PARLIAMENTARY. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. WEDNESDAY'S SITTING. (BY TELEGRAPH—PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER). Wellington, June 11

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 156, 12 June 1886, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. WEDNESDAY'S SITTING. (BY TELEGRAPH— PARLIAMENTA RY REPORTER). Wellington, June 11

Memjbjsrs concer^ogtheuegeeeitylfqrirelienohment,, but it \?ss looming £00 jneatf hjome, when Mr P'<Connor, n^oyed .for a iOSinmitted to consider what reduotjonspojild be, made ;n; n the! expenditure on the "Legislature. It was noticeable that members appeared uneasy on the subject ; and the Premier, while assuring them that it was entirely a matter- for themselves to consider, was careful to say that he would be unable , to act, altljopgll both, s Major Atkinson ;and Mr Bryce objected to Sir Robert Stout shirking the responsibility. ..When. -the question was put, tifae noes appeared to be strong Jbut a division was not take,n for the .very that none of the members opposed to the resolution were courageoue enough to offer thenaqejves as tellers, and the motion was carried on the voices.

Maori Labour and the Unemployed. A rather- important principle is involved in Di. lfowman'B motion providing that for the future contracts for works ou,t of the loan shall be open to Europeans and Maoris alike, and not. offered to natives alone. Dr. Newman made out a good case wh,en he urged that in the present dearth of employment, when bo many men are 1 unable to get work, even at 4s a day, it was uritair that Maori landlords should have the monopoly of these works at 8s a day. only defence offered by the Minister of Public Worka was on the score of policy, ,and he also urged that the motion was unfair, as it would hamper the hands of the Government, seeing that contracts only let thus in native country. This statement was, however, contradicted by Mr Lake, who instanced the bridge and works at Kihikibi as proof that the monopoly extended to European territory. The division was a very cloee one, Dr. Newman being defeated by only two votes. Ayes, 39, and noes, 37. It is worthy of note that Hakuene and Te Ao voted with Dr. Newman, and Parata against him. It was understood that the Premier was not going on with his motion respecting the Kermadec Islands, and no surprise therefore was caused when he stated that he intended to defer it till Friday. Sir George Grey, , however, expressed the opinion that it was undesirable to delay the motion. Although the Premier explained that the; reason which actuated him was, that this was private members' day, and that the Government thought it hardly fair to take ' it from them, this did not seem a eatisfac- ' tory explanation. HSpeolal Homestead Settlements. The resident clause in the regulations governing special settlements was discueee i at some length on a motion by Mr Nelson, which in effect provided that three months' residence during any year from the third to the sixth after occupation should be sufficient. Mr Obmond drew the^ attention of the Government to an objectionable feature in connection with these settlements. He assured them that in the 70 Mile Bush those who had taken up sections were not the Glass of people likely to^proye bona fide settlers, j but were really individuals of a speculative turn of mind. He did not, however, succeed in convincing the Premier, who defended, the present regulations, and pointed out that the motion was unnecessary, Mr Hubsthouse made one of his characteristic speeches, in denunciation of special settlements, which he looked upon as " fads," and certain failures The Minister of L,ands deprecated any interference with the present regulations, and said that the concession proposed to be made would damage the special settlements and play into the hands of speculators. An amendment by Mr Beetham making the term six months was accepted by the mover, but the motion was lost in a division by 35 to 34.

Government Insurance Association. No opposition whatever was offered to Mr Ormond'a motion for a select committee to inquire into and report on the subject of investments made by the Government Insurance Association in land purchases, and also to report generally on the working of that inatitution. The committee consists of Messrs J^ontgqmery, Gore, Sfobie, McKenzie, Macandrew, Hojmee, G. F. Richardson, Stewart, Levestam, Fraser, and the mover. Several other motions of a les3 important character were taken, On Mr Buchanans motion, the Committee on the rabbit question were instructed to consider the administration of the Sheep Aot. The House, on division, refused a return of goods traffic beyond Lawrence during the last two years, moved for by Mr Bkown. Dr. Newman's motion for setting apart lands as endowments for charitable aid, higher and primary education, and harbours was lost on a division.

The ,New Hebrides Motion. Sir George Grey's motion that the House concurs in the report of the Committee relative to the Mew Hebrides came on at a quarter- past five, and, if it had been ' taken, would have been talked out in fifteen minutes. ! Major Atkinson suggested tha,fc it should be taken to-morrow evening. ' The Government appeared to stjiow a disinclination for it to be taken* and eventu ally offered to let it. come on at 8.30 p.m. to-morrow. Sir'GBORGE Grey and Major Atkinson urged 7.30, and eventually- this was* .adopted.

'■ Reform of th© CivlTSsrvioe. Tflx Bbown, moved his, rsspju 4 tiop aiming, the desirability of repjcepcjiment, faps f ap$ W°r, viding for tne appointment of ,twp practical expert accountants ' to report on the poaBibJß saying in the 'Civil. Service without impairing , i<;s efl^oiqnpy. . H§) ,4iel' notj think salaries should be reduced, but the number might be. He asserted that one of those commissions, apppifttedj |>y the Atkinson Government stated' that £50,000 per annum could be saved in the Civil SorJ vice if their reoommendation Wev^dopted. Another gentleman \of t "high Sii aujbhority assured him that ~ £50^0.00 per annum Ccjuld )?p saved, in the fßailway Stores Department. He thought they, could, do wijbh Xyq Mihiste'ri Ides'. Tl^e M mister of^ Justice .might combine the portfolios of .Attorney* General, and Colonial Secretary) with His <o\fn, and thej MiinJ^r.Qf^WtQ .WoVkB, • :ifi a competent man, f mighty unc^ejr- j i'tajke other duties besides his PjifDj He also 'thought the •numße^ of' members mjgbt-be deo^asadiby one^thii^di " ' ■' Mr Hatch talked, the mQt^oD bu.tjitiH the) Adjournment. , ' , , ,s, s , ' K \