PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4811, 23 August 1876, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Tuesday, August 22. The Hon. the Acting-Speakeh took the chair at half-past two o’clock. questions. : The Hon. Mr. MENZIES asked the Hon. Dr. Pollen, —Whether the Government has received a copy of a resolution agreed to by the Joint Library Committee, recommending that some new designs for the new library buildings be submitted for consideration before any shall be selected; and, if so, what steps it proposes to take ? The Hon. Dr. POLLEN said that at the present stage of the matter nothing definite had been decided on. The Hon. Mr. ACLAND asked,—Whether the Government have taken into their consideration the resolution passed by this Council on 21st September, 1875; and whether it is intended to take any steps this session towards having the Acts of a purely local or personal character printed in a separate collection, so that the Statutes may not be unnecessarily encumbered by the number of such Acts ? The Hon. Dr. POLLEN said that during the recess the pressure caused by the constitutional questions had prevented the matter being considered. Attention would however be given to it shortly. DEFENCE.

The Hon. Colonel BRETT moved, —That considering the unsettled state of Europe, it is expedient the Council should be informed if it is the intention of Government to make any provision out of the Defence and Other Purposes Doan Act, or from any other source, for the protection of the chief porta of New Zealand, in case of hostilities arising. The Hon. Colonels Whitmore and Kenny, the Hon. Captain Eraser, and the Hon. Mr. Chamberlin spoke to the question, the latter gentleman defending the volunteers, whom the gallant colonels had spoken of in a depreciatory manner. —The Hon. Dr. Pollen thought the alarm of the hon. mover premature, and that he ought not to press his motion. —The motion was agreed to. The Hon. Colonel BRETT moved, —That the name of the Hon. Mr. Gray be added to the Waste Lands Committee, and the name of the Hon. Colonel Whitmore be discharged therefrom. —The motion was lost. WAIUKU CHURCH OF ENGLAND CROWN GRANT SITE BILL. This Bill was read a third time. PUBLIC HEALTH ACT AMENDMENT BILL. The Hon. Dr. POLLEN moved the second reading. He explained the principles of the Bill. In place of nine central boards there would be one, and the local bodies would each have a local board of health. The Hon. Mr. WATERHOUSE criticised the measure closely. He regretted the meagre attendance on the discussion of so important a measure. He advocated direct responsibility on the part of the Government. If the Government of England could find time for this, surely so could the Government of New Zealand. He proposed, amongst other provisions, the making it compulsory on the medical attendant or other persons to report cases of infectious disease. Mr, Waterhouse thought a medical man should be subject to a penalty if he used improper vaccine matter, and that local bodies should be subject to penalties if they failed to carry out proper regulations. He should support the Bill, doing all in his power to improve it and make it fit for carrying out the great end it had in view—the health of the people of New Zealand. The Hon. Dr. GRACE stated that practically the duties of the Board of Health in England were carried out by medical men, on whose reports the Government acted. The policy of that Board was to work with the local bodies. It was no use bringing regulations to bear on the people to which they were not prepared to submit. If they did, the influence of the Central Board of Health would be inoperative. They must not expect too much to be done all at once. A good deal was being done as it was, principally through the Press, which had forced the people to think on the matter. The second reading was agreed to. OTHER BUSINESS. The Marriage Act Amendment Bill was postponed till next day, as was also the Canterbury Diseased Sheep Ordinance Amendment Bill.— The Public Trust Office Bill was committed, and progress reported on the 3rd clause.—The Animals Importation Prohibition Bill was formally committed, progress reported, and the committee obtained leave to sit again. The Council then (5.25 p.m.) adjourned.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Tuesday, August 22. The Spkakbb took the chair at half-past two o’clock. PETITIONS AND "NOTICES OF MOTION. Several petitions were presented and notices of motion given. LEAVE OP ABSENCE. On the motion of Mr. J. C. Brown, leave of absence was granted to Mr. Bastings ; and on the motion of Mr. Stout, leave of absence was granted to Mr. Larnach, in each case for ten days. THE EAST COAST ELECTION. Mr. MOORHOUSE brought up the report of the East Coast Election Committee. It was in substance that the sitting member. Captain Read, was not duly elected, having been guilty of bribery and corruption, through his agents, but without his knowledge, and that the petitioner, Captain Morris, was duly elected. Also, that costs, to the amount of £l5O, should be given against Captain Read. On the motion of Mr. Moorhouse, the Clerk of Writs was ordered to attend to-morrow at 3 o’clock, to amend the return by substituting the name of Captain Morris for that of Captain Read. QUESTIONS. Captain READ not being present to ash the question standing in his name, —Whether the Government will place on the Estimates a sufficient sum of money to compensate the natives for the destruction of their sheep, or otherwise, to eradicate the scab in the East Coast district ? The Hon. Sir DONALD MoLEAN said it was the intention of the Government to place a sum on the Estimates for the purpose mentioned. Mr. SHRIMSKI asked, —Whether the Government have been advised of the necessity that exists for a telegraph to be extended to the township of Duutroon, in the province of Otago, for the safe working of the Awamoko branch railway ; and, if not, will they consider the same ? The Hon. Sir JULIUS V OGEL said that no necessity for the work existed at present ; should it become necessary it would be considered. Mr. BUTTON asked the Government, —If they will lay before the House all papers and correspondence relating to the dissolution of the Waste Lands Board of Southland, and the subsequent appointment of members of the Board ? The Hon. Major ATKINSON said this was a matter with which the Provincial Government alone could deal. Mr.ROLLESTON asked the Government, — Whether they propose to lay before this House any report from the Registrar-General of Land as to the business transacted in his department during the last year, in continuation of the Parliamentary Paper of last year, H, — 19? The Hon. Mr. BOWEN laid the report on the table. HEW BILLS. The following Bills were introduced and read a first time By Mr. Hislop— The Otepopo Athenaeum Reserve Bill and the Oamaru Tramways Bill. THE COUNTIES BILL. The adjourned debate on this Bill was resumed by Mr. Rowe, who highly commended the previous remarks of Mr. Curtis on the Bill, and said he agreed in letting the out-districts work out their own destinies, so long as they were supplied with the means to do it. There were districts without land fund endowments, roads, or bridges, which had to start under these circumstances under disadvantages ; he therefore said to those members who came from ri«h districts, “Let us all start fair," He bo-

