PARLIAMENTARY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 142, 16 June 1881, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Wellington, Wednesday. The House met at 2.30 this afternoon. Id reply to Mr Macandr6w, Mr Johnston said the. Government were alive to the advantages the colony would derive from direct steam communication between the colony and the United Kingdom, from a commercial poiut of view, and said they intended to ask the Agent-General to obtain all possible information as to the terms on which such a line could be established, so that next Besßion the House could consider the matter with all information as to cost, &c, before it. In reply to Mr Murray, Major Atkinson said it was intended to make provision for increasing (he number of lighthouses on the coast, but ho was not at present prepared to state the localities or the amount. Even now New Zealand was one of the best lighted coasts in the world. In reply to Mr Murray, Major Atkinson declined to any whether it waß intended to enforce import duty upon maize until he made his financial statement. Mr Hall, in reply to Mr Murray, said he scarcely thought the Government would be able to amend the Public Works Act this session so ns to restore the drainage clauses of last session. The Premier, in reply to Sir George Grey, stated that the Governor had reason to be*

Heve that the detached squadron would go from Melbourne to Auckland, and thenco to Fiji, net calling at any other New Zealand ports. Mr Gisborne moved to go into Committee on a future day to consider placing £6000 on the estimates ior public libraries. Mr Hall hoped it would bo postponed till after the financial statement. Messrs Speight-, Shepbard, and Bunny supported Die proposal, and Mr Russell objeeied. It was agreed to go into Corum!tlo3 of Supply en July l.'i. Mr Buuny resumed the debate on the | Address in Reply. He believed the Government, had dove their duty well in a case of grent enierguicy, and he would be very loth to do anything that would endanger their seals, but that was no rr.ason wuy ( their friends should not give tlioro good advice. Is. was greatly to be regretted that the only re- i ference lo the most, important question of the I day was providing local govern n»eiH fur the Chatham IsMuln. Instead of handing over | the whole government of the country to heads of departments, Government should con- j su t the representatives of the people during the recess aa well as during l?drliament ou local matters. All members, whether Opposition or rot, would gladly 'give assistance to avoid lidiculous blunders, causing much local inconvenience, which now constantly arose. The number of local bodies should be reduced, counties should be united and made independent. Make each chairman a member of the Waste Lands Board, and vote money to open up the country by toads and bridges before Beiliug land, even if the money had to be borrowed. The Government must, take up the question of local Government, or he and others would support someone else who would do so. The railway management was rotten to the core. If it was made what it should be railwajs would pay far better. HegaidingN.tive matters, too much tad b<e j made of To VVhitij and he regretted tint Mr Bryce hud not been permitted to end the nonsense occe for all. Mr Reeiham tnouglt that the county government was capable of improvement. It was not as bad as represented. It nrig'jt be advisable to appoint a Committee to cousider the local government question. Mr Ilursthouse expressed general satisfaction with the present position of public affairs. The motion for the Address in Reply was then put ami agreed to. Mr Dick moved the second reading of the Licensing Bill, explaining the points wherein it differed from the Bill which passed the second reading last session, and expressing a d. sire to pass it through the Ilcuae as early as possible. Bir Wm. Fox said he would not oppose the Bill, but did not tliiuk it would do any g od, as it was founded on a tota Iy wrong principle. He was speakiug when ihe House rose for dinner. The House resumed at 7.30. Sir W. Fox resumed the debate on the Licensing Bill, which he characterised as a retrograde measure, inasmuch as it failed to give full effect to the principle of local cption, which the House bad affirmed. Colonel Trimble considered coercive measures unnecessary to promote sobriety, aa natural casues were lessening the drinking habits Mr Speight spoke at considerable length in favor of the full application of Local OptioD. Mr Dick having replied briefly, the Bill was read a second time. Thursday. The House met last night at 7 30. Major Atkinson moved the second reading of the Chinese Immigration Bill. He said j that at present there were 4600 Chinese in | the Colony. The Bill imposing £10 "a head on new arrivals wo:>ld come into force as soon as 5000 were here. The measure was not very urgent now but it was desirable to take precautions in time. Sir W. Fox opposed the Bill as rash, uncalled for, and contrary, ha believed, to the Empire's treaty obligations. The Chiuese who were lauding were inoffensive people, and the cry to exclude them proceeded from the miners and artisans who feared competition. Col. Trimble noted how the Bill affected the Chinese naturalised elsewhere. Mr Turnbull condemned the Bill a3 unwise and unnecessary. Mr Murray also opposed the Bill. Mr Fulton was astonished at such a Bill being proposed in a free country. Mr Shepbard strongly supported the Bill, alluding to the vices and diseases of the Chinese, and pointing out that they had no family tics, and did not become settlers. Mr Swanson thought the law of self-pre-servation should make us prevent our own people being swamped by Chinese competition. Ho quoted Mr Creighton, a late member of the House, as au authori'y that the Chinese were a great curse in America. Sir G. Grey concurred in the exclusion of the Chinese, but saw no reason for allowing 5000 to come here. Mr Whitaker supported the Bill on the ground that while European civilization was progressive the Cbinrse were a stagnant race, and contact with them could not fail to be injurious. Mr Hall thought the disgusting habits of the Chinese showed a reason for their exclu-. sion. They brought neither wives nor families and were not in any sense colonists. Mr Andrews supported the Bill, and so : did Mr Hutchison who characterised the opposition to the Bill as proceeding from a desire on the part of the rich to grind the poor down and to lower wages. The Bill was read the second time. The House adjourned at 11 6 p.m. „