PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5129, 31 August 1877, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Thursday, Accost 30. The Hon. the Speaker took the chair at 2.30 p.m. REPORTS. The Hon. Mr. BONAB brought up the report of the select committee of the Legislative Council on waste lands, on the Lyttelton Public Domains Bill. —The Hon. Mr. Buckley moved that this Bill be committed next sitting day.—Carried. NOTICES OP MOTION. The Hon. Dr. Menzies gave two notices of motion for next sitting day.—The Hon. Mr; Mantell gave notice of two motions for Tuesday next, and the Hon. Mr'. Lahmann also moved that on the same day he would ask the Government if they intended, during the present session, to bring in a Bill dealing with lotteries and art unions. PARIS EXHIBITION. The Hon, Sir D. BELL moved, —That, in the opinion of the Council, it is desirable that a Eoyal Commission should be appointed to commence without delay the preliminary work necessary for representing the colony at the Paris Exhibition. The Hons. Messrs. Mantel!, Holmes, and Bahinson having spoken, the Hon. Dr. Pollen said that if this motion were carried by the Council, the Government would accept this resolution as the expression of opinion of the Council on this subject. Of course, before anything could be done further, supplies must first be voted for the purpose in the House of Bepresentatives —a step which had not yet been taken, and until supplies were voted he thought the appointment of a Boyal Commission would be premature.—The Hon. Sir P. D. Bell, in reply, said he thought the fact of the present discussion having taken place in the Council might help on matters on this subject in the House of Bepresentatives. The motion was then put and carried. MESSAGES. Several meosages were received from the House of Bepresentatives, granting leave to certain members of that House to attend for the purpose of giving evidence before select committees of the Legislative Council ; also, a message asking permission for the Hou. Mr. Kobere to attend and give evidence before a select committee of the House of Bepresentatives.—The Hon. the Speaker intimated that if the Council would grant the required permission, he would send a message to the House of Bepresentatives informing them that the Hon. Mr. Kohere had not yet taken his seat this session. A message was also received, covering the Auckland Highway Districts Validation Act, 1877, and stating that the House of Bepresentatives disagreed with the amendments made by the Council in this Act. —The Hon. Dr. Pollen moved .that this message should be considered next sitting day. —Carried. ORDERS OF THE DAY, The adjourned debate on the motion of the Hon. Dr. Menzies, that the Invercargill Gas Loan Bill be now read the second time, was resumed, and after a few remarks from the mover and the Hon. Mr. Mantbll, the motion was carried, and the Bill read a second time, its committal being ordered to take place presently. crossed cheques bill. .On the consideration of the amendments proposed by his Excellency the Governor in clause 4, line two, before “and company” to insert the words “ bank or and after the word “ thereof,” in the same line, to insert the word “respectively,” the Hon. Dr. Pollen

moved that the amendments be accepted by the Council, which was carried. INVERCARGILL GAS LOAN BILL. This Bill passed through committee, was reported to the Council without amendment, and subsequently, on the motion of the Hon. Dr. Menzies, it was read a third time, and passed. DESTITUTE PERSONS BILL. This Bill was further considered in committee, but progress was soon reported, aud leave obtained to sit again. WELLINGTON CITY RESERVES ACT AMENDMENT BILL. This Bill, having been certified to by the Chairman of Committees, was read a third time, aud passed. The Council then (at 5.15 p.m.) adjourned. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Thursday, August 30. The Speaker took the ghair at half-past two o’clock. PETITION. A petition was presented by Mr. BaLLANCE from seven hundred settlers of Wanganui aud Rangitikei, protesting against the principles of the Local Option Bill as being 'tyrannical. A number of other petitions were also presented and received. EXPLANATION. The Hon. Mr. Fox during the' debate on the second reading of the Local Option Bill attributed to the hou. member for Rangitikei a want of candor in quoting certain statistics. The mistake was pointed out last night, and the Hon. Mr. Fox begged to withdraw the expression. NOTICES OP MOTION. Mr. WOOLCOCK gave notice that he would move next Wednesday, —That the Hou. the Attorney-General do introduce a Bill to amend the existing laws relating to the franchise, the present system being exceedingly unsatisfactory. Several other notices of motion were given. LEAVE OP ABSENCE. Captain MORRIS moved that leave of absence be granted to Mr. Kennedy for fourteen days on urgent private affairs. BILL INTRODUCED. Leave was granted to introduce the South Rakaia Road Board Bill. SHAREBROKERS ACT REPEAL BILL. The House went into committee on this Bill. PUBLIC RESERVES SALE BILL. Leave was given to the Hou. Mr. Bowen to introduce the above Bill. MR. GEORGE JONES. Before proceeding to the business of the day the Hon. Mr. Reynolds desired to ask whether the paragraph appearing in the New Zealand Times of that morning, stating that Mr. George Jones was to appear at the Resident Magistrate’s Court, Wellington, on Monday next, to answer to a criminal information for libel laid by the Hon. Mr. Whitaker, was correct. He (Mr. Reynolds) thought that the offence should be tried where it was committed. The Hon. Mr. WHITAKER, in replying, stated that the paragraph in the New Zealand Times was (quite correct,, aud that the proceedings taken -were fully in accordance with the law. MR. BARTON. On-the interrupted debate on the question,— That (in lieu of certain words omitted) the following words be inserted The order made on the 14th day of August, 1877, that the petition of George Elliott Barton be received, be read and discharged—being resumed, Mr. Curtis moved that words to the following effect be included in the motion after the word “ discharged,”—On the grounds that the allegations contained in the petition were not sufficiently specified, and if they were specified would not be of such a character as to call for action from the House. A long discussion followed, in which Messrs. Reynolds, Travers, Moorhouse, MurrayAynsley, Stafford, and other hon. members took part. On the question being put the motion was carried on the voices.

