Parliamentary Notes.

Hastings Standard, Issue 504, 17 December 1897, Page 4

Parliamentary Notes.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

Thursday, December 16. The Council mot at 2.30. INCOME TAX. The Land and Income Assessment Acts Amendment Bill and the Harbors Act Amendment Bill were read a second time on the motion of the Minister for Education. At 5 o'clock the Council adjourned till 7.30. The Council resumed at 7.30. FINAL STAU-ES. The Leases and Sale 3 of Settled Estates Act Amendment Bill and the Lyttleton Harbor Board Loan Bill passed their final stages, and the Council adjourned at 9.20. p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Thursday, December IG. The House met at 2.30 p.m. THE HOROWHENUA BILL. On the motion that the Ilorowhenua Block Act Amendment Bill be committed, Mr Eolleston moved that Sir Walter Buller and Major Kemp be heard at the bar of the House by counsel in connection with the Bill. He thought the good sense of the House would decide in favor of the motion. Mr Seddon considered that no good reasons had been advanced for either Sir Walter Buller or Major Kemp being heard at the bar of tile House. He pointed out that Sir Walter Buller bad addressed' a communication to every member of the House on the subject, and had already been heard at the bar. It had already been proved incontestably that the statements made by Sir Walter Buller when before the bar of the House on the previous occasion were not supported by facts. Mr Scobie Mackenzie contended that the bill Avas a private one, and that its preamble was full of misstatements. Mr Hall-Jones considered that the 140 natives interested in the Horowhenua block had just as much right as Sir Walter Buller or Major Kemp to appear at the bar of the House. Messrs Pirani, Stevens, Richardson, Heke, and Carroll and Captain Russell also spoke. The debate was interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment. The House resumed at 7.80. The debate on Mrßolleston's motion was resumed by Mr Wason, who contended it was a scandal that such an important measure should be brought down in the dying hours of the session. Mr Rolleston'a motion was agreed to by *3O to 29. Mr Eolleston intimated that Sir W T alter Buller and Major Kemp wished to be heard at 2.80 to-morrow. — Agreed to. TECHNICAL EDUCATION BILL. The Technical Education Bill was committed. Clause 2, interpretation—Mr Meredith moved an amendment providing that the Act be confined to public schools.—After a lengthy discussion the motion was negatived by 30 to 25. —on the motion of Mr James Allen, and by 29 t0"24:, the clause was amended by striking out from the interpretation of the controlling authority the words " persons establishing classes under this Act." —Mr Meredith moved as a proviso to the clause that nothing " in this paragraph shall apply to denominational schools." —After discussion the motion was lost by 31 to 28. —Mr Smith said that as the Premier would not give the House the assurance that no assistance be given to denominational schools, he would move that the Chairman leave the chair. —Mr Meredith thought the Premier should withdraw the Bill.—Mr Eolleston hoped that members would not pursue a course which would eventually kill the Bill. The discussion on the motion was proceeding when the telegraph office | closed. *