GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1676, 22 December 1887, Page 4

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

( LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. ; I In tl\d r ljegjb9l&.tivcj ’ r ihe Council in Committee considered the Government Railways Bill. Some unimportant amendments were agreed to and v ithe Bill was repotted with amendments, i \A message was the House of Representatives stating i that: they disagreed with the Council’s amendment abolishing Land . Boards,.—Mr Stevens moved that Die Council's amendments be insisted on, and that be, Mr Bonar, and Mr Waternouse be appointed managers for drawing up reasons for disagreeing.— Agreed to. The Wellington Coliegp and Girls’ High School Bill and the Christchurch District Drainage Bill were passed. The Gisborne Harbor Board Act Amendment Bill was read a second time. The Wangauai‘'Hal'bor' i ßpaW Bill; was rejected os the second reading. The Council then adjourned to the following day. In the Legislative Council on Tuesday the managers of the free conference of both Houses on the Land Bill reported that a compromise had been arrived at to the effect that Land Boards be left the same as under the existing Act.—Agreed to. The Government Railways Bill was read a third time and passed. The Otago Central Railway Bill was discharged from the Order Paper, on the motion of Mr Millar, who undertook to draft a Bid dealing with the subject during the recess. ' ’ The Otago Harbor Bill, Pukohohe Harbor Bill, and Wairarapa North County Council Empowering Bill were committed, reported, and passed. The .Fisheries Conservation Bill was read a first time.

A message was received from the House intimating that the House had agreed to the report of the free conference on the Land i Bill, • v and had also agreed to the Council's amendments in the District Drainage Bill, and in the Building Societies Bill.

■4ft— HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

The House met at 11 a.m. on Monday. Mr Richardson moved that the House agree with the amendments made in the Land Bill by the Legislative Council, except that relating to the abolition of Land Boards, and Mr John McKenzie, Mr •Beethano, and the mover be a Committee appointed to draw up reasons,—Agreed to. The Premier moved that the ‘Stabdihg Ordej prohibiting new business being taken after 12.36 p.’ra/! be suspended ; for the remainder of the session except as re* gards the Public Revenues Bill.—Agreed to.

The House then went into Committee of Supply, when, the Estimates, were further considered.-

Education vote, £360,624. Mr Fisher hoped this subject wpuld, ha approached in an impartial spirit. regard to the recent Order in Council he said that the Order was issued as an answer to a large number of applications received as to the intentions of Government, but no definite steps would be taken until after the House had considered the whole question. He explained that by raising the school age to six Government hoped to effect a saving of from £26,000 to £30,000. Then it was proposed to,reduce or take away four shillings of the capitation at present paid, which would effect a saving of £15,000 or thereabouts. The third proposal of Government was to substitute the strict average attendance,for the working attendance, ; which* he ’ thought would save - £BOOO, The fourth proposal was a reduction of £BOOO by the abolition ■of the system of training teaahers. The Committee would be'afforded an opportunity of voting on these proposals separately. Mr W. P. Reeves asked how it was prodosed to keep country schools open, Mr Ffslier asked the House to leave it to Government to deviße.a means, and an amount sufficient for this purpose would sakgn. . i ,,„ ~. J>;Ai lengthy, disouasiort; followed, which was interrupted' Uy the lunch adjournment.»-;,< s*. %V’* The House resumed';- at >2.36 p;m. in Committee on the education estimates; Mr Fisher desired to state that a ccmmunicat'Oii bad been received by Government: from members, representing, both sides of the House to the effect that if Government did not press the question of raising the school age they would not oppose the other propositions of Government. With respect to the eduertion expenditure, he said the Government was willing to abandon tfee point of raising the school age to six if .the House would agree to the other three point 3. Sir Julius Vogel-strongly attacked the arrangement, and Mr Fisher then said that as the negotiations were evidently unsatisfactory to both sides of the House he would ask that the proposal be considered as originally brought down. A long discussion followed, during wh'ch Mr W. P. Reeves moved to reduce the total vote £5, to test the feeling of the Committee on the question. { The .debate .wasjriatofrqpted ,^by ; the 5-i3O-p^TO: s ndi oclr h m .e.° f: >, and . shortly after 7 30 progress was reported. The amendments of, ..the Legislative Council e)liogfOn"Girls’ High, School Bilbaftd4h&‘Chfißlchurch Drainage Bill were agreed to. > ThevLegislatiye Council haying insisted : on its amendments in the Land Bill the Minister,of moved that the amendments he'disagreed with, and that Messrs J, McKenzie and Beetham and the mover be managers to represent the House in a free conference. —Agreed to. olflthe education vote was then resumed'. In order to test.the feeling of the Comi mhtee on the question of the reduction of the school age, a division was taken on Mr Reeves’amendment, it being understood that thosw who were favorable to the retention of . that age as it hitherto stood should vote in support of the amendment. Ayes 35, noes 29. The announcement of the result, which will leave the school age as at present, was received with-prolonged applause, A number of oth r amendments were proposed, but ultimately the remainder of the Government proposals as set forth by

