GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1665, 26 November 1887, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

The Council mot at 2.30 p.m. oa Wednesday. A number of Local Bills were received from the Lower House, and were referred to the Local Billß Committee.

The Council rose'at 2.40 p.m. The Council mnt at 2.30 p.m. on Thursday.

The Municipal Corporations Act Amend* meat Bill was read a first time, and the Phurmac) Act Amendment Bill was read a second time and. referred to a Selsct Committer. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, The Houße mot at 2.30 p.m» on Wednesday. Replying to quostions it was stated that Government would, whenever possible, endeavor to prevent country schools being closed owing to the raising of the school ar_e ; that the question of making duties mi Native lands payable yearly instead of in ii lump sum was under consideration ; that enquiry would ba rnado as to whether the existence o£ cancerous cattle was daogerous lp health ; that it was intended to deal with the abolition of the Waste Boards in the Lund Act, but not with the abolition of School Commissioners; that the use of firewood on railways would be aa expensive as coal, and that oniy New Zealand coal was ever used on the railways ; that Government would endeavour during the session to introduce a Bill dealing with the claims of old soldier 8, sailors, and naval and military setters; that the concessions already nvide for the conveyance of wool to port in Southland were *s far as Government could 30 ; that a JtJiil would be prepared for reducing Coroners' fees, but Coroners' inquest* could not be abolished; that stops would shortly be taken to close Post-offices between f and 8 p.m. in cases where it was found that no inconvenience would nris'i; that (Wayed telegrams could not be sout as collect messages as it would rrsult in loso to the Department; that the police hud no power to interfere in glove fights, but it v>as ascertained that their interference was not necessary in tbo«e fightH; that the experiment of advertining in railway passenger cars had boen tried, but was not successful ; that a Bill would -be introduced next session to remove the legal restriction which now exists, by which the Public Trustee is prevented from dealing with intestate estate* until twelve months from the time of death ; that there was no intention of abolishing Education Boards or School Committee?. Mr Russell brought up the report of th« Committee on the Midland Railway, and oo the motion of the Premier it was decided to consider it next day.

Mr Samuel moved that it be an in-

struction lo the Printing and Reporting of Debates Committees to cause the

Hansard reporters to cease reporting any member after he had upokon for one hour, excepting only when *uoh member is moving the second reading of a Bill or when Mr Speaker shall otherwise direct. Be said that the speeches in the House ware sometimes of great length, and resulted in heavy expense to the country. Some members thought the limit of on hour too long.

Messrs Ward, Peacock, asd Allan supported the motion, Messrs B-illance, Downia Stewart, Barron, Fish, and Sir G*orge Grey oppoand it, the latter speak* ing till the 5.30 adjournment. . . The House resumed at. 7.30 p.ra. k On the Auctioneers Bill being moved info Committee, Sir George Grey moved the adjournment of the House to enable him to protest against the Midland Railway report being discussed till the return he anVed for relative to the land available for selection by the Company had been famished.

After some the motion for «d----journ.ment w«s loit, T"e House went into Committee on the Auctioneers Bill, and, after some debate, a motion that the Chairman leave the chair was oarried, and the Bill wag thrown out.

I Mr Moss moved the second reading of the Cemeteiiaa Act 1882 Amendment Bill, which wis carried after debate, The debate on the questioq that in the opinion of this Hou«(s an import duty of not le«« than 0i 6d per ton be imposed on coal was regained by Mr Fish, who moTed the further adjournment of the discussion. .Considerable discussion ensued, which wan kept up to h*Jlf-past 12, when an adjournment for a fortnight was carried on a division by 38 to 36, and the House rose.

! The House met at 2 30 p.m, on Thursday. The Speaker stated that the total number of signatures of Catholics asking for aid for their schools was 15,987. The Premier gave notice to move the following resolution : perative demand by the colony that the public expenditurH should be brought wiibin the revenue, and the necessity, in order to prevent serious embarrassment, that that object should be with, j

out delay renders it Iho first duty of (he Government to press on the necessary financial measures ; that the time devoted to these measures renders it impracticable to give sufficient consideration in the present session to such, although tho revision of th* Customs tarift is required; and, therefore, such revision should not be attempted, but nhould be undertaken during th« recess, and submitted to Parliament at the beginning of ntzt session," The Premier moved that the House agree with the report on the Midland Railway, The Committee had gone to much trouble in an endeavor to put the contract into a reasonable form. Ho did not propose to go int» the .general question bow, but would remark that there were two points to which he might direct their attention. The Company asked for a guarantee of £1,250,000, or that a guarantee should he given them that the land would be worth that sum. The Committee reported that that guarantor should be allowed within, the area, but not outside of ir. As to gold-mining rights, the Government had thought 750,000 acres out of authorised area for gold-mining purposes should bit allowed. If the House agreed to the report Government would endeavor to get the contract made out and signed before the House rose, but if not he proposed that Government should be authorised to enter into negotiations with the Company for a revised contract.

Mr Stewart suggested that provisions should be inserted confining the Company to the authorised area in selecting land.

Mr Ward would like to see a clause inserted so that in no circumstances should the sum of £1,250,000 be made up by the colony if the land did not reach that value.

The Premier moved (bat the contract be considered paragraph by paragraph. Sir George Grey moved as an amend* ment that the contract be considered in Committee of the Whole. They ought to treat it as a Bill, and there should bo no hurrying on In a matter affecting the birthright of every person in the colony.

The debate which followed lasted till the 5.30 adjournment, and was resumed at 7.30, when, after several member* had spoken, it was decided on the voices to take the contract clause by clause. Mr Allen proposed to alter clause 2, sub-section C, so that 750,040 norafs of land along the railway should be set apart for the colony. At the request of the Piemier Mr Allen withdrew his motion.

At Mr Soddon's instance, the Premier promised to embody in the contract-the description of "mining land" as defined by the Mines Act. The clause then passed. Clause 3~Company may select further land if original area does not come up to the value of £1,250,#00. beveral members contended that the clause did not protect the colony against being 'called on to make good any deficiency in money, and Mr Stewart moved an amendment in that direction.

A long debate followed, when Mr Russell proposed that the minutes of the Committee's proeeedings He on the table. Lost by 56 to 29. At this juncture the Premier movel that private business take precedence next day. He also stated that he proposed next day to ask the House to sit on Saturday for the purpose of considering the motion relative to the tariff which he had given notice of. Agreed to.

Consideration of the Midland Railway question was then resumed. Mr Stewart« motion was put and lost, and the clause passed as drafted. No further amendments were made in the contract, but-several were suggested relative to the conservation of mining right*, etc., which (he Premier. promised to take into consideration.

The report of the Committee as a Whole was put and agreed to, and the House adjourned at 12.45 a.m.