PARLIAMENT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1110, 8 November 1879, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

'WFU.ixctos', 7In the Housl- of Representatives to- , day. The Speaker reported that arrangements were completed for bringing the prisoner Worgan from Wanganui to be examined by the Native Affairs Committee. Replying to questions, it was stated that the Government desired further information before introducing a Bill dealing with habitual drunkards. The Government had not yet accepted a tender, not having finally decided uppn a site for railway workshops at Newmarket. A tender had been provisionally' accepted for the first section of the Wellington-Foxton line, but for prudential reasons the Government had since abandoned that intention. It was optional on the part of a railway Servant leaving to continue his connection with the Raihyay Beuofit Sopiety or not. There was a rule which obliged railway employes on the South Island lines to belong to the Railway Benefit Society, but not more than half the number were connected with the society. Steps were Joeing taken for erecting railway workshops at Pungtjin, airpilar to those at Addington, and the additions to the railway station wero in progress. The contract time for the completion of the "Wanganui-Patea line expired on the 25th October, and the contractor had been warned that the penalty would be enforced if uot completed. No communication had been recetved from Rewi or other natives relative to the extension of the main line from Auckland to Lake Taupo, thence to the West Coast, and the practicability of the route would be tested. The Government had under consideration a recommendation to impose a duty on all coal imported into the Colony. The Government had under consideration,, the propriety of complying with the prayers of a petition from hop growers in Nelson, that the duty on imported hops be increased. The following Bills were introduced : To authorise the Governors of High Schools to realise on reserves and endowments, and provide for more investment of proceeds ; Sheriffs Act, 1858, Amendment ; to facilitate and encourage. improvement of land by drainage, &c. The Triennial Parliaments Bill was read a third time, and passed. The Qualification of Electors Bill was further considered in Committee. Mr. Montgomery moved that clause 1 ! be made to read " that no person should j be entitled to exercise more than one vote." | Mr. Moss moved a further amendment that every man of 21 years, being a British subject, residing one year in the Colony or one month in a district, shoul4 be entitled to registration, and that in the event of an elector leaying home on pleasure or business, with the intention of returning again, his qualification should remain good. The debate was interrupted at 5.30, Immediately on resuming, progress was reported on the Qualification of Electors Bill. Mr. Hall moved the second reading of the Elections Validation Bill. It sought to validate the elections of Captain Colbeck and Mr, Tawhai, doubts having arisen thereon. The motion was carried, and the Bill was considered in Committee. Mr. Andrews complained that in thecase of Sir G. Grey no attempt liad been made to validate his election, and he charged the Government with partiality towards Captain Colbeck, one of their supporters. I

Sir G. Grey reiterated the charge, adding that if the Bill passed, he would move that the finding of the Christchurch Election Committee be quashed. The Government had made this V party question, which was reprehensible. : !• - Mr. Hall denied having done so, and referred to Mr. Gisborne, who had paired on the vote with a Government supported 3lr. GisborDe stated that Mr. Hall hiad distinctly staged that it was not a party question.. ' " The motion, for reporting progress ijras twice put and negatived. The Bill was reported, with the addition of Major Te Wheoro's name to the schedule, and the Bill was read a third time and passed. The Qualification of Electors Bill was further considered in Committee'.' Mr. Montgomery's amendment to confine each elector to. one vote in the Colony was negatived on a division by 30 to 25. In Committee, on the Qualification of Electors Bill, after Mr. Montgomery spoke, by a single vote the amendment was rejected. - Mr. Ballance moved to strike out the word " man," with a view to insert the word " person," the effect being to allow women to become electors. Messrs. Swanson, Turnbuli, Speight, Trimble, Murray, Wallis, Hall, and others supported the amendment, while Messrs. Brandon, Heddon, and J. T. Fisher stronly .opposed it. The Committee divided on the question that the word "man " be retained, with the following result: —Ayes, 29; noes, 34. The following is the division : Ayes Messrs. Andrews, Allwright, Barron, Brandon, Colbeck, Dick, Driver, J. T. Fisher, Gibbs, GisborDe! Hamlin, Kelly, Levin, M'DonaJd, M'Lean Moorhouse, Ormond, pyke, Rolleston, Seddon, Shanka, Sheehan, Shepherd, Stevens, Sutton, Tole, Why to, Wood, and Richardson. Noes—Messrs, Adams, Atkinson, Bain, Ballapc&j jprpwn, p.e Jjfvutour, Finn, George, Ha.ll, Harris, Hursthouse, Ireland, Johnston, Kenny, Macandrew, Montgomery, Moss,; Murray, Oliver, Pifct, Reeves, Reid, Saunders, Speight, Swanson, Tainui, Tawhaio, Te Wheoro, Tomoana, Trimble, Turnbuli, Wallis, Willis, and Wright. The result was received with cheers, and the word "person" inserted in the clause. Mr. Moss, then moved, in the first sub-section of section 2 the following amendment " Every person being a British subject not less than twenty-one years of age, who shall have resided in New Zealand for one year, and in the electoral district for which he or she claims to vote not less than one month immediately preceeding the registration of his or her vote, is entitled to be registered as an elector of such district, and. to vote at the ejection j for each district of members of the House of Representatives. Subsequently, after discussio.n, he asked leave to withdraw this, but.it was refused, and progress was reported, with leave to sit again. The House rose at midnight.