PARLIAMENTARY.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1136, 1 September 1882, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

[FEB UNITED PBESS ASSOCIATION.] Legislative Council. WELLINGTON, Yesterday. The Sheep Act Amendment Bill (Mr Oliver) was read a first time. Mr Miller moved a resolution that the proposed County of Waiheino should not be constituted, and the motion, after considerable discussion, was carried. The debate on the second reading of the Land Act Amendment Bill was resumed. A number of members made short speeches, nearly all being in favor of the bill. At 5 o’clock the Council adjourned till 7.30. House of Representatives. WELLINGTON, Yesterday. The House resumed at 2.30. The Gaming and Lotteries Act Amendment Bill was considered in Committee. Mi’ Macandrew moved that the sweepstakes be reduced from £5 to £4 10s. After a considerable amount of discussion Mr Steward, who was in charge, agreed to report progress. He said he was quite confirmed that there was a large majority in favor of the measure ; but in the face of the obstruction shown by the minority it would be impossible to make any progress, and as this was probably the last occasion, then private members’ Bills would have a chance of passing. He would agree to withdraw, in order that other Bills might be gone on with; if he got another opportunity he would again bring the Bill forward, if not he would reintroduce it next session, A motion for reporting progress was agreed to, The following Bills also passed through Committee, were reported, read a third time, and passed :—Gisborne Harbor, Ashburton Raue-coursp Reserve, Private Tl*auiways, Fenoiug Act, 1881, Amendment, Municipal Corporation Act Amendment, Mortgage Release and Chattels Security Act Amendment On the motion for committal of Libel (No. 2) Bill, Mr Hall objected to the Bill as it dealt with subjects altogether foreign to the title. Ho quoted authorities in MUpport of his contention, In further explanation he stated that his objection to the Bill rested not so much on the divergence referred to, os to the proviso that newspapers should be exempt from responsibility for publishing a defamatory statement uttered at a public meeting, It was not the uttering of these statements which carried the wrong, As a rule such Statements were made amongst persons who the party referred to, and ! little oV no importance wan attached to it. I Publication in a newspaper was the cause! of the real harm, and that was what he ob- | jooled to. He was told that he should pro- , secute the slanderer, but he woul<l ask who | wfyj the slanderer ? In Q 9 cases out Of 100 he was a mere man of straw, Interrupted by 5.30 adjournment. Thia Day. : At the evening sitting, the* debate on ' going into Supply and Mr Green's amend- ! ment that Waihemo should not he proclaimed | a county, was resumed, ftnfi flip j was negatived by 37 to 27. The House then went into Supply. Clause 10, Mines Department, £26.487, i war ptiajjtd.

On Clause 11, Native Department, considerable discussion took place over item of £5OO for the removal of the Native Lands Court Head Office to Wellington. Messrs Hurst, Moss, Grey, Sheehan, and others strongly opposed this item, but Mr Bryce defended the necessity for the chief ofiice being at the seat of Government. The item was carried by 36 to 31, and the total vote passed. On the vote for Militia and Volunteers, £18,339, Mr Bryce stated he was not yet able to say how far Government was prepared to carry out the report of the recent Volunteer Board. Vote passed, as also vote of £195,533 for Armed Constabulary, but Mr Macandrew protested strongly against this expenditure. The Education Vote, £282,970, was reduced by striking out the £3OOO for Auckland University College. The whole of the items under head of Post and Telegraph Department, were passed. On vote for Minister of Public Works Department, Mr Fergus moved to reduce the salary of the Locomotive Superintendent £7OO to £6OO. Lost by 26 to 10. The votes for Public Domains, Architects Department and Public Buildings, and Miscellaneous, all passed as printed, and these finishing the Estimates, the House resumed and rose at 3.30 until noon to-day. The House met at noon. Major Atkinson said that an arrangement had been come to betweeen the late Mr Rhodes’s executors and the Government, whereby a fair amount of duty would be paid. He therefore moved the discharge of the Rhodes Estate Duty Bill, with a view of introducing an amended bill in conformity with the arrangement. Mr Bathgate tabled a motion to the effect that, with a view of facilitating business, Policy bills in future be prepared and circulated amongst local bodies interested at least two months before the convening of a session, so that estimates be placed on the table the first day of the session ; and that the practice of voting large sums as supplementary estimates at late periods of the session be henceforward discontinued. Replying to Mr Rutherford, Mr Dick said the Government would take an early opportunity of ascertaining from the law officers as to which local body, the Town Board or County Council, was entitled to licensing fees and the dog tax under section 35 of the Town District Act, 1881, and section 109 of the Licensing Act, 1881, and would communicate the result. at an early date. His own opinion was that there could be no doubt but the town districts were entitled to the fees. Replying to Mr Levestam, Major Atkinson said the Government would enquire into the allegation that Dunedin firms were importing boiled fruit duty free, and as to what steps ought to. be taken to prevent such importations acting injuriously to Colonial jam factories. Replying to Mr Petrie, Mr Bryce said the capitation allowance to volunteers would be proposed on the Supplementary Estimates. Replying to Mr Te Wheoro, Mr Bryce said steps would be taken to fence Maori burial grounds at Taupiri. Replying to Mr Steward, Mr Dick said it was intended to proceed this session with the Licensing Act Amendment Bill.