GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1761, 10 July 1888, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

On Friday, The following Bills were a second tim* :—Cnristchurch Drainage Bi", and Fencing Act, 1881, Amendment Bill. The Tramways Act 1872 Amendment Bill was read a third time and passed. T e Customs Duties aod Excise Bill, 1888, was read a first t ; me. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. On Friday, The Premier moved that Mr Speaker instmct the Clerk of Parliament to issue a writ for the e'nc'ion of a member to serve in the piesent Parliament for the electoral district of Ashley, in room of the late Mr W. F. Peirson.—Agreed to. The Premier moved that a Select Committee b 3 appointed to inquire wh it wer the terms upon which certain proper y at Point ion was purchas d by Government.- Agreed to. Replying to questions it was stated that no report had yet b on received from the Agent-General as to his visit to Paris last ye-ir to dincuss with the French Customs authorities the question of New Zealand frozen meat, and other reciprocal advantion of New Zealand at the Paris Exhibition was under consideration ; that vo'unteer uniform clothing was excluded from the free list in the Tariff Bill after careful consideration, as a large amouct of cloth -uitable for the purpose was manufactured in the co'ony ; that Government had taken s'eps to put the defences of the four principal towns in as comp'ete a condition as possib'e j tlvit it w*s considered that the old Snider rifle was good enough for present use, and that the vsluoteers ef the colony could bo largely mobilised in five or six hours ; tlmt a special train had been put on from Dunedin to the Bluff to enab'e Mr Olive 1 ', the de'egate to the Guineas Conference, to catch the steamer to MeU bourne, in consequence of the TeAnau

being delayed through bad weather at the Bluff, and Hint the coat of the train was £26; that if the present Governor were reappointed it won'd be at a reduced aviary; that the Premier would oot be opposed Ut granting the electoral franchise to women, but that he was afraid the majority of the Cabinet were ag>inst it; thit it whs not proposed to expend any money on white mulberry as mu 1 - berry trees were alrendy very common in different parts of the colony ; that the latest information from the Agent-General was that a suitable Railway Commissioner cou'd Dot ba obtained for less than £3500 a year ; that the Public Works Statement would be made on Friday week. Mr Reeves (St. Albans) complained that the Premier had put a certain construction on words whioh he had used in the House on Thursday afternoon. He wished to state that the constuiction was an entirely erroneous one, and be hoped that the Premier would accept that assurance. — The Premier said ho should accept it frankly. He also desired to state that certain reports that were aioat respecting Mr Reeveß having been intriguing for office were without the slightest foundation. The Premier moved that the House insis 4 , on its amendments in the Chinese Bill, as recieved from the Council. —After a short debite the motion was agreed to, and a committee appointed to conduct a. free conference with the coincil. The Premier said he did not propose to go on Mr Withy's amendment re rstreachmeut that night. The Mining Act Amendment Bill was read a second time ; as also was the District Railways Purchase Amendment Bill. The House went into (Jommittee on the Naval and Military Settlers and Volunteers Land Bill, and, after a slight amendment had been made, it was reported, read a third time, and passed. Mr Fraser, in the name of old soldiers and volunteers, thanke I (he Minister of Defence for the liberal way in which the Bill had been framed, and hoped it would be a final settlement of this much-vexed question. —Mr Fergus said the greater part of the credit for the B'H was due to the late Defence Minister, Mr BallaDce. The House rose at 10.35 p.m.