GENERALL ASSEMBLY.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2631, 12 September 1882, Page 4

GENERALL ASSEMBLY.

IJPHS PBBSS ASSOCIATION.] LEGISLATIVE! COUNOIL. Monday, Sbptbmbeb 11. The Council met at 11. BILLS. The folio win,7 Bite were n third time and passed : —Uithorne Harbor Board, Aehbnrton Racecourse-, Fenoing Aot 1881 Amendment, MttnicipJ Corporation Aot 1876 Amendmant, and Portobello Road Board Enabling. The following Bills were read a Eccond time : —The Oesisteries, Eduoation Districts, find Rhodes Ej'.ato Duty. LAND BILL. Sir Gsorsb Whixmobk raaved that the Council insists oa the amsadaanis made in She Laud Bill. Carried. ■Bmorpn MTJBIMOTU AGRBBHSNT VALIDATION BILL. The Hod. Mr Whitaxeb movad the second zeadi-g of this Bill. The Hon. Mr Eevnolds moved it be read fjkjg day six months, as it ha i only boon introduced a few hours. ~-..-, After some discussion, the Counoil divided Oa the second reading. Ayes, 16; noes, 11. The amendment was lost. The Counoil rose 12 85. AFTERNOON SITTING. The Council resumed at 2 30. Tho Hon. Mr Whitakeb moved the Bill to committed presently. The Hon. Mr Uolmbb moved, as amendment, it be referred to the Waste Lands oommittee to consider and report thereon. The amendment was subsequently withdrawn, and Captain Fbasbb moved it be XtXarred to a Select Committee. The Counoil divided—Ayes, 13 ; noes, 16. Amendment lost, and the Bill was ordered to ba committed presently. THB PROROOATION. The Pbbmieb stated that he had just re--eeived certain information from tho Government printer whioh would detain Parliament -until Friday night, owing to Bills not being printed. AMENDED BILLS. The Oounoil than agreed to insist on amendments in the Speoial Powers and Contracts Bill, by 14 to 12. . The amendmsnta made in tho District Railway Bill by the Oounoil were objected to to by the House of Representatives as being • breach of privilege. The Hon. Mr Olives moved that the Council do not insist on the said amendments, but subsequently withdrew it for the purpose of appointing Messrs Bonar, John4MB, and Oliver to draw up reasons why the Oounoil should insist on the amendments. The Counoil adjourned at 4 until 7.30. EVENING SITTING. Tho Oounoil resumed at 7.30. land bill. Sir G. Whitmobb announced that he renetted the conference which had met to discuss the amendments of the Land Bill could not agree. On his motion, it wat arranged that a farther conference should meet to-morrow at 10 n.m. DISTRICT railways bill. The Hon. Mr Olivbb brought up the report of the managers of the oonferenoe on the amendments on the District Railways Bill, the purport of which was that the Counoil had a precedent in the Ashburton Water Works Aot, 1879, and insisted on its amendments. OTHBB BILLS. The Counoil then w snt into committee on the Cemeteries, Education Districts, Rhodes' ~2Ssi«teß Duty, Rangipo Murimotu Agreement Validation, Tauranga, East Coast and Hot Lakes District Bail way, Registration of Births and Deaths Amendment, and the Fablio Reserves Bills. They were all reported, reed * third time and passed. The Hon. Mr Oxitbb moved the second leading of the Oamaru Harbor Board Bill, 'which was reported, and passed through all its stages with unimportant amendments. Ihe Oounoil rose at 9 p.m. until 11 a.m. tomorrow.

HOUSE OF BEPRESENTATIVE3.

Monday, September 11.

ji^ ' MORNING SITTING. The House met at 10 a.m. BX-DETRCTIVE PARBBLL,

On the motion for going into Committae ■of Supply. Mr Shbehan moved that the House take into favorable consideration the report of the oommittee on the petition of Deteotive Farrell.

Mr Maoandrew supported the motion. The Hon. Mr Bbyoe objected to interfering with discipline. The amendment was withdrawn.

