GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1672, 13 December 1887, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Council mat at 2.30 p.m. on Friday, The Imprest Supply . Bill (£250,000) and the Representation Act Amendment Bill were received.. The former Bill was passed throagh all its stages, and tho Representation Bill was read a first lime, the second reading being made an order for the next sitting day.

The Council went into Committee on the Municipal Corporation Bill.. Clause 2, providing for the election,,of Mayors by Councillors, and not by ratepayers, was struck out. The sub-section in clause 3, empowering Councillors cn, deputation business to Wellington to draw actual ex* ponses, was thrown oat, as also was the free library subscription. After the j . 30 p.m. adjournment, The Honorarium Bill. was committed, after some discussion. ,

The Bill was reported without amend* meats, read a third and passed. The Governor’s _ Salary and Allowances'! Bill and the Ministers’ Salaries andAllowances Bill were committed, read a third time, and passed.

The House mot at 2.30 p.m. on Friday. Replying to Mr Steward, the Hon. Me Mitcheloon oaid the Government whs considering ihs question of reducing the rate of freight for firewood between W»imute and Timara and Waimato and Oaoiaru ; also the rate of freight on general merchandise between Waimato and Oamaru, as it was a predging one.

Mr Yalentyne asked the Commissioner of Customs if be will taka steps tc amend the Excise Duties Act so as to encourage the re-establishment of distilleries in the colony, with the view of removing the depression which exists in the farming industry of the country;—The Hon. G. Fisher said the question would receivOtbe attention of the Government.

The House then adjourned till 2.30.' The Hon. Major Atkinson said he> desired to make a statement with respect to the business to, which Government would ask the House to agree this session. The Public Works Statement would ba delivered on Monday at half-past seven, and the Government hoped to bo able to resume the Financial discussion on Wed* nesday, with consideration of the Esfl* mates. There were several Bills on the Order Paper, but some of these were not of great importance. Four .Policy Bills, which Government considered of considerable importance, would be proceeded with—namely, the Land Act Amendment; Sill, the Government Railway Bill, the Crown and Native Lands Rating Bill, and the Naval Defence Bill. 1 There were also the Native Policy Bills homing down from the. Legislative Council. It was proposed to drop most of the other-Bills on the Order Paper, but the Slaughterhouse Bill, the Pharmacy Bill, the Civil Service Reform Bill, the District Railways Parchasing Bill, and the Government Loan* to Local Bodies Bill would bo proceaded with, if possible. The West Coast Settlement Reserves Bill and the South Island Native Reserves Bill would ;a!so be proceeded with, and be should Ask the Home to pass the Property Tax Bill referred to in the Financial Statement. - The Muni* cipal Corporation Bill would be dropped, but there was another Bill coming front the Legislative Council which the Govern* ment would rek the. House to consider. The Government hoped the business of the session would be concluded by Tnei* day week, so that members could have an opportunity of reaching their homes before Christmas.

Sir J. Togo I was at a loss to nndersita&j how the Premier would be to transact all the business he bad indicate by Tuesday week.. They were .. asked m do in ten days what should ocpupy the whole session.

The House then went into Cotmuittew on the Land Bill. The debate on clans# 2 lasted till the 6.30 adjournment. »» On resuming at 7.30, Mr J. protested agaiost the passing of ciaiiSfZ, which offered no facilties to men with small means, and was wholly in the intereet of capitalists. The would also upset the land regulations of all the provincial districts of the colony. Sir Julius Vogel said tbkt the proposal to sacrifice the land of the colony in this

mannerfor tb§ sake obtaining revenm met 'with hia heartiest condemnation. A number of amendment! on varioui clauies were proposed, but lost. Claus< 10, lection 5, was amended to the effeci that should the cash sales In any one yeai amount to £150,000 no further cash saler shall take place in that year. An amendment to reduce the a*ea of small grazms runs from 20,000 to 10,000 acres was lost. At 8.16 a.m. ©n Saturday a motion for adjournment waa carried, and the House rose till 10 a.m. The Wairwapa North County Council Empowering Bill, Otago Harbor Board Aht Amendment Bill, Pukekohi Borough Bill, and Gisborne Harbor Board Bill were committed, read a third time, and puled* Bill, the Opnnake Harbor Board Bill, and the Christchurch Reserves Bill were read a third time and passed. Progress was reported on the JNelson , Foreshore Bill, on the OpunaVo Harbor Board Bill, and the Waltnea River Works Atkinson moved that the House at its rising adjourn till 3.30 p.m. on Monday for Government business only. Major Atkinson moved that the Orders of the Day be postponed to enable the Otago Central Railway Bill to be brought Sir George Grey moved as an amendment that the Fair Rent Bill and Freehold Acquisition Bill be first taken. After a lengthy discussion Sir George Grey’s amendment was negatived by 37 to Major Atkinson said ho would be prepared to move that the Otago Central Bill be taken first, the Fair Rent Bill next, and the Kamo and Kawakawa Railway Bill thud,—Agreed to. On the motion for the committal of the Otago Central Railway Bill, Mr Mackenzie (Waihemo) moved its committal that day six months. The House adjourned at 1 o'clock, and resumed at 2.30. The Speaker read a letter from the Chief Justice enclosing the judgment on the petition lodged by Mr John Bryce and others against the election of Mr George Hutchison for Waitotara. The judgment Was to the effect that Mr Hutchison was duly elected for Waitotara, and that in the opinion of the Judges no corrupt or illegal practices had been committed with Mr Hutchison’s knowledge or consent.—On the motion of the Premier the letter was ordered to be entered in the journals of the House. ; The Speaker also read a telegram he had received from the Speaker of the New South Wales Assembly inviting members of the New Zealand House of Representstires to a Stale banquet in Sydney on the 26th January, in commemoration of the centenary of Australian settlement.—The Premier moved that the Speaker of the New South Wales Assembly be thanked for the invitation. Agreed to. —Mr Reeves said that as this was an important event in colonial history Government might place the steamer Hinemoa at the disposal of those members who were desirous of visiting Sydney the occasion referred to. • Major Atkinson said that as there were now excellent ateamers trading to Sydney, ho had no doubt members who intended going would do so at their own cost. Mr McKenzie again spoke against the committal of the Otago Central Railway Bill, His chief objection to the Bill, was the concession of land proposed to be given for its construction. The Amendment was lost by 40 to 5, and the House went into Committee on the Bill. A new clause moved by Mr Seddon for the protection of riparian rights was addtd to the Bill after a long discussion. The Bill waa then reported with amendments, read a third time and passed. Sir George Grey moved the second reading of the Fair.Reotßill, to constitute a court t© fix, under certain circumstances, a fair rent to be paid by any occupier of public lands. He said that the Bill explained itself, and he hoped the House would pass the second reading. The Premier said he would vote for the second reading of the Bill, as be supported the principle of it. He desired to state however, that the Bill as at present brought down was utterly unworkable. Two courts could never consider this matter, and he doubted whether three courts could do it. He would promise to get a workable Bill prepared during the recess, snd be should then hand it over to Sir George Grey and assist him in carrying it through the House. He hoped that Sit George Grey would now consent to the second reading with that understanding, and he should undertake that in all cases of real hardship rents would not be pressed for daring the next few months. After considerable discussion the Bill was read a second time, but the motion for the committal of the Bill was lost by 26 to 23. Mr Hobbs moved the second reading of tbs Kamo and Kawakawa Railway Bill, providing for the construction of a railway on the land grant system. At 9.30 the House was counted out, there being no querum present. The House rose at 9.35 p.m.

NAPIEE-PALMEESTON,