GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1670, 8 December 1887, Page 4

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Council mot at 2.30 p.ra, on Tuesday. Dr Pollen gave notice of the following moiion :—“That the Council will willingly concur with the House of Representatives in any reduction of allowances to members which shall maintain the equality of treatment between the two Chambers established by the Honorariums and Privileges Act, 1884.” Sir .Frederick Whitaker, in face of this notice, withdrew the motion on the same subject of which he had given notice. A number of new Bills were received from the House and read a first lime. The Oamaru Harbor Board Loan Bill was read a third time aud passed.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2,30 p.ra. on Tue-day. The Premier moved the second reading of the Representation Act Amendment Bill, to reduce the number of members to seventy, including three Maori members. He said he should reserve his remarks on the Bill till he replied to the arguments brought against it. The principle of it had been fully discussed last year. Messrs Taiwhauga, Carroll, and Taipua opposed the Bill. Sir Julius Vogel said that while he recognised that a large number of constituencies had demanded a reduction of the number of members, he still thought the passing of a Bill of this kind would cause intense dissatisfaction, especially in the country districts. Mr Seddon moved that further consideration of the Bill be postponed till the financial measures of the Government are dealt with, Mr Samuel seconded the amendment. Sir Julius Vogel, Sir George Grey, Messrs acobie Mackenzie, Kerr, Marchant, Pyke, Turnbull, Buxton, Gr mmond and otnera spoke against the Bill, and the Hons. Fisher and Fergus, and Messrs Downie Stewart, W. P. Reeves, Taylor, and Dr Hodgkiuaon for it. Mr Guinness moved the adjournment, but Major Atkinson objected. The motion for the second reading was carried on the voices, and Mr Seddon’s amendment was lost. Mr Seddon then gave notice to move on the committal of the Bill, that it is undesirable (o proceed fuither with the measure until some legislation in the direction of local self-government is introduced by Government. The Hou-e adjourned at 12.30 a.m. The House met at 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday. The Premier moved (hat the House on ils rising adjourn till 11 o’clock on Wednesday for the purpose of replying to questions only. He should prefer, if the House desired if, in order to save time, to reply to the questions in writing. Mr Turnbull moved the adjournment of the House to protest against questions being replied to in writing. He said he had a most important question on the Order Paper relating to the tuxadon of absentee proprietors. He spoke at some leng'h on whole question of taxation. \lr O’Oonor moved that replies to questions be replied to by Ministers in writing. After a lengthy discussion the Premier’s motion was put and carried, aud it was also agreed that Committees should sit while the House was sitting. On the moiion for the Committee on the Representation Act Amendment Bill, Mr Whyte referred to the injustice which country districts would suffer by this Bill. Mr Fish, Mr Taipui, and Mr Pratt, spoke at length’against the Bill.

The debate wag interrupled by the 5.30 p.rn. adjournment, and on resuming al 7.30 Mr Pratt said that lie understood the Government were willing to make u compromise respecting the Bill, Mr Seddon said that if ao, the nrrangernent would bo made to suit particular members. He intimated his intention of moving as an amendment— *' 'Chat it is inadvisable tiiab the Representation B' 1 should proceed fnither than its see od reading until some suitable form of local self-government shall have rendered dependence on Parliament for local works unnecessary." Sir George Grey complained that, a number of necessary measmes which would be of rea 1 benefit to the colony were put otf to make way for a mass of rubbish. Pie would join any members who refuse ) to proceed a step further «i li this Bill till the financial measures of Government ■•wire brought clown. The time wasted over this Bdl was quite sufficient to have pa8 c ed the measures.he spoke of. The Bill was not necessary, and by hurrying it Government weie acting unfairly in t ! je whole population. The Premier asked Sir George Grey to point to one single useful piece of legislation he had over passed to benefit the wo.king man. He twitted Sir George Grey with establishing a landed aristocracy in Canterbury, lira asserted that Sir George Grey assisted bun (the Premier) in his present position, and because he would not bow to his (Sir George Greyh) dictation, he attacked the Government. He wished it lo bo distinctly understood that the Bill was a Government measure.

Major Steward moved the adjournment of the House.

Sir Julius Vogel explained that it was his wish to help the Bill into Committee and he defended Sir George Grey from the attack made against him by the Premier. Ho felt that if the Premier lived for a hundred years he would never confer a lithe of the benefit on the colony that Sir George Grey had, and he would never make such an indelible impression as that honorable member bad made.

Sir George Grey, referring to the Prsmier’s attack on him, said that he was sorry he had been so much trouble to the House. Ho denied having set up a landed aristocracy in Canterbury, but, on the other hand, ho had used every effort to settle the people on the land. fi.o motion for the adjournment was lost on the voices. Mr Seddon withdrew his amendment, and the motion to go into Committee was carried by 42 to 21. Mr Moss moved that the Bill come into operation on the 31st December, 1888. The motion was lost by 62 to 5. Mr Downie Stewart moved that the Bill do not come into force until the Ist October, 1889.—Canied by 36 to 31. The Premier moved the adjournment of the House. This was carried, and the House 'ose at 2,40 a.no. On reassemb imr at 11 o’clock Major Atkinson moved an adjournment until 2 p.m., which a as . gr.ed to.