GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1769, 28 July 1888, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. On Wednesday In answer to Dr Measles, Me Stevens sa d the Government intended obtaining information on pneumatic guns. Tlie Counties Act Amendment Bill was committed and passed. The Oanmu Municipal and Education Reserve Exchange Bill was read a second time. The Volunteer Drillsheds and Land Bill was further considered m’Gommittee, and reported with amendments. On Thursday Mr Pharazyn moved that no fresh licenses bo granted for kauri timber cutting untd fresh legia'ation dealing with the same be passed.:—Agreed to. The Imprest Supply Bill (No. 2), the Volunteer Drillshods and Laud Bil l , an • the Oamaru Municipal and Education Reserves Exchange Bill were passed. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Before the House rose on Weinesday morning at 2.20, the item Industiiui Schools, £13,624, was reduced by £4. A member add the amount had no r ght to appear under the Education vote, as it was really part of the Hospital and Charitable Aid, and gave a false impression by making the cost of education look heavier than it really was.—Mr Fisher agreed that the item sliou'd bo removed to the Colonial Secretary’s department. The House nu t at 2 30 p.m. The Imprest; Supply Bill for £350,000 wasjreceived from the Deputy Governor, and passed th ough all its stages. Replying to questions, it was stated that Government did not intend continuing advances to settlers ®n the lines of the vilUga homestead settlement scheme. A lengthy discussion followed on the motion by Sir George Grey for the adjournment of the Home. Several m‘tubers expressed regret that Government were not incl ned to continue the village settlement scheme. —Mr BalUnce defended the sya'era at some length. He said be felt sure that the Minister for Lauds had not obtained all the information on that system that he might have had. At the same time he thanked the Minister for having resisted pressure put upon him to change the tenure of those sellers, and it showed that he (Mr Richardson) wis prepared to give she scheme atria l , no raittcr what his own land po icy rrrght be. These settlements also were self-supporting’, and he hoped he would n ver again hear the word pauper app'ied io vi 1 vge settlers.— The Min ster for Lands suM that there was at present a groat demand for land in small are's, and he hoped the Bill now b-fore the House would meet that demand. He contondel that so long as settlement was deve'oping in a natural way there was no necessity for encouraging village settlement. He asked the House to do him justice, and acknowledge ilnf he «as as sincerely desirous of seeing ihe land s tiled as any other member. — The motion for the «dj lurmnent was lost. Tim Premier Mated tint the subject of a rrcii-rocd t-iriff for the Australian colonies wou'd r- ceivo consideration. On oho motion of the Premier, it was agreed thai the Government business shoo'd t lie precedence on Thursdays after the 26th. The Middle Island Half-caste Grants, and the Westland and Grey Education Boards Bill were read a third time and passed. Oa (he motion for the committal of the Native Lands B 11, Sir George Grey moved that the Bill be commiited that day three months, on the ground that the Bill had b-en greatly altered by the committee to wh'ch it was r ferred. Tin Natives ha.l received do no ice of such alteration, — A long debate followed, in wbicb the Maori members spoke strongly against the taxation c'anses of the Bill. —The amendment was lost by 54 to 12, and the Bill was committed. The Land Act Amendment Bill was considered in committee, and was passed with amendments made by the Waste Lands Commitv-e, including one retaining, but slightly altering, the constitution of Land Boards. On Thursday, Replying to questions it was slated that no steps had been taken to complete the formation of a national park at Ruapehu and Tongariro ; that it was not intended to introduce any Bill affecting lands in tha Maori king territory ; that Government could not authorise expenditure for fencing the Bluff-Invercargill line, as it would cost a quarter of a million of money to fence all the lines in the colony; that a Bill would be brought in authorising the Property Tax Commissioner to take borough valuations as the basis of assessment for property tax purposes; that it was the duty of the police to communicate with the Commissioner of Police and Coroner by telegram in cases of death by accident or foul play; that the Public Works Statement would not be brought down till some time next week; that assuming there was no increase of letters the reduction of postage oa letters for places beyond the colony from 6d to 3d would mean a loss to the colony of £9900. but the co'ony would gain to the extent of £15,000 by withdrawing subsidies and paying to ships authorised to carry mails at a rate not exceeding one-third of the postage ra'e charged in the colony for the transmission of mails. The New Plymouth Hospital Bill, authorising the vesting of certain education reserves, and a portion of a street, in the Taranaki Hospital Board, for the purpose of a hospital, was read a second time. The Ngaruawahia Cemetery Leasing Bill, the Kaiapoi Drillshed Bill, the Waikato Model Farm BP, and the Christchurch Rifla Range-Bill, passed through Committee with slight amendments, and were read a third time and passed. The Otago Central Railway Bill was further considered in Committee. Clause 3—Governor may enter into contract. —Sir George Grey, M sura Mackenzie and Fish, and others opposed the elauae. Sir George Gey said ha was prepared to sit there till nex l evening if others would support him. (Left sitting).