GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1458, 18 October 1878, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. [by special wire, per press agency.] Thursday, October 17. In the Council to-day after several reports had been brought up and some formal business transacted, the Council agreed with the amendments of the House of Representatives in the Juries Act. CUSTOMS TARIFF BILL. Colonel Whitmore then moved the second reading of the Customs Tariff Bill, Mr Reynolds followed, condemning the Government scheme for altering the incidence of taxation. ' He scorned'such wretched' legislation as the Companies Income Duty Bill, and trusted such a proposal would not be renewed. The debate was interrupted by the dinner adjournment. EVENING SITTING. Mr Reynolds continued—Ho considered the Bill would not affect the working classes. The only concession he thought of importance at all was the lowering of the tea and sugar duties. Hewduldnot oppose the second reading, but he regretted the’ concision had not been larger. Mr Buckley thought the alterations had been made haphazard, and that they would have little effect. Mr Johnstone followed, characterising the sinking fund as bogus. He considered the working men did not repaire any concessions in the direction of lower duties at j;ll. My Hot.&n'U, speaking of l the railway proposals, yii'd such a proposal as asking' for the control of ,-i'x or seven millions on such bald dat.a laid never before been heard of. He advocated an income and property tax, and thought the working classes were never better off, ami could well pay such taxation as they had. Mr Fraser would like to see the land tax doubled, but let them have a tax on till realised property, and so really relieve the working man.

