HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 25 July 1891, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 22. The House met at 2.80 p.m. The Premier said it was not the intention of the Government to introduce a Bill to amend the Licensing Act this session. The Land and Income Tax Bill •was received from the Governor and read the first time. Mr Joyce moved the second reading of the Licensing Acts Amendment Bill. The existing laws, he said, had been in force about ten years, which vested the jpower of giving licenses in certain, committees. The law was now as 1 unsatisfactory as before 1881. By this Bill such persons could vote for a reduction of the number of houses., >*He was bringing forward this Bill atn the request of Sir William Fox; and it would remain inoperative till;]-1894, so that at the general election of 1893 the electors would r be able to I say whether this Bill should remain on the Statuo. BjOok. The tln'rd clause of the Bill! gave all adults in any district over 21 years of age the right tp'vc-te at the local option polls taken 1 every third year. The fcill also provided for a decrease in the number of houses in any district, and also provided that no intoxicating liqnors should be sold at railway stations. The .main feature ( of the liill was to give thepeoplerpower at the ball6tbox to- ahy whether any and how many public houses should be licensed in each distriqt.! Messrs Buick, Wright and Rhodes supported the Bill; Mr Blake said the Bill was useless. ;... ■•-,•; * The Hon Mr RoUeston .said a Bill of this kind coming from anywhere but the Ministerial 43ench§f?',' cpuld not properly have the suppori of the Jlouse as a whole, and heVphould therefore oppose it, b^es wljjich it 'represented.too: largely one.iide of the question only.^; • ,-.,•■. /:»T„f Mr Reeves and the Minister of Education opposed the Bill ': Sir John Hall said at • present- the majority of'people -had: no voice. TJju's Bill' extended; .the franchise, and for that reason he agreed with .' lit".' Without a compensation clausal 1 however, he could give .it. n|s entire support. .;....,;, _>„ f Messrs Fergus and Palmer opposed and Messrs Rees/;Meredith and Houston supported the Bili. \'X Fisher would support the second reading. ' ■ . Mr Joyce, in reply, said that in introducing this Bill 1 he was) representing the wishes of - 'iseveral thousands of people throughout the Colony, so that it was not ? exactly a private member's ; Bill^y He was grateful to hon members for the consideration they: had shown towards the Bill. - A division was taken, when the second reading was^ar^ied by 81 to Mr Eees moved the second reading of the Legislative Gouneil Appointments Cancellation/(Bill* andvasked that it should be considered w\^iout partyt consider,atiqn.s but,, _{ on its. merjts./ .<■. „ -/.1,.,.] j,!!,,, '.-,<-„,.■, The Premier hoped the tmi would be withdraw^ and some jpther mode of dealing with the. r matter brought forward: n .\:,, V^:"; \'*'\7'lT T Sir George Grey! wrfutd'^ittoport theßniasS'sliaridfe;; 1'1;I^"'. Mr G. Fisher: c^idta. » introduction r 6f f M 'fcuT'tfn'^teStraordinary step, but justifiable under the eircomatanceC , JIM Til -A : ■ i t Captain Russell said he believed that' criticism * of: thell'floyfcMfor's action was unconstitutional. 'J hen, again, • there was;: tiba s roe&igf that " the King, can do no wrong," which had been overlooked, /:" [Whatever blame attached, it ;attache4^ejF to the Ministers of thejate Government and not to His Excellency. He gave instances of similar appointments ' Inth in England and ;New T Zealand, 1 and went on to; say that howeve ' much Sir George Gray disliked or ' distrusted the Legislate A^nficil, ' he had placed a good many people in ' it. He did not "■ co'nsidef vtfcere was ' anything improper or unconstitur tional in the appointments that had J been made. ,: ; r ' f! ' 1; > '* 1 After a J very lengthy' difecussion, ' the second reading was carried on 5 the voices. : .'. r-:\ ■<>■ ■■.-.^•-» * The House rose;at I.JIOi ' ■