GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 154, 14 August 1886, Page 1

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. In the Legislative Council on Wednesday, The Council declined to accept the amendments of the House on the Har hors Bill, and a message to that eff 'C! was sent to the House. The Special Powers and Contracts Bill was read a second time, and referred t th 3 Waste Lands Committee. The Stamp Acts Amendments Bill was committed, and progress reported. Dr Pollen brought up the reports of the Committees appointed to draw up reasons why the Council insisted upon their amendments in the Counties and Muni cipa] Corporations Bilk Both were transmitted to the House, and the Council adjourned. In the Legislative Council on Thursday, The Vico-Regal assent was given to a number of Bills.

The reasons assigned by the H"ii«e for disagreeing with certain amendments in the Mining Bill made by the Council were considered in Committee, those in clause 120, being with reference to the resumption of private lands for raining purposes, being persisted in. A Committee was appointed to draw up reasons for ingThe Stamp Act Bill was reuc a tldr' time and passed. Managers were appointed to confer with the Managers of the House relative to the disagreements between the Council win; the House in the Counties Bill and the Municipal Corporations Bilk The Property Assessment Bill was read a second time on the voices.

Dr Pollen, Mr Miller, Mr McLean, and Mr Wilson were appointed Managers for I he Council on the second free conference on the Government Loans to Local Bodies Bill.

The Council then adjourned. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

The House met at 2.30 p*m. on Wedriiesd ay. The Premier moved that the amendments made by the Legislative Council in the Hospitals and Charitable Ineiitnt ons Bill ho agreed to, with the exception of the amendment to separate PiAo from ihe Thames and add it on to Waikato.— Mr White moved that this amendment also bo agresd to. —After some discussion Mr White’s amendment was carried by 39 to 29.

■ Sir George Grey desired (o bring up a personal matter wilh reference to a speech made a few nights ago by Mr Ballance, in which he referred to him (Sir George Grey) as being a promoter of the New Zealand Agricultural Company, and had said there were promoters and promoters of that Company. Ho wished to ask if Mr Ballance used the words attributed to him as they had been sent to the newspapers. Mr Ballance admitted that he had used those words, but said he had explained the reason why he had used them, which Sir George Grey had not given. Sir George Grey moved the adjournment of the House, and made a long explanation, denying that he had anything to do wilh ihe Company, and the subject then dropped. Replying to questions, it was stated ; That if any amendment wore necessary before next session in the Election Petitions Act, Corrupt Practices Prevention Act, and other Electoral Acts, a Bill would be hroueht down dealing with them ; that £2OOO would be placed on the vSnppl-■merit’.ry Estimates in recognition of Sir William Fox’s services as Commissioner under the West Coast S ttlemeni Aot ; that Government won'd afford every encouragement to the flax industr}'. Mr Ross resumed the debate on the Representation Bill, and Messrs Pyke and J. C. Buckland having spoken the Bill was read a second lime without a division. On the motion for Committal on Thursday Mr Seddon moved to inseit that day month, but was ruled out of order. The question was then put: Ayes 30, Noes 29. The District Railways Purchase AC Amendment Bill was further considered in Coram’ttee.

The House adjourned at 5.30 p.m. On resumipg at 7.30 p.m. the Rabbit Act Amendment Bill wag. further cm sidtrod. Clause 36. giv ng boards power to levy a rate of three-sixteenths of u

penny, evoked a sharp discussion. The clause was retained on the voices. Another discussion arose over the clause proposed by Mr Scobie,Mackenzie, giving stock-owners the right to vote by proxy. The Clause was rejected. The Property Assessment Bill was considered in Committee.

Mr Macandrew said the Bill was stealing a march on church property, to which it meant a loss of £3OOO or £4OOO a year. He protested against such a measure being forced at the fag end of the session.

The Premier said the question was whether nearly a million of property, mostly state granted land, was to escape taxation.

Mr Rolleston sympathised with Mr Macandrew, bat thought reason and argument were with (he Premier.

