GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1675, 20 December 1887, Page 4

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Council met at 2.30 -p.m. eu ■Friday. -, ; A moliou by Major Bailie that divisions should be taken in the same manner as in the House of Lords was lost, as also wag the amendment to the motion made by Sir Frederick Whitaker. The Speaker having considered the < mistake made in the division list on the--sucond reading of the Girls’ High School , i Bill on Wednesday last, when Mr Wahail aim’s name wrs recorded with the Noes/ instead of the Ayes, said ho should instate the order for the second reading of the Bill oiffh'b Oi/fieriPaperifor ne^tday,.' , The Bill, Native., Land Administration Repeal Bill and Government Loans to Local Bodies bill were :read a third time and passed. Mr Stevens moved the second rending of the Land Act Amendment Bill. The second reading was carried after the 5.30 p.rn. adjournment. The Christchurch Hospital Bill, Christchurch Drainage Reserves Sale Bill, and ’Building Societies Bill were committed, reported without amendments, and passed the final stages,• The Otago Harbor Board Amendment Bid was road a second time, . : ... Mr Holmes moved that the Council do not insist upon their amendments in the Giimaru Harbor Board Loan Bit!. to, and the Council adjourned. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. on Saturday. Mr Waterhouse moved—“ That this Council considering it of the highest':-iiii-portanca that in the pausing of al! law's, each different matter should be provided for by a different law without intermixing* in one and the same 1 law' such Tilings { atr have no proper relation to each other, will refuse to sanction any proposed legislation of the nature of the Special Powers and Contracts Act.”—Carried. The Attorney-General moved the second' reading of the Government Railways Bill. —After discussion, the motion for the second reading was carried. After the 5 p.m. adjournment the Land Act Amendment Bill was further considered in Committee. The clause'relating to the election of Land Boards was struck but, and a new clause abolishing Land Boards was inserted in its stead after a discussion. , r ... . , ~.. , .. A new clause defining tire boundaries of, tliQ districts of; Auckland,". ‘Hawke’s Bay, ©tngb, and Southland, waa' agreed to on the motion of Mr Stevens. The boundaries will be the same asG.hose described by the Land Transfer Act ’IBBS, The Bill, after further but unimportant amendments, was reported, read a third time, «ud passed. The Council adjourned at 10.46 p.m. ' HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. ‘ • At 2.25 on Friday morning DrEUchotl’s amendment to the LoanrßilT'.was lost 34 to 8, and (he Bill waa read a second time. The House rose at 2.30 a.m,, and .on meeting again at 2.30 p.m. Mr Whyte brought up the report of the Westport Harbor Committee, and moved that it be laid on the table. The report recommended that the colony should resume control of the harbor works.. The Premier asked that .questions on the Order Paperffie-postponed, till next day. "■ Mr Samuel pointed out with respect to a question which he had put on the paper, referring to disqualification 1 of certain members of the Legislative Council, that on further inquiry he found that Dr Meozies and Mr Holmes had not forfeited their seats owing to absence without leave. He had found, however, that Sir Frederick Whitaker, the Attorney-General, had been absent two sessionsfrom the Council, which was a far more important matter, as the AttorneyrGenerapwas'a gentleman who had to .inquire into the alleged disqualification of members.—The Premier said the matter was at present under consideration of the Crown Law officers. ’ Mr Kerr resumed the debate on the motfbfi’.tor going mto-Cffinmnttee •ql Suji-> ply/’ He condemned'' the' borrowing proposals of the. Government. ....., ; « 5 , Mr Mills!-still that he and-'some'of.'his friends ha ; decided to endeavor to reduce., the loan by £250,000.: They ; admitted; that:a:C,eFt(iiu -amopnt of .borrowing was„/ required, but thought it might be limited to £750,000. - The House-...■wont, into Committee of Supply. At 5.30 the House adjourned.- •,. . Tho.pcra.mitiee resumed at 7.30 .p-m. The following,votes were passed. Glass; ; 3—Neav. Pl-ymouth-Foxton rail-; Vi ay, ~£4200 ; Weliington-Foxto.u, £590 Hurunui northwards, £IOO ; Springfield branch,.