PARLIAMENTARY.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2326, 17 September 1881, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY.

[press association telegram.] LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Friday, September 16, The Council met at 2.30, but adjonrned -till four to allow members to attend the removal of the remains of the late Mr Moorhonse. A Conference was appointed on tho Pensions Bill. A motion that the vote of the Hon. R. Hart on the Railway Construction Bill shonldhe disallowed, he being a shareholder in the West Coast railway, was negatived, the interest not being considered direct enough to invalidate the vote. A motion that the estates of lunatics should vest in the Public Trustee instead of the Registrar of the Supreme Court, was carried. The Council adjourned from 5 to 7.30. EVENING SITTING. The Council resumed at 7.30. The Neglected and Criminal Children Act Amendment Bill and the Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Act Amendment Pill (from the Lower House) were read a first time The Borough of Hamilton Boundaries Bill was read a third time and passed. The adjonrned debate re censuring Mr Wood for the sale of his honorarium was allowed to lapse for the session. The Council then went into committee on the Railway Construction Bill. The first three clauses were passed. Clauses 4to 14 were postponed. The whole evening was then speat in a discussion on clause 15, and an amendment was then moved with the object of restricting the power of the Government to enter into contracts. Several motions were made with the object of killing the Bill, but they were negatived by small majorities. At 12.30, however, progress was reported on the casting vote of the Chairman, the committee to resume next day. The Council then adjourned. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. AFTERNOON SITTING. The House met at 3.30. The Speaker ruled on a question reserved for his decision that in consequence of a quorum not being present at 3am., to receive the report of the committee, the following Bills must be held to have lapsed, unless the House again remitted them to tfce committee :—Municipal Corporations Act Amendment, Miners* Rights Reduction Bills, resolution re Grant to Libraries, Harbors Act Amendment Bill, Auckland University College Bill, Surveyors* Institute Bill. questions. Replying to Mr Saunders, The Hon. J. Hall said, that the railway as far north as Waikari was under contract, and would be open for traffic in January. Surveys for continuing the line to Hnrunui were being completed. Replying to Mr Tole, The Hon. W. Rolleston said that allowance would iot be made for house rent to married policemen in Auckland. Allowance of that kind was made to policemen in no other part of the colony, and the one regulation applied to all. Replying to Mr Reeves, The Hon. J. Hall said he agreed in the importance of the honorarium being fixed by statute, but he was not prepared to say that the subject would be legislated upon next session. Replying to Mr McDonald, The Hon. W. Rolleston said that the whole question of opening up Native lands was under the consideration of Government, and the purchase of Tangarakau block near Mokau, as also the making of arrangements with Native owners of the Pautama block, near Mokau, would be considered in connection therewith. Replying to Mr McDonald, The Hon. J. Hall said that stringent measures had to be taken for the suppression of the scab In sheep, hut they would consider the propriety of refunding the fine imposed on Doull, Harris, and others at Gisborne. Replying to Sir G. Grey, The Hon. Major Atkinson said that Government would not return to British pensioners sums taken in payment of stamps on payment of their respective pensions. Replying to Mr Harris, The Hon. J. Hall said that the views indicated by him at Leeston re changing the constitution of the Legislative Council had been under the consideration of the Government, and they considered the time had come when it might very properly be considered by the electors. Replying to Mr Gisborne, The Hon J. Hall said that probably the Governor would he absent about three months. He had not appointed a deputy. Government had taken advice from the law officers and Attorney-General, and did not consider it necessary to communicate with the Imperial Government re the administration of the office of Governor. Replying to Mr Waston, The Hon. W. Rolleston said that persons charged with trifling offences in Wellington were not subjected to more indignities in the way of handcuffing than was necessary to prevent their escape when being brought before the Court, Replying to Mr Levin, The Hon. Major Atkinson said that every facility