GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1382, 22 August 1885, Page 1

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. on Wednesday. Sir F. Whitaker gave notice to introduce a Bill to amend the constitution of the Council. Mr Menzies asked, without notice, a question relative to certain nurses haying been summarily dismissed from the Wellington Hospital the previous morning. The Hon. the Colonial Secretary said ho knew nothing of their dismissal till that mornng, the Iteter having been referred to the local Hospitd Committee. The nurses had signed a protest against the dismissal of Dr Chilton, the Resident Surgeon and sent it to Mr C. R. Johnston, Chairman of the Hospital Committee. When the matter was referred to the Committee tho previous afternoon, they decided that tho Colonial Secretary was not justified in calling upon them to carry out the dismissals, but that he should undertake that task himself, an I if he did so they would be glad to co-operate ■n appointing their aueccessors. Th« matter then dropped. The Christchurch Market Reserve Bill, and the Financial Arrangement Bill were passod. 'ihe Distress Bill and the Otago Harbor Board Bill were committed. Progress was reported on the hitter, and the former was reported with amendments. 'The Fire and Marine Insurance Bill was read a third time and passed. The South Island Halfcaste Grant Bill and the Public Reserves Bill were read a second time. The Invercargill Loans Consolidation Bdl was amended in Committee and reported, and the Council rose at 8.49 p.m. The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m on Thursday. Mr C. R. Johnston made a lengthy explanation of his actions as Chairman of ihe Wellington Hospital Committee in connection with the dismissal of nurses from the Wellington Hospital, and the matter dropped. A Bill to alter the Constitution of the Council was introduced. The Colonial Secretary formally rqoved the second reading of the Hospital and Cluiriiahle Instilutions Bill, on the understanding that it should he referred j to a Go,ii mit tee and the discussion taken afterward#.—The second reading was agreeff to, and tho Bill was referred to the Committee. The Coroners’ Bill was read a second time. The Middle Island Halfcastes Grant Bill and the Public Reserves Bill ’ weie committed, and the former was passed, while progress was reported on the latter. The Council rose at 5, p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30 p.m. otvWedneslay. Replying to Macarthuv, whether the Government have received any intimation of the intention of Sir F. D. Bell to resign the Agent-Generalship ; if so, have the Government entered into any negotiations arrangement, or understanding wiiji any person aa to his successor ; (3) if so, will the Government state with whom such arrangement, negotiations, or understanding has been entered into, tho Hon. Mr Stout said no intimation had been received from the Agent-General as Jo, his intended resignation, and no negotiations had been entered into as'to hie successor. Replying to Sir George Grey, i|f it is ihe intention of the Government fq un-, dertake tlie construction of the,East and West Coast Railway, so aa tp connect Christchurch with Hokitika, via Grey r ’ mouth, the Hon Mr Stout said thejnfor(nation asked for would be found in the Public Works Statement. He declined to reply to the question till then, Sir George Grey moved the adjournment of the House to allow the consideration of the question. A discussion ensued, during which the Hon. Mr Stout stated that ou Frijlayiiq would inform the House when he would deliver the Public Works Statement. On Sir George Grey’s motion beijag put it was lost. Xu reply to a question the Hon. Mr Stout said the matter of the railway sidings would be reconsidered. The House went into Committee on tho Property Law Consolidation Act Amendment Bill which was passed through Committee with an additional clause. , The House went into Committee on the New Plymouth Exchanges Completion Act 1874 Amendment Bill,..which:passed without alteration. _ • The House went into Commit tee for further consideration, of the Lmi i Bill, A lengthy discussion then opened on clause 64, providing UiatTeasts, etc;, are to ha signed by the CdminiSMiunerj a M I the covenants and conditions as to rent, transfers, etc., to operate as if inserted u. all leases.