Clause 2, on which the debate had arisen, was carried by 35 to 17, and the remainder of the Bill passed with?; little opposition. a

The Settled Land Bill was committed, and the Premier paid he had agreed to make certain amendments to meet the views of the speakers on the second reading. Consideration of the Bill was inter* rupted to appoint managers of conferences with the Council on the amendments in rhe Harbors, Counties and Municipal Corporations Bills. After the Property Assessment Bill had passed its final stages, the Settled Land . Bill was resumed.

Some fori her amendments .were made, Mid the Bill road a third time and passed. The Minister of Public Works moved the recommittal of the District Railways Bill in order to reconsider certain clauses. He said purchase money had, been re* duced in a email House. After a sharp « debate, the adjournment till the following day was agreed to on the ToicOßjdand the House rose at 12 45 «.m. The report of the Select Committee on Mr Vaile’s railway system was brought up. The Cnmraitt e finds—(l) That it'may be inferred from the numerous petitions on the subject presented to Parliament, and referred to this committee, that a great deal of discontent and desire for change exists in the colony. (2) That allhough the system now in force in New Zealand is similar to that in the United Kingdom, and is fairly well administered, it is nevertheless not satisfastory as a system. (3) That there is generally a belief that the present scale of charges is higher than is desirable in the best interests of the colony, and that a considerably reduced scale, especially ns regards' the carriage of goods for long distances, and New Zealand products, would largely'-" promote settlement and production. For •hese reasons, w hile admitting that the evidence adduced in favor of Mr Vailo’s system has not been sufficient to prove that it would be such a financial success as to warrant its application to the colony as a whole, the Committee, bearing in mind the great importance of the subject, is of opinion : that a trial should be given to the system on all isolated sections of our railways, provided that the various local bodies in the districts served by the extension of railways to which the scheme is to be applied shall have previously struck a rate sufficient, in the opinion of the Government, to recoup any loss to the revenue which it may entail, each loss, if any, to he calculated on the bas>s of the revenue of that section for the past financial year with the average increase or decrease of general of the New Zealand railways, either added or deducted.” -

The Property Tax Act Amendment Bill was brought down by message and read a first time. The Government Insurance Bill was received ■ with a new clause, which Sic Julius Vogel explained was to enable Government to sign orders of discharge in oonocctiou with mortgages. On the motion for the recommits! of the District Railways Purchasing Act Amendment Bill, Mr Richardson said ! hat Government had mads* the boot iirrangemeut they could with the Waimea Plains Ha’lway Company. When thff amount in the Bill was reduced, the company refused to sell, and Government accordingly wished to give the House another opportunity of making up their minds to secede to the company’s terms. If this were not done he should recommend Government to drop the Bill.—The motion for the recommittal was carried after a debate.

in clause 4, on the; motion of Mr Richardson, £27,000 was struck out and £31,000 inserted.

The Bill was reported with amendments and rend a third lime and passed; Sir Geo, Grey, Mr Wakefield aid others strongly protesting. ' On the motion for going into Csmmittee of Supply, Mr Kerr moved that the next session be held at .Nelson.

Mr Kerr’s amendment , was lost, and the Public Works Estimates were taken into further consideration.

The following votes were passed ; Class 8, Telegraph Extension, £21,700 ; Public Buildings General • Department Offices, £7OOO ; Judicial, £21,100 ; Post and Telegraph, £35,000 ; Customs, £500; Lunatic Asylums, £16,400; Hospital* and Charitable Institutions,: £BIOO ; Quarantine stations, £4OO ; School Buildings, £55,000. Class 9. Lighthouses, £7700; Harbor works, £loflii; Harbor defences, £120,000 ; Armed Constabulary fiad fon-e, £12,500; Rates on Native lands, £35,400; New woiks, construction and l'ind, £130,000: Ptr chase ot Na ive Lands, £BO,OOO. Public Works Department —Head office, £11,080; Railways extension, Noith of Auckland, £4OO ; Auckland, doubling line, £SOOO.