COMMITTER OP SUPPLY.

In Supply, the debate was resumed on the item micoellancous defence—Thames Volunteers.

Mr Shbehan supported the item.

Mr Huesthotjsh opposed the vote.

The Hon, Mr Bbtcb said the oorps were entirely mistaken regarding their engagement. They expected to be only engaged a couple of weeks, but he informed them explicitly that they might be required for two months, or till lawfully discharged. After thirty-one days they were lawfully discharged. The officers of the corps hod acquiesced in the compromise already carried out. Mr Shbehan said the telegram was explicit enough, that the term of engagement should Job at least two months.

The Hon. Mr Roelestoh thought they had been liberally dealt with.

The motion to omit the item was carried by 30 to 26. The vote as reduced was passed. Grown lands, miscellaneous, £9784, including £3695 to meet the awatds of the military and land claims commission.

A division took place on the item compensa-tion-and interest to John Kelly, for the loss of land, £ISOO, which it was proposed to reduce by the amonnt of interest £564. J The item as printed passed by 31 to 30.

The total vote was passed. Mines land prospecting, £500; Colonial Treasurer, miscellaneous, £3058; pnblio trust office, £220; Native reserve, £300; Government miscellaneous, £BSOO ; printing Brogden papers, £400: Havelook wharf, £4OO. All passed. Public buildings, £21,000. On the item £20,000 for Parliamentary buildings, The Hon. Mr Johnston said that £IO,OOO suggested by Mr Montgomery was found insufficient to provide fira-proof library, to widen the corridor, ereot a now kitchen, and to effeot other absolutely necessary improvement!.

Mr Babeon opposed the vote. No f nrthsr expenditure should take place until a Boyal Commission reported on the question of the removal of the seat of Government.

Mr Moniqomeei thought £IO,OOO ample to provide a fiie-proof library, improve the ventilation, and to eraofc better whips' room. It would be better to aboliak Bellamy's than erect a sew kitchen. Even if the seat of Government were to bo removed next year, £IO,OOO would not be too much to provide for the comfort of members, but they should not go beyond that. The Hon. Major Atkinson did not think the removal of the seat of Government would be likely, but deprecated the discussing it now. A whips' room was urgently required, and bo waß the kitohen for Bellamy's. He thought also that a suitable room should bo provided Ijt the use of the leader of Opposition.

Mr Fergus, as a practical man, said £lo,ooo would not do the work required. Mr Shbphbrd said to reduce it would be parsimony, not economy. Mr Magandbkw opposed spending more than £3OOO.

Mr WBIGHT considered better provision should be made for strangers, as there was a constant interruption from behind the Speaker's chair.

Replying to a question, The Hon. Mr Johnstoic laid that the serI "icej of a professional architect outside the --. vemment would be called in. ir Johit Halt thought that a compra- • 'joiiive plan of improvements should be sub* mittted to Parliament, The amendment that item be omitted was lost by 83 to 26, Mr Babbok moved—" That the sum bo reduced to £3000." Lost on the voices. The motion to reduce the item to £IO,OOO was carried on the voices. Mt B&m&qs moved to reduce it to £6OOO.

Lost by 31 to 25. Xhe itoia £IO,OOO passed. The remaining votes on the supplementary estimates were passed as printed.

THB ■LUSH BILL. A conference was appointed with he Counoil on tho Land Bill. Adjourned for lunch ot 1.20 p.m.

AFTERNOON SITTING. Tho House re-assembled at 2 p.m. OASJABTJ HABBOB BOABD BILL

On the motion for going into committee on the Oamaru Harbor Board Bill, Sir John Hall moved an amendment that they refuse to go into committee, as it necessitated the suspension of the Standing Orders, and sufficient caute had not been shown to warrant th*t step, He pointed out that at this late period of the session it would be unfavorable to give a measure of this kind sufficient contidcralion.

