PARLIAMENTARY.

Feilding Star, Volume VII, Issue 147, 22 May 1886, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

: <• — -i— ; HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES. [PER UNITED FBESS ASSOCIATION.] Wkilinutox, May 20. The House met at 2.30 p.m. QUESTIONS - 4 Keplying to questions it was. stated that no report had yet- been received from Mr Knorpp as to his explorations through the East Coast- dJstJ9etSM£ir suitable lines for reads and railroads. — That a vote of £150 was potjjfpjjjmd sufficient to repair Martin's . Track. The matter was now nnder ■'thftyy^nsideration of the Goyerni^ent.^Spiat a bill had been intioducedV navinjg r f or its object the reduction of the., gold duty.-7-That the Government; . were aware of the dissatisfaction that coasted amongst the policyholders of the government Insurance Association^ and naturally the Gpyernnient . qo^ld , not say what course would "tie pursuea, hut the matter would have to. Jbe dealt with this session. v „.•: k-s-NEW BILLS. iV ,.-VSever&l new bills - wexe j in,trpd]{Cf d and read a first time. •., . ...- > , THE HoMKSTEAD SYSTEM. ..-.,,.;. Mr ; Montgomery moved; Tha^ y a;return be laid before this Housei.shewing the number of allotment and total acreage of land in each |tistiftct surveyed, and now ready for/Occupation on the homestead system.,,' , Mr Ballance had no objection to the return asked* for. He said tjiat;; he desired to give the homestead; ;sy stem a fair trial throughout the colony. , After considerable discussion, the motion was agreed to. \ , Vi! ,/'.. / Several notices of motion) were agreed to and the House adjourned. The Hon. Mr_ Stout moved 'the second reading of the MunicipalrCprporations' Bill. : , It, was, an :am|n|ed Representative Bill passed Council last session with a few amendments. Among the alterations; .was the incorporation of the Piib^c-Heafith Act' with the Bill, a clause encouraging town districts to become jJorouhgs, mayors to be ex officio J.p.'s^ indneV provisions regarding the disqualification of contractors and. others. . ■ The bill was committed lor Tuesday next ; ;' ' ' ' •;•■ ' "/".;. ■ . . The Government Debentures 'Bill was passed through Committee, . read a third time, aud passed. G. F. Richardson moved f qr ( the plans showing the blocks of laud proposed to be given to the Midland Railway Company. ■ / , Mr Seddori said there was too much land locked up" for the Company to choose from, and settlement was. being retarded in consequence, i . : .. . J' Sir Julius' Yogel adid the Company had to select blocks alternately^; with the Government. It was impossible, therefore, to say what land they woyld take, though the report of the' nature of the kind along the line was already being prepared. - ■•> . Sir George Grey moved, as an amendment, That the , Government refer the subject to a Comamtt^e. as-to the question of expediency in granting blocks of land to companies, as concession for the constructitiuVof railways. ■. \ •■', ,|- ; 1Sir Julius Yogel said the House had authorised the contract, atid woifld be stultifying itself to agree: to 4he amendment. , ..*-i. •••■ vt -'.•-•-.,'"' Mr Sutter said, as, one who opposed the railway, he thought that, having santioned the contract, they ought to. stand to it. , < • ;.■" „: *~ v . Mr Mackenzie said he nad.sejen a copy of the Company's prospectus, and was astounded at its:' audacious plausibility. After reading-, it . had almost taken up shares himself? - f J. T. Richardson replied that not half the quantity oi land which wpujld be required for the Company coitld be found along the lihe. ' R • '*.*• Mr Fisher said many evils were associated with a great Railway Company, and they would find it so is#w present case. . > ,' ? -. / Mr Fergus thought the House did wrong in assenting to the n^easure, and it would be wise even, now to purchase back again whatever rights the company may have acquired. . The House divided on Sir G; Grey's amendment— Ayes 6, Nbes.4Jfi t^st The House then divided on ih» origiual motion— Ayes 24, Noes 34. Motion lost. ; I ; Major Atkinson asked if the Government could name the day when tks Financial Statement would be delivered. ■ .■■■"'■ • , : .'':'- . ; ' • Sir Julius Yogel said he could not definitely fix the date, but it would bs «arly. ■ f Mr Stout read the cables regarding the New Hebrides, haying previously announced that his motion for a committee to confer on this question, would be postponed till to-morrow. The House rose at 10.30 p.m. m „- Mayai. The House met at 2.80 p.m. . • Replying to questions, it was stated that when a vacancy occurred in the Wellington Waste Lands Board, it would be filled l)y a member from, ths West Coast. . ' ~\ , THE PACBHC ISLANDS. . The Hon. Mr Stout moved, That a ■elect committee, consisting of twelvs members, be appointed to consider the question of the attitude that the colony should assume in relation to the Pacifio Islands, and that the resolutions proposed on the subject by Sir George Grey on the 1 JJth of May "be referred to the committee,: Btich, committee to consist of Major Atkinson, Sir George Grey, Si? Julius, Yogel, and Messrs Montgomery, Macandrew, Rollesfon, Moss C'Connor, Beetham, W. "D, Stewart, M. J. McKenzie, and tha mover.— Motion agreed to. NATIVE AFFAIHS COMMITTEE. > ■ i. The Hon. Mr Ballance moved for appointment of a Native Affairs Committee, to consist of fifteen members. — Motion agreed. WASTE LANDS COMMITTEE* ■ The Hon. Mr Ballance moved for :he appointment of a. Waste Lands 4 Upmmittee, to consist of 14 members. The House .hen adjourned.