HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Wellington, September 6. The House met yesterday at 2.30 p.m.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 67, 13 September 1884, Page 6

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Wellington, September 6. The House met yesterday at 2. 30 p.m.

Auckland Petitions. Sir Gko. Gkisy presented a petition from Ralph Rickmcr and David Cunningham, complaining of the non-payment of certain moneys by Government, and praying for relief. Mr Buckland presented a petition from the Pukekohe settlers re administration of destitute relief. Mr Lake presented two petitions from Henry Casanbore re purchase of land at Oncwhero. Mr Cadman presented a petition in favour of maintaining the Education Act. Mr Moss presented a petition from Benjamin Greaves, quarryman, Mount Eden, asking relief re quarry reserve.

Leave of Absence. Leave of absence M r as granted to Mr Wilson for one week, and Mr Fisher for a fortnight.

Federation and Annexation. Mr DxYkgaville, in asking the Premier whether he will afford the House an opportunity during the session of expressing an opinion upon the proposed Federation and Annexation Bill adopted by the Intercolonial Conference, said that three Agents-General representing Victoria, Queensland, and Tasmania had urged the Imperial Government to Legislate in that direction. Two colonies— New South Wales and South Australia — had dissented. The late Premier had proposed to ; ask Parliament to approve of the bill, and he was desirous of asking whether the Government intended to give the House facilities for discussing it, or whether private members must take any course opon to them. The Pkemier replied that the Government would give the desired opportunity. The hon. member was not correct in saying that two colonies had dissented. He held in his hand a cablegram from Mr Service, Premier of Victoria, stating that South Australia had passed the address for the Federation Council Bill by a majority of

New Bills. Leave was given to introduce the following bills : — Mr Taiaroa, Maori Representation ; Mr Stout, Foreign Companies ; Mr Stout, Local Courts ; Mr Stout, Bankruptcy Act Amendment; Mr Stout, Public Works Amendment; Captain Morris, Spencer Restoration of Water-right ; Captain Morris, Taunuiga Harbour j Mr Bruce, Seamen's llenresentation.

Married Women's Property. Tho Pkemiek, in moving the Married Women's Property Bill, said this bill had before passed partly through the Legislature. It was almost a transcript of tho English statute, and simply gave married women possession of their own property. Under the existing law, when a woman married, all her property went to her husband, who might make away with another. A common case in tho colonies was the desertion of women by bad husbands. Sometimes such men came back and sold the fruits of their wives' hard labour. This bill simply gave to women what Avas already given to men — possession of their own property. Mr Thomson opposed tho bill, on the ground that it would chiefly be a gold mine tor lawyers. Mr Shepherd supported it. The second reading was carried without a division.

Second Readings. The following bills were read a second time without discussion : — Electric Lines, Police Offences, Counties and Mortgages Release Extension (simplifying the release of mortgages), and Pensions Bill (Mr Shrimski).

Licensing Act Amendment Bill. Mr Siibimski, in proposing the Licensing Act Amendment Bill, said that sly grogselling was a common cause of ruin to young men and women. At the present time these offences were only punished with small fines. Messrs Stout, Hursthouse, O'Connor, and Steward spoke to the question. The latter moved as an amendment, that the bill be read that day six months, but recognised the necessity for some measure of the kind, and said if Mr Shrimski would undertake to modify the extreme penal clauses he would not object to the second reading. Mr Ho^rs supported it warmly. He said the measure was very much wanted, and he congratulated Mr Shnmski on introducing s bill so comprehensive and to the point,

, Mr Conolly could not believe any of the > principles affirmed in the bill— namely, that I everyone guilty of sly grog-selling should i be imprisoned for one month, making the ; landlord criminally liable for the acts of his i servants, and refusing appeal— should be affirmed by that House. Mr Grigg said the House ought not to j ignore the fact that the law was systematicj ally broken. . Mr W. F. Buokland said it might best J be called a Bill for the Encouragement of , Perjury. It was already a difficult thing , to get witnesses in licensing cases, but this . J would render it impossible. There was I ample power under the present Act to sup- , press sly grog-selling, and it was effectually [ stopped at Auckland. , After further discussion the House di- . vided, the bill being shelved by 39 to 29.