In reply to the motion of Mr. Pyke,— That this House resolve itself into a committee of the whole, to consider of a respectful address to his Excellency the Governor, praying that he will be pleased to place on the supplementary estimates a sum sufficient for the contiuauoe of “long-service pay” to all police officers who have hitherto been in receipt of such (pay in any part of New Zealand, inclusive of arrears now unpaid,—

The Hon. Major ATKINSON said that he was not aware of any cases of injustice having been done. He would be most happy to have enquiry instituted and provision made where deserving. He explained that the Government would carry out faithfully the conditions under which the men enlisted. It was explained to the men who re-enlisted that they did so under new regulations. The debate on this motion was adjourned for a fortnight. Mr. TBAYEES in moving,—That, pending legislative action, no purchases or negotiations for purchase of native lands, made or entered into since the withdrawal of the Native Land Land Court Bill, 1877, shall be valid, unless sanctioned by a measure introduced into this House, —asked leave to amend his motion by adding the words, “ and that a Bill be at once introduced into this House to give effect to this motion.” /

The Hon. Major ATKINSON said it was the intention of the Go vernment to introduce a Bill carrying out the object of the motion. Mr. SUTTON did not think much would Jje gained by the passing of any such resolution while the present Native Act remained in operation. However, he would not oppose the motion.

The motion was then agreed to. BILLS.

The Oamaru Athenieum and Mechanics’ Institute Eeserve Bill was read a second time.

The Auckland College and Grammar School Bill (second reading), and the Law Society’s Bill (to be committed), were postponed. The Port Chalmers Waterworks Bill was read a third time and passed. MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS ACT AMENDMENT BILL. The second reading of the above Bill was moved by Mr. Hamlin, who pointed out that the existing Act required amendment, it allowed registration of unqualified men with bogus degrees. . In country districts many such cases existed, and the evil was so great as to demand remedy. Dr. WALLIS contended that Mr. Hamlin was wrong in his reference to bogus certificates. He did not believe that there was one registered bogus diploma in the colony. He admitted that the Bill supplied certain deficiences in the Act of 1869, but at the same time it possessed many grave defects, which it would be necessary to amend in committee. It struck him that the Bill was intended to serve some private end, one class of medical men being set up above another, and it would exclude all legitimate foreign qualifications. Dr. HODGKINSON concurred fully in the remarks that had been made by the preceding speaker. For his own part he thought the old Act less objectionable than the Bill now presented to the House. The present law only required a few alterations that would make it more stringent. He would vote against the second reading of the Bill, but hoped that next session the old Bill would be amended, or a Bill introduced less cumbersome in its machinery. The Hon. Mr. Beynolds and Dr. Henry spoke against the second reading of the Bill. The Hon. Mr. REYNOLDS moved as an amendment, that the Bill be read that day six months. Mr. SHABP thought it would he well tor the House not to waste any further time in discussing the Bill, and he trusted that the hon. member who introduced the Bill would see what were the wishes of the Houses, and consent to withdraw it. The ; Hon. Mr. Gisborne, Mr. Eowe, Sir Bobert Douglas, and Mr. Tola opposed the second reading of the Bill. Mr. SUTTON supported the second reading. Mr. J. E. BBOWN would vote against the second reading, because he did not believe in a measure which would give the power of excluding certain medical practitioners because they did not hold diplomas from Universities which the Councils acknowledged.

The Hon Major ATKINSON said he would vote for the amendment of the hon. member for Port Chalmers for the reading of the Bill that day six mouths if the hon. gentleman introducing the Bill thought fit not withdraw it.' Mr. HAMLIN having replied, the question was then put, when the Bill was ordered on the voices to be read that day six mouths. TIMARU MECHANICS’ INSTITUTE _ BILL. This Bill was considered in committee, and passed the third reading. TOWN OP WAITAHUNA BILL. This Bill passed the second reading, aud was ordered to be read again that day week. WELLINGTON LOANS CONSOLIDATION BILL. Mr. TRAVERS moved the second reading of this Bill, and explained its provisions. The Bill passed the second reading, and is to be read a third time on Wednesday next. NEW PLYMOUTH HARBOR BOARD ORDINANCE ■ ’ AMENDMENT BILL.' On the motion of Mr. Hamlin, it was agreed that the third reading of the above Bill should be postponed until the 11th of September next, in order to allow ijime for receiving a certain petition from the residents of Taranaki with respect to the rating clauses. NAPIER BOROUGH ENDOWMENT BILL. The second reading of this Bill was negatived on the voices. DUNEDIN WHARVES AND QUAYS BILL. A division was called for, resulting in the passing of the Bill for second reading. Ayes, 15 ; noes, 12. The Hon, Major ATKINSON announced on the rising of the House that the Government intended bringing forward the Education Bill as a first order for to-day. The House adjourned at 12.45 a.m.