HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume III, Issue 275, 24 August 1881, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

The House met at 2.30. Replying to Mr. Pyko Mr. Johnson said inquiries had been made as to the amount of Sunday business transacted at the smaller Telegraph offices, and the result was that the business was so trilling, that orders had been given to close about 100 of these offices that day. Replying to Mr. Hamlin, Mr. Hall said a special train conveying 100 passengers was run from New Plymouth to Waitara on the 17tli inst, in accordance with the railway regulations, the cost thereof being guaranteed. Replying to Mr Bunny, Mr Rolleston stated that Government was in favor of an exhaustive inquiry being ma le to in regard old land claims and grievances during the recess by a Commission. Replying to Mr Richardson, Mr Dick said Government would offer a bonus for the establishment in the Colony of a manufactory of glassware. Replying to Mr Pyko, Mr Hall said that during the absence of the Governor, whilst engaged in the performance of his functions aslpigh Commissioner, an offiser would he appointed as Acting Governor, who would receive half salary as provided for by the Governor’s Salary Act, and no extra expense would be thrown upon the Colony in consequence. His Excellency would he absent not more than G weeks or 2 months.

Roylying to Mr Weston, Mr Hall said artizans at’ the Greymouth quarries were paid 11s per day and laborers 9s Gil. The ten per cent, reduction would not be dee .ducted in future, but Government saw rfpo reason for refunding the deductions already made. Replying to Mr Taiaroa, Mr Hall said provision had boon mule upon the Public Works Estimates, out of which £SOO could be provide 1 for the road to Otago Heads. Replying to Mr Barron, Mr Dick said lie was not'aware how many per.-ons admitted into the Civil Service had been vaccinated in terms of section G 3 of the Public Health Act, IS7G. Copies of the clauses of the Act relating to the case of children attending the public schools had been forwarded for the information of Education Boards when the Act was passed, and Government had otherwise taken precautions for having the vaccination provisions of the Act enforced. The following Bills were introduced and read a first time :—New Plymouth Harbor Commission (Hall). Mr Fulton moved that the E lucation Act, 1877. Amendment Bill, he read a first time.

The House divided. Ayes, 41 ; nocs, 2G. The Bill was read a first time, and on the motion that it he read a second time on Tuesday week, Mr Barron moved tint day six months. Meisrs Turnbull, Fox, jmd others spoke in favor of the Bill ; !wd Messrs Speight, Bryce, and Bowen supported the amendment, arguing that the Bill could not possibly pass, consequently it would simply he a waste of time to keep it on the Order Paper. Mr Dick said that lie desired to say a word strictly in his capacity as a private member, anil not as in any way expressing the opinion of the Cabinet. He denied that the community at large were completely satisfied with the educational system as it stood. The fact of a Bill of this kind being introduced was sufficient to show such was not the case. It was also a well known faet that a large section of the community, more especially in Otago, was strongly favorable to the introduction of Bible reading in schools. He had no doubt but that the Bill would he defeated, still lie believed that it would come again from time to time until they dealt with it in another

way. Mr Harris moved the adjournment of the debate. Mr Hall looked upon the question as a most important one, and one which ought to be fully discussed, at the same time the present period of the session would nob admit of that being done. He approved of the Bill, and would vote for the motion. Mr Oliver expressed his surprise that clergymen of the different denominations should so be remiss in their duty in availing themselves of the provision made for in parting religious instruction to children attending school. The question for adjournment was put and lost on the voices. On motion for reading a second time on Thursday week, the House divided. Ayes, 15 ; Noes, 52. Noes—Messrs Altwrighb, Andrews, Ballance, Barron, Bowen, Brandon, Brown, Bryce, Bunny, Collins, DeLautour, Finn, J. T. Fisher (Heathcote), George, Gihhs, Gisborne, Grey, Hamlin, Harris, H. Hirst (Wallace), W. J. Hurst (City of Auckland West), Hutchison, Johnston, Jones, Kelly, Kenny, Lerestam, Levin, MeCaughan, Montgomery, Moss, Oliver, Ormond, Pitt, Reid, Richardson, Rolleston, Russell, Saunders, Seddon, Seymour. Shepherd, Shrimski, Speight, Stevens,, Sutton, .Swanson, Tolc, Trimble, Whitaker, Whyte, and Wood. Ayes—Messrs Colbeek, Dick, Fulton, Hall, Hursthouse, Lundon, McAndrew, Murray, Shanks, Stewart, Studholme, Tawhai, Thomson, Turnbull. The amendment for the second reading that day six months was then put and carried.

