THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Evening Star, Issue 3929, 28 September 1875, Page 3

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

(Fi vm our own Correspondent.) Wellington, September 28. The House met at 2.30 yesterday. Mr J. C. Brown asked the follow!i g questions 1. When it is intended to remove the Post and Telegraph Office at Lawrence to more suitable buildings ? 2, When it is !>!•: ■ y the new Court House at Lawrence will 1 e available for the purpose for which it v.v.s erected? 3. Whether the non-compliance v. it-, the 110 th clause of the Goldfields Act. j *(;•!, with regard to regulations issued by the Provincial Governmenc of Otago for the management of the Waipori Drainage Cnamici does not invalidate those regulations, and whether the regulations themselves ate not beyond the powers delegated to tire Supirintendent and Executive ? Mr Reynolds, in reply, said : was under the consideration of the Government, but no decision could be c .me to until such time as the Inspector of Post Offices returned to Wellington, and he was at present in the North. Mr Richardson said : —2. The General Government had not received any intimation from the Provincial Government on the matter. As soon as they had they Would he a’-le to furnish the information required. 3 He was informed the rules and regulations had only reached Wellington on Saturday, and consequently there had not been time to look over tne ‘Gazettes’ containing them. Mr Pylce asked if the Government received any report on rival branch lines to Outram ; if so, whether there would be any objection to lay the flume on the tablo._ Mr Richardson said he had no objection to lay the report on the table. In moving the second reading of the Qualification of Electors Bill, Mr Reynolds said he intended to reserve bis remarks upon the Biil

till his reply.—(Loud laughter). Well, he considered it an insult to the judgment of membeis that he should make n long explanation The question had been twelve months b-'fors the country, and at any rate a large proportion of the Colony were in favor of the Bill. Its main object was to secure a lodger franchise, and it must be admitted lodgers were a class of the population to whom it was desirable to extend the franchise. Mr J. E. Brown would not have felt insulted if the member in charge of the Bill, or his colleagues, who were in the habit of dealing with arguments, had used arguments showing the necessity for the Bill. He believed it was a bobby of tire member for Dunedin, who was one member on the Treasury Bench who believed in it. The Bill provided for universal suffrage—(“ No !”) —at least so he read the A ct. Re opposed the Bill’s principle, as he was always opposed to universal suffrage, the outcome of which was mobocracy, which reduced the standard ofjlegislatiou and public men, and did no good to those on whom the privilege had been conferred.

Mr M’Gillivray considered that intelligence should be represented, and supported the Bill, because it would not place on the roll more ineligible electors than were on at present, Mr I’ollestou would not quarrel with the extension of tho franchise, but this was now attempted to be done in an unsatisfactory manner. Neither did he agree with tho Commissioner of Customs that this form of extension had been called for through the Colony, This propos'd to immediately give the franchise to people little acquainted at the present time with the requbements of the country, or what is best for them, would be attended, with no advantages. Representation of members was as Kicessaryas of particular interests, but the proposal for tho extension of the franchise ought to be accompanied by a much wider view of representation at large. Education, if represented in tho House, would have a beneficial influence on the House and the country, and he suggested that the Government should consider the question of the New Zealand Lnivensity being represented in the House. If they were going ti make the franchise rao e nearly universal than it was addi tional members should be given to the House, elected by the education of the Colony—elected from the large areas. He suggested that there should be two members for each island upon the basis of educational franchise, which would be attended with the greatest advantage. He opposed the Bill because a partial measure was not called for at the present time, and it dealt with the question in an unsatisfactory manner. Ttie real object w,-.s not to extend the franchise but to do away with the miner’s franchise. Mr Webb had opposed the Bid last year, but would vote for it this, if the member in charge of it would consent to a provision that lodgers should be able to write their own names in applying to tho registrar, in order to be put on the roll. He believed the franchise was quite low enough already. Mr Shephard sup,anted the Bill. All kinds of special representation should be swept away Let a new Parliament be elected by the full voice of the people throughout the Colony. Mr Gibbs supported the Bill. Mr Bradshaw could make nothing of the Bill. Until the special tax on miners was taken off he would always support the miners having special representation. If the Commissioner of Customs had proposed manhood suffrage he would have received general support. Mr Harrison considered the circumstances tinder which tire special miners qualifications were necessary was almost if not entirely erased ; miners did not wish for the retention of the exceptional franchise, which opened the door to great abuses and a considerable amount of persecution. _ Mr Mervyn took the same view, but would like to see the Victorian plan ef tho State taking the onus of registering electors adopted. Mr Montgomery proposed as an amendment “That every person claiming to v e registered as a voter under the provision of this Act shall sign a form of application making a declaration as to tho truth thereof before a Justice of the Peace,”

Mr Reid opposed the Bill unless it was so altered as to give a man a vote ou account of his manhood, and one on account of registering himself as a voter. Mr litzherbert said the real effect of the measure was to disfranchise 25,000 people, but the Commissioner of Customs was frightened to say so. The Bill was not dealing with the subject in a manner worthy of it, the whole thing was locsely dealt with all through. A bettor descrijiti n of the Bill was “A Bill to stuff ballot boxes at next election,” There was no reason for excluding Maoris from the extended franchise.

