GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1355, 20 June 1885, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. on Wednesday. Several petitions were presented from the Otago district against the employment of females as barmaids. On the motion of the Colonial Secretary, the Native Affairs Committee, Goldfields Committee, and Waste Lands Committee, were appointed. Captain Baillie moved the appointment of a Joint Committee on Bills, and the Standing Orders on . Private Bills Committee, which was agreed to. The Hon. Mr McLean formally moved that the Council be called oyer on June 30th, explaining that hj did so in order that every member may have an opportunity ot being present during the debate on the Legislative Council BUI. The Hon, Captain Fraser seconded the motion, and it was agreed to. The debate on the Address in Reply was then resumed, and, the Hons. Captain Fraser, Colonel Brett, and McLean, having spoken, it was adjourned till the following day. The Council went into Committee on the Municipal Corporations Bill, and progress was afterwards teporled. The Council adjourned at 4.50 p.m. In the Legislative Council on Thursday In reply to Mr G. R. Johnston, the Hon. the Colonial Secretary promised to consider the law relating to destitute persons, with a view of providing that wives possessed of property in their own right might be compelled to contribute towards the support of their husbands when necessary.

In reply to a question, the Hon. the Colonial Secretary said papers relating to the case of Mr Sutton, of Masterton, would be laid on the table shortly.

Several additional Select Committees were appointed. The debate on the Address in Reply was resumed by the Hon. Mr Scotland, who condemned the action of the Government in appointing a Commandant of Volunteers.

The Hon, Mr Chamberlain thought the Exhibition at Wellington would benefit local industries very little. The Hon. the Colonial Secretary joined with those who congratulated the mover and seconder of the Address on the manner in which they had performed their task. He merely wished to correct an error which some honorable gentlemen seemed to have fallen into in reference to the North Island railway, the (lovernment having been blamed for not taking the precaution to acquire the land before commencing the railway, whereas the rights of the Government had been protected by an Act passed last session.

HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30 p.m. on Wednesday. Mr Kerr, member for Waimea, took the oath and hia seat.

The House adjourned at 2.45 for the purpose of presenting the Address in Reply to the Governor, and on resuming, the Speaker reported that he had presented the Address to the Governor.

Replying to Mr Connolly as to whether the Government would introduce this session a Bill to prevent restrictions on alienation of land, the Hon. Mr Stout said, owing to the large number of Bills the Government had to prepare, it would be impossible to bring in such a Bill this session.

Replying to Mr Hurst as to whether the lowering of the grain rates would result in a direct loss to the revenue, the Hon. Mr Richardson said it would greatly depend on the quantity of grain carried. Replying to Mr Wakefield, as to whether the Government intend,to lay before the House any agreement, contract or other arrangement entered into with any per* sons under the East and West Coast (South Island) and Nelson Railway Act 1884, and if so when, the Hon. Mr Richardson said the information would be laid on the table as soon as printed. . Several other important questions were : replied to. A number of Rills were introduced and read the first time, among them being the Timaru Harbor Loan Bill by Mr Turnbull.

Sir George Grey moved an Address to the Crown for the purpose of con* gratulating Her Majesty on the steps recently taken by Now South Wales and other colonies to aid or to tender efficient aid to the Empire at a time of temporary difficulty, and of assuring Her Majesty that it is the desire of her subjects in New Zealand to render aid to the Empire to the beat of their ability at all times when their services may be deemed of value and may be accepted by Her Majesty* The Hon. Mr Stout seconded the motion, and the Hon. Major Atkinson and Mr I'isher having spoken it was carried unani* mously. It was also agreed that a copy of the Address should be forwarded to Governor of New South Wales. It was decided to forward the Address to Her Majesty through the Governor. Messrs Macandrew and Turnbull both expressed the hope that by passing the Address it was not to be understood that they agreed with the action of the British Government re the Soudan Campaign.