Mr Fisher were carried. The Minister for Education said that as their main proposal had been rejected, the Government were not bound by any agreement, but after further discussion, The Premier said the Government were of opinion that the capitation allowance would be ample to maintain the schools.

The balance of the Education vote, amounting to £300,617 was passed on the voices. At 5.5. ; . a.m, . the . estimates . of f the, defence department vote, ‘£1?8,095, Were' considered, and after some desultory discussion the amount was voted in globo. Votes for Native affairs, £16,878; public buildipgs and domains, £28,109 ; State: F.brestjahd Agricultural' Depart-’ riient, 6 £5611,’ were carried vvithout amendment. < . ’ Progress was reported at thii-f stage: and: leave given to’sit again!

The House met at. 2.30, p.m. ■, ; - '.,:The questions, were postponed till next day. f 'Heplying to Major Steward the Premier said he saw no reason why the business of the session should not be concluded by Wednesday evening. The Crown and Native Rating Act Repeal Bill was discharged'from the Order Paper. The Premier moved the second reading of the West Coast Settlement Reserves Act Amendment Bill, dealing wilh lenses on the. West Coast, and proposing to grant new leases on the surrender. The motion was opposed by Messrs Taipua and Carroll, but was agreed to. The South Island Native Reserves Bill, the Local Bodies Finance and Powers Bill, the object of which ; was lo reduce subsidies as provided in the Financial Statement, and the Naval and Military and Volunteers Land Bill were read a second lime.

The amendments made by . the Legislative Council in the Government Railways Bill were agreed to. The Building Societies Act Amendment Bill, Taranaki West Licensing District Bill, and Sounds,Connty Hospital Representation Bill were committed, read a third time, and passed.

The House wont into Committee on the Public Works Act Amendment; Bill,, and progress wab reported to enable members to consider clause 4.

The House adjourned at 5.30 p.m., and on resuming at 7.30 the Public Works Act Amendment Bill -was further considered in. Committee. Clause 8, giving ,pov?cr to Minister to construct nr authorise construction of bridges, was struck out on the voices.

A new clause was added to empowering tramway companies to purchase'suburban railways. The Bill was ordered to bo reported with amendments. The House went into Committee on the Public Bodies Powers Bill.

Clause 17, dhat a leasing authority (local body) shall have power to cancol, modify, i)nd|yarY?any : contract' Disagreement; ‘for salei? of.?landj ? was;; passed:, with amendments. A new clause, that overdrafts incurred by Harbor Boards beforo the passing of the Harbor Act of 1886 should be legalised, but not any other, was passed. > , . ■ The House went into Committee on the Municipal Corporations Act Amendment Bill, t: . Several clauses were struck out by agreement. Clause 5, providing that Jubilee 1 expenditure be sanctioned, was agreed ti. The Bill was reported with amendments. The House went into Committee on the West Coast Settlements Amendment Bill, which was passed with amendments. The South Island Native Reserves Bill and the Local Bodies Finance and Powers Bill, and Naval and Military Settlors Land Bill were committed and passed with amendments.