PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 83, 5 October 1893, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

• ■ <S> !— . THE SESSION TO CLOSE TONIGHT. Legislative Council. (pee press association). Wellington, October 4. The Council met at 2.30. In committee on the Rating Acts Amendment Bill, clause 21, which provided for rating on unimproved values of land, was struck out by 15 to 9 and several clauses which depended on this clause were also struck out on the, voices. New clauses were added to the Bill—(1) Obviating necessity oflocal bodies when suing a batch of defaulters proving the striking of a rate in each individual case ; (2), providingthat buildings untenanted for six months in any one year shall only be rated accordingly; (3), and exempts • ing from rating lands vested in school commissioners unless the same' be let. The Bill was then reported and put through its final stages. " House of Beprksehtativks. ;i The House met at 2.30. ' ' Mr Reeves moved that the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Bill be discharged from the order paper. He referred to the extraordinary treatment the Bill had received from the Legislative Council, and said there was not the slightest chance now of getting it passed in a workable form. He could not accept the wretched abortion sent back by the Legislative Council. '■•< Mr Rolleston resented the remarks ? of the Minister for Labour and protested against such wholesale condemnation of the Upper House by a Minister of the Crown. After a short debate the motion was agreed to. The Government life Insurance Acts Amendment Bill (to prevent delay in dividing surplus profits between policy holders), Land and Income Tax Bill (to provide for the imposition of the tax already carried by the House), Colliery Railways Vesting Bill, Companies Act Amendment Bill, Public Trust Office Acts Amendment Bill, . Mangawai Harbor Endownment Reserve Bill, Coal Mines Act Amendment Bill, Maori Real Estate Management Act, 1888, Amendment Bill, and Public Works Act Amendment Bill were read a second time, committed without material amendment, and put through their final stages. In committee on the Education Act Amendment Bill, clause 9, which gave the police officer or truant officer ■ power to prosecute under the Act, was struck out by 27 to 19, leaving the prosecution with the Education Boards. Mr Fisher moved a new clause to the effect that all scholarships should be open to children attending public and private primary schools. The clause was read a second time by 29 to 16. Eventually progress was reported , on the Bill. Mr Seddon brought up a report of conference on the Electoral LawAmendment Bill, and said they had removed some serious difficulties under wbifch the seamen of the colony labored with respect to voting. He moved that the report of the conference be agreed to, which was carried. The motion for committal of the Railways Authorisation and Management Act Amendment Bill, to authorise the reclamation of a portion of the Wellington harbor for the erection of goods shed at the Te Aro terminus, was lost by 21 to 18, the Bill being thus killed. Mr Seddon moved the adoption of the report of the Public Accounts Committee on the alteration of the Public Works Statement. He (Mr Seddon) asked Mr Rolleston to withdraw the charge that he (the Premier) had altered the figures silently, secretly, and surreptitiously, the committee having shown that that charge was unfounded. ' Mr Bolleston held that the Premier should have made the correction in the Public Works Statement in the most public manner, and not have allowed Mr Blow, the Under Secretary, to lie under the charge for so long. The debate was adjourned till next day. The house then went into Committee of Supply, in consideration of the Supplementary Estimates. Kapa and Taipna strongly protested against the misappropriation of £7000 set apart on the Civil list for purely native purposes. , The whole of the votes wen patted without much alteration. Mr Tanner called for a division on the item .£3OOO grant to the widow and daughter of !the late Hon. Mr Ballance, the vote being retained by 82 to 5 (Tanner* Taylor, T. Thompson, Lawry, and Houston), £100 was struck off tj»e item £403 payment of expenses incurred by Inspector Drummond. Mr Seddon said he hoped the business would be finished to-night. The House rose at 5.45