£9oo ; Lincoln-Little River,' £BOO. Class 4—Roads, bridges and wharves north of Auckland, £3870 ; main roads, £18,050 ; miscellaneous roads and bridges, £34,500 ; grants in aid, £72,000 ; roads to open up land before sales, £OO,OOO ; village settlements, £23,000; Minister of Mines roads on goldfields, £31,000. Class s—Waterworks on goldfields, £I2OO. Class o—Purchase of Native lands, £IOOO. Class 7— Telegraph extension, £20,100. Class 8. —.Public buildings, £109,000 asylums', -,hospitals/ ’' and/ charitable aid institutions;£6o,ooo quarantine stations, £IOOO ; school buildings, £40,000. Class 8, as, amended,, was ,passed. The votes for 'atid works were passed without*■araendmfeat', ‘ : The Committed then adjourned till next day, and the House rose at 2,30 a.m. on Saturday., The House mat as, 11 a.m. on Saturday. In replying Tp. questions ’the Premier said they would consider the recbmmehdiß tion in the report of the Printing Debates Committee } -tnftt .if Tawhaio and other natives who had taken pdft with him in the late war! forwarded/their claims for to land to Government they would bo considered ; that they had not received a report from Sir W. Fitzherbert of his attendance at the Colonial Conference ; that they would appoint an independent commission to report on the alleged defective foundations of the Seaolin Lunatic Asylum ; that ; - government .had under consideration the question-whether certain. Legislative Councillors-had, lost iheir seats by being- absent W 'two I ' sessions without .leave,; that they had no intention df introducing a 1 Bill' Authorising the straightening of the railway .lino between Wellington and Pelone'; that Government would probably place a sum on jdie Supplementary Estimates for the Melbourne Exhibition, and v/onld on a future day state the intentions of Government in connection with the colony being lepre. i

seated at that exhibition ; that the question of making any material alteration in the present system of education would be dealt with by the House ; that they hoped the clinied ih'a day or two ; "that the House on rising would bo adjourned till 11 a,m. on Monday. The House went into Committee to further consider the Public Works E.-ni-inafes. Vote, Harbor Defences—£Bo,ooo, was under consideration when the Committee adjourned for lunch. The Ippuse resumed at 3.20 p.m. Sir Julius Yogel continued the discussion on the vote of £BO,OOO for harbor defences, \yhich hp held vvas . unnecessary. Ha wjjri & g fayor^y|iQ^yec,;^)f payirtg the cost 6f two war vessels on the coast, and of a thorough strengthening of the volunteer system. Mr Marchant moved for a reduction of the vote by £24,000. ... .The Premier replied, after which the amendment was lost and the vote carried. The following votes were passed : Class 11 Rates on Native lands, £ISOO. Class 12—Thermal springs, £3200.-; -Public Works;- Department, £5000; Glass 2—Railways, :new' works, £90,000 ; permanent way, sleepers and rolling stock, £26,100; surveys, £4OOO. Class 3—Roads, £20,000. Class 4Purchase of ISative lands, £29,700. Class 2 Railways, ne\v jyorks, construction and ? land, HelemWille northwards, £10,000; Grahamstown to Te Aroint, £IO,OOO ; Rotorua, £40,000 ; Woodville to Palmerston, £40,000 ; Mangamahoe to Woodville, £85,800. ;The House rose at 5.30 p.m,, and resumed at 7.30, when the following were passed -r ... , BlenheimyiAwatere, £7000:} GreymouthHoldtika, £24,000 ; Upper Ashburton branch, £7OOO ; Livingstone branch, £6500 ; Otago Central, £70,000 ; Gatlin’s River branch, £2000; Riversdale-Switzers, £3000,; Seawitrd Rush, £5000; Wyud-ham-Portrose, £9OOO ; additions to open lines, £40,000 ; permanent way, sleepers,' and rolling stock, £50,000 ; Public Works Department, £OOOO. - Class: 1 immigration, £10,720. A long, discussion- followed. The vote, was attacked by Mr Moss, Mr W. P. Reeves, and others, and defended by the Premier, Mr Richardson, and Mr Seddon. Mr Fultoli moved that the yo'te be reduced ;by £IO,OOO, land .this was carried, and voter Tof £6720 pabsed, which will meet engagements at present entered into. The House then considered (he general Estimates!) The following votes were passed : Legislative Department, £20,000 ; Colonial Secretary’s Department, £151,503 ; Colonial Treasurer’s Department, £38,903 ; Stamps and Deeds, £2o,46o’;;P.ostal and Telegraphic Department, £274,437 E Customs and Marine, £06,413 ; Justice Department, £108,665; Marino Department, ,£20,888 ; Working Railway?;, £’725.000 Payments to Local Bodies, £13,000; Lands and Surveys, £98,307 ; Rates on Crown Lands, £42,00T Progress- was then reported, and the House rose at 11.30 p.m.