GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 393, 15 September 1875, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

[By Electric Telegraph.] (From a correspondent of the Press.) HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Tuesday, September 14. The Speaker took the chair at 2.30. QUESTIONS. 1. Mr O’Neill asked whether the Government will immediately give instructions for the establishment of a branch post office at the Tairua Goldfield. 2. Mr O’Neill asked whether the Government will provide on the Auckland wharf sufficient landing shed accommodation for the examination of passengers’ luggage, &c. 3. Mr Sheehan asked whether, apart from the financial proposals of the Abolition of the Proviuces Bill, it is the intention of the Government to make any special provision for the construction of main lines of road in districts north of Auckland. 4. Mr Basstian asked if Government will make provision for mail services to Gore, the Mataura railway being now open to that township. 5. Mr Basstian asked if it is the intention of the Government to make provision at an early date for telegraph communication being opened to the township of Gore, Mataura. 6. Mr JOHNSON asked the Commissioner of Telegraphs when the telegraph line between Foxton and Palmerston will be completed. In answer to question Government stated—1. They intended to call fora postal servict to the place mentioned, and when tenders were accepted a poet office would be erected.

■ - ' —1" '■■■■ «. 2. *The Auckland wharf was the property of the Harbor Board, but the Government understood there was sufficient accommodation there. 3, Full information would be before the House in a few days. 4 and 5. When the railway station was erected at Gore a telegraph station would be placed there, together with a post office. 6. As soon as some existing difficulties are overcome the line would,be pressed on without delay. Only three miles are now required to connect Foxton with Palmerston, REPORT. The Reporting Debates Committee brought up the report re the printing by the Government Printing Office of copies of members’ speeches, in a supplement form, and Mr Steward, as Chairman of Committee, moved that the report should be considered forthwith. This course being objected to by Mr Meryyn, the hon member gave notice of his intention to make the motion abovementioned ; the report and accompanying letter from Mr Didsbury to be printed in the meantime. MOERAKI HARBOR BILL. The Moeraki Harbor Bill was read a first time. ABOLITION DEBATE POSTPONED. On the motion of the Treasurer, the debate on the Abolition Bril was postponed till to-morrow, at 2.30 p.m. COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY. In Committee of Supply, The Treasurer moved that a sum not exceeding £250,000 should be granted by way of an Imprest Supply Bill, in addition to that already voted. Mr Reid enquired if the Bill could be carried further than one stage at this sitting. The Treasurer replied it was competent for the House to direct that it should be carried through all its stages at one sitting, but as no particular urgency was required, the Government did not intend to carry it beyond one stage at that sitting, and would be content to have it reported to morrow. Mr Wood asked what expenses the Bill was intended to cover, as he understood it did not cover any expenditure on account of loans, the Civil List, or permanent charges. Was he right in that supposition ? The Treasurer replied that there were several large contracts nearly completed, for which additional votes had not yet been taken, but which it was proposed to meet under this Bill. Mr Wood—Are there any civil list or permanent charges ? The Treasurer—No. EDUCATION IN AUCKLAND. The Treasurer intimated that the Superintendent of Auckland had made application to carry on the public schools of that province, for which they were officially informed there was no sufficient money to carry bn. They had been requested to advance £ISOO at once, and £ISOO more would be shortly required. The Government proposed, unless -he committee directed otherwise, to make the necessary advances pending the committee’s decision as to how the public departments of Auckland province were to be carried on. The resolution was then reported. ADJOURNED DEBATE ON DEBTORS AND CREDITORS BILL. Mr Sheehan expressed his disapproval of the clause relating to after acquired property, which he thought should be struck 'out, but he would lend the Minister in charge eveiy assistance, believing as he did in the general principle of the Bill. Mr J. B. Brown objected to such little power being lelt in the hands of the Court. He asked for an adjournment, as he was not prepared to go on with the consideration of the Bill. Mr Pearce supported the second reading for the very reason that the member for Ashley opposed it. He held it was one of the greatest merits of the Bill that it took a great deal of the machinery out of the courts, and put it in the hands of the creditors. (Hear, hear.) The old system was faulty for that reason. It attempted to put the courts of justice in the position of administrators of estates, and he held no body was less able to administer estates than the courts of law. He held it was no business of the country to become a collector of private debts, which was the practice in vogue. Some minor clauses he would endeavor to have altered in committee. That dealing with after acquired property was far too stringent, and if not wiped out altogether ought to be materially altered. Mr Reid supported the Bill. He hoped the member for Ashley would not carry out his intention of opposing the Bill at every stage, as his side of the House was exceedingly anxious to go on with the legitimate business of the country. Hon C. C. Bowen could not agree to postpone the Bill further. It was time tb# House took it into serious consideration. The Government was most anxious to consider carefully every reasonable suggestion made in committee, with a view to making the Bill as practicable as possible. The Government was perfectly aware that this was a question on which there were large differences of opinion. From the remarks that had been made, he was glad to find the House seemed inclined to endorse the principle that arrangements between the debtor and his creditors should in the first instance be between themselves before the assistance of the courts of law was invoked, and further, that as much as possible officialism should be put an end to. This was the Scotch principle, which had been advocated by both Houses here, and by other legislative bodies. But on account of vested interests, in England in 1869, when the principle was so much advocated there, it was unfortunately not carried out. Here was an opportunity of initiating a system, the general principle of which had worked so well in Scotland. He hoped the House would endeavor as much as possible to eliminate from the proceedings in insolvency, what he might call the court or official element. It would be observed by this Bill that in cases where differences arose appeal to courts was given to either party considering himself aggrieved. It was also attempted to absolutely separate all arrangements between debtor and creditor from what might be called the criminal part of the question. The Bill was then read a second time, and ordered to be committed on Friday. FRAUDULENT DEBTORS’ BILL. On the secon i readiug of the Fraudulent Debtors’ Bill, which was read a second time, Mr Stout suggested the introduction of a clause allowing debtors to maintain themselves while in prison. SOUTHLAND WASTE LANDS. The amendments proposed by the Government in the Southland Waste Lands Bill were agreed to.

