PARLIAMENT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1319, 3 July 1880, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

Wellington, July 2. In the Legislative Council to-day, Mr. Mantell gave notice to ask if the Government are aware of the existence of the guinea worm in some of the flocks .of the Colony. Nearly the whole sitting was occupied in Committee on the Native Lands Court Bill, Native Succession Bill, Native Lands Frauds Prevention Bill, and the Fencing Bill, which were all reported with numerous amendments, none of importance, and the Bills were ordered for their third reading on Tuesday. The Council adjourned at 4.5Q p.m.

In the Hqus.e of Representatives today, Mr. Rolleston, in reply to Mr. Shanks, said that the Government was of opinion that it would be agreat misfortune to see the deferred payment settlers in arrears turned off their lands, and that they would as far as possible take care that, with a due regard to the public interests and the provisions of the law, the interest of the selectors were duly observed. • Replying to Mr. Shanks, Mr. Rolleston said that a Bill was about to be introduced to enable one class of 'education . reserves (those for High Schools) to be opened for sale or lease. When it was brought down, the House would have ail opportunity of expressing its opinion how far it was advisable to extend that provision to other reserves. Some 4000 acres in Qtagq and Southland were goon to be in the market, and it would be desirable to see the effect of that before a final determination was come to. Regarding these reserves aa the whole, Government were quite resolved that they should not be allowed to stand in the way of settlement. Replying to Mr. Fultonj Mr. Hal! said the Government was not yet to say whether or not they would,-in the interests of economy and brevity of speech, recommend this House to dispense with the expenditure on Hansard. When the vote; came, up, they would be prepared to say what they proposed doing.-

Mr. Hutchison asked whether the Government ivill consider the desirability of printing a note on the new forms proposed to be issued for the collection of the property tax to the effect that persons need not: stfite the amount of their debts, whether secured by mortgage or otherwipe, unlgs? thiey wish'to have a deduction of these made from their property.

Major Atkinson replied that under the law nobody need make the return unless he liked. The Government would consider the matter of the " note." .

Replying 1 to Mr. : ' M'Bonald, Major Atkinson said it was not the intention to impose a duty on maize imported from America or the other Colonies.

Replying to Mr. ; Sutton, Mr. Oliver said the amount credited to the railway department on account of special trains ordered by Ministers during the period from Ist July, 1877-8, to 30th September, 1879, was LS6JJ 17s. Replying to Mr. Pyke, Mr. Oliver said sufficient 'time had not elapsed for the Government to decide whether or not would give" effect to the' following recommendation of the Civil Service Commission :—" The : system of obtaining railway stores from contractors in the Colony should be at once discontinued, and all articles of large ordinary consumption imported."

Mr. Pamlin-rose to make a personal explanation relative to his visit to the Waimate Plains.

Sir Win. Fox r'o'se to pflint oijt that to. alUid@ to it wag one which o.pen tp, discussion, and it -yvquld be but right that provision should be m a<^e f° r that discussion, according to the forms of parlia-. ment.

The Speaker ruled that Mr. Hamlin was in order.

Mr. Hamlin continued that contralictory. statements had been made as to yha't hfi had saidyin connection with the Baking of the W&imate Plains roads. Hfe. ivas therefore about to m&ke an explafa&r ion as to what he had ESeen himsfelf with re3peet to that roadi On Thursday, 24tb Tune, lie arrived at Stoney River, an* s - following morning he rode two m' 1 - the the beach road, and then tu*~ _ - ies along ingles found himself op -mng at right wide, and cleared r* ~a * . ch «?! two miles. T v - flax for a distance of rnP ,- , ere were several streams embar 1 - a footbridged over. Although jj,, iJiments were made which rendered .cj road, he thought, impassable for drays, it could be used by horsemen. . Apparently Government had found the construction of two chains of road too slow and expensive, and they had continued it as a track, which was between 20 and 30 feet wide towards Parihaka to the present camp. From the second camp up to the present camp the road was perfectly traversable for drays, but the other part was not so good, because the bridges were, not completed. The House would now see that he had no intention whatever of getting debatable matter introduced by a kind of side wind. Mr. Bryce said that what the hon. gentleman had stated was perfectly correct, and it was quite in accordance with what- he had stated to .the House the other day. He had himself driven from Parihaka to New Plymouth, a distance of 30 miles, along this road in 4J ho'uirs'fand the only instance in which they had to leave the road was at a place where the dulverts had not been completed. ... : Leave of absence for 14 days was granted to Mr. Whyte on account of bad health. " " .. .

; The Election Petitions and Pharmacy. Bills were reported, read a third time, and. passed. . ;: The House went into Committee on.the Licensing Bill. An amendment was moved in clause 6, sub-section 3, to make it read, " Ridings of counties, as herein defined, the smallest being in every case adopted." The amendment was-agreed to. On clause 12, sub-section 15, Mr. Speight moved that the quorum be three instead of two. The amendment was put and carried.

Sub-section 1, clause 18, was amended, on the • motion of Sir W. • Fox, to read, oneJialf instead of two-thirds.

: Mr. Macau,drew move that the whole of sub-section 2, clause 20, be struck out. It proposed to do away with bottle licenses. These licenses had been tried in. Otago arid found to work .very well. The members who took an interest in the point were absent, under the impression that the Bill would not come on that night. On the suggestion of Mr. de Lautour, the motion was altered to postponement of the whole clause. -

1 Mr. Dick said ; he. had reason to believe that a p,umber of petitions were in course of signature in Otago against the retention of the bottle license. He would not oppose the proposal for .postponement. Mr. Bowen objected to the postpone? iment. The objection came only from Qtago and Nelson, where : this class of licenses had been in force. This was another instano.e of vested interests clashing with what was far the general good. Messrs. Fulton and Andrews objected to the postponement. The latter said that Good Templars were well pleased with the Bill as it stood. They were impressed with the idea that Government in this matter was legislating for the good of the country. The motion for postponement was put and carried. Sir W. Fox oHected to clause 26, providing tjiftt the Minister for Public Works may grant licenses at railway stations. It was a temptation thrown in the way of guards and drivers, in whose care and management life and property were entrusted. It was both a bad and a dangerous system. Mr. MaQivndvev.' hoped the Committee would agree in striking the clause out. These places were quite unnecessary as pnblichouses were always erected near these stations.

Mr. Dick said that a good number of leases were in existence at present for railway station refreshment rooms. Mr. Richardson trusted the clause would not be struck out.

Mr. Andrews also supported the motion for striking out the clause, stating that engine drivers and railway officials had been seen rolling drunk in consequence of the facilities afforded for drinking by these places. The amendment for striking out the clause was put and carried on the voices. Mr. Dick moved in clause 27 to omit the first t\YQ paragraphs thereof, and substituting in lieu theroof the following : "No brewer or spirit merchant shall be entitled to carry on his business of brewery or the sale of spirits, notwithstanding he may be registered under the Distillation Act, IS6§, unless he shall obtain a wholesale lioense under this act; the license fee payable under the Distillation Act, 1868, in respect of the registration of brewers and spirit. merchants is hereby abolished; henceforth spirit merchants shall not be required to register themselves under the said Act, but, brewers shall be ; registered thereunder as heretofore, except that no fee shall be charged for such registration." Arid in the paragraph to omit the words,-" Qr spirit merchant."

The clause was amended, and the House rose at 12.30.