GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 261, 26 August 1882, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Friday, August 25. bills. The following Bills were received from the Lower House and read a first time: —Gold Duties Act Amendment Bill; Public Health Act Amendment Bill; Portobello Bead Board Empowering Bill ; Bangiora Domain Board Empowering Bill ; Ohoka and Eyreton Domain Board Empowering Bill j Canterbury Rivers Act, 1870, Amendment Bill; and the Patent Act Amendment Bill. The following Bills were read a third time :—Publio Work* Bill ; Savings Bank Act, 1858, Amendment Bill j Otago Harbor Board Farther Empowering Bill; Part of Dunedin South Cricket Reserves Leasing Bill; Timaru Harbor Board Bill. The Gladstone Recreation Reserve Bill and the Imprest Supply Bill (No. 4) were read a second time. Several Bills were paused through the Council. The Lyttelton Harbor Board Bill was further considered in Committee, when the clause giving a representative on the Board to the Borough of St, Alban* was struck out on a division of 13 to 10. Interrupted by dinner adjournment. EVENING SITTING. BILLS. In the Council to-night the Lyttelton Harbor Board Bill was amended by providing far two nominated members, and St. Albans was struck out as returning a member, and one was given to Akaroa County, On the Bill being reported as amended. The Hon. Mr Whitaker moved its reoommittal in order to omit one of the nominated members and restore the member for St. Albans, This was carried. In committee Mr MoLean moved to add St. Albans to Ohristohuroh, Negatived after a long discussion by 12 to 10. The amendment to reduce the number of nominated members to one and give a member to St. Albans was then carried. The Employers Liability Bill and Protection of Telegrams Bill were passed through committee with verbal amendments. The Public Offenders Disqualification Bill and the Timarn High School Bill were read a second time. The Te Aroha Township Bill was read a third time and passed. The Council adjourned at 10 p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Friday, August 25. The House met at noon. PRIVILEGE. Mr Conolly brought up the questions of privilege in connection with motions before the Railway Taxing Committee, one by Mr J. O. Brown and the other by Mr Sutton. These were printed for the information of members, but, to their surprise, they found them printed ia the newspapers. He simply wished to call the attention of the House to the irregularity. The Hon. Major Atkinson said the whole proceeding was most irregular, but he thought that no farther step* would be considered necessary. After further discussion the matter dropped, and the House adjourned at 1.10 o'clock. AFTERNOON BITTING. The House resumed at 2.30. QUESTIONS. Replying to Mr Steward, The Hon. Mr Johnston said arrangement* were under negotiation for a connection between Waimate (Government) branch line of railwoj and the lino of the Waimate Branch Company (Limited), but interim arrangements have been made to facilitate the work of construction of the line. No arrangements had yet been made in reference to the Waimate railway station. Replying to Mr Steward, The Hon. Mr Bolleston said Otaio Cemetery reserves will be gazetted in the next issue.

Replying to Mr Daniel, The Hon. Mr Eolleston said the Government had instructed the warden at Oropuki and Longwood to report fully a* to the burning of documents deposited in the Courthouse, Riverton, The Government recognised their liability to make good these documents. The matter would be looked into.

Replying to Mr Sutton, The Hon. Mr Dick said arrangement for taxing solicitors’ bills of costs were made the subject of a special provision in the Supreme Courts Bill just passed. They would watch its operation, and if net satisfactory further provision would be made daring the recess. Beplyiug to Mr Taiaroa, The Hon. Mr Bryob said grants had been issued to half-castes named in the Middle Island under the Half-castes Crown Grants Act, 1877.

