PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 197, 5 September 1903, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

PIE PRESS ASSOCIATION. LEGISLATIVE COONOIL. Fbiday, September 4th. The Council mat at 2.30 p.m. The Presbyterian College Hits Bill (Dunt-din), and G:own Gra-.ts Aot Amimdmunt Bill passed their final stages. The Testators Family Maintenance Intendment Bill (Attorney-General), providing for computation of duty on states, was re<<d a second time. The Polioe Offences Aot Amendment Bill (Attorney-General) regulating 'ioum of clo.ing public billiard rooms, u-oviding for the punishment of persons found therein dujing closed hours, uohibitifig 'he use of words denoting i JnveiDment patronage of any business | vithout authority, bud further regulating footpath traffic, was read a second iine. The Council rose at 3.30 p.m. ————— HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Thursday, September t. After the Telegraph Office closed, after a lengthy debite, the second reading of the City Single Eleotoratee Bill was. carried by 48 to 5. The House rose at 2.40 a.m. I Friday, Septemieb 4th, The House met at 2.30 p.m. Mr Seddon moved that after Wednesday, 9tb Septembsi.', for the remainder of the ssesioj, Government business take precedence on Wednesdays. Mr Massey hoped further facilities would be given to Mr Kirkbride to get his Mutual Fire Insurance Bill through or that the Government would take it up. He also entered a strong protest against the late sittings. Mr Seddon replied that he had no desire to keep late hours, but at present the proceedings between 7.30 agd 10 p.m. did not constitute a meeting of Parliament, but simply a public meeting. The Government would go through the Order Paper and would take up any private members Bills that might be considered to be in the best interests of the colony, but their fate would, to a great extent, depend on the progress made by Government business. Mr Seddon's motion was agreed to. CITY SINGLE ELECTORATES. The House went into Committee on the City Single Electorates Bill. Mr Baomi moved the excision ef the word " Hinile" from the title of the Bill. He intimated that he would use every effort to prevent the passing of this most pernicious B<ll Sir Joseph Ward said the Bill would infliot no injustice on the cities, and the only conclusion he could arrive at was that the opponents of the measure were afraid to faoo a straight out fight in single electorates. He was prepared to stand by for a month or two in order to puts the Bill through, but he was sure the House would not allow an indiscreet minority to blook the Bill. M«-s«rs Taylor, Dutbie, Bedford, Mose, Fowlds and Aitken spoke in opposition to the Bill. Mr Massey said for onos he was in sympathy with the Government and strongly supported the Bill. The debate was interrupted by the 3.30 p.m. adjournment. Evenikq SiTTura, The House resumed at 7.30. The City Single Electorates BQI ml further disoudsed in Committee. Sir Joseph Ward pointed out that only (our oity members went into the lobby against the Bill on the previous evening, yet the whole business of Parliament was being delayed by a small minority. Mr Bedford oontended that the motive behind the Bill was the desire to curb the power of the Libour Party. Mr Tanner opposed the Bill. Mr Taylor considered it would be easy for a bogus political organisation like the Liberal and Libour Federation to manipulate single city eleotoratee, because there was not the same room for corruption in a large as in a small electorate. Mess's Hogg, H k<, ard Thompson opposed the Bill. Mr Fowlds moved to s rike out the word "oity" in the fchor, <-;tla, and icsert '' Electoral Act, 1802, Amendment Ac*, 1903." Mr Fisher said the Bill threatened his political existence. He had been a consistent Government supporter, and this was the reward for his loyalty. Mr Biume spoke. Mr Fowlds' amendment was lost by 44 to 12, and Mr Btume's by 44 to 11, The short title was then adopted. Clause 2, " city electorates abolished end single electorates substituted." WM passed unaltered.

Left Sitting.)