Mr Bhbehan supported the Bill. The fact of its late introduction showed that Oamaru was better able than many other places to guage the real merits of the House. They knew that it was only at the end of the session that any real work was done. It was a oredit to the Government to say that they had taken over the Bill from a member of the Opposition. He defended the work as one of colonial importance. The motion was carried.

In committee the Bill was amended, reported, and read a third time and passed. Tho House rose at four to allow conferences to sit.

EVENING SITTING. The House resumed at 7.30. THB LAND BILL 00BP8BBN0B.

The Hon. Mr Bollbston reported that the managers appointed to conduot the conference between the two Houses re the Land Bill, had failed in arriving at a satisfactory solution of the difficulty. The point upon which they disagreed wasthe clause providing that the leaseholder might change his tenure into that of a freehold. That was a point upon whioh the managers for that House found they could not yield. They held that the House had established the prinoiple of leasehold in their future dealings with these lands, and that they would not be justified in yielding the point. On the other side a similar stand was taken. They considered tbat in yielding the point they would practically be incorporating in a different way the already establi-hed principles of agricultural leasing and deferred p&yment. The arguments put forward on the other side were based upon the fact that the people had not, so far as the Oounoil wss aware, had an opportunity of forming a judgment as to the effect or advisability of the proposed change in tenure. They therefore contended that the steps should not be taken hastily, or until the public had had an opportunity for forming their opinion upon the point. After a lengthened discussion the conference came to the conclusion that in respect to the goldfields lands and eduoation reserves, there was no real difference between them. The conference yielded to the extent of leasing them. The leasing olause would therefore oome into operation on the goldfields, and in regard to the eduoation reserves forthwith. It was further agreed that the leasing claims elsewhere should not be out oat, but that they should not come into operation until Parliament had had an opportunity for bringing in a Bill to repeal these olauses, if it was found to be desirable so to do. In yielding so far, the managers were most anxious to get the Bill placed on the Statute Book, as they felt that a great injustice would otherwise be done to a large body of persons looated on the goldfields. They were hopeful that a further effort would be made to renew the conference with the view of bringing the whole question to an issue, but he understood that any movement in that direotion would have to be taken by the Oouaoil. He hoped tho House would agree to the determination they had come to in reference to the postponement of the leasing clauses exoept on the goldfields, and in regard to the eduoation reserves, rather than to sacrifice the measure altogether. In conclusion he submitted for the opinion of the Speaker that as this was a Bill setting aside land for sale, it was virtually an appropriation of money, and that therefore the Counoil was not justified in making the alterations it had done. The Speaxeb replied that it would not be treated as a money Bill, and in reply to a further remark he said that the next step would have to oome from the Oounoil. THB PABLIAMBNTABY BUILDINOS. On the motion of the Hon. Major Atkinson, it was agreed that the Government should, during the reoess, have charge of th» Parliamentary Buildings and the eontrol of the proposed expenditure on renewal of the same. THB MUNICIPAL OOBPOBATIONB AMENDMBHT BILL. This Bill was reported from the Upper House with amendments, some of whioh were not agreed to, and managers for a conference appointed. PROPERTY. TAX BILL. This Bill was read a second time and passed for consideration in committee. Mr Bracken moved as an amendment on olause 25—" That improvements and holdings under the values of £SOO be exoluded from the operations of the tax." The Chairman ruled tho amendment could not be reoeived, The Bill passed through oommittee, was reported without amendment, read a third time, and passed. ROADS AND BRIDGES, The House continued in oommittee on the sohedule of the roads defined under the Roads and Bridges Construction Act, 1882. The sohedule was reported with amendments, whioh were agreed to and passed. DISTRICT RAILWAYS BILL. A free conference was demanded on the Counoil's amendment re the D'.atriot Railway Aot Amendment Bill.

The Bouse agreed to the Council's amend meats in the Oamarn Harbor Loan Bill.

On the motion of the Hon. Major Atkinson, the Insurance Folioies Bill was read a seoond time, and the Bill went through committee and was reported.

The Licensing Bill was oommitted and reported, and, with the Life Insurance Bill, was read a third tixaa and passed.

The House rose at 1.30.