■ Mines Act Amendment. Mr Seddon moved the second reading of the Mines Act, 1877, Amendment Bill, re- ; ducing the various goldfields licenses. ! The bill does not apply to Auckland gold- ' fields. ' Mr Buckland opposed all reductions. 1 He said the Northern goldfields have to pay these fees to the Maories, and do not " grumble. It was an effort to relieve the 1 miners of the West Coast at the expense of 5 the rest of the colony. [ Tne House then adjourned till half -past seven. ] At the night sitting, tho West Coast ■ Goldfields members had a grand review, in 1 which they oxtolled the virtues of the miners and bewailed their discouragements. All of them spoke warning of the oppresi siveness of the £1 miners' right and £5 : business licenses. [ The Premier said that the reductions i, asked for should he made permissive with i the counties. Parliament had no right to > take from the local bodies reserves which they now enjoyed. It meant , that those bodies would come to Parliament and demand funds in lieu of those they deprived them of. These , licenses were not in the same position as . taxes, but were paid for taking away the " capital value of the Crown lands. The | Government had no funds either out of loan . or out of consolidated revenues to supply the deficiency -which would bo caused by ; abolishing these fees. If they did, the ' necessary road 3 and other works for the development of goldfields would be stopped. Tho local bodies could not carry on opera- ' tions. The bill was read a second time without division, and referred to the Gold1 fields Committee. On the motion of Mr Locke, the report | of the Commissioner on Poverty Bay land ' claims was ordered to be printed, and the correspondence re extension of telegraph ' from Gisborne North to Hedso Bay was ordered to be laid before the House.

The Chairmanship of Committees. Mr Shepherd, in moving the election of Chairman of Committees, spoke of the qualifications necessary for the office, which were not less than those required by the Speaker. Ho thought all these qualifications were concentrated in Mr Steward. Mr Fulton, in proposing as an amendment that Mr Hamlin be elected, said that Mr Hamlin had filled the office for years past with great credit to himself. He had dono nothing to forfeit that confidence, and to reject him now would be virtually a vote of no-confidence, in him which was undesired, Mr Joyce seconded. Mr Smith (Waipawa) spoke against Mr Hamlin, and strongly denounced bis action in certain notices of motion given by Sir George Grey and Mr Macandrew on various occasions. Mr Fergus repudiated the idea that this was a party question. Last year he had himself, although a consistent supporter of Major Atkinson, voted for Mr Thomson, and other members had done the same. Mr Thompson (Auckland North), Colonel Fraser and Mr Samuels declared that if this had been a party question they would have been placed in a difficulty, but the> intended to vote for Mr Hamlin purely on the ground of personal fitness. Other members spoke to similar effect. The Premier maintained that, notwithstanding their professions,the other side had used their whips to obtain the election of a member of their party. As, however, several members who did not support the Opposition had promised their votes to Mr Hamlin, ihey might succeed. Sir Julius Vogel said that when Mr Steward was presented to him as a suitable candidate for the Chairmanship of Committees, it was represented to him that it was inadvisable that two of the highest offices should be held by representatives of one provincial district. For himself, he would be inclined to make this a Government question with all its consequences, but ho felt that nothing but physical force should remove the Ministry from those benches until the Financial and Public Works Statements were brought down. Tho fact was that the Government were gaining strength every day, but the position was that members came over to them with pledges which they could not divest themselves of. Still, the Government attached considerable importance to the result of the election, and he appealed to members who were not absolutely bound by pledges to give the Ministry they wished to see administer the Government a hearty support, which would make them stand well with the country. On a division Mr Hamliu was elected by 40 against 26. Sir George Grey, who had voted with the majority, said ho had an amendment to propose. Ho could not have moved it before doing so on account of the way in whicli the motion was framed. He was glad the member for Waipawa had attended to tho occurrence in a former session when Mr Hamlin, by an erroneous ruling, had seriously injured the privileges of the House. He believed it was a pure error, and wis glad that a chanco had been given him c" snowing that he entertained no animop'ty. He desired, however, to amend^ the provisions of the Act under which the Chairman of Committees holds office, so that a saving should be made to the country, and all members educated to perform the duties. He moved that the election be adjourned till the House had a chance of considering the amount of salary to be allowed the Chairman of Committees. The amendment was lost without division, and Mr Hamlin 's election was confirmed. The House then adjourned.

