PARLIAMENTARY.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1352, 6 September 1883, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

(From our own Correspondent.) LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Tuesday, September 4. The Hon Mr Peacock moved that in the opinion of this Council it is advisable that all future nominations made by the Government to seats in the Legislative Council should be submitted to the House of Representatives for approval. The Hon Mr Whitaker opposed the motion, the passing of which would be prejudicing the Bill he intended to introduce next day, to be considered during the recess for altering the constitution of the Council. On the motion to commit the Land Bill, the Hon Mr Miller moved that the Bill be thrown out, and after a short extension it was thrown out by 20 to 16. For the Bill: —The Hons. Aclaud, Baillie, Barnicoat, Bonar, Grace, Hart, Holmes, J. Johnston, Ngatata, Oliver, Peacock, Peter, Richmond, Whitaker, Williams, Williamson. Against: —The Hons. Brandon, Brett, P. A. Buckley Campbell, Chamberlain, Mantell, Martin, Menzies, Miller Nurse, Pollen, Pharazyn, Reynolds, Robinson, Whitmore, and Wrigley. EVENING SITTING. Town Districts Act Amendment Bill, Property Assessment Act Amendment Bill, Patient’s Bill, Industrial Society’s Bill, Roads aud Bridges Construction Act Amendment Bill, and Caversham Improvement Bill were read a third time and passed. The Wanganui Dredge Bill, and Justices of the Peace Act Amendment Bill were read a second time. The Otago Harbor Loans Consolidation Bill was thrown out on a division of 17 to The Council rose at 11.55. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Tuesday, September 4. The House met at 2.30. Mr Moss asked leave for the Public Accounts Committee to sit during the Sitting of the House.—Grant-id. The Public Petitions Committee reported on the Petition of Angelique Therasse, that she had sustained grevious wrong by an unjust sentence and that Government should grant her £5O by way of compensation, and a further sum of £5 as payment of her legal expenses. The motion for referring the Committee’s report to the Governor was agreed to. Mr Mason brought up the report, evidence, and minutes of the Dargaville Committee. They were ordered to lay on the table and be printed. Mr Mason gave notice he would move the adoption of the repoi j to-morrow. Mr Conolly laid on the table the report of the Dunedin Gaol Commission.

Messrs Macandrew, Bracken, Bathgate and Fish protested against the dismissal of the chief warder, as recommended by the Commissioners, aud they believed, carried out by the gaol. He was an old officer, of 20 years good service. Mr Conolly, in deference to their opinion, promised to most carefully reconsider their decision in the matter. The Council’s amendment on the Native Land Laws Amendment Bill were agreed to. Government Security, On the motion to go into Supply, Mr J. Buchanan moved an amendment, that in the opinion of the House, the security of the colony ought not to be given to any insurauce policy issued by the Government office after October the first next, and that any Bill amending the law on the subject should be based on this principle. He objected altogether to the way business of the department was carried on, and contrasted it unfavorably with private offices. The amendment was negatived on the voices, and Major Atkinson then in a long speech defended the department from the accusations made against it. With regard to the investment of the funds the present Government had only followed the course adopted by the Government who, when they went out of office, had left £150,000 invested in precisely the manner Sir Geo. Grey now condemned. He quoted comparative figures to show that the department was sound, successful, and economically managed, and attributed the opposition shown to it to members being interested in private insurance companies. The motion for going into supply was carried on the voices. On Mr Conolly’s motion, the House agreed to the Council’s amendments in the Property Law Consolidation Bill, and appointed a committee to draw up reasons. A Lively Scene. On the vote chargeable on the Government Insurance Fund, £39,205, Mr J. Buchanan, referring to Major Atkinson’s remarks, in replying before going into Supply, repudiated with scorn the insinuation that he was in any way interested in, or influenced by, any private insurance company, and, addressing Major Atkinson said—“ You have been charged that you are the slave and tool of a certain institution, and you cannot disprove it.” Major Atkinson moved that the words be taken down and reported to the Speaker.—This was done, and the Speaker said to Mr Buchanan that there were three courses open to him—to explain the words, retract them, or apologise for using them. Mr Buchanan replied that he had stated a fact. Major Atkinson had been so chaaged, Major Atkinson said thia made the matter woi se.

The Speaker said he understood Mr Buchan:* n adhered to the words, and he ordered him to withdraw from the House, which Mr Buchanan did. Mr Rolleston then moved that the hon. member for Napier had used words for which there was no foundation, and which deserve the displeasure of the House. Mr Montgomery said it was a fact that such a charge as that alluded to had been made against Majo Atkinson, and it was a matter of opinion whether they were approved. Mr Buchanan had only repeated an old charge. He should, if the Speaker considered the words unparliamentary, be called in, told so, and asked to withdraw them. Mr Rolleston said he had no objection to this opportunity being given, and he withdrew his mo Jon. Mr Buchanan was then introduced by the Sergeant-at-Arms. The Speaker, addressing him, said—The House agreed that, if in his opinion, the words used were unparliamentary, and ought not to have been used, the hon. member would probably see tit to withdraw them. He did consider them unparliamentary and derogatory to the dignity of the House, and he thought he had before the hon. member withdrew, sufficiently indicated his opinion. Mr Buchanan said it was probably due to his infirmity of hearing that he had not bo understood the Speaker. He had been brought up in too good a school not to know what was due to the House by at once bowing to the decision of the Speaker, and he would, therefore, entirely withdraw the words. The Speaker said no doubt the words had been used in the heat of debate, and he was sure the house would have extremely regretted had it been called on to censure an hon. member. The matter then dropped. In Committee of Supply the supplementary estimates were proceeded with, and at 5.45 a.m. progress was reported, and the various votes read a second time and agreed to. The House, at 5.50 adjourned until 2 p.m. to-day.