HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume X, Issue 17, 18 June 1885, Page 3

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

The House met at 2.30 p.m. NEW MEMHKR. Mr Kerr, member for Waiiuea, took the.o l ath,an«l his seat. , : ADDRESS IN RHPLY. Tlie House adjourned at '2.45, for tlie purpose oi : presenting tlie Address m Reply to the Governor. ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS. Replying to questions, it was stated Government could not this session bringin a bill to prevent restrictions on the alienation of land. — That Government would at a, -later stage o£ tlie session'consider the recommendation of the waste lands committee m tlie petition of J. C. Watson.— That the action of the Council ol 7th May last m reference to negotiations under "The Sale of Poisons Act, 1871," would be suspended. — That the departmental report and statistics on railway working would be attached to the Public Works;: Statement.— That . the lowering of the grain rates would not result m any loss to the revenue. — That the agreement entered into under the East and West Coast (Middle Island) and .Nelson railway would be laid on the table. FIRST READINGS. The following bills were lead a first time : — Wellington Corporation Leasehold Bill, Gladstone Town Improvement Bill, Employment of Females and others Act 1881 Amendment Bill, Bank Notes Currency Bill, Mining Companies Act 1872 Amendment Bill, Miners Eight Fee Reduction Bill, Coroners' Juries Abolition Bill, Timaru Harbour Board Loan Bill. NATIVE MATTERS. In replying to tho Hon. Major Atkinson, the Hon. Mr Ballance said he would lay on the table short-hand notes of his late tour through the native districts of the North Island. There were no notes taken of his interview with Te Whiti at Parihaka, but he would afford the House all information m his. power concerning it. THE AUSTRALIAN. CONTINGENT. Sir George Grey moved an address to the Crown for the purpose of congratulating Her Majesty on the steps recently taken by New South Wales and other colonies to aid, or to tender efficient aid, to the Empire at a time of temporary difficulty, and of assuring Her Majesty that it is the desire of her subjects m New Zealand to render aid. to the Empire to the best of their abili+y at all times when their services may be deemed of value, and may be accepted by Her Majesty. In moving the motion, he referred to the assistance rendered by New South Wales to the Mother Country as one of the greatest events of modern times, *nd said it would have the effect of consolidating tho Empire. The Queen was especially entitled to the token of respect the address proposed 1o convey, as tier Majesty had always taken the deepest inlerewt m the welfare of the colonies. The Hon. Mr Stout said that although the mover of the address had not consulted the Government on the matter, lie had no feeling against him fpr not having done so. He thought it would be a great misfortune if the address were to meet with any opposition. He then referred at some length to the action the Government had taken on receipt of the Hon. Mr Dall«y's telegram from New South Wales, and said the reason the New Zealand Government did not offer any assistance to England was because they knew that assistance from other colonies had been refused. He koped the House would pass the address, so as to show the whole world that we were actuated by the same desire as the other colonies. Major Atkinson expressed h-s entire concurrence m the address. He believed tbe feeling m its favour would be unanimous throughout the country. — After some further discussion, it was agreed that the address should be for- ; warded -to,rthe Queen through the Go--vernor. RAILWAY EMPLOYM. ; Mr Hurat moved for a return showing how many boards have been appointed for the consideration of complaints from general railway employes ; the names and members and dates when appointed, and how many cases have been adjudicated upon, and the results, and under what authority such boards were appointed. — Motion agreed to. COMMITTEES. The Public Accounts Committee, Gold Fields Committee, and Waste Lands Committee were appointed. '- SECOND READINGS. The Canterbury and Otago Marriages Bill Administration Act, 1879, Amendment Bill, Mercantile Loan Act, 1880. Amendment Bill, Patents Acts, Amendment Bill, were read a second time. The House rase at 5.10.