Wellington, September 10, The House met at 2.30 p.m. Notices of Motion. Mr Babbon gave notice to ask the Government if they intended to amend the Bankruptcy Act so as to admit of preferential claims of clerks, servants, artisans, labourers, or workmen in the employment of tho bankrupt before and at date of the filing of the bankruptcy petition, being recognised according to the intention of the Act. ! Sib Geobge Gbey gave notice that on Thursday next he would move that on Wednesday, 17th instant, the House form itself into a committee to consider an address to be presented to the Governor asking him to place on the Estimates an amount to enable the Government to supply each day to the press of the colony a sum i

mary of events which occur throughout the world. Mr Smith gave notice to ask the Government if they intend to bring in an Impounding Bill during the present session. Mr Fitzherbert gave notice to ask the Defence Minister if the Government will supply the seamen of the various Naval Artillery corps in the colony with cutlasses. Mr Johnston gave notice to ask the Colonial Treasurer if any effort had been made to induce the holders of debentures, in respect of which sinking fund is payable, to effect an exchange of such debentures for inscribed stock, with a view to saving to the levenue the annual charge for sinking fund, which, in the Financial Statement of 1883, was showa to be £270,000, and is increasing ; or to placing at the disposal of the Legislature the accrued sinking fund of £2,792,808, and saving to the revenue the annual charge of £119,000 payable to the sinking fund. Mr Bradshaw gave notice of motion, " That in the opinion of this House medical practitioners while in active practice should not hold the office of coroner in this colony."

New Bills. Notice was given of the following new bills :— Sir Julius Vogel— The District Railways Leasing Bill, Members' Honorarium and Privileges Bill, and Insurance Department Incorporation Bill ; Mr Dargaville — Bank Notes Security Bill ; Hon. Mr Tole— Bill to place Manukau Harbour under the Control of, and to Vest certain Lands in, Auckland Harbour Board, and a Bill to reconstruct the Auckland Harbour Board ; Mr Locke — a bill to amend the Native Lands Acts and the Native Lands Frauds Prevention Act, 1872 ; Capt. Morris— the Ohinemuri Goldfields Revenue Adjustment Bill ; Colonel Fraser— Thames Recreation Reserves Sale or Exchange Bill ; Mr W. J. Hurst— a bill to Repeal the Sharebrokers' Act, 1871.

Questions and Answers. Replying to Mr flamlin, the Commissioner of Customs said the shifting of the position of sandbanks at the entrance to the Manuka u Harbour created a difference of opinion as to the advisability of guiding lights at Manukau Heads, and consequently the Government were not able to form an opinion. Replying to Mr W. F. Buckland, the Commissioner of Telegraphs said the Government proposed to establish a telegraph station at Ellerslie, and inquiries were now being mado respecting the extension of the telegraph wires through Panmure to Howick. The Government would be able to come to a conclusion on the subject in a few days. Replying to Mr Peacock, the Postmaster - General said the Government had already decided to allow newspapers to be posted at receiving boxes so soon as boxes had been enlarged. He expected they would be ready by the fii'3t proximo. Replying to Mr J. B. Whyte, the Minister for Public Works said the intention of the Government respecting the completion of the railway between Waikato and Te Aroha would be embodied in the Public Works Statement. They expected the combined railway and traffic bridge over the Thames river at Te Aroha would be open to public in a few days. Replying to Mr Peacock, Hon. Mr Stout regretted there were not funds available for erecting Auckland University Buildings. Replying to Mr Monteith, the Premier said the whole question of charitable aid was receiving attention. Replying to Mr Beetham, the Premier said it was not the intention of Government this session to bring in a bill to amend the Registration of Electors Act, 1879, unless circumstances should arise that would make a new election necessary.

First Readings. The following bills were introduced and read a first time:—Bille :— Bill to abolish postage rate on newspapers printed within the colony (Sir Geo. Grey ) ; Wellington Harbour Board Loans Consolidation and Empowering Bill (Mr Johnston) ; Gaming and Lotteries Act, ISSI, Amendment Bill (Mr Fitzherbert).