lieved that the principle of the Bill was right, and would therefore vote for its second reading ; but it would subsequently have to be made very elastic inits working, as there were many parts of the colony that could not at present come under the Bill with advantage. He did not think the Bill as at present would be suitable for the Thames district; but in committee it could be so adapted as that the Thames people could come under it, and work it out to their own prosperity. The goldfields revenue should in the Thames district be given to the municipality and highway districts within the limits of which it was raised, and whose roads suffered from the traffic connected therewith. He considered that Auckland would not be satisfied with large counties, as under them the centres of population would have the majority of representation, and expend the county revenue to the disadvantage of the out-districts.

Mr. _ MACANDREW thought every hour spent ia this discussion was just so much time thrown away. It was well known that the Bill would go into committee, hut he thought when it came out it would not be recognisable. If the Bill were made permissive he was certain no district in Otago would adopt it, and in proof of bis assertion read resolutions passed at a meeting of the South Clutha Road Board. Even in the district of Wakatip, whose representative, Mr. Handers, was so enamored with the counties, the people would fight very shy of it, and would not thank their representative for depriving them of the revenues they had previously enjoyed, for he took it that if these proposals were carried the land revenue of Otago would become practically nil. He,read figures to prove that the proposed county of Wakatip would suffer by contrast with its previous position under the provincial system. It was a ooel piece of effrontery to tell the 100,000peoplesouthoftho Waitaki that abolition was for their benefit. He told the House that in forcing abolition upon the people of Otago against their will they were doing that which was very repugnant to free legislation and to the natural feelings of Englishmen. He contended that in the separation division the thirty-six members who voted in the minority in reality represented almost the same proportion of the population of the colony as did the 52 who voted in the majority, and the Otago members who voted in the majority falsified every pledge made upon the hustings. He contrasted the unfair representation given to some places of great population and influence with that given to small and unimportant places. Mr. Moorhouse had compared the colony to a stately oak; but if the roots of Auckland and Otago, which furnished the sap to the tree, were cut off, what would become of the tree ? Mr. Maeandrew warned members that if Otago were deprived of her land fund and abolition ushered into life, she would dissever from the parent stem and bud into a separate tree. The moment that saw abolition would hear the death knell of unity in the colony. The maxim, however, which seemed to commenditaelf to the House was to be always seeking what they could get, and when they got it to be seeking more. It was not to be wondered if he, who had spent more than a quarter of a century in that province where he had cast his lot, should protest against that province, which had progressed in a wonderful manner, being now destroyed, and that by one associated with its progress. No policy founded on injustice could last, and though the constitutional party was small in the House, it was great in the country, and he did not doubt but that Heaven would yet defend the right. He would vote against the second reading of the Bill.

