GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1924, 3 August 1889, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

'• LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. On Wednesday, The following Bills were read a third time and passed:—New Zealand Bank Act, 1861, Amendment Bill; Napier Oddfellows’Lodge Site Bill; Incorporated Bodies’ Share Register, Inspection Bill. The Criminal Evidence; Bill passed through Committee, the only alteration being the striking out of clause 4. . The Counties Act Amendment Bill was read a second time. On Thursday, Jjfche New, Zealand and South Seas Mcnibition Public Street Closing and Licensing Bill, Criminal Evidence Bill, and ' the Counties Act Amendment Bill . were * read a third time and passed, A Bill relating to copyright was introduced; ;;

HOU3B OP EEPSEBENTATIY.E3. On Wednesday, uThe division on the question that the Speaker do now leave the chair, in order that the House may go into Committee on the Eepresentation Bill, Was taken at 3.35 p.in,, the result being: Ayes, 67; noes, 27. : At 7.30, in Committee on the Eepresentation Bill, Sir George Grey moved, as an amendment, to strike out the short title and insert the words “ The short title of this Act shall be an Act to suspend the operation of the Eepresentation Act, 1887, and to limit each elector to one vote.” He explained, that no'party in the House had asked him'to bring down the amendment. He believed that all their future prosperity depended on the system of “ one man, ■ one vote.” He thought that the House could do with a smaller number of members, and five leisters were quite enough to carry on the business of the country. Mr ; Fish supported the amendment. He felt that the House had been guilty of a retrogade step in reducing the dumber of members. Mr : Hislop contended that the question of a reduction of the number of members bad been settled, and Government took a firm stand in this matter, and could not countenance any Eepeal Act. Mr Seddon and Mr Moss supported the amendment. At 10.40 p.m. the House rose till 10.30 a.m. next day. On Thursday, • In Committee on the Eepresentation Bill, Dr Newman raised a point of order as to whether the Chairman should have left the chair the previous evening without progress being reported. —The Chairman ruled that the ques-, tibn was to leave the chair till 10.30' the following ' morning;—Mr Downie Stewart moved that the Chairman leave, the chair to take Speaker’s opinion on the Chairman’s ruling.— Negatived by 39 to 25. . Bir George Grey’s amendments were then discussed. Messrs Taylor, Kerr, Turnbull, - . Jones, Izard*, Eisher, Perceval, and Menteath supported the amendments, and Sir John Hall, Mills, Monk, Bruce, and others opposed. Messrs-: Thomson, Barron, Goldie, O’Connor, Allan, Downie Stewart, (Withey, Dodson, and others spoke in of separating the proposals in the amendment, as they were in favor of the'abolition of plural , voting but opposed’interfering with the reduction of the number of members.

: At ill .30 the House adjourned until the following day. :