ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT.

Southland Times, Issue 1785, 26 August 1873, Page 3

ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT.

1 1 Thtjbsdat, August 7. In the House of Representatives Mr ; M'G-illivray requested the Government ) to bring in a bill to abolish Grand Juries, i and spoke at considerable length on the subject. Mr Yogel said that the Govern- ; ment had not formed an opinion on the i question, but would be prepared to deal with it next session. i Mr O' Conor moved for a redistribution of the representation of the Colony, and pointed out some of the inconsistencies and inequalities at present existing. Mr Yogel admitted the defects of the present arrangements, but thought the time had not arrived for a redistribution. A debate followed, and Mr O'Conor press* ing his motion to a division, it was rejected by 46 to 13. The Justices of the Peace Disqualification Bill, to prevent persons holding publicans' licenses from acting as Justices of the Peace, was thrown out on the motion for going into committee. The Arms Act Amendment Bill, providing for lighter punishments in certain cases than those imposed by the original Act, was read a second time. Fkidax, August 8. In the Legislative Council the Temporary Appointments Bill, intended to pave the way for the reconstruction of that body, formed the subject of a short debate, and the motion " that the Bill be now read a second time" was thrown out, the opinions expressed being generally unfavorable to the measure. The rejection of this motion does not prevent the second reading being considered at a future time. In the House of Representatives the Education Bill was read a second time. The Bank Holidays Bill was considered ia committee, read a third time, and passed. This Bill is based on an English Act, and declares New Year's Day, Easter Monday, the 24th of May, and the 26th of December, with such other days as the Governor may appoint in any Province, to be Bank Holidays. Bills payable on these particular holidays fall due the day after the holiday, and not on the day before as is still the case on Sundays, Good Friday, and Christmas Day. ' Mr Richardson, Minister for Public Works, made his Public Works State- '' ment, an abstract of which has already appeared in our columns. ' On the question of going into Com- [ mittee of Supply, Mr Bunny criticised ] the financial proposals of the Govern- 1 ment at some length, condemning mainly \ the proposals of the Governmeut as to ] Provincial borrowing, which, he said, would virtually prohibit most of the ; Provinces from raising money to go on with their local works, the importance of ' which was admitted by the Government themselves. Mr Yogel said that the Government ] admitted the importance of many Pro ' vincial works, but not in all cases their ( great urgency. Any really desirable ' local works would be easily provided for in any Province on the plan proposed by 1 the Government. '• Tuesday, August 12. \ In the Legislative Council it was resolved, on the motion of the Hon ' Captain Fraser, that an Inspector of * Lunatic Asylums for the Colony should * be appointed. A discussion arose as to the continued absence of several of the members with- f : out leave, after the call of the Council. The Hon. Colonel Whitmore moved that , the Hon. Dr Menzies, having been j adjudged guilty of contempt in this , respect, be fined £50. In the debate i which followed several members spoke - highly of Dr Menzies's dilligent attention , to his public duties. A censure was . ultimately substituted for the fine. , In th 6 House of Representatives Mr Yogel said that the Government had re»solved to withdraw the Electoral Bills ; this session. They would bring down , proposals next session, abolishing the ] miners' right qualification altogether, and substituting for it a simple manhood suf- , frage, the only conditions being education , and registration. No voter would be permitted to vote in more than one district on account of the manhood suffrage qualification, but the present property qualifications would also be retained undisturbed, and voters might continue to exercise their rights in various districts in virtue of such qualification, as at present. The District Courts Bill would be pressed on this session, and Supreme Court Judges would be empowered to take District Court business when their engagements permitted. Instead of the 15 per cent., 12| per cent., and 10 per cent., duties at first proposed in the new tariff,the Government had decided on a uniform rate of 10 per cent. He moved that the House go into Committee of Ways and Means to consider the tariff, and he hoped the Bill would be passed through all its stages that night. A long discussion ensued of little interest. Numerous objections were , made on various matters of detail, and many members endeavored to show that a larger sum would be raised by the new duties than by the old. It was pointed out, in reply, that the data attainable were not sufficiently accurate to warrant such a conclusion, the declared value being stated frequently in Customs entries very much at random by importers, under the measurement system. The debate was resumed in the evening, , at 7.30, by Mr Fitzherberfc/who occupied

