GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1663, 22 November 1887, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Council mot at 2.30 p.m. on Friday. Mr Hart moved a resolution that the Council is of opinion that the revenue of the colony should be assisted by a tax on totnlisator proceeds, and it was lost by 13 to 16. The Wosleyan Trust Bill was read a second time. The Gis-bome High School Bill was read a third tims and passed. HOUSE OP BEPEESENTATIYES. The House mot at 2.30 p.m. on Friday. The Wesleyan Methodißt Property Trust Bill was read a third time and passed. Replying to questions it was stated that if the Railway Boards Bill were passed by the House the aeryioes of the present General Manager of Railways wonld not be required ; that no amendment of the Licensing Act would be proposed this session ; that it was practically impossible for Government to interfere with respect to regulating or lessening fees charged by medical men ; that the advisability of collecting a small tax on tickets for theatrical entertainments would be considered ; that Government had an aversion to diawing revonue from totalisatora, the Premier statins: that he looked forward to the time wben tbey wou'd be abolished ; that no amendment of the Bankruptcy Act would be brought in this session ; that the Government policy Bills would be circulated in a few days. Sir Julius Voge' moved tbe adjournment of the House, and spoke al great length on the financial policy, protesting against the delay that hid taken pl»oe in circulating the Bills promised to give effect to the Financial Statement. Referring to the personal hostility shown him by certain member*, especially those for Waipaw* and Auckland North and West, he chaU longed any of those gentlemen to resign hip seat and let him contest it with them. He included the Premier in the challenge. Further replying to questions, the Go- > vernmeut said they had no ioteniion of abating free railway passes to members of Parliament during tbe recess ; that they did not intend proposing a poll tax on bachelors and spinsters for educational purposes.

Sir George Grey moved the adjournment of the House to draw attention to the large number of unemployed that at present were to be found in the colony. He arged on the Government the necessity of Hading some work for these men, many of wl'om suffered great hardships.—Other members spoke to a similar effect, and the debate wan interrupted by the 5.30 p.m. adjournment.

The resumed at 7.40 p.m. The Premier said, in order to make progress with the large number of Local Bills on the Order Paper, he would move that the House at rising adjourn till 7.30 p.m. on Monday. The motion w>s carried.

Consideration of smendments made by the Legislative Council in the Hammond Fencing Claims Compensation Bill was next taken, and they were agreed to. The Financial debate was then resumed by Mr Jsird, Messrs Peacock, Hutchison, Macarthur, Loughrey, Graham, Jackson, and Walker following.—At 1.15 a.m. the debate was adjourned, and the House rose.

The young Lord Carmarthen, in conducting a canvass for election to the British House of Commons, exhibited a sharp wit. During a speech he made several happy retorts upon persons who sought to annoy him. Among them was (hi*: "Does you? mother k;now you're out ?'' was a»<k«d. " She does," replied the little lord, " bot she hopes to hear on Tuesday that I am in,"

POLITICAL vrmt The Wellington correspondent of h the Otago Daily Times telegraphed on * the 20th as follows: THE UNEMPLOTBD. It has transpired that out of the £21,235 expended on providing work for the unemployed, no less a sum than £12,863 was spent on the improvement of Hagley Park, the Christchurch Domain, and other works in th 6 environs of the City of the J Plains. Canterbury got more than its fair share of the good things in this instance. PBOTECTIOK. Dr Pitchett has received a petition for presentation, signed by 1200 Prots, praying the Government to tako steps for the revision of the tariff without delay. In this connection it may be mentioned that.owing to the defection of four Auckland members the Protectionists do not find themselves in a position to move an adverse vote this session, and so they intend to play a waiting game. \ In the meantime they will takVeveiry. opportunity of reminding the Goyjarn- > ment of the lecessity which exists for , an immediate revision of the tariff.. PBIVILEGE. The Government have shown no indication of moving in the question 1 of privilege in connection with the \ grave charges brought by Sir Julius i Vogel against two members of the > House. If they take no action an 1 ugly precedent will be established, aud , should the humblest newspaper in the . colony think of it at some future time to lampoon members or bring the Legislature into ridicule, .the Govern- ' ment cannot for very shame sake move in the matter if they ignore the , \ present case. Intense excitement was displayed in I the lobbies yesterday afternoon in consequence of an article which ' peared. in the Auckland Bell, of the 16th, reflecting in very strong terms 1 on the character of the. Speaker, and t also on that of the House generally. The charge is of such a serious nature * that the House is bound in defence of 9 its reputation to take action in the matter. Mr G. M. Eeid has gained <\ the name of being a very "warm" * writer, but the article in question is by far the hottest thing that has yet emanated from his pen. There can k be little doubt but it will give rise to a question of privilege. . THE MEMBEB JOB MABSDEN. The Post this evening remarks■:•?a " Some people have very singular ideas as to what constitutes retrench- * ment. Mr Eobert Thompson, by his * recent discovery of a mare's nest,and ? vain attempt to bring another member into odium, managed to waste two B sitting days, involving a cost of probably £SOO of public money. J?6r s this extraordinary effort inihe cause of economy and retrenchment Mr B; Thompson has been thanked by the Committee of the Auckland Financial 1 Eeform Association. Truly this asso- . ciation with a high-sounding name is easily satisfied." '; 7 FIRE AT GERALDINE. ' * The usually quiet township o£ B Geraldine was thrown into a state of " excitement yesterday about 1.50 p.m., t by the ery of fire being raised. A thick t volume of smoko in the northern part - of the town pointed out the P spot as 1 near the Gebaldiice Gtubdiax office. 1 Arriving there it was found that the f stables connected with the Geraldine f Hotel were on fire. The flames*. y seemed to have started in one of I centre stalls, and in a very short space ' . of time the building was ablate. A I good crowd soon collected and a number of willing hands set to work to save ' such things as could be got out and to ' prevent the fire from spreading across to the other stables, about 15 yards | distant, and towards which the wind was blowing. A number of hams and " , sacks of potatoes were soon removed, i and the fowl house and fences pulled * down to prevent the flames getting across the yard to the other building. At one time this seemed doomed, as it, had already began to smoke, but b'jr being kept well wetted it was saved:'' A dog-cart, which was in the shed at . the outbreak of the flames, was removed to u. place of safety. A quantity of harness, a side-saddle, several bags •■' of oats, and a horse were quickly removed from the stableß opposite/' Thanks to the assistance of the large number of persons present who, under the superintendence of Constable Willoughby, rendered efficient , service by carrying water, etc., the -: fire was confined principally to the r < building in which it had broken out. The place has been used of late as > •leeping place for swaggers, and it is ... presumed that some one had acci- ' dentally dropped a lighted match amoDg the straw, »s no other cause can be assigned for the fire. The amount of damage is estimated at betwc en £SO and £6O, and is covered by insurance in the New Zealand office.

I At the Dunoiiio Police Court' yesterday George Either, a well-known citiaan, was fined in the aggregate £l2 it on chorges of drunkenness, smashing windows, and Moulting the police, with the alternative of two months' imprisonment. At the inquest on the bodies of the ; victims of the Glenhatn tunnel accident a' verdict of accidental death was returned. Colonel Lyon died suddenly at Auckland on Friday morning-. The remains of William Goodwin were found in a hole filled with water near his residence, Seven Mile, West Oo«f»«. Qoodwui had been misting aince TlViind«y, when L«» went tojUoMen ty iot-\