Mr Donald Reid moved to strike out of the clause, “ that leases and licenses shall be subject to covenants expressed by the Properly Law Consolidation Act 1883 in relation to payment of rent in distress."—Agreed to. The. Hon. Mr Balance agreed to accept the amendment, and the House rose at 5.30 p.m. The, House resumed at 7.30 p.m. In clause 70, providing that the Board may hold enquiry, and cancel the lease or license in certain cases, Mr Pylte moved ihe following addition:— “Provided always that,the Board have discretionary power to.dispense with personal residence cn satisfactory reasons being given for non-residenee.” The amendment was carried on a division by 35. to 34. In clause 108, providing who. may be selectors, Mr Hislop moved to strike out the words no selector, paving assigned his interest herennder."—Agreed to.. Another amendment was proposed in the clause, but was negatived on a division. in clause 110 the upset price to bs 5 per cent over the ordinary price pf land, Mr Ivess moved to insert “one-quarter” instead of “one-half” to b ( p added to the cash price.—Agreed TO. '' Mr Pyko’ moved the following provision to the ,clause V Provided that after the expiration of 3 years from the date when any block of land has been opened Up for selection the price’of any unsold section in such block may be reduced to the c ««h or upset price, as the case may b«.’’— Agreed to, ! On clause 125 being reached, providing that Land Boards may reduce the original valuation,of improvements, Mr Pyke obt jecied to the clause, and pointed but that it was too wide, and that under" it the Boards might reduce the valuation of improvements from £sootp,£s, Mr Macartlmr moved—“ That the Land Boards,, with the consent of the original selector, reduce the original valuation.— Agreed to. The Hon. Mr Bvllance moved tp report progress.—Agreed to. The Property Law Consolidation Act Amendment Bill and the New Plymouth Exchange Completion Act Amendment Bill was read a third time and passed. The House rose at 1.10 n.m. The House met at 2.?0 p.m. on Thorsday. Replying to questions, Ministers stated that Government did noi see their way to relax any of the regulations regarding the examinations for second mates ; that Government would mike provision for a daily mail service to and from Mastertoa through the hush settlements' to Woodville ; that the light dues had been remitted by a former Government—the amount gained if the dues were reimposed would be about £lo,ooo—but Government had not decided whether they should be again imposed ; that Government would consider the best means of prohibiting the exhibitions known as ‘‘glove fights.” Mr G, F. Richardson than put a question regarding the dismissal of the nurses from the Wellington Hospital, to which the Hon. Mr Stout replied, A smart dis’ cussion ensued, during which thejmanagement of the hospital and the action of the Colonial Secretary were freely condemned. It was fiually decided that a Committee should be appointed to enquire into the matter. ' J On the motion being pot that the amendment maeje in tjip. find Marino Insurance Companies Bill by the Legislative Council be considered,. Mr, Ivess moved that the amendment be considered that day six months, He argued for freetrade in insurance.—The motion was carried. The South Rakaia Domain Board Empowering 811 and the Gisborne High School Bill passed through their remaining stages. J The Auckland Harbor Board Bill (No. 2) was read a second time. Mr O’Callughap mqyed ,tbot in the schedule of business to be laid on the fable by Mr Speaker at th,e end of each session, there shall be included f, return if the number of hours spent during the session in the consideration of Bills brought in by private raenibprs, other than local Bills; also of the"number of Bills that have passed, into, law during the session. , The House rose at 6.30 p.m. and resumed at 7,.30. ; £ The Laud Bill was further considered in Committee. In clause 127, applications to capitaliae unpaid instalments for land, Mr Scobie 'Mackenzie ! suggested that that portion ot the clause be’.struck out which provided that a grant not be ssued to a selector until the expiration of six years. 1 He con tended that those •electors who bad fulfilled the Required condition,should be put, in, a position to receive their grant.—The amendment was negatived and the ‘clause" passed as printed, i .i 1 lu clause 135, Sir George, Grey, moved n provision that land under t the, deferred payment system might also bo brought Kinder, the homestead* system. The amendment was lost. j. Clause 144, bearing on porpotualleasing and providing for right, of purchase within 1 six years if ’ all ‘ booditions are fulfilled was struck out, the Hon. Mr Stout stating that 1 it was inserted in another place. *rr Li clause IGS—flanda held for pastoral purposes:-yVlrßyke moved to strike out the words “or pastoral” from the portion of the the/ term of license for 21 years subject to' I 'p months noti e.—The amendment was lost, i A long, diaciosion ensued on clausa 1;9 tile ‘ McKenzie clause—priding tha rid person holding land cabbie of carrying 20,000 sheep, or 4000 hsacl of cattle, bhall be entitled to ■ become the purchaser of any additional v pastoral license or lease.—The. clause was struck out. ; The Ho . Mr 1 ollsston conJ v .. e [clause.