> the House till midnight with an elaborate ♦ and severe criticism on Mr Vogel's financial statement ; the chief point „' sought to be established being that the Government proposals were insincere, and would prevent all the Northern Province? ' from borrowing at all. Mr Fitzherbert 8 thought that £500,000 of the Middle t Island land fund should be applied to the 1 purchase of Native lands in the North 9 Island, to establish something like an 3 equilibrium between the two. Mr Yogel having briefly replied, the Customs Tariff Bill was advanced a sta^e, and made the first order of the day for next sitting. The House adjourned at 1.30 a.m. of the 13th. Wednesday, August 13. lj The entire afternoon sitting w.is > occupied in discussing the Tariff Bill, which was ultimately read a second time. The discussion contained little worthy oi record. The House adjourned, at 5.30 p.m., to next sitting day. Thursday, August 14. The Hon. Mr Charaberlin, in the Legislative Council, complained of a breach of privilege. A Mr Stevenson had told him that if he did not vote for a certain private bill he would get a leader in the Auckland Evening Star all to himself. The Hon. Dr Pollen said the matter was a grave one, and a committee was appointed to enquire into the matter. The committee subsequently reported that Mr Stevenson had apologised disclaiming any intention to commit a breach of privilege, and they recommended that the apology be accepted, which was agreed to. The Hon. Mr Waterhouse's motion for a committee to enquire into and report on the reconstruction of the Council was discussed at some length, and ultimately negatived by 19 to 12, the opinions expressed being generally to the effect that there was no immediate or pressing necessity for a reform, and that the Council as at present constituted was a valuable part of the machinery of Government. In the House of Representatives the Tariff Bill was again discussed in Committee at great length. An attempt was made by Mr Johnston, supported by several members of the late Opposition, to have the duty reduced from 10 per cent, to ,7£ per cent. Mr Yogel announced that the Government would stand firm on their proposal, and a division was taken at a late hour, by which the Government proposal (10 per cent.) was affirmed by 42 to 18. The Bill was then read a third time and passed. Fbidat, August 15. The Superintendent of Taranaki Erapowering Bill, introduced by Major Atkinson, to enable the Superintendent of that Province to sit and vote in the Provincial Council, was read a third time and passed. It appeared that the revenue of the Province is about £6000 a year, and that the Superintendent was obliged to have friendly informal meetings with the members of Council as to the disposal of this sum, the conclusions then arrived at being afterwards ratified in formal session. On the suggestion of Mr Yogel, the Houso resolved on an evening sitting on Mondays, with the view of overtaking the business of the session as speedily as possible. Mr Fox's Licensing Bill was discussed in committee till midnight. An attempt by Mr Parker to throw out the Bill in committee, by a motion that the chairman do leave the chair, was opposed by Mr Cuthbertson on the ground that the principles of the Bill had already been affirmed, and that the measure should after that be discussed clause by clause. The motion was rejected, and the discussion proceeded till the licensing clause (9) was reached, when the debate was adjourned, at half- past twelve. Monday, August 18. The House of Representatives met at 7.30 p.m. The County of Weatland Bill was read a second time. This measure constitutes the County of Westland a Province. The Superintendent is to be elected, as in the old provinces, by the people, and is to have a seat in the Provincial Council. It was represented that ' , much inconvenience had arisen from the absence of any legislative power in the County Council, necessitating an appeal . to the Assembly for measures of mere ' local importance, which frequently could not be obtained even from the Assembly, on account of the pressure of other busi- ' ness. The remainder of the sitting was chiefly occupied in the discussion in committee of the Native Reserves Bill, introduced by the Native Minister, to provide for the more management of the various lands set apart as Native Reserves throughout the Colony. Several clauses were passed, and the House adjourned shortly after midnight.