would be given to Government officers who had been compelled to allow their life policies to lapse during last year to take them up again on payment of arrears. SECOND READINGS. The following Bills were read a second time - Stamps Act Amendment, Property Assessment, Deceased Persons Estate Duty, Animals Protection Act Amendment. The House adjourned at 5.30. EVENING SITTING. The House resumed at 7.3?. BILLS PASSED. The following Bills, having passed through committee, were read a third time and passed :—Property Assessment, Deceased Persons* Estate Duty, Animal Protection Act Amendment. MISCELLANEOUS. On the motion for further consideration of the East Coast Land District B 11, Mr Moss proteste against the Bill as an endeavor to take land out of the Auckland Provincial District and place it under the administration of Hawke’s Bay. He would oppose the Bill being further considered. Sir G. Grey and Mr George also opposed, and the Hon. W. Rolleston defended the Bill. The House divided on the question for going into committee presently—Ayes, 34; noes, 21. In committee of the whole, the resolution of the Debates committee recommending a bonus of £25 to “ Hansard” reporters, for the extra labor of the session, was agreed to. Mr Shrimski announced that the Joint Conference on the Pensions Bill had been unable to agree. He understood that if certain objectionable clauses were omitted in a new Bill the Attorney-General would undertake to get it through the Upper House. Ho gave notice of his intention to introduce an amendment of t’. e Pensions Bill tomorrow. The amendments made by the Legislative Council in the Thermal Springs District Bill were considered. Mr Harris moved the adjournment until tomorrow. Ayes, 12 ; noes, 40. The motion for adopting the amendments was put and carried. The following Bills, on the motion of tho Hon. J. Hall, were withdrawn : — Stamxi Act, 1875, Amendment, Companies, Public Works, Hospital and Charitable Aid, Roads Construction, Crown and Native Lands Rating, Sharebrokers Act Repeal Bill. „ , In Committee, the East Coast Land Bill was farther considered. Mr Moss moved that progress be reported, which the Government eventually agreed to, and the motion was carried. The Waipawa Land Dispute Bill was discharged on the motion of the Hon. J. Hall. The Town District Bill was passed through committee and was reported with amendments, read a third time and xiassed. In committee of ways and means a Custom and Excise Duties Bill was introduced, read a first time, and ordered to be read a second time tomorrow. On the motion to adopt the report in the Leaseholders* Qualification Bill, The Hon. J. Hall said this was not tho place for the limitation made with the suggestion of Sir G. Grey. He moved the re-committal of the Bill, for the purpose of reconsidering the amendment. He added that, on the division being called, a number of members who desired to vote on the question did not hear the bell. Sir G. Grey objected to the recommittal, contending that invalid ground had been stated by the Gibbs, George, and Turnbull supported the objection to recommittal. Mr Saunders said he would have preferred seeing the numbers final at 3 instead of 2. He would prefer the latter, however, to an unlimited number. He invited them to go into commit tee as desired, and by no uncertain sound reaffirm the limitation. Mr Harris moved the adjournment of the debate. The House divided—Ayes, 22 ; noes, 23. On the question for re-committal, Mr Andrews spoke against the Bill, and pointed out at considerable length the inequality of representation in Great Britain. The House divided on the question of committal —Ayes, 25 ; noes, 15. In committee, the Hon. J. Hall moved that the proviso added to the Bill be omitted. Mr Saunders proposed that the danse be altered from two votes to three. Mr George suggested that the proposal of Mr Saunders be adopted, and to give the Government time to consider the point, he moved that progress be reported. . ~ , . The Hon. J. Hall said that practically speaking what was being contested was very little. Mr Saunders had said to limit tho number of votes to three, but he did not believe that more than fifty men would exercise more than that number of votes. He would he glad to take time to consider the suggestion of Mr Saunders, and. with that view he would agree to a l * adjournment till to-morrow. Mr Saunders said that it was honorable on the Sort of the Government to make the offer they had one. Had they been so minded they might have dropped tho Bill altogether. Ho thought tho suggestion of the Premier should be acceded to. The motion for reporting progress was agreed to on tho voices. ~ , The House rose at 1.25 a.m* until 11 a.m. to-day (Saturday).