Mr. W. WOOD said the people of Otago had, under the provincial system and without abolition and the measures now proposed, enjoyed local self-government in its best form. These measures only proposed to subsidise them once, and in return to tax them twice ; and considering the quarter from which the promise to subsidise had come, not much reliance could be placed on that promise. Mr. Wood defended provincial institutions at some little length. There were two main features in the Bill sufficient to condemn it. It contained the principle of cumulative voting, and that of maintaining the Ministry in power by providing punishments and rewards which could be offered to counties by Government. Sir George Grey’s amendments were then negatived on the voices, and the second reading carried without a division. COMMITTEE ON THE COUNTIES BILL. The debate on the appointment of a committee to consider boundaries of counties for the South Island proposed under the Counties Bill was resumed, and after a brief discussion Mr. Stafford asked Government whether, should the committee propose a smaller number of counties than that proposed in the Bill, the Government would adopt that ?

The Hon. Mr. BOWEN said the Government would give all reasonable attention to the recommendations of the committee, but would not depart from any principle involved in. the Bill.

The debate was adjourned until half-past seven o’clock.

The debate on the appointment of a committee to consider the boundaries of counties in the North Island was also adjourned. At half-past seven the debate was resumed by Mr. BURNS, who thought that if the Counties Bill were to be of any use great care should be taken in details, and he moved an amendment for the appointment of a select committee for each province, such committee to consist of the representatives of such province in Parliament.

The Hon. Sir JULIUS YOGEL said the Government must resist the amendment; and also said he believed the motion was out of order.

Mr. ROLLESTON appealed to the Government not to make this a point of order question, but let it be considered on its merits. He was on the whole opposed to the work being done by select committees; but if select committees were to be appointed the course proposed by the amendment would be for the best.

The SPEAKER ruled that the amendment was not in order.

Mr. SEYMOUR then spoke to the motion, and referred to the unsatisfactory nature of the schedule to the Bill, It was exceedingly important that the country should be properly divided, for if counties took in parts of various provinces very great confusion would result. He suggested that there should be no schedule to the Bill at all, but that a provision should be introduced to give power to any number of road boards to amalgamate and form themselves into counties at will. This would not apply to every part of the colony, but these parts could be dealt with without a schedule. This plan would get rid of all difficulties.

Mr. SHEEHAN moved an amendment, to the effect that the responsibility of defining the boundaries of the proposed counties should rest with the Government. He spoke at some length on the laches of the Government, in having, after three years’ consideration, failed to bring forward any good scheme of local self-government, and having failed to make any enquiry as to the wants of the country. The House had a right to expect the Government to lead it, but the course proposed by the Government was to ask the House to abrogate all the functions of parliamentary government.

Dr. HODGKINSON warmly endorsed what had been said by the hon. member for Rodney. He considered the proposal of the Ministry a parody on parliamentary government.

Hr. REES followed on the same side. Mr. RYKE suggested that the Government should accept the amendment without further ado. The motion could only be regarded as indicative of the fullest satisfaction with the Ministry, and such a touching tribute of confidence from the Opposition ought not to be disregarded.

The Hon. Sir JULIUS VOGEL said the Government recognised that in a matter of this kind they had a right to ask hon. members acquainted with particular localities to assist in forming the counties. The Bill having been read a second time, he pressed upon hon. members to show a conciliatory spirit, and assist to make the Bill a good Bilk

Mr, WOODCOCK pointed out that the Government were but doing right in asking the House to assist it in framing measures for the benefit of the whole country. Mr. ORMOND said there was .no principle involved, and the definition of the boundaries of counties was a mere executive action, which could be better performed by members who were well acquainted with the wants of localities than by the Government. He thought, the question of boundaries should be postponed until the Bill itself was passed, because there was a very general feeling that the road board system should be perpetuated ; and if this were agreed to, the boundaries of the counties would be very much better arranged after the Bill was passed. Were the boundaries now definitely fixed, it would be very much like putting the cart before the horse. He therefore should move the adjournment of the debate. The Hon. Sir JULICTS VOGEL said the Government were willing to accept the proposition for an adjournment, if it were made till Friday. Messrs. Fishee and Stout having spoken te the question, the debate was adjourned for a week. MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS ACT AMENDMENT BILL. The House went into committee on this Bill. The remaining clauses of the Bill were passed, and the House having resumed, progress was reported, and leave obtained to ait again on Friday and recommit the Bill. THE BATING BILL. The House went into committee on this Bill, and resumed the discussion on clause 40. Ultimately, the discussion was adjourned until Friday next. BUILDING SOCIETIES BILL. The House went into committee on this Bilk Mr. Stout proposed an amendment on clause 3, by which the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies would be also the Registrar of Building Societies. On a division the amendment was carried by four, the votes being 24 to 20. The remaining clauses were passed with amendments, and the committee reported progress and obtained leave to sit again on Friday next. The House adjourned at 1.20 a.m.