HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE.

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 153, 20 June 1891, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE.

Thursday, June 18. The Speaker took the chair at 2.30. The Premier in reply to a question by Mr Taylor, said nothing unusual hadtaken place in the use of the Hinemoa by the Governor. » In answer to Mr Taylor the Premie* said he was satisfied there was no necessity for .an inquiry into the working of the Inswrance Department. ■ The Minister of Miriest in answer to Mr Mills, said the amount of £250 had^ been paid by the Government for the* discovery of the Mahakipawa goldfield. Mr Fisher's motion for a return to bo laid before, the House showing the whole .of the. expenses in the Edwards' case, was agreed to. The debate was then resumed, on the . | motion by Duthie, to bring" in a re^ turn showing the amounts realised in various intestate estates administered by the Public Trustee in the. District of Wellington. The debate on the second reading of the electoral Bill was resumed.- t Mr Blake hoped the Government would not include female suffrage or" closing of publichbusea on polling days, otherwise they might imperil the passing of the Bill. ' • ' Mr Wright said the feeling of a large majority of the people, he" found, was in. favour of female suffrage and he was con- ' fident the Colony would in no wise suffer therefrom. Mr T. Mackenzie said the Bill was a' marked improvement on the Bill brought in by the late Government. He should oppose the female franchise suggestion. - Mr Eavnshaw supported, the Bill ia favour of female franchise. Mr ■ Joyce supported the Bill, ' and hoped that in the main it would be carried. He also agreed with granting ■ the franchise to women. Mr Hall- Jones objected to canvassing at elections, both by the candidate particularly, and also by his supporters. He was in favour of the female franchise J and on the whole should give the Bill hid hearty support. Mr Duncan said if "the member for Ellesniere and the leader of-the Opposition favoured the female franchise, it was with the object of killing the Bill in another place. Bje should support the Bill generally, although in committee he would propose two or three "^alterations* Mr C. H. Mills supported the Bill, but hoped to see certain amendments in committee. The Premier, in reply said he would - take the claims of the half-castes into consideration. In regard to the female franchise, he did not think the Legislative Council would reject it, ' and tie should go on with it. because he believed it was right. (Applause.) The second .reading of the Bui was agreed to. . , Friday, 19. , . . The Premier gave notice this afternoon to move the Mr Perceval be elected Chairman of Committee. Replying to Mr Thompson (Auckland), the Hon. Mr Beeves said the system of. charging quarter-money in primary * schools was contrary to- the spirit of the . Education Act, and was therefore- improper. His opinion was that Education Boards should pufc a stop" to the practice, and if not the parents themselves should take the matter up. Failing that remedy Parliament should interfere. Replying to ' other questions it was stated — That the' penny postage for the colony would come into • force on lafc • October, and the reduced telephone charges would pome into, operation on the same date. ' - The House -then went into Committee of Supply, Mr Perceval taking the chair, and a resolution was - moved authorising; the renewal of deficiency bills to the extent of £716,000. . Dr Newman asked. the Treasurer why he wanted such a large amount of deficiency bills. The Hon. Mr Ballance said the resolution before the House authorised 'the issue of these bills under the Public Revenues Act. Most of the bills were bearing interest at 5 pcr 1 cent, and all the Bills were held in the colony by various trust departments; £100,000 of these bills, which were held by the Colonial Bank, eipired in March, 1892, and he hoped by that time to be ' able to make better arrangements. The motion was agreed to. An Imprest Supply Bill for L 200.000 then passed through all his stages. " The Hon. Mr Beeves moved the second reading of the Employers' Liability Acfc Amendment Bill. He said this was one of the so-called Labour Bills of last session, which were thrown out by the Council ; motion agreed to. The House went into Committee on the Electoral Bill. Clause 3 Interpretation. — Sir John Hall moved to insert inthe clause a provision for female franchise. Mr Fish considered that . before such a hazardous experiment as female franchisewas decided on there should have been some unmistakeable expression of opinion on the subject from the women themselves* Mr Rees supported the proposition for female franchise, as he believed it to be a great step in advance. - Mr Scobie McKenzie had no hesitation in saying that the members "of the House who supported female franchise were taking the greatest leap in the dark that ever occurred in the colony. Sir George Grey was desirous of removing the yery general impression that the women of the colony did not desire the franchise* The Hon. John Bryce moved to report progress, whioh was carried by 34 to 27. The House rose at 9.15 p.m.