PARLIAMENTARY.

Temuka Leader, Volume I, Issue 72, 24 August 1878, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

+ HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Wellington, Ang 20. On the debate on the Electoral Bill being resinned, Mr Reeves said he would support the Government, but would like the qualification to be lowered to £5. Mr Thompson thought the country did not want manhood suffrage. He thought manhood suffrage and a land tax discordant. The former was still on its trial in America and Victoria, and it were hard to say whether it is good or evil. As for female suffrage, it was a matter of sentiment merely, and he should certainly vote against it. Captain Russell would support the Bill, but condemned plura'ity of votes, and wished the educational test to ho more stringent than is proposed. No man ivho cannot read or write should have a vote.

Mr Cutten thought the Bill would not make much difference one way or other cx-rpt as regards female suffrage. He could not vote for that. Indeed lie could ; not treat the subject seriously. U Mr Turnbull would support the Bill. * Believed iu plurality of votes, and in _ ■ propertied women having votes. Mr Sheehan neither approved of female franchise nor believed that the women of the colony wished for it. He upheld manhood suffrage. Men, not sheep, should elect the Government. Riches had hitherto enjoyed too much power*. He hoped the measure would be dealt with on its merits and not as a party measure. Mr Fox objected to plurality of votes. He had studied manhood suffrage as found in America and Switzerland and elsewhere, and had come to believe in manhood suffrage, pure and simple, but it must be surrounded by safeguards. As to womens’ suffrage, if taxation was the basis of representation, then the franchise

could not he denied to women who paid taxes, a principle admitted in municipal affairs. Generally, he approved of the Bill, but objected to some of its details. Mr Bastings thought nonrn should have a property vote, but nothing further.

Major Atkinson said the B 11 was not

such a one as promised in the recess, ere was no liberalism in the Bill. A holder was given three advantages, in one respect of freehold, the next respect of leasehold, and the third was ■ that clerks of Road Boards were to take care that .property holders were on the rolls; while the 70,000, the pith and marrow of the country, were left to take care of themselves. He pointed out many defects in the details of the Bill. Mr Ballance thought it a pity that the last speaker had not dealt with principles instead of details. The Government Bid was far superior to Mr Whitakers’. He was not going to contend that the extension of the suffrage would have such a great effect upon the liberties of the people, hut it was necessary for the good of the country to distribute political power over ad people, and to give manhood suffrage with reasonable restrictions. The principle of the government was that they extended the political privileges by residential qualifications, and no more liberal franchise than that provided by the Bill could he given. As to the educational test, a high educational test was not justified by experience. For instance, the University of Oxford at Home had opposed every liberal m 'asuve now on the statute book, and rejected Mr Glad- . stone for bis liberal ideas. The principle of the representation of minorities was a fallacy. It was un-English, and further, every reform in England had been carried by a simple majority. No doubt there were minor defects in the Bill, but were there not such in every great proposal brought brought before that or any other House 1 The question was, is the Bdl good in principle ? The debate was then adjourned. Mr Sheehan promised to lay on the table all papers connected with O’Connor’s case,-and any papers relating to the settlement of Madeirans in the districts north of Auckland, and said government would he prepared to consider favourably the question of affording assistance to the proposed National Rifle Association. Mr Bastings moved —“That the House at its rising on Thursday, the sth September, at 5 30, pm, do adjourn until Tuesday the 10th, at 7 30 p.m,, to enable members to visit the opening of the Dunedin and Christchurch railway.”— Agreed to without discussion. Mr Saunders withdrew his motion for repealing the Counties Act. Mr Fox moving for the production of Imperial despatches, the Premier pointed out that it was not always proper to ask for these despatches. Mr Fox said he differed from him as light differed from darkness. The House had a perfect right to be acquainted with all that passes. i Mr Joyce proposed that Mr Whitaker's .-/WRiII be read that day six months. ' " Mr Thompson said it was an experiment for which the people of the Colony were not n e.

Mr Oliver bo!lo\-d a majority of the V ‘ people were averse to manhood suffrage. Still, the Government Bill he considered acceptable. He spoke in favour of Hare's system, arguing that what had been urged *i” - ainst it—-that it would tend to return the representatives of cliques— was a point in its favour - , sine; such representatives would commonly he enthusiasts, and few great things were done without the aid of

enthusiasts. Mr Moss thought that the Govommont Bill would imet all the requiremeiits of the^country. /Mr Whitaker said that the feeling of m House appeared to he against the "jEioplion of the new plan, lie would, if the lion member for Wallace would withdraw his amendment, withdraw ids Bill. By this means he would be enabled to move such amendments as lie thought should he made in the Government measure. B> had only one object in view, viz., that of having the best possible measure past into law for placing the question of Parliamentary representation on a satisfactory footing, and to attain that obj 'ct be would assist the Attorney-General as far as lay in his power. The amendment and the Bill were then withdrawn. Ang. 21. Mr Wakefield asked the Government when the Licensing Bill would be brought down, and whether they would make it a Government question. Mr Sbeehan said the Bill would he made the first or second on the Orders of the Day for Tuesday next, but they did not a consider the measure one on which the Government ought to go in or nut. Mr Beeves moved that steps should he taken to prevent the possible influx of Chinese.

Different speakers gave it as their impression that there is no immediate danger of any great influx of Chinese, but that should such a danger arise, restrictive measures should be taken. Mr Reeves ultimately withdrew his motion.

In Committee on the Milford Harbour Board Bill, Mr Whitaker asked that the endowment clause should be postponed for a week, in order that the House might decide once and for all what course they should adopt in regard to the principle of endowments ; and accordingly moved that progress be reported.

Mr Wakefield defended the Bill and disclaimed any fear of its being a swindle, and protested against it being made a scapegoat of on account of this sudden outburst of principle.

Mr Stout did not want to see the lion member in charge of the Bill risk it by going on with it now, and he would suggest that it should be postponed for a k, by which time all the other Harbour would have reached their second ling, when probably the House would be prepared to deal with the very large ; questions opened up by Bills of that ' kind.

Mr Wakefield then expressed his willingness to withdraw the Bill. Mr Bees said no single Bill could settle the question. It was necessary the House should affirm its principle on the question by resolution, and in order that the whole question might be debated, he would take an early opportunity of bringing down a resolution for that purpose. Progress was then reported, and leave given to sit again. The Wairaakariri Harbour Endowment Bill and theNapicr H arbour Bill were read a second time, and referred to the Waste Lands Committee.