LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Feilding Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 85, 7 October 1896, Page 2

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

(Per Prfisa Association. Wellington, October 6. The Council met at 2.30. The reply of Mr S. C. Martin, Public j Trustee, to the statements made by Sir ! Walter Buller against the Commission- j era in reference to the Hoiowbenua Block, was read by the Speaker. Mr Martin stated that he saw no reason to alter the conclusions reached by the Commissioners. The Hon Mr Macgregor moved that Major Kemp should be allowed to be heard at the Bar of the Council that day in reference to the Horowhenua Block. The Minister of Education opposed the motion, but after a debate it was carried by 18 to 13. Major Kemp then appeared at the Bar of the Council and the interpreter read the written address handed to him by Major Kemp. He did not desire special favors. He declared that Block XIV. was his own and road extracts from the evidence taken before the Commission in support of his contention. He asked that the matter should be left to be tried in the Supreme Conrt. He charged the Commissioners with having made mis- j statements in their report and concluded with a request not to be singled out for a special injustice. The Government Loans to Local Bodies Act Amendment Bill passed its final stages. The Horowbenua Block Bill was read a second time on the voices after a brief debate and referred to the Native Affairs Committee. The Factories Act Amendment Bill passed through Committee with the amendments made by the Labor Bills Committee. A new clause proposed by the Hon Mr McGregor, to make it unlawfnl for girls under fifteen years of age to sell newspapers in the streets, was rejected by 16 to 6. In Committee on the Wages Protection Bill fcbe clause providing that no money should be received or deducted from the wages of workmen for Accident Insurance policies was struck oat by 11 to 5 and the clause providing that the moneys so received or deducted might be recovered, was strnck out by 12 to 6. Progress was reported on the Bill and the Council adjourned at midnight.