LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 66, 12 September 1894, Page 2

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

I Per Press Association 1 , September 12. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. The Joint Committee recommended that the official anniversary day of the colony be the 30tb of January. The Oaths Act Amendment Bill -was further considered in Committee. Hon. MacGregor's new clause, enabling magistrates at their discretion to permit children to niake"a vdeclaration instead of taking an oath in Courts of Justice was agreed to. The Bill was then reported with amendments/ and the CouncUadjotrtiied^ 0 ' HOUSE OF REPRESENTATI^S. The House met at 2:30. ■■!<? r Mr Mitchelson resumed the debate on the second reading of .the Government Railways Bill. He 'was ojppoe<»d to State control as he was^of opinion the management by the Commissioners had been a success. The proposal of the Premier, and those who supported the Bill, practically meant that biir Railways were to be controlled byMtf workers and not byj the' users. ■ V■ : ■ Mr Buick spoke : ..vsrf- strongly against the Bill, which l lie contended would result in chaos and uncertßinty, and the Railway Department would fall a prey to the selfish designs of f unprineipled agitators. J s^ : </•■ Messrs WUlis and Flatman supported the Bill. # ■;■;;■ : ■ Mr Morrison thought^ two experts should be appointed as Commissioners, one for the North andone for the South Island, with a Minister! in charge. He alleged that because' of the false economy; practised by the Commissioners several of the. railway bridges in the South Island had been neglected for years past. -„-',_ , ; - Messrs Carncross and T. McKenzie did not approve of the Bill, the former thinking the railways should revert back to Government control. . .'; ; v;.Mr Meredith defended^ th^, Commissioners. „ ■. .; ; ;.u:. .;-f : :-. ! ;';;f.^: : '/ The debate was interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment. *■>■?. ■-: O^i v? The House resumed at 7.30. The debate oh the second reading of the Government Bailway Bill was continued for several hours, a large nntnbet of members speaking. The opinion generally expressed was the Government should have full control over the railways, and mo^ of thoM who spoke announced their' intention, when 'in - Committee, of voting for the amendment of which Mr Pinkeiton has given notice. This amendment is to the effect the . railways should be handed '6rei ! to the complete control of ; the Goinernmen^j . Mr Seddon, in the course of his reply, - said the Railway Cfomniisradnertr informed him that they had no communication whatever from outside pe^ . to the reduction in the railway service, and that every reduction that had been made was the outcome of deliberation with {he heads of branches. ' ■■''" ' ''-'- >: ' On a division the: Becond reading; was carried by 46 to 18, and the House rote