Mr Hurethouso moved for a return showing hew many Boards have been appointed for the consideration of com* plaints from railway, employee*,. the names of the members, the . dale when appointed and bow many cases have been adjudicated upon, the results, and under what authority such Boards wore ap* pointed.—The motion was agreed to. A Public Accounts Committee, and a Goldfields Committee were appointed. The Hon. Mr Ballance moved the appointment of a Waste Land* Committee, Agreed to. The Hon. Mr Stout then moved the second reading of the Canterbury and O'ago Marriage Bill. He explained that all that was necessary was to validate marriages which both parties had entered into believing they were according to law. —The motion was agreed to, and the Bill read a second time. The Hon. Mr Stout moved,.the second reading of the Administration Act 1879 Amendment Bill.. He said the Bill was brought in owing to some provisions in the Married Women’s Property Bill of last year.—The motion was carried. The Ron. Mr Stout moved the second reading of the Mercantile Law Act 1880 Amendment Bill.—The motion was agreed to.

The Hon. Mr Stout moved the second reading of the Patent Act Amendment Bill and briefly explained its provisions, which were that. inventions should at the Exhibition should be protected.— Agreed to. In the House on Thursday,

Sir Julius Vogel gave, notice to introduce the Hospital and Charitable Aid Bill, the Finance Powers Bill, and a Bill to Abolish the Duty on Gold.

Replying to Mr Cowan, who asked if the Premier would, with a ,vipw of relieving the depression under which the agricultural industries of the country were suffering, bring in a Bill with provisions to meet the case similar to those which were embodied in the Colonial Reciprocity Bill of 1870, the Hon. Sir Julius Vogel said that at a later stage of the session, when the financial proposals of the Government were before the House, it might be considered what power should be given to the Government in this direction.

Replying to Mr Moss re a disease which has recently attacked the lemon trees in Auckland, the Hon. Mr Balance said Professor Kirk had been instructed to report generally on the diseases of fruit trees in Auckland.

Replying to Mr Rolleston as to whether the Government bad any report as to the working of the Contagious Diseases Act in the colony during the past year, and if not would they obtain one, the Hon. Mr Tole said the Government had no report for last year, but if desired they would procure one. Replying to Mr Hursthouse, as to whether the Government had determined where they intended to bold their next annual national Exhibition, the Hon. Sir Julius Vogel said the Government had not decided upon what representation they would make to Parliament on the subject.

A number of new Bills were introduced, Mr Lance moved that oil papers and correspondence relating to an enquiry he'd by the Christchurch Hospital Beard be laid before the House.—The motion was agreed to. Mr Menteath moved for certain returns, but the Hon. Sir Julius Vogel said the preparation of the return would so much that the Government would have to oppose it if it were pressed.— The motion was withdrawn. Mr Rolleston moved that there bs laid before the House a return showing copies of the rules of any co-operative freehold land association registered under The Industrial and Provident Societies Act, 1877. —The motion was agreed to. Mr Bryce, moved for a return showing the number of blocks of native land the title to which has been determined by the Native Lands Court, from the date of its creation to the 31et March, 1885, with the area and number of owners of each block respectively.—The motion was agreed to. Mr Hurst moved for a return of the travelling allowances drawn by each Minister and his attendants since 1879, in each year,—The motion was agreed to. Mr Rolleston moved that copies of all correspondence and all memoranda with reference to Mr Wason's several applications under the Forest Trees Planting Act be laid before this House. —The motion was agreed to. The House went into Committee on the Canterbury and Otago Marriages Bill, which was passed without amendment, read a third time, and passed, p The House went into Committee on the Patents Act 1882 Amendment Bill.—The Hon. Mr Stout moved to amend cl iuse 2 by making it six months instead of twelve as the time within which application for a patent must be made from the date of the opening of the Exhibition. —The amendment was agreed to, the Bill reported with amendments, read a third time and passed. The Mercantile Loan Act Amendment Bill passed through Committee without amendment, and was read a third time and passed. - The House rose at 6 p.m.