GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1393, 17 September 1885, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL,

The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. cn Monday, Captain B liiio moved the adoption of the report of the Joint Houses Committee relative to the heating and lighting of Parliament buildings. The report was adopted. The Agricultural and Pastoral Societies Bill was read a first time.

Mr Hart moved that leave be given to himself to waive his privilege of Parliament so far as will permit of his being served with a process out of the Supreme Court, and doing and suffering whatever might be necessary consequent upon such service. He explained he moved this in order that any claims there might be against him could be brought forward during his lifetime, and not after he was dead, when he would be unable to answer. The motion was agreed to. The Insurance Mortgage Debentures Bill was re-committed and progress was reported. The adjourned debate on the question that the amendments proposed by His Excellency the Governor to the Stamp Act be agreed to, was resumed, and the amendments were agreed to. The Public Works Bill was read a third time and passed.

The Counties Bill was reported with amendments. The Council went into Committee on the Land Bill, and at 5 o’clock adjourned till 7 30 p.m. The Council resumed at 7.30 p.m. in Committee on the Laud Bill, and at 10.30 p.m. progress was reported, and leave granted to sit again. The Enforcement of Judgments Bill and the Municipal Corporations Bill were received from the House of Representatives and read a first time.

The Council adjourned at 10.40 p.ra,

The Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday. It was resolved that it be an instruction to the Mative Affairs Committee to enquire into the transactions ot Mr Taiaroa in connection with a certain sum voted by Parliament in 1877 in reference to the Princes street Reserve, Dunedin. Managers for a second free conference were appointed in regard to the Mines Bill.

The Napier Gas Company’s Bill was read a third time and passed. The Joint Committee’s report on the Codlin Moth was adopted.

It was resolved that for the remainder of the session Government business have precedence. The Mortgage Debentures Bill was reported from Committee with amendments.

The J ustices of the Peace Bill was recommitted, was reported without amendments. read a third time and passed.

The Council went into Committee on the Land Bill. The provision that the homestead system should be extended to the whole of the colony was negatived by 14 to 12, and at 10.15 p.m. progress was reported, and leave granted to sit again.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

The House met at 2.30 p.m. on Monday. The Hon Sir Julius Vogel said he regretted to have to inform the House that there was no chance of carrying out the San Francisco mail service with Auckland as the terminus for anything like the terms which was contemplated by the resolutions of the House in Committee. He wished to sity that the Government were now negotiating for a service equally with Sydney as the terminus and running between Sydney, Auckland, and Honolulu, connecting at the latter place, with the fine steamers running fortnightly between Sm Francisco and Honolulu. The Government were now corresponding with the Government of New South Wales, and as the negotiations were still going on he was not in a position to tell the House anything definite, but the Government would consider it necessary to submit the matter for the considcra'nn of the House before incurring any responsibility.

The Mon. Mr Stout moved that the amendments made by the Legislative Council in the Hospitals and Charitable Aid Institutions Bill be agreed to. He, said the amendments were only formal.— - Agreed to. The Hon. Mr Stout moved that the House do not insist on its amendments in the Land Transfer Bill except as to c'fvuse 218. V. ' Mr Garrick objeclon to abandoning ihe amendment (o section 101, which niido a person who had put land under the Act liable for negligence that might he discovered in his papers after his certificate of title had been issued.

Mr Downie Stewart also obj-cled, ani moved an amendment accordingly. The amendment was carried on the voices, and the clause re'ating fo negligence slruck out. Mr Hamlin made a personal explanation re the assertion made in the House that ho had attempted to influence the Maori vote on the no-confidence motion. Ho denied that he had done so. The House went into Committee on the Municipal Corporations Act Amendment Bill, which, after a slight amendment had been made, was read a third time and passed. The House went into Committee on (he Enforcement of Judgment Bill, which was reported with verbal amendments, read a third time, and passed.

The House went into Committee to consider the following resolutions (1) That in the opinion of the House that portion of New Guinea annexed to the Empire should for the present be created a Crown colony, with the view of being ultimately annexed to Queensland or created a Constitutional colony ; (2) That aid should be given hy the Imperial, Government lo the now possession by placing at the disposal of the Governor a war vessel for his use ; (3) That for a term of three years, from the Ist day of June, 1886, this colony will undertake to pay its share of £lo,oooa year proportionately to population, on condition that the other colonies of Australasia join in the contrihntion on the same terms.