Replying to Mr Holmes, The Hon. Major Atkinson said the caveat standing in the Land Registry Office, Napier, against the transfer of the Omaranui block, would, if the parties interested took no further action, be shortly removed. Mr Sutton moved the adjournment of the House, to enable him to make a personal explanation. He produced the official documents in a Supreme Court action in which he was implicated, in connection with the acquisition of that land, which fully acquitted him of undue means in obtaining the signature of the Natives to the deed of transfer. Mr Shddon said it would be interesting to know when the Government determined to withdraw the caveat. Was]it not correlative with the late no-confidence debate, and was it not determined in view of Mr Sutton’s rote on that motion. Colonel Tbimble said that the whole transaction had been carefully enquired into by the Native Affairs Committee, and he as chairman of that committee had no hesitation in saying that Mr Sutton’s conduct had been blameless, and their findings fully acquitted him of the grave insinuations made against him in conjunction with the transaction. In reply to a question put by Mr Hutchison, The Hon. Mr RollbstON said that provision would be made in the estimates for satisfying the volunteers’ land scrip claims. It was understood that that was the object of the commissioners rather than to provide for these claims by land appropriations. BULB. The Legislative Council amendments made on the following Bills were agreed to Industrial School Bill, and Auckland University College Bill.

THB CHINESE Tho Hon. Mr Dick moved that the Council’* a-nerdment in che Aliena Ait Amend* ment Bill, enabling the Chinese to become naturalised at a reduced rate, should not be agreed to. Tho Chinese, unlike other nationalities, did not come here to settle. They came here under “ gaffers," and haring worked for a few years, they returned to their own land. Ho named a committee to confer with the Council's committee on the subject. Messrs Sbddon and Smith spoke in favor of the amendment being accepted. The latter pointed out that an Act imposing a tax per head on Chinese had already been paired. The motion for a conference was put and carried, NATIVE BEBKBTES BILL. The Bi]]_ was reported, read a third time, and passed. DRAINAGE AND MIKING BILL. This Bill was read a second time, and referred to the goldfields committee. LAND BILL. On the motion for going into Committee on the Land Bill, Mr Bathgate and Mr Sbddon spoke against a measure of snoh magnitude being brought on at this late period of the session. Mr Sbddon moved that it bo not committed nntil Monday. Mr Fulton said that in the waste lands committee the present principle met with a great diversity of opinion, bnt it was agreed Co allow the question to be fonght out on the floor cf the House, He was one of those who disagreed with the proposal. Still he looked upon the Bill as containing very important provisions. Mr Macandbew also objected to the leasehold proposals, and would endeavor to obtain some modification whereby the provision might be made for turning these into freeholds. Ho also was of tho opinion that the Bill had many important and valuable provisions. It was in no respect a party question. The motion for going into Committee was put and carried on the voices. Interrupted by 5 30 adjournment. EVENING SITTING. The Home resumed at 7 30. THB OTAGO HABBOH BOABD BILL. Mr Fish moved—“ That the amendments made by the Legislative Oounoil in the Otago Harbor Board Empowering Bill be agreed to.” Carried GOVERNMENT business. On the motion of the Hen. Major Atkinson, it was agreed that the House meet on Monday at 2 30 p.m. for the despatch of Government business only.

LAND ACT AMENDMENT SILL. On clause 2, Mr Fulton moved—“ That the leasing proposal be limited to land in proclaimed goldfields.”

Mr Sbsdok objected to the amendment, contending that there was no reason why the goldfields should be dealt with exceptionally. Mr Wbston contended that the prorisisns already in force were more favorable to the agricultural settlers on the goldfields. They were not required for the goldfields, and there was no reason shown why they should be exceptionally dealt with. The Hon. Mr Bollebton said the agricultural leaseholding in force in Otago, as also enabled the holder to acquire the freehold on the easiest possible terms. Mr HuhbthQUSb contended that having adopted the leasing principle on the second leading it was unfair now to contest that principle in committee. Sir John Hall replied that the principle of the Bill had not been affirmed on the second reading. He objected to the leasing system, and said it was fully understood that it was to be open for discussion in committee. It was a system opposed to all the purposes for which men came to these colonies, and it would therefore prove most mischievous. It would discourage immigration, and, if adopted, he was sure it would before long be altered. The leaseholders would become such a power in the State that they would very soon find the means for acquiring the freehold.