3 Mr Waterhouse thought the wine duty 3 could not be spared. Looking at the state of r Europe, and at tbe fate of the Bank of Glasgow, he thought a critical period was at hand, and that redactions in the tariff were unwise. Then the receipts from the land fund were largely falling off. Ho advised the Government to bo cautious. Sir Dillon Bell thought the reductions made by tbe Government in the tariff were the wisest ones possible. Ho said the duty on bellows was taken off in order to enable tbe Government to blow. He criticised other items in a similarly humorous manner. Mr Hall shared in the apprehensions of Mr Waterhouse. He thought to rely on the land fund was a dangerous delusion. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Thursday, October 17. NEW BILLS. In the House to-day, Sir G. Grey gave notice of a Bill to establish a High School at the Thames. The Treasurer gave notice of a Bill to amend the Public Debts Sinking Fund Act. ADULTERATION OF LIQUORS. Mr Reeves gave notice to ask the Government if they will, during the recess, prepare a Bill for the more effectual prevention of adulteration of liquors, and punishment of vendors of same. goldfields committee. On the motion of Mr Curtis the quorum of the Goldfields Committee was reduced to three. The report «f the Goldfields Committee on the Qoldraining Districts Amendment Act recommended that the Bill be passed, and it was accordingly ordered to be committed on Friday. FRIENDLY SOCIETIES RETURNS. The Premier laid on the table returns respecting Friendly Societies and the funds at their disposal. members homeward bound. Mr Feldwick asked, without notice, whether the Government proposed that tbe House should sit on Saturday, in order to enable Southern members to proceed to their homes by steamer on Monday V The Premier replied that the Government would consider the question. MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS ACT, Mr Murray asked, without notic-, whether the Government intend to proceed this session with the Municipal Corporations Act Amendment Bill. The Attorney-General replied in the affirmative. INSPECTION OF HIGH SCHOOLS. A message was received from the Governor, recommending the House to insert in the High School Bills a clause providing that all High schools shall he subject to inspection by an inspecting officer appointed by the Minister of Education. A motion was made and agreed to, that the House concurs in the recommendation. THE WAITAKI NATIVE DIFFICULTY. Mr Taiaroa asked the Government what course they intended to pursue in reference to the occupation by certain Natives of land at Waitaki, in the Middle Island. The Native Minister replied that, two or three years ago, certain Natives took up ground on the runs of K. Campbell aud others. The Natives said their object was to test a claim to tbe laud, and nothing was done in tbe matter. The claim bad since been renewed. The chiefs of the tribes were now in Wellington and would be consulted; but tbe Natives would be compelled to obey the law. UNFOUNDED RUMOUR. Mr Barff asked without notice whether there was any foundation for rumours in circulation that the Natives have committed another murder on the Waimate Plains P The Native Minister replied that there was 1 no foundation for the report. A party of the Ngaraura tribe went up to Pariaka in search of Hikori, and some of them were violently assaulted by Pariaka people, who seized their : horses. It would not be desirable to state what were the intentions of the Government, but im- ■ mediately after the session he would visit the 1 West Coast, and endeavor to show the Natives * there that they could not set the law at defiance. Te Whiti had not participated in the 1 quarrel. I EDUCATION ACT AMENDMENT. The House resumed the debate on the second f reading of the Education Act Amendment. Dr. Wallis said he would support the Bill, 1 because it was proposed to render education entirely of an unsectarian character, and because it did not favor Roman Catholics or any other ! denomination. The BUI only asked to allow do- , 1 nominations to relieve the State of the, cost of ; ' erecting schools. In the early ages almost the only educators of the people wore the Catholic Churches, and since then Protestants had taken > up the work. The present Bill proposed to enable the churches to become auxiliaries 1 of the State in education. He condemned ' the present State system of education, which 1 fended to prevent individual efforts of parents, ! and do away with the collateral advantages 1 which accompanied such self-sacrifice. State 1 education tended to Communism and reliance on 1 the out-door relief system. He contended that * it was not unreasonable that people should 1 claim to educate their children in a knowledge 1 of religion. Mr Joyce supported the Bill, arguing that it ' is not designed to favor Roman Catholics, and ! that the existing State system, by insisting upon < uniformity, destroys emulation, and fossilises ] teachers. The measure under discussion would encourage liberty, equality, and fraternity, in ; 1 the highest sense of those word;. '■ ‘ j. The question was put yaat the Bdl he read a !' second time. Thu resmljt was—Ayds, 3d ; nocs, 38. Ti_e announcement was received with cheers. ’* -•>»«■ The following is the division list; — Ayes. Major Atkinson Messrs Kenny ! Messrs Bargent ~ Saunders ~ Barff ~ McMinn ~ Brown, J. C. ~ MurrayAynsley ~ Bunny ~ O’Rorke ~ Curtis (teller) ~ Pyke (teller) | ~ DeLatour „ Reeves • j ,j Dignaq \ „ Russell Sir R. Douglas f „ Sharp j, Messrs Feldwick ~ Sutton j. „ Gibbs ~ Tawiti ! ~ Gisborne ~ Tob , ~ Henry ‘ „ Tuvnhwß ~ Tluraihoiise Walk's 1 i, Johnston ' „ Wood „ Joyce ~ Woodcock 1 HOKiU- J Messrs BuUanoq Messrs Moss n Bcetfiam „ Murray 1 „ Bowen „ Naho j ~ Brown, J.E. ~ Oliver . ~ Bryce ~ Richardson „ Cutten „ liolleston ~ Fisher „ Rowo jj ueorge ~ Saunders ~ Green (teller) ~ Sheeha”. i ~ Hamlin „ DhrimsijS ~ Hislop ,v Sijbyehs’ ~ Hodgkuisou 1 Stout Hunter ' „ Swanson ~ Kelly „ Taiaroa „ Macandrew ~ Takamoana ~ McFarlaue ~ Toschemaker ~ McLean ~ Thomson (toller ~ Montgomery ~ Wasqn „ Moorhouse ~ Williams Pauls. For. Messrs Driver | Mr Seymour ~ Richmond j Against. Messrs Fitzroy I Mr Rees „ Whitaker | On the question that the Bill be now read a second time, Mr Barff said the division showed that the Government would have to consider during the recess the advisability of amending the existing system of education, and no Government which did not deal with the question could hope to hold its place on the Ministerial benches. The motion that the Bill bo read a' second time that day six months was then put and qgroed to on the voices. ' harbor bill. Mr Stout moved the second reading of the Harbor Bill. Mr Tole said the period allowed for leasing in the Bill would operate hardly in respect to Auckland.

Mr J. E. Brown said the Bill would place too much power in the hands of Harbor virtually giving them the control of railways. Therefore ho hoped the Government Would withdraw the Bdl, reconsider the matter during the recess, and bring down a better measure next session. Mr Hodokinhon hoped the Government would withdraw the Bill. Mr Bryce hoped it would ho proceeded wi^h. Mr Woolcock trusted the measure would be proceeded with, even if the 1 season were prolonged. Mr Swanson urged that the Bill should bo proceeded with, as he bad received important suggestions respecting Boards throughout the colony. He regarded it with interest. The second reading was agreed to on the voices, SHEER BILL. The House went into committee on the Sheep Bill and the Lyttelton Waterworks Transfer Bill. Mr Hodgkinson, in order to shelve the Sheep Bill, moved that the chairman leave the chair.

