PARLIAMENTARY NEWS

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 35, 10 August 1893, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS

LICENSING BILL REJECTED. WOMEN'S SUFFEEAaE'BILL CARRIED. House of Reprksewtativkb. (pf.b pbkss association.) Wellington, August 0. The House met at 2.JJO p.m. Replying to questions the Hon. Mr Seddon stated that the Government hoped to bring in a Bill to enable them to acquire land from the Midland Railway Company. The Premier introduced the Alcoholic Liquors control Bill. Replying to Mr Mitchelson, the Premier said the Public Works Statement would be brought down as soon as certain necessary legislation was passed by the House. Mr Buckland moved that in the opinion of the House the time has arrived when with a view of effectually coping with therabbit pest Inspectors should be abolished and the whole system of dealing with the quest o.i be re-organised. Mr Buchanan thought the Inspectors had done their work well on the whole, and it would be a great mistake to abolish them. The Hon. Mr Mackenzie agreed with Mr Buchanan's view, and said the honorable gentleman had spoken with some knowledge of the subject. He did not think the motion should be passed, but he would refer the whole matter to a Joint Stock Committee. Messrs Taylor, T. McKenzie, Fergus, and Reeves also spoke, the debate being interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment. On the House resuming at 730, Sir Robert Stout moved that the House go into Committee on the Licensing Act Amendment Bill. The Premier had said that he would introdu.ee a Bill that would satisfy all parties, but he (Sir Robert) held that it was impossible. Mr Buckland opposed the Bill at some lengtfi, and urged that the House should see what Bill the Government would bring down before they gave any support to Sir Robert Stout's measure. The Premier said he had voted for the second reading of the Bill as he believed reform was necessary in this direction. Sir Robert Stout's Bill did not provide for direct veto, and nothing but that would please extremists. The Government could not take up Sir Robert Stout's I Bill after promising that they would bring t down their own Bill. They had, however, to consider the question from a revenue point of view, and when he pointed out that the license fees of the colony alone amounted to £60,000 per annum, it would be seen how much was ' involved in tho question if Sir Robert Stout's Bill were carried. Mr G. Hutchison said ho should vote for any extension of tbe principle of local option because he believed it would result in belter accommodation and better control of the traffic. Mr Fish thought there could be no question as to the propriety of dropping the Bill. A3 it was very carelessly drawn, and would not affect tbe object Sir Robert Stout had in view. If the Bill were carried thert would hardly be a publichouse in any country district in the colony. He maintained that the Premier had met Sir Robert Stout in a very fair way, and bis proposal should be accepted bj the member for Inangahua. In course of his reply, Sir Robert Stout stud they were told that if the Bill was carried the colony would lose £60,000 per annum in license tees, but 2} millions were absolutely wasted every year in the degradation of the people. The motion for committal was agreed to on the voices. , Soon after the Bill got into committee, Mr Seddon moved to report progress in order that tbe House might wait for the Licensing Bill which the Government had introduced. Sir Kobert Stout said he could not agree to progress being reported, but Mr Seddon's motion was carried on a divi« sion by 30 to 28. The following is the division list : — Ayes — Blake, Buckland, Carroll, Camcross, Dawson, Duncan, Duthie, Fish, Fraser, Hamlin, Hogg, Kelly W., Lake, Lawry, Mclntosh, McGuire, McGowan, McKenzie J., Mills C. H., Mitchelson, Parata, Reeves, Rhodes, Seddon, Shera, Smith E. M., Swan, Taylor, Thompson T., Valentine. Noes— Allen, Bruce, Buchanan, Earnahaw, Fisher, Hall, Hall- Jones, Harkness, Houston. Hutcheson W., Joyce, Kelly J., Mackenzie M. J. S., McKenzie T., McLean, Meredith. Moore, Newman, Pinkerton, Rolleston, Sandford, Saunders, Stout, Taipua, Tanner, Thompson R., Willis, Wright. Pairs.— Ayes : Russell, Hutchinson G., Ward, Hall. Noes — Buick, Richardson, McKenzie M. J. S., Fergus, After a short debate the Women's Suffrage Bill was read a second time by 30 to 3. The House rose at 12.40 a.m.