Married Women's Property. The Wellington ladies could not have been interested to a very great extent in the measure introduced by Mr Stout for the protection of the property of married women, seeing that only three representatives of the sex were present to hear the debate on the motion to go into committee. Two of these, in fact, left after the first two or three speeches. The " lords of creation " were not so indifferent, the strangers' gallery being crowded. Mr Downie Stewart led the attack, but was very lukewarm. Mr Wakefield, who followed, spoke incisively and effectively. He went for what he calls the socialistic tendencies of the bill, and asserted that it was drafted on the assumption that all men were scoundrels. He drew an amusing picture of the domestic miseries that would arise when the husband was nursing babies at homo while the wife was away attending law courts while she sued or was being sued for debt. The measure would be prolitic of domestic unhappiness if it were carried out. A friend to whom he was talking said he believed the bill would pass, but the best thing they could do would be to keep as many married women as possible from knowing that there was such a law in existence. Mr Conolly made a good defence for the fair sex, asserting that they were entitled to equal privileges with men. He also championed the cause of female intelligence. He contended that women were in no degree inferior to men so far as intellectual powers were concerned, and raised a general laugh by expressing a fear that era long " Men would bo outrun by sweet girl graduates with golden hair." Other members followed on both sides, and the debate wound up by a speech from Mr Stout. The bill was allowed to go to Committee. Mr Taiaroa looked exceedingly dubious when he was informed that the bill would affect natives, and even premiers. Soft sawder failed to remove the cloud of anxiety that appeared to settle on his countenance. The debate in committee extended well into the evening sitting, at which there was a fair attendance of the leaders. Strong opposition was displayed to the provision enabling a wife to insure | her husband's life for her separate benefit, and some members waxed eloquent on the fact that they were offering premiums to wives to insure husbands' lives, and then by poisoning them or putting them out of existence, getting the insurance money. Mr Gillies, however, repelled this base insinuation, which he said arose in the minds of members from too slavish reading of novels, where the confiding and innocent husband was always poisoned by a villainous and abandoned wife. Members were so determined to do the ladies justice that they would not even sti'ike out the insurance privilege, and preferred to leave themselves open to be quietly sacrificed by avaricious wives rather than curtail the power of their better halves. While the question was under consideration, one of the Maori members created amusement by an appeal not to allow the portion of the bill authorising a woman to enter into partnership with a man other than her husoand to apply to Maori women. He said he feared the native women would be captivated by the greater personal attractions of whitemen, and that they would desert their coloured better halves. He added, truly enough, tha.t many Maori women in

the past had been led astray by designing whitemen. He was alarmed lest this measure should extend the evil. It was evident that the hon. member did not exactly comprehend the meaning of the clause, and the interpreter proceeded to explain it. Mr Stout spolce strongly in favour of it. He denied that it was a bill of socialistic tendencies, because it provided for what socialism endeavoured to prevent— the right of individuals to hold property, fle had always encouraged individualism rather than socialism. He thought it desirable that those women who had not a marriage settlement should have it provided by Act. In the present state of the law the earnings of thrifty women could be taken by lazy and improviding husbands. The Premier promised that on the third reading he would move a clause providing that the bill should not apply to lands held by Maoii women. The bill was reported with amendments, and ordered to be committed on Friday next.

The Foreign Companies Act. Mr Stout moved the second reading of the Foreign Companies Act, which he said was a measure to enable foreign trading corporations to efficiently carry on business in New Zealand, to sue and be sued, and otherwise have legal status in the colony. At the suggestion of Mr Peacock, the debate was adjourned, copies of the bill not having been distributed till that evening. A motion by Mr Pyke for a return showing the number of duplicate votes recommended at last electionjand where recorded, was opposed by Mr Stout, and negatived.

Native Land Court Grievances. Wi Pere moved a lengthy resolution to the effect that the administration of the Native Land Court was unsatisfactory ; that the hearing of claims to a block at a distance from the district was wrong in principle ; that it was wrong for the Chief Judge to hear new claimants ; and that the fees were excessive. Mr Ballance said the denunciation was too sweeping. He would take the matter into consideration, and see if any of the matters complained of could be remedied. Taiaroa was recommended to introduce a motion on Mr Ballance's assurance, and this course was followed.

Railway Employees. Messrs Levestam and FiTZHERBEBTmade a stand on behalf of railway employe's. It was ultimately agreed after discussion that in the opinion of the House no reduction should be made from the salaries of railway or other Government employes on account of holidays. The House adjourned at 11.30 p.m.

themspkes. l\v iloinpr s°> much llse!nl m formntion will be gained ; and we are satisfied they will agree with us in say\nu tbnt'Mr Smith is des»?rvnm: of th« highest praise for the skill he has displayed in the management, of his farm, a« evinced by its present, excellent condition, and also foy the enterprise ho hf>* shown in the amount, of money spent m labour and permanent improvements.