The House divided, when the ayes were 24 and the uoea 45. The amendment was therefore negatived. Clause 3 was postponed. On clause 4 Mr Hodgkinson moved an amendment to shelve the clause, which was negatived by 48 to 12. An amendment was inserted leaving the definitionof districts in the hands of the Governor. Ponced or enclosed paddocks were included in the definition clause. The House was still in committee on the Bill at the half-past five adjournment,

EVENING SITTING SHEEP BILL.

The House resumed at half-past seven in committee on the Sheep Bill. Considerable discussion occurred on clause 23, dealing with infected sheep.

A division took place on an amendment by Mr Seymour, to reduce the minimum fine on infected sheep from 3d to 2d, which was negatived by 30 to 21.

The clause was amended so as to reduce the minimum penalty after six months from date of convictions for continuing to keep infected sheep from Gd to 4d, and the maximum penalty from 3s to 2s.

A division took place on an amendment in clause 26, proposed by Major Atkinson, to render separation of rams from ewes only necessary in the case of infected flocks of 300 and upwards, instead of any less number. The amendment was negatived by 40 to 13. Clause 27 was amended by the insertion of words rendering the penalty possible only after ter the sheep have been infected with the knowledge of the owner for a period of one week. In clause 30 “ or bury ” was added after “ immediately destroy.” Clause 35 was amended by the extension of “seven” days previous to landing to “ten” days within which sheep must have been inspected, and another amendment was added providing that the clean certificate on landing may be lodged with the inspector of the district in which the sheep are landed. A proviso was added to clause 4G, permitting sheep to be driven throngh an infected run when in the opinion of the inspector sufficient precaution had been taken to prevent infection. Clause 25 was altered, giving owners whose sheep have been found to be infected thirty days within which they must have a dip in readiness. A further amendment to make this applicable to any number of sheep instead of to a minimum of five hundred was, on a division carried by 2G to 23.

Considerable discussion took place on danse 67, in which an amendment was carried on a division Jby thirty to eighteen, preventing the application of the clause to runs of less than 500 acres.

On clause 61, Mr Murray protested against this large power being entrusted to justices, which would cnuble them to interfere with the liberties of the subject. So long as justices were appointed for political reasons, this power should not be entrusted to them. He would move that “two Justices of the Peace bo omitted ” and “ Resident Magistrate ” inserted. Mr Saunders said he knew many Resident Magistrates whom he would not trust as much as the Justices. The amendment was negatived on the voices. On clause 66, “penalties for infected sheep where Act not in operation,” The Attorney-General proposed an amendment to reduce the penalties one-half, which was agreed to. Mr Saunders proposed a further amendment to prevent first fines coming into operation until one year after the Act comes into force. The Attorney-General proposed an amendment to the same effect, which was agreed to on the voices. On clause 67 the Attorney-General proposed an amendment making foes, fines, and penalties payable into the consolidated fund, instead of the “ public account.” Mr Fitzroy protested against the amendment, as an attempt to make up the amount lost to the revenue by the rejection of the beer tax. Mr Teschemaker desired to be informed what Government expected to make out of the proposed addition to the consolidated fund. Mr Saunders advocated localisation of the fund. The House divided on the Attorney-General’s amendment, which was carried by 31 to 19. Progress was then reported. MESSAGE FROM COUNCIL. A message from the Legislative Council announced that the Council had passed the Customs Tariff Act, 1878. NATIVE AFFAIRS. On the motion to go into Committee of Supply, Mr Sutton said he had frequently asked whether the Native Bill was to be brought down, and in every case had been told that the Bill would bo brought down in a few days. Ho regretted that the motion for going into Committee of Supply had come on at so late an hour; but ho desired to take advantage of the forms of the House, in order to offer some remarks on the position of the Native question. He went on to condemn the Native policy of the present Government, which he said was responsible for serious TLp time was ripe for a discontinuance of per sonal Government which the Native. Minister claimed to exercise; He condemned the official; paper on meetings between the. Government a,n,d Tawfiaio as a disgrace, and quoted amu'fing por. I flops of the newspaper report..