PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 37, 12 August 1893, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

Legislative Council. (peb pbess association.) Wellington, August 11. Tiie Council met at 2 30. The Waste Lands Committee reported that the forest lands, referred to in the Hon Mr Bowen's motion on Tuesday, should not have been withdrawn, but expressed the opinion that the withdrawal by Government of the Forest Reserves at Palmerston North should not be iv* sisted upon. The Council then adjourned. House of Eephksentjtives. The House met at 2.30. In reply to questions, it was stated that Government had no intention of imposing a tax on stud entire horses ; that the Railway Commissioners had no intention of importing locomotives, the building of which was now regularly proceeding in the Railway workshops. Replying to a question by Mr Palmer, with regard to the large landslip at Birkenhead, Auckland, the Premier said the recent heavy rains had done great damage in various parts of the Colony, and during the past fortnight Government had received between fifty and and sixty applications for relief from local bodies which had suffered loss on account of the boisterous elements. The cluini3 of these bodies could not be satisfied unless .extra taxation were imposed. On the motion for the third reading of the Electoral Bill, Mi* Rolleston regretted that the Bill had been put through the House in such a slovenly manner. He also strongly objected to the question of the leaseholders' qualification being relegated to the Legislative Council for decision. That question should have been dealt with by the House. Mr Geo. Hutchison condemned the incomplete manner in which the Bill was being sent to the Council. Sir Robert Stout had no doubt the Council would follow the proper constitutional practice and agree to a principle that had been so often affirmed by the Lower House. Sir John Hall said that should it happen after the so frequently expressed opinion of the people's representatives, that the Council threw out the principle of women's franchise, they would be adopting a most unconstitutional course. Mr Blake hoped the Legislative Coun cil would exercise its own discretion and not be dictated to by my body. Dr Newman said : If the Bill came back from the Council without the female franchise— and he believpd it would — no one would be responsible but the Government of the day. Mr Buckland prophesied that the Bill would be rejected by the twelve men who had been put into tlie Couucil to carry out (he ereat Liberal policy of the present Ministry. Messrs J. W. Kelly, Thos. McKenzie, Hogg, McGowan, McLean, Meredith, Tnylor, Moors, "Willis, O'Conor, Rhodes, Harkuess, B. Thompson, Mclntosh, and Carncross also spoke on the Bill, the debate being interrupted by the 5.30 ad journed. The House resumed at 7.30 Mt Saunders resumed the debate on the third reading of the Electoral Bill He referred to the article that had appen red in that morning's paper, in which it was stated that the fourteen Goyeminent supporters who had voted ngamst the Government on the liquor question would hare to consider their position. He thought that was a yery ungrateful return for the loyal support given by the labor party to the Government during their whole term of office, and he con* Mdered that, if more such articles as that, appeared in the Ministerial iournal, Ministers themselves would have to consider their position, Mr W. Hutchinson held that the new Councillors should carry the Electoral | Bill in its entirety, as they were called to the upper Chamber for that purpose, and not for any merits of their own. The Bill was then read a third time on the voices. On the motion that the Bill do pass, Mr Rolleston said that although he was opposed to woman suffrage, he would not attempt to defeat the measure by side winds, which, he thought, was a poor course. The Hon. Mr Seddon, in course of his reply, complained of the want of consideration that had been shown to him by the Opposition side of the House. He blamed the Opposition for not getting women franchise passed last session. The lender of the Opposition had called the Electoral Bill a slovenly measure, but if that were true what was Mr Rolleston doing to allow it to become so. Mr Seddon referred at great length to the Electoral Bill of last year, and showed that the Government were not to blame for the failure to place it on the Statute Book. The Bill was read a third time and passed on the voices. The Workmen's Wages Bill and Sale of Poisons Bill were read a second time. The House rose at 12.35.