GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2066, 1 July 1890, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

legislative council On Friday, yjEST BEADING. Jsp Acland obtained leave to introduce, without notice, a Bill entitled the Church Properties Jndptpmty Bill. The Bdl W8 B 8 first time.

JBOU-IE of representatives. On Friday, QUESTIONS. Keplying to questions, the Ministers said they were making enquiries into the adyisableness of introducing an amendment to |SelectorsJ, Lands Be-

I valuation Act, to include the holders lof small grazing runs. There was no I truth in the statement made m an English journal called Fairplay, to the effect that two members of the Government owed £60,000 to the Bank iof New Zealand. In answer to further questions, it was stated that 12 miles on the Oxford—Rotorua railway would be completed in October, 