GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1357, 25 June 1885, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday. Several new members took the oath and their seats. The St. Mary’s Convent (Auckland) Bill was read a first time. Mr McLean moved the adoption of an Address to Her Majesty similar to the one adopted by the other Branch of the Legislature, and congratulating Her Majesty on. the steps taken by New South Wales in sending troops to the Soudan. Mr Kenny moved the previous question, and ridiculed the Address ; saying it contained nothing that justified its being sent to the Throne. . Th® Hon. the Colonial Secretary said he should have been consulted by the Hon. Mr McLean before he moved the resolution. Several other members having spoken for and against the Address, the Council -divided on tha question that the motion be now put.—Ayes, 18; Noes, 16. The Address was then adopted by 28 votes to to 7. . . Mr Bathgate introduced a Bill for the establishment of a State Bank of Issue for the colony, and the belter conduct of , banks, which was read a first time. The Municipal Corporations Bill was further considered in Committee, and . . progress reported. .The Canterbury and Otago Marriages r, Bill, Mercantile Law Amendment Bill, Patents Amendment Bill, and Cemeteries Act Amendment Bil, were read a second * time, and the Council adjourned at 4,25 p.m.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES In the House on Tuesday

Replying to questions, Ministers said : That it was not proposed to amend the Registration of Electors Act this session ; that it was not intended to introduce a Bill this session with regard to the redistribution of seats; that it was tbs intention of the Government to ask the

House to renew the present legislation with regard to the rabbit nuisance ; that no direct eommunictaion had been received froniAdimr.il Tryon regarding the organisation of a Colonial Naval Force ; that Government could not possibly bring in a Bill this session to reduce the tax on dogs; ihal the Hon. Mr Larnach will make his Statement on Mines in a few days ; that a trial had been made of tbe coal now being got at Waihoa Forks and that the result was unfavorable ; that it_wns intended to place a sum on the Estimates for tbe subsidising of Public Libraries; that if possible the Government would introduce a Bill providing for the reduction by one half of the number of jurors required to sit on Coroner s inquests and that persons liable to sit on these juries be called in turn ; that it was not the intention of the Government to bring in a Bill providing that Licensing Committees be elected by residents, or nominated by Government, instead of elected b} ratepayers, or to amend the Act in any way ; that Government had not sufficient copies of the list of Freeholders in New Zealand to supply every Road Board with one. Replying to Mr Rolleston, whether the Government will introduce a Bill this session to amend the Julies Act in the direction of providing for payment of all persons summoned in civil cases, the Hon. Mr Tole said the matter involved an amendment of the whole Act. He could not promise to bring in a Bill at present. Replying to Mr O’Callaghan, as to whether, in view of the largely-increasing importance of the Wednesday market at Addington and the late time at which the morning trains arrive in Christchurch, he will provide for an early train on Wednesday mornings and reduce the fares on that day to the same rate as on Saturday, the Hon. Mr Richardson said that the difficulty in carrying out the proposal was that trains would have to be put on for four different lines to provide accommodation, which would entail expense, If the hon. member conferred will) biro, be would endeavor to meet the requirements of stockowners, etc., if it could be done without heavy loss to the railway revenue. , , , . , Several returns were asked tor ana agreed to ; among them being one showing the amount raised by the assessment on sheep, and the amount expended on the management of the department; another showing the area of oil native lands in tbe North Island that have been acquired or negotiated by Europeans in lease or freehold from the years 1879 to 1884, including the names of the negotiators and conditions or price attached to each transaction, such return to show (a) which of these lands were in the hands of the Crown under proclamation, lien, or otherwise, and the reasons why they wore abandoned in favor of private persons, and (6) what steps, if any, have been taken by tbe Government m the Land Courts or by other means to prevent or to oppose some negotiations and to assist others; and a third showing separately the amount expended in the year since 1876 to this date (I) upon the repairs and maintenance, (2) upon additions, aud (3) upon the furniture for each of the Wellington Ministerial residences. Sir Julius Vogel asked the House to go into Committee of Supply in order to pass a formal resolution for an Imprest Supply Bill. He then explained, the order in which the Government proposed to take the discussion on their Policy Bills. He wished to inform the House respecting the new tariff that the proposals of the Government were not castiron. There had been a great many objections to the tariff received from all parts of the country. He would bring in a Bill as soon as possible dealing with the tariff as it at present exisis and the amendments made the other evening. Ho would be happy to confer with the Member for Egmont as to the most desirable way in which to take the discussion on the whole of the Policy Bills of the Government. Major Atkinson said the course the Opposition proposed to take was that as soon as the Treasurer had made his speech on the Policy Bill, the debate should be adjourned till Friday, as then a discussion might be taken on them. He thought, however, the Native Minister should have make his speech on the Native Land Bill before the other Bills were discussed. In regard to the new tariff, he suggested the Colonial Treasurer should ask the House to pass an amended tariff as brought down on Friday night. He ventured to say that no tariff ever brought down had been received with so much dissatisfaction. The Hon. Sir Julius Vogel said he agreed with Major Atkinson that the discussion of the Financial Statement should be taken on Friday. As to dissatisfaction with the new tariff, he thought that arose from a misconception of it. The House then went into Committee of Supply, and an Imprest Supply Bill of £200,000 was introduced and read a second time.

The Hon. Sir Julius Vogel then moved, in lengthy speeches, the second readings of the Local Finance and Powers Bill, and the Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Bill. The debate on each Bill was adjourned till Friday next. The Hon. Sir Julius Vogel moved the second reading of the Gold Duty Abolition Bill. He thought members were only too well acquainted with the subject. It was merely proposed to abolish the duty uid establish a royalty. The debate on this was also adjourned till Friday. The House went into Committee on the Administration Act 1879 Amendment Bill, to which several now clauses were added, and it was reported with Amendments which will be considered on Friday. The Hon. Mr Stout moved the second reading of the Representation Act 1881 Amendment Bill. The object of the Bill wa? simply to enable the cities of Weilington, Auckland, Christchurch, and Dunedin, to amalgamate into one elec torate. He adduced several reasons for bringing in the Bill, one of which was that if this law bad been in force at last election, hundreds of men would have been placed on the rolls for Dunedin over and above those who voted. Men changed their places of residence frequently, and, consequently, under the present system many were disfranchised. After a long debate, the second reading wag carried on a division. Ayes, 43; Noes, 26. The House adjourned at 12.15 a.m.