GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1747, 7 June 1888, Page 4

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. On Tuesday Mr Pharbzyn gave notice that he would move—" That at Mm termination of the contract for the San Francseo mail service it sliou'd not be renewed." Mr Waterhouse give notice to move to-morrow—" That it is inexpedient, in fiue of the prosentcondition of the contract, to proceed further with the Midland xtiii'wtiy contract." Mr Oliver moved opinion of the Council the financial condition of tho colony calls for stud economy, and that a considerable saving m y be effected in the co3t of nrimary education, without reducing its efficiency, by adopting six years as a minimum 3chool age, and by abolishing Education Boards." Sir F. Whitaker, Mr Phanzyn, Dr. Pollen, and others spoke in f.vor of the motion. Mr Shrimski, Mr Hand* I Johnson and others opposed. Mr Barbicoat opposed the resolution, and moved the adjournment of tlia debit ■ which was agreed to. The Administration Act Amendment Bill was received from the House of .Representatives and read a first time. The Naval and Military Forces Di.-ci-pline Bill, with amendments made by th • House of Repaoseutatives, was agreed to.

Sir F. Whitakor moved the third reading of the Chinese Immigration Act Amendment Bill. Colonel Brett moved an amendment "That the Bill l>e read a third time this day fix months." Messrs Wilson, Waterhouse, Shrimski, Pharazyn, and Dr. Jtol'eu thought the Bill should be withdrawn. Mr S vanson and Sir G. Whitmore supported the Bill. Mr Sheppard moved the adjournment of the debate until Thursl.iy, which was agreed to.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. On Thursday, The Estimates were received by message from the Governor and referred to the Committee of Supp y. Replying to questions, it was stated thai ihe Government were : considering the advisability of 'adopting the leport of the Public Petitions Commute", recommending that measures chouiil be ad pled lu prevent the smuggling of tnliacc-', and imposing an annual licencing few on persons selling tobacco'and cigars ; (in reply to Mr Rhodes) that could not see their way at piesent to m k's »ny advance on the remuueiation to jurors, and it was not desirable to givo free pauses to jurors attending tho Supreme Court, as expenses weri allowed 10 a certain amount ; that it wis n .1 proposed to make any reduction in the sa'arii'S of judges, which were only ah mt lnf the amount paid to judg-s ii the other colonies; that there was no land >n the Tanranga district suitable fir r-s ivnion as a, fishing sett em nl ; that G v lnmen di not see their w*y to mend Tie. Wnikm-n' Wages Act 1884 in the direcinu <>f linking a person who lets a cntr.sct for the erection of buildings or other wmk responsible for piyment of Hie, wages of ihase workmen employed on theb'ii'ding* eiected fur hire ; tl a'. Government did not approve of alte:ing the present Civil Service givina; only half-an-hoin'd'recess in the middle, of the di.y, and fixing the cl-sing limor half-*n-hour earlier; that Government did not intend to utilise the " Hannaford ligh'i" it too expensive; that Government could uot give the officers of administrative public bodies the a one privilege of sendin ll delayed telegrams on pub'ic business as is allowed "members of the House during the session; that the CroAn lands within the riding of Nelson Creek, County Grey, known to be auriferous, wou'd he declared exempt from the operations of the Midlacd R,i way Company when tli<j contracts was signed,, which whs expected to be in a few days ; that Government had no official infonnntion of sixty Chinese having left Australia in the Wakatipu fr New Zealand, but a Bill was now being considered in another place dealing with the matter—Government did not desire to stop Chinese frorn finding who had left. China in good faith, not knowing of this Bill.••■ -•' ; ' : ' : "' ,: ■■'" '"*