The lion. Mr Stout explained that the resolutions were brought forward merely to give effect to what had been previously agreed to by the House. The Government had thought that to make New Guinea a Crown colony would be the best course, and that it would be best for the colony to be annexed to Queensland,

Sir George Grey moved as an amendment—“ That no decision should be come to as to the form of government to be given to New Guinea, or to future disposition of that colony, until a report had been received from M«Tjoi-General Scratchley, after personal enquiry into it. —This was carried. The House went into Committee to consider the advisability of granting a subsidy to the Australian cable. The Hon. Sir Julius Vogel said some years ago a contract was made at a low amount by which they secured the construction of a cable between Sydney and Nelson. The total cost of the subsidy was £7500, of which New South Wales contributed £2500, and New Zealand £SOOO. The Government recently received an intimation from Sydney that unless the subsidy was continued the charges would be greatly increased. He contended'that the cable rates at present charged were lower than those charged in any other part of the world considering the distance. He said the proposal was to reduce the Press tates to 3d per word, and ordinary message to 6d per word or 5s per 10 words. It was very desirable that the colony should possess cheap rates of telegraphing. £SOOO was an amount which the colony could well afford for this purpose. —After debate it was decided to subsidise the cable for 6 years to an extent not exceeding £SOOO per annum. The Waimea Plains Rating Bill passed its second reading. The House went into Committee of Supply for the further consideration of the Public Works Estimates.

Item : Surveys of new lines of railways, £3OOO. —Agreed to. Item; Public Works Department, £2B,93l.—Carried. Item : Roads, bridges, and wharves north of Auckland, £69,224.—Reduced by £15,000. Vote ; Main Roads, £45,000. —Agree ! to.

Vote : Miscellaneous roads and bridges, £83,974. Reduced by £IO,OOO, Yote : Grants in aid, £268,329. —Reduced by £23,000. Vote : Roads to open land before sale, £70,000. —Agreed to. Yote : Roads on goldfields, £50,000. —Reduced by £SOOO. Vote : Water-races, Middle Island, £30,200. Yote : Judicial, £33,227.—Reduced by £4,000. Vote : Postal and Telegraph, £8332. Passed.

Vote : Customs. —Reduced by £4OOO. Vole : Survey and Priniing Offices, £6ooo.—Reduced by £4OOO. Vote : Lunatic Asylums, £2300. — Carried.

Vote : Hospital and Charitable Institutions, £13,000. —Carried. Vote : Quarantine Stations, £SOO. Carried, Vote: School Buildings, £68,230. — Carried.

Vote : Lighthouses, £lo,44o.—Reduced by £2OO. Vote : Harbor Defences, £250,000. — Reduced by £50,000. Vote; Postmaster-General and Telegraph Commissioner, £259,000. —Carried. Vote : Minister Native Affairs, £70,000. Carried.

Vote ; Charges of Raising Loans, £6o,ooo.—Carried, Progress was reported, and the House rose at 3 a.m.

The House met at 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday. Replying to questions, Ministers stated : That the cause of the depression in agriculture and commerce in New Zealand would receive the attention of Government during the recess, but Government would not pledge themselves to appoint a Royal Commission ; that Government did not agree \vith the resolutions passed at the public meeting at Dunedin last week on the subject of defence, and would carry out ihe scheme of defence already agreed upon ; that the appointment of New Zealand residents at. Samoa was a very important matter and would be considered (hiring the recess. Major Atkinson said he intended moving that the Governor be requested to place a sum of money on the Estimates in recognition of the services of Sir William Fox, Commissioner for the West Coast.

The Hon. Sir Julius Vogel moved the second reading of the District Railways Purchasing Bill. The motion was carried by 37 to 27 after a short discussion.

The Hon. Mr Tole moved the second reading of the Supremo Court Reporting Bill, explaining that it was brought in to enable abort-hand reporters to be employed to report proceedings in Courts of Justice.

The Hon. the Premier warmly supported the Bill, but on the motion of Mr Kerr the debate was adjourned for a fortnight. The House went into Committee on the Waimea Plains Railway Rating Bill. Clause 4, providing that the cost should be ascertained by a Commissioner, was amended, a judge of the Supreme Court being substituted. Several other amendments were proposed and negatived and progress was reported. The House went into Committee for further consideration of the Local Bodies Finance and Powers Bill.

The clauses proving for the construction of District Railways, and the vesting of fishing rights in County Councils were struck out. The clause providing for the Repeal of the Roads and Bridges Construction Act, evoked considerable discussion but passed. A number of further amendments were made in the Bill, and it then passed its third reading. The House rose at 1.50 a.m.