PARLIAMENTARY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2945, 2 September 1882, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

The Council met at 2.30 p.m. EXPENDITURE ON PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

An . instruction was proposed to be given the Joint House Committee to inquire into the expenditure on the Assembly buildings. The House divided—Ayes, 25 ; Noes, 27. RETTJEN. On the motion of Mr Menziea, it was agreed that a return he laid on the table showing the area of all lands sold in Counties and Boroughs in the Westland and Kelson south*west goldfields before the 29th September* 1873. THE CANTERBURY AOBIOUITUBAL OOLLB6S. Colonel Brett said he had received a letter from tho Agricultural College, Canterbury, answering several questions which he road to the Council. PUBLIC OFFENDERS BILL. The Public Offenders Disqualification Amendment Bill was read a third time and passed. SECOND BBADINOS. ; The Ohoka and Eyreton Domain Board Empowering Bill and the Sheep Act Amendment Bill were read a second time. iand act 1877 ambkdubkt bxu. The Bill passed its , second reading, and was referred to the Waste Lands Committee. 1 BItISADJOUBNBD. The Napier High School Bill and the Land Board Bill were adjourned until Monday. Bill COHUITTXD. The Otago Harbor.'Bosrd Bill was committed. ADIOUBNKEJTT. The Council adjourned at 6 p.m., and resumed at 7.30 p.m. IN COMMITTEE. In Committee on the Otago Harbor Board Bill* Mr Reynolds moved the Chairman leave the chair. The motion was lost. After farther discussion, !Dr Pollen move a similar motion, and tho Council divided—Ayes, 11 ; Noes, 11. The Chairman gave his vote with the noes. The Hon. Mr Whitaker moved the following new danse, which was carried Nothing in this Act con* tained shall in any way affect the Crown or the Government of New Zealand or give any claim; right, title, or demand whatsoever to or for any sum of money as compensation to any person,, or corporation on any account whatever, against the Crown or the Government of the colony.” The Bill was then,, reported;, with amendments and made an order for Monday next;. ■-< ADJODBNMENT. The Council rose at 10 p.m. HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES. COMMITTEE OF BUPFIY. After 1.30 o’clock'this morning the following votes were passed Post. master-General and Commissioner of Customs—Telegraph cable subsidies, £5350; conveyance of mails by sea, £58,690 ; conveyance of inland mails, £25,190 ; carriage of mails by railway, £750.

Class 11, Minister of Public WorksWorking railways, £547,400. Mr Fergus moved that the item "Locomotive Superintendent" be reduced from £7OO to £6OO. The item was retained as printed on a division of 26. to 10, and the vote passed ; as also did the votes for public domains, architect's office, public buildings, and miscellaneous. These items completed the Estimates. Progress was reported, and at 3.30 the House rose.

The House met at noon to-day, POLICY BILLS.

Mr Bathgate tabled a motion to the effect that, with a view of facilitating business, Policy Bills in future be prepared and circulated among local bodies interested at least two months before the convening of the session ; that the Estimates be placed on the table on the first day of the session; and that the practice of voting large Supplementary Estimates at a late period of the session be henceforward discontinued.

The House adjourned at 1 p.m., and resumed at 2 p.m.

BILLS PASSED THROUGH COMMITTBE.

In Committee the Special Powers and Contracts, Borough of Hamilton Boundaries, Auckland Museum Endow* ment, Auckland Improvement Amendment, Auckland Railway Station, Ex* plosives and Dangerous ‘ Goods, Patoa Harbor Land, and Te Aroha Township Bills were passed through. LAW PBACTITIONSBB BILL. Hr Seddon moved that the qualification “ general knowledge '* be strnck ont. It was one of those indefinite terms which left it in the power of Judges to make the examination: so arbitrary that anyone who wished to refuse a candidate or clans of candidates admission could do so. The debate was interrupted by the 5.30 p.m. adjournment. Consideration of the Law Practitioners Bill was resumed in Committee. Mr Seddon proposed that clause 55, providing that Judges may make rules dividing the two branches of the profession be struck out. . The Committee divided on the question that the clause stand as printed— Ayes, 35; Noes, 38. Clause 66 was then struck out on the voices. Mr Seddon moved that the fee for admission be reduced from £2l to £lO. The Committee divided on the question that the sum stand as printed— Ayes 42, Noes 32. The remainder of the clauses were then put and carried. CEMBTBBIBB BILL. This Bill was passed with amendments. HIKING COMPANIES BILL. In Committee on the Mining Companies Act 1872 Amendment Bill Mr Seddon stigmatised clause 3 as an innovation on the free trade system. It would be monstrous that persons selling scrip should be liable for twelve months after the date of the sale. The motion that the Chairman leave the chair with leave to sit again was then pat and carrried on the voices. WELLINGTON HABBOB BILL. In Committee, clause 4 of this Bill underwent several alterations, when Mr Reynolds (?) moved that progress be reported with leave to sit again, but eventually he withdrew his motion, and the clause was then passed as amended. After a lengthened discussion it was agreed on the motion of Mr Munro to report progress. BATING BILL. Major Harris moved that clause 2 be altered to read that the land without the buildings; and improvements alone should be rated. The question was pat that the clause

remain as printed—Ayes, 50; Noes, 17. Gianse 9 was struck out. At clause 20, the Hon Major Atkin* : son moved that progress .be reported, > with leave to sit again to-morrow, j This was agreed to. i Bins PASSED. Ten Bills committed, were read a third time and passed. ADJOUBNMENT. The House rose at 1 a.m. until 11 a.m. THIS DAY. [By Telegraph.] The House met at 11 a.m. in Committee, The Tea Bill passed without amendment. The Rating Bill was farther considered in Committee: A new clause was moved by Major Atkinson to render it optional for any Borough to come under the Act. Mr Seddon moved to extend the privilege to County Councils, Road Boards, and Town District Boards. This was negatived by 56 to 16, and the hew clause was ’ agreed to on the voices. Some othet formal clauses were added to the Bill.

The Bill was then reported as amended.