GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1590, 4 June 1887, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

The Council met at 2.30 p.m. on Wednesday. A short discussion took place on Mr Millar’s motion to adjourn the Jouncil. He took th* opportunity to severely criticise the financial position of the colony, and said it was quite time rigid and uncompromising economy should be practised.

Mr Reynolds moved the second reading of the Representation Bill, which, alter a brief discussion, was agreed to. Mr Reynold* moved that the Bill be committed on Thursday.

Dr Pollen moved an amendment that the Bill be committed presently. An animated debate followed, at the end of which Mr Buckley said hu folt so humiliated by the attempt to take this Bill out of proper hands that, but for a sense of his responsibility, he would have walked out of the Chamber and never entered it again. Party spirit had been imported into the matter, for it was wellknown that certain members had outside the expressed their intention of driving the Government off the benches. Government had every intention of passing the Bill, but they wanted to do it their own way. The amendment was carried by 21 to 14. Mr Buckley refused to take charge of the measure, and Dr Pollen offered to do so. Tbe whole of the clauses wen passed without comment or amendment, and, after a bri«f protest from Mr Shrimski against the course which had been purBued, the Bill was finally passed. The Electoral Acts Araendmsnt Bill was pnssed through all its stages. On Thursday, the Wellington University Bill and High School Reserve Bill were adjourned for a week. The Sydenham Borough Council Empowering Bill was read a second time. HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES. The House mot at 2,30 p.m. on Wednesday. Mr Dargaville brought up the report of (h* Local Industries Committee. It was at length decided that the report and evidence be printed, but that the correspondence be referred back to the Committee for lurtliey seleption. Sir Julius Vogel moved that the resolutions be rescinded concerning the Customs duties passed by tbe House on the 10th

May last, in order that money collected on the duties should be refunded.

Mujor Aikinson asked whether that resolution would ensure a refund of the money. Sir Julius Vogel said he would undertake that the moneys should be returned. The motion was agreed to. Captain Sutter moved the adjournment of the House in order to enable him to refer to a return which he had moved for in reference to the expenditure on village settlements north of Auckland. Ho said that Mr John London had been appointed agent in connection with thoss asttlernents, and he strongly denounced the appointment. He wanted to know by whose authority he was appointed, ann whether Mr London was a Government officer. Hu said the whole scheme was » total failure. Mr Fisher condemned the appointment. Mr Ballance defended Mr Lundon’s appointment, and said that he received nothing whatever but travelling expenses. The motion for adjournment was loat. The House adjourned at 5.30 p.m., and resumed at 7.20.

On the motion to go into Committee of Supply, Major Atkinson said that Government had fort'*it&d their constitutional rights by asking the House to pass supply before a measure necessary in the public interest was passed. The Opposition were willing to assist Government, and were prepared to grant supplies if the Treasurer carried out his promise to pass the Representation Bill, and name s reasonable time at which the new House would meet to eject those honorable gentlemen from the Treasury benches. He moved—“ That a respectful address be presented to the Governor praying that it is desirable that the next meeting of Patliament be held under the new Representation Hill, and that Parliament meet not later than September Ist, and that this be an instruction to the Government.” He admitted that there was a good deal of opposition to the Bill, but any stonewalling would bring discredit on Parliament. A compromise in the direction of a reduction of member* might be left to nest Parliament. Before supply was granted the Representation Bill should be put iu such a position that the elections could be held under it withoutany further difficulty.

The Premier asked could Major Aikin--Bon give any precsdent for a Government in a position Miuh ns the present Government wb'O in going on with the business before supply was granted. The constitutional practice was that when a Government was def*ated a dissolution should take place, hut in thin case Major Atkinson thought that office was within his grasp, and he consequently refused supplies. lie twitted Major Atkinson with having broken his promise to his constituents by not discussing the tariff proposals and the taxation of the colony. If the House so decided that there should be only two or three months’ supplies he would abide by it, and if the public credit suffered the country would know who wad responsible. Major Atkinson said he would grant six months’ supplies if the Representation Bill was passed.

The Premi-r repeated that he was anxious the Bill should pass, and had urged the Minister in charge of the Bill in the Council to get the appeal olausa struck out in order to facilitate its passage.

After the debate had lasted soma hours Mr Bracken moved its adjournment, but this was lost.

Finally Major Atkinson’s amendment wng carried by 31 to 23 and the House rose at 2 a.m.

On the House meeting on Thursday, Major Atkinson said he had bad soma communication with the Premier as to the difficulties in which the House was pieced, with a view to some joint action. Hs would more (as he understood with the Premier’s consent) that the House should adjourn until 7.30 p.m. in th«* hope that some moans might be found out of the difficulties. It was necessary, how ever, that they should have the answer of the Governor to their address before they adjourned. The Premier agreed to the adjournment. As he had said before, the Government were exceedingly anxioua that the elections should be held under the new Bill, but it was impossible to do that by the time fixed by Major Atkinson's resolution. He did not think he was called on to advise the Governor to send down amendments to the Bill, but if the House wished to amend it he would give every facility fcr doing so. Bis opinion was that the 4th clause should be /struck out. After a lengthy discussion the House at 4.4 p.m. adjourned till 7.30 p.m. On resuming a message was received from the Governor in reply to the address embodying Major Aikinson’a amendmen*. It stated that he was advieid that the recommendations in the address ware inconsistent ; that it was impossible both to hold the new elections nnder the new Bill and to assemble Parliament not la'er than September Ist. He was also advised that the Bill could be amended so that the time necessary for summoning Parliament could be made shorter than it would be in the present state of the Bill. The Premier moved that the massage be taken into consideration forthwith, and he would move that the House concurs in the opinion of His Excellency and is cf opinion that the Representation Bill can be amended. Major Atkinson asked for an adjournment o , say, an hour. The Premier did not object to ths adjournment. Hs intended to propose a proviso to the 4lh cUuse, preventing it coming into operalion at the first sitting of the Commissioners, and that instead of three mouths under section 3 they should be confined to six weeks.

The House adjourned till 9 p.m. At 9 o’clock the Premier moved that the Representation Bill should be amended as be h»d foreshadowed.

Major Atkinson the Government to adjourn till to-merrow. The Premier consented lo the adjournment, and the House rose at 9.5 p.m.