of making periodical arrangements for plaoing Ute Supreme Court and District Juoges on V'XTCUIt,