PARLIAMENTARY.

Temuka Leader, Volume I, Issue 73, 28 August 1878, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL,

Thursday, August 22

In the Legislative Council on Thursday last, the Akaroa Trust Bill was roughly handled, several members strongly opposing it, and one even saying that he had never heard of a more impudent Bill. Members p rotested against local bills of this kind ; such Bills ought to be made Government measures. Eventually the Bill was read a second time, after a division giving 11 to 6. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The chief business in the House on Thursday night and Friday was a continuation of the debate on the Electoral Bill. Most of the speakers favored portions or the whole of the Bilh A division called for by Sir R. Douglas resulted in his standing alone.

Mr Stout replied to the various arguments against the Bill.. He regarded the property qualifications as the only means of preventing the disfranchisement of property holders, who had to move from place to place on visiting their land. The residential clause would exclude those if they were away for six months. Indirectly, the property qualification would tend to split up large estates by encouraging the acquirement of small holdings. If anything more liberal were given, it would enable holders of a run to come from an adjoining colony to vote. The Bill was the only one which gave a man a vote without asking for a property qualification. In this matter the Government did not go too far, but went hand in hand with public opinion. He defended the proposals to give persons votes in different districts. No harm could arise from a womens’ franchise, because the question had been tested on School Boards and Municipal Institutions. The ballot papers must bo numbered, otherwise there was nothing to prevent people voting - at every booth in the place. Public opinion justified a special vote to the Maories. If the Maories were equally represented with Europeans, it would result in the Maories sending in eight or nine members to the House. He contended the' Government had fulfilled its promises, and claimed that it was proposing to deal with questions of judicature, finance, and representation; questions of a far greater importance than any other Government ever attempted to deal with in a thoroughly comprehensive manner. The late Government had said that nothing but political rest was required, and in fact said they had nothing to do. The Government had set before the country its aims, and would endeavour to carry out those aims slowly and surely like Mr Gladstone, Mr Bright, and Mr Cobden had done in England.