GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1250, 9 October 1884, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE' COUNCIL. In the Legislative Council, on Tuesday several Bills were road a second lime. The Road Boards Amendment Bill, hik: the Napier Harbor Board Empowering und L );in Bill, were read a third time and passed. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 7.30 p.m. on Monday. On the motion of the Hon. Mr Stout, the amendments made by the Legislative Council in the Married Women's Property Act Amendment Bill were agreed to. On the motion of Mr Ross, the amendment made by the Council on the Otagj Hurbor Board Loan Empowering Bill whs agreed to.

The Foreign Companies Bill amendments were also agreed to. A message from the Council was received to the effect th.it the Pensions Bill had passed through all its stilus without amendment.

On the motion for going into Co..iuiute« of Supply, Mr Macandrew moved—" Th>it as one of the chief advantages to ba derived from the establishment of direct steam with the United Kingdom would ho the conveyance of letters at a postal chargo not greatly in excess of the actual co«t of transit, the Government ba requested to take such action as may best conduce to this result." He argued that a penny postage would have the effect of strengthening the bond between this and the Motiie r Country. The Hon. Sir Julius Vogel replied that the proposed charge was too small, The cost of transit has never been defrayed by the postal charge. Ho admitted cheap rates of postage were beneficial, but in the face of the heavy subsidies they had to pay the sum indicated would be too small. He asked that the motion should b» withdrawn, he giving them an assurance that no fresh postal arrangement wouM be made until Parliament had been consulted. Mr Macandrew agreed to withdraw his motion, stating at the Hame time th»t the explanation was not a satisfactory one. The House then went into Committee of Supply. In the House on Tuesday, Replying to Mr Levestam, the Hon. Mr Richardson said the boiler which burst at Timaru some time last year had _been inspected and reported safe. The accident was an exceptional one, quite compatible with the inspection. Replying to Mr Sutter, the Hon. Mr Ballance said the land round the foot of Mount Cook and the Mueller glacier would be reserved, and the Government would consider the necessity for reserving land five chains wide round the lakes and rivers in the Mackenzie Country for fishing and botanical purposes. Replying to Mr Garrick, the Hon. Mr Stout snid if provision were made in the Married Women's Property Bill for succession to the estate of a woman dying intestate, it would necessitate the Bill being reserved for Her Majesty's pleasure. To avoid that difficulty, he suggested that provision should be made in the form of an amended measure.

The Hon. Mr Stout moved that Government business have precedence on Wednesday for the remainder of tbe session. The motion wan carried, on the understanding that private members should have one-half of to-morrow.

On the motion of the Hon. Mrßallance, the Waikato Confiscated Land Bill was read a second time. Thb Hon. Sir Julius Vogel moved the second reading of thu Government Insurance Association Bill. The object of the Bill was to give greater security to the policy holders, and at tht same time to provide for the more efficient despatch of the business, which had now become of considerable magnitude. Power was also asked to extend the business to the other co'onies and to Great Britain, The motion was curried on the understanding that reasonable time would be allowed for its consideration before pushing it on its future stages.

Mr Liike resumed the dvbate ou the motion for the District Railways Leasing and Purchasing Bill going into Committee, and an amendment for referring the same to a -Seiect Committee for investigation. He supported the amendment. Mr Bryce, Ma-jor Atkinson, Sir George Grey, Mr Turnbull, and Mr Hursthouse supported the amendment, whilst Mr Pyke and the Hon, Sir Julius Voge! spoke iu favor of the motion. The Hoiioe divided on the motion for going into Committee—Ayes, 47 ; Noes, 29. Messrs Steward, Sutter, and Turnbull voted for the motion, Messrs Rollestoo and Wakefield supported the amendment.