On tlie motion for going into Committee of Supply, Mr Lauce pointed out that >i gront ninny people wero nti'ected hj the proposed! tariff chaoses, and hoped the matter would be quickly deo-ded by -thn House. Ho would B'mp'y move--!-" Tint it is undesirable to nntimptte the d-lnte on the Customs Duties Bill by an amendment on tuejmotion th.it the House go into Committee of Supp'y." St H, Atkinson could not ann»ratulbto his lion, friend on his amendment, as lie thought it would only delay fcettiiii; on to the Cnstoms Duties Bill. Afier a Mr LancoV amo i Invent was put, and lost by 42 to 35, an i the House went iato Committee of Supply. Sir H. Atkiriaot asked whether Mr Lauce. desired him ',o go on-w.ith the estiraiiles. ■ ' ■} Mr Lance—Certainly. Sir H. Atkinson then moved Mint progress be reported. < - , Mr Seddon objected that no progress had been made. It was evident Hint tlie hi«l nude thit motiotiiiq order t'l'ifc Mr OrmoDii's resoluiioos might be considered. Sir H. Atkinson snid he wan quite determined to conduct the Gov'ornm-nt bua'.iisHH in his own way and not us adviiO'i by the member for Kumara. •■; A lengthy discussion was interrupted by the 5.30 p.m. adjournment. The House r sinned at 7.30 p.m. Tn Committee of Supply, replying to Mr Seddon, Sir 11. Atkinson s<id he wi* (('lite prepared to go on with th* Custom* Duties Bill immediately lifter Mr' ()'- moii.l's resolutions were ' dbpore I of. Those lesolmiooK, he thought, need not occupy the tlouin more than an hour. S:r Geo. Grey spoke on the Chinese question, protesting against tl'e Hon. \V. Oliver, who did not possess the confidence of half a members of the House, being smuggled away to represent th ■ colony.

Mr Scobie Mackenzie rose to a po ; nt of order. !

The motion to report progress was carried on the voices. The Premier then moved that the House po into Committee of Supply. Mr Seddon mnvud as an amendm* iit 'hat they should go into Stipoy ai'tur tii<i second reading of the Tariff BiP. r The amendment v»-.m lost on 'he voices. Mr Ormoud then moved his r .-ol minus. Ha thought there were many diiccti'ms m

which expenditure might be reduced, but ho had only touched three, leaving the remainder to other hon. g mtlemen. The tir.U was raising the school age to six years, which he strongly supported on many grounds. He strenuously objected, however, to the abolition,of Education Boards. The second was the abolition of subsidies to local bodies, to provide which lh« extra tea duty was proposed. Ho was altogether opposed to paying these subsidies from general revenue. If they had to be provided they had better take them out of loan ; but he considered that the time had come when tl.ey could be discontinued ultngelher with a good efl'ct upon the system of local governmerit'. The third proposal was to fund the deficit instead of imposing a prim*go dutv. This had always been the practice, and the present was no time to depart from it. They ought to no as far as to drop Hume of the useless works in the schedule in the Loan Bi ! l, and use the money so released for funding their floating bonds. The Premier said he h»d already given his opinion on the first motion. As to the second Mr Ormoud's arguments meant that real property was to support all roads and charitable aid in the country. He himself maintained that all should contribute to the cos'i", and it could only be done through the Customs. No local body could be organised which could, carry on necessary works from taxation only. As to paying these subsidies out of loan, the hon. gent emau forgot that the consolidated revenue had to pay interest on loan, and 1 thus inrliiectiy would be a cost in any case. With regard to the primage du y, it, r presented a principle. ■Government hid decided to make a beginning, disagreeable no doubt as it wan, of payiig off their debts. Ele hoped to see it done to a great extent when their, finances improved. Of course people did not like to have to pay this tax, but in some shape or other money must be found. ■ ". Mr Balance characterised the amendment as badly conceived, ill digested, and not calculated to attain the objects desired. They had been waiting to ascertain the attitude the Government took, and the Premie*'s statement was on the whole satisfactory. Mr Grinmumd and Mr Marchaut having spoken, Mr Be-trnui, on behalf of those dissifcisrJeiH wiili the position taken up by Mr Ormoni), moved the adjournment of th*- Hou-e.

The motion was lost by 48 to 22 Mr Stddon .-pike at length.

The Hiiiisj divided on the main proposiiV, and Mr Onnond'n amendments wfru negatived by 53 to 22. 'I he MniisH weut fotmully into Gommiitee (.f Supply, find progress w.is immiidih ely n*ncrted.

The 'tariff Bill w»r rn <do the order of tin.! dity for 2.00 p.m. ou Wedni'fld'iy.