The amendments by the Legislative Council in the Oamaru Harbor Board Act Amendment Bill were agreed to, and the House adjourned at 5.30. This Day. The whole night, up to 1.30 was spent over clause 2 of the Representation Bill, the Nelson members and Seddon, Bastings and others stonewalling the Bill, and the bell having to he rung every few minutes to get a quorum. The nominal question was the substitution of (50 for 91 as the number of members. Mr Seddon spoke upwards of two hours. After 1.30 Lorestam spoke for half-an-hour, and then the Chairman left the chair for half-an-hour. On resuming Levestam continued reading long extracts : getting tired he said something about bribery, whereupon, to give him breathing time, Pitt called attention to Ills unparliamentary language. Bastings, to help still further, moved that the words be taken down. Speight made a loug seriocomic speech as to the danger to the noble cause by the use of strong language. After some discussion the Chairman called on Lovestam to withdraw the expressions, which he did ; and having recovered breath lie went on speaking until .Seddon came t the rescue, complaining of the discourtesy of Ministers in reading instead of attending to what was said, and Lovestam then asked for a ruling as to whether sleeping members could he counted to make up a quorum. The Chairman answered in the affirmative. Bastings raised some other point of order and Levestam, leaving the Chamber, returned speedily with a fresh pile of books. After further speaking he moved that the Chairman leave the chair, which was lost on a division of 23 to 10. Bastings then made a long speech on the beauties and capabilities of Waikaia, which the Bill proposed to wipe out. His constituents desired him to resist this in every possible way. He proceeded for a long time, when rest was afforded by attention being called

to the state of the House. A quorum being rung in, lie proceeded to read page on page, from a treatise on Political Economy, making explanatory comments as he went on. Another diversion having been made by raising some point of order, Bastings went on again. At last Atkinson raised a question whether the discussion should not he limited to clause 2. The Chairman ruled against it. Atkinson then objected that Bastings was reading what purported to he his speech. Bastings defended himself, when his voice failing, Seddon took him to task for lisping out his words like a lady. This giving him a rest Bastings went on amain till 4.20, when Pitt moved that progress be reported. Seddon supported it. Bastings raised a point of order about a member snoring, which lie said affected his sensitive organization. Atkinson said bo* vernment would not consent to report pro-rrre-s ITo appealed to the minority, now that they had entered their protest not to persist in hopeless obstruction. I itt replied they were determined not to allow the clause to pass that sitting. 1f »n adjournment was givintetl they would consult and possibly come to some arrangement. Atkinson rejoined that Government con d no. allow a minority to work. Hurstliousc urged that Government consent to an adjournment as they were fighting their own best friends, . , , On a division the motion to report progress was lost by twenty-one to eight. Mr Gibbs said their reasonable request for time being refused they must keen up the fudit at 5.10. Mr Atkinson moved that Mi Seymour he relieved from the chair and that Hamlin take it, which was agreed to Mr Pitt said he n.mid not base mane the overtures he did had he been aware, as he was now informed, that Government had threatened that the action of the kelson members would weigh when the estimates came on. Atkinson denied any sue, threat had ever been made. Mr A akefUd said the Nelson members had his sympathy in the hold stand made in defence of w hat they deemed their rights. He saw no good to he gained by adjourning, but as they seemed determined to goon, he would keep up the debate till they had time to refresh themselves. He spoke tnl b o clock when another motion to report progress wai rejected by twenty-two to seven. Messrs Seddon and Pitt kept things up till G.BO, when Mr Bastings suggested halt-an-liour’s adjournment, which the than man declined. Another motion to report progress was then lost by 22 to 7. A quorum had several times to be rung for. Ihe talkin w was kept up by Sheppard and Levestam at 8.30. Seddon appealed to Seymour, v. ho wasagain in the cluur to adjoin n for half an hour for breakfast. 1 here were loud cries of “No” and the Chairman refused to do so. The House is still sitting.

Mr. Seddon continued speaking lor about o hours, when Messrs Pitt and then Levestam relieved him, several motions to report progress being negatived by numbers ranging from 20 upwards, against •>. Mi. Seddon was of opinion that Mr. Biyec, who had relieved Air. Seymour, was not properly constituted Chairman, and moved that he now leave the chair for the purpose of referring the matter to the Speakei. The motion was negatived on the voices. At 1 o’clock this afternoon the motion by Mr Beeves to report progress was negatived by 29 to 19. ° J 2-no p.m. Beeves has been speaking for the last two hours aml-a-half, and is is still going on.