PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 57, 5 September 1893, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

House ok Representatives, (per press association). Wellington. September 4. The House met at 7.30 p.m. The Cheviot Estate Disposition Bill was reported from committee and read a third time and passed. Mr Reeves moved the second reading of the Magistrates Court Bill, which he stated was to a large extent a consolidating measure, and was intended to consolidate and amend the law relating to the jurisdiction of Magistrates and Justices of the Peace in civil matters. By the Bill all Magistrates would have jurisdiction in ordinary way up to £100 and the extended jurisdiction proposed would give them the special powers to deal with cases up to £200. The Bill had already passed the Legislative Council. Sir Robert Stout said the Bill really effected a very desirable reform and would provide that New Zealand would have in future only two classes of Courts — namely, the Supreme Court and the Magistrate's Court. The motion was agreed to. Mr Beeves moved the second reading of the Criminal Code Bill, explaining that it had passed the Council six times. Mr Geo. Hutchison thought the Bill would be useful as a consolidating measure. Sir Eobert Stout said the Bill was very necessary. Mr Tanner said that many of the punishments contained in the Bill were a disgrace to any civilised community. Mr Seddon admitted that many of the punishments in the Bill were too severe and Government desired to give the House the opportunity of reviewing these punishments. After further debate, the tone of which was generally favorable to the Bill, the second reading was agreed to on the voices. Mr Beeves moved the second reading of the District Courts Jurisdiction Bill to extend the jurisdiction of District Courts m civil cases and in certain criminal cases. The most important part of the Bill was the clause providing that every District Court shall have jurisdiction over all classes of a civil nature in which the claim shall not exceed .£SOO, and also over all partnership accounts and disputes between parties in which the claim or the value of interest in property shall not exceed i'soo. Sir Robert Stout thought the Bill was altogether in the wrong direction, and he held there was no necessity for any other Courts except Magistrates Court and Supreme Court. The motion was agreed to. Mr Reeves moved the second reading of the Supreme Court Practice and Procedure Acts Amendment Bill to confer certain powers on Registrars of Supreme Courts in certain cases. — Agreed to. Mr Ward moved the second reading of the Civil Service Officers Guarantee Bill, to provide a more extended system of insurance of fidelity of officers in the Civil Service. Under the Bill all officers of the Civil Service would contribute in a case of defalcation by any member of the service.— Agreed to. The Hon. Mr McKenzie moved the second reading of the Land Drainage Bill, to provide for drainage of agricultural and pastoral lands. After a short debate, the opinions expressed being favorable to the Bill, the second reading was agreed to and the Bill referred to the Waste Lands Committee. Mr McKeDzie moved the second reading of the Land Act Amendment Bill. He said the Bill did not contain any questions of policy and was simply intended to remedy mistakes which had crept into the Act of last year, agreed to. Mr McKenzie moved the second reading of the Westland and Nelson Coalfields Administration Act 1877 Amendment Bill, which places the tenure ot the Westport Colliery reserves on a more equitable basis, was agreed to. The West Coast Settlement Reserves Act Amendment Bill passed through committee without material amendment and was put through its final stage. The House rose at 1.10 a.m.