The House adjourned at 5.30 p.m. Upon the House resuming at 7.30, Major Atkinson said lie thought the Government were quite prepared to take the debate on finance at once ; hut he thought' it would be bettor to defer that until such time as he made his Supplementary Financial Statement —which had bean rendered necessary owing to the alterations which had been made in the Abolition Bill while passing through committee —and in the meantime to make some progress with the Estimates,

At this stage Mr Murray gave rise to considerable discussion by stating that he had heard from some of the Government supporters that it was the intention of the Government not to bring down their Representation Bill until such time as the Estimates were passed. Mr Bi.wen and Major Atkinson disclaimed any such intention, and said the Government were as anxious a* anyone in the House to bring forward the Representation Bill without delay.

The subject was allowed to drop, upon the assurance of the Treasurer that the Bill would be brought down about the middle or latter part of the present week. Mr George M'Lean asked what was the intention of the Government with regard to the San Francisco mall service.

Mr Reynolds said he had that day laid a copy of the contract upon the table and had ordered all papers in connection therewith tube printed. To-morrow ho would probably give notice to introduce a resolution upon the subject in a similar way to that adopted in the New B'outh Wales Legislature, and then the House could go into the whole qmslion of mail service when it had all the necessary papers and information before it.

The Estimates were then pruccedid whin Class JL: “ Legislative Departments and Legislative Council —total, L 1,300, ’ the amount for the previous year being LB9O 10s. Mr Thomp son at unca objected to the increased salaries, and proposed that they he struck out. This was no time to increase salaries.

A long and animated discussion ensued upon this vote. Ministers pointed out that the increased sahn iea had been put upon the Estimates upon the reconmieudati m of the.Speaker of thfj Legislative Council, and as the-e were not very excessive, the Government did not o l ject to tliom, Several Opposition members objected to an increase of nearly fifty per cent. The example aas a had one, and not warranted by the cirer.mstauces of the Colony.

Air F. I). Bell said the House of Commons newt interfered in a recommendatmn of that kind made by the Lords. Idr M.ioandrew knew that LIOO,OOO could be savM upon the Estimates, but long experience ■‘.bowe I him the impossibility of affecting reductions if the Government opposed it. Mr O’Conor intended to oppose all these increases unless good reasons were given in their favor.

Air Sheehan showed how each member of the Legislature cost the Colony 1.300 per annum, while each member of the nine Provincial Councils throughout the Colony cost only about L 43 per head. # Sir George Grey argued strongly for a reduction.

Mr T. L, Shepherd considered all these objections merely bear-baiting t ivil servants and spurious p itrio'.Lm. Mr J. L Brown (Ashley), and Mr Jolmstn., opposed the increases. Mr Rolleston would not lend him-elf to cutting down individual salaries of sen-ants. inductions should be effected upon some lamer and different principle. Mr Bunny took a simi ar view and instanced the item L 45,000 for the H ui Francisco service as .a proper sort of one to exercise economy upon. Ultimately reductions were made of LIOO in tho proposed salaries of the Chairman of Committees the clerk, and assistant-clerk.

Mr O’Conor tiled to reduce the Interpreter’s salary from L2CO to Gl5O, but the motion was negatived by 27 to 19, Items for the House of representatives passed without alteration, but Mr Gunny said he wouldmove that tire giatuitv to the widow of toe late second clerk of LlO9 Ire increased by another .MOO. The vote then passed, Mb the reductions.

Exccutiue Dcpavimcnts L 19.750, 11s. A very long and animated discussion took place regarding the item “ Confidential cleric to

Treasury (Secretary to the FTcmiei) 1.400,’’ doubts being expre.ped aa to whether Mr Box was Secretary to the present Premier. The discussion opened up the whole qm stion of the mission of the I’render and his action in going Home without informing the House of his Intention befoie the close of last session. Mr Reynolds explained that the step had not been finally decided upon until a couple of weeks after the close of the session, and when it was deemed necessary to send Home a member of the Ministry Sir J. Vogel was requested by bis colleagues to go as the most suitable person. The vote passed, as also “ Stamps Departments, L4,O:D. ’ Progress was reported at 1.15 a.in., and the House adjourned.