The Hon. Mr Bollebton said he did not want to bntke discussion, bat he had the Bill very much at heart, and he hoped they would proceed to a vote quickly. Sir George Obey upheld the leasing system, and denied that it would introduce an undesirable system into their political life. It enabled them to lease laud on the easiest terms, and at the same time gave them a tenure equivalent to a freehold without the power of enabling them to sub-let. So far from driving immigration away it woald be a means of attracting immigration to this colony. It would not be a rental paid to a landlord, bnt payable to the State in reduction of the taxes to which they were at present exposed. He therefore hoped the Committee would not reduce the proposal to thg goldfields. Mr Fulton said it would create a class of people who would be constantly agitating to be relieved from the obligations into which they had entered. The absolute fee simple was what all men aimed at, and if it coaid not be had in New Zealand they would go elsewhere and get it. Mr Bathgate would regret much if the leasing policy was reitrioted to goldfields. He conld .see no wisdom in the proposed restriction. It conld not bo said they were reserving the land for mining purposes, as the same principle applied to land in other places. Thera was coal and other deposits outside the goldfields, and it would be equally wise to reserve the freehold in these cases also. The amendment was lost on the voices.

Mr Moss proposed that certain words in the olanse be struck out, so as to eliminate the leasing system altogether. Mr Maoandbew raid that so long as they had the power to tax the land it was sufficient nationalisation. He was opposed to the leasehold system altogether. The probabilities were that they who were discussing this point had secured their freehold, and it would be most unfair to debar others from the same privilege.

Mr M. W. Gbebn spoke in favor of the area for leasing being left in the hands c £ the Administration of the day. Sir Geo rob Obey said that the tendencies of the age were to abolish freeholds altogether, and he looked forward to the day when snob a thing as landlordism wonld cease to exist. It was not contended that freeholds were more advantageous than the leasehold on the terms proposed. There was to be no increase and no permission to sublease. With conditions like these he could imagine of no freehold being more advantageous. He moved that the entire area be brought under the operation of the leasehold system, and not the limitation proposed by the Bill, Mr Swanson argued that in adopting the Bill as printed they would at least be affirming the principle, and having done so they conld come back next session and get more. Mr Titbnbuxii pointed out that one effect of the leasehold proposal was that they would not get sufficient to pay for the survey of the land for a period of eight years. It would also have the effect of preventing them in all time from imposing any additional tax on the land.

Sir John Ham. naid that Mr Mon’ proposal would raise issue as to whether or not they were in favor of the leasehold system, and he hoped it would be pressed to a division. Mr Fish thought the Bill should not be passed through this session. Mr Moss’ amendment was then put. The committee divided—Ayes, 16 j noes, 4,4,.

The other amendment was then put—Ayes, IB ; noes, 40. Mr Seddon moved that the area proposed to be leased should read “ one-halt ” instead of one third.

Mr Stevens moved to strike out the words “ any such proclamation may be at any time revoked, in the whole or in part, and either the whole or any part of the said lands thereafter dealt with/as it theyjhad never beenlso proclaimed,’; with a view to adding'a proviso to clause 18 giving power of purchase to holders of leasehold land after seven years’ occupation at current value. The House divided. Ayes, 39 ; noes, 16. The words were retained and the clause passed. Mr W. Geeen, in clause 3, moved to omit the words “ put up to public competition,” with a view of inserting the words “ open for application.” A long discussion took place, and ultimately the original words were retained by 25 to 24. The clause then passed. Clauses 21 and 22 were struck out, and the remaining clauses were passed without material alteration beyond the amendments suggested by the waste lands committee. The Bill was reported as amended, and orderei to be read a third time on Monday. The Beiumption of Land for Mining Perfuses Bill, and the Beserrea iu Mining District* BUI, read a third lime and passed. The House rose at 4 30 a.m.