REGISTRATION BILL,

On the second reading of the Registration of Births and Deaths Bill, Mr Reid disapproved of limiting it to two years, which the Hon 0. 0 Bowen said was recommended by the Registrar-General as sufficiently long. He considered six months as now provided was sufficiently long. There should be aclaasetoenable persons who owing to the circumstances of the country had been precluded from so doing, to come in and register within a given time from the passing of this Act, on giving satisfactory proof, a,ud on granting substantial fee. The extension of the time to two years would have a tendency to make people more lax. The Bill was read a second time. marriage act. On the second reading of Marriage Act Amendment Bill, Mr Stout suggested the case of sects like the Plymouth Brethren, which did not call their ministers rev., should be met. The Registrar-General should have power given to license persons whom he considered proper to act as officiating ministers. BILL DISCHARGED. The Hawkes’ Bay Volunteer Grants Bill was discharged, Sir D. McLean stating that the Government intended to make other provisions. ANATOMY BILL. On the Anatomy Bill being called on, The Speaker pointed out that as the Bill made provision for a distinct charge upon the consolidated revenue, it must be laid Hon. 0. C. Bowen gave notice that the Bill would be re-introduced. STAMP FEB BILL. On clause 2of the Stamp Fee Bill, Mr Stout suggested that it should be left to the Go-vernor-in-Council to determine on what documents stamps should be affixed. The change should be gradual, or confusion and inconvenience would result. Hon C. C. Bowen said stamps would only be used in such departments into which it was found they could be conveniently introduced. The Governor would not be advised to introduce stamps until full preparation was made for their introduction. The fees alluded to were now paid on stamps in England and in Victoria. It had been found, on consultation with the law officers of the Crown, that it would be more convenient to introduce stamps into the law departments than any other. He scarcely saw any difficulty in any single fee paid in the Supreme Court being paid by stamps, and it would be great check upon the collectors of revenue. BILLS PASSED. The Oamaru Gas Works Bill read third time and passed. TELEGRAPH BILL, In committee on the Telegraph Amendment Bill, Mr Stout wanted clause 24, relating to privileged communications, struck out. He, Mr Fitzherbert, and Mr Fyke expressed doubts as to whether the contents of telegrams which passed through the wires were kept secret. Mr Pyke declared be had known cases of the contents of messages leaking out before the messages were delivered. Mr Fitzherbert mentioned it was likely a case of the latter kind would shortly be brought under the notice of the Government. Sir D. McLean and Sir George Grey suggested that all telegraph officials should be immediately sworn to secrecy. Hon Mr Reynolds, in replying to Mr Fitzherbert, said, if anything of the kind was proved the officer would be dealt with as severely as the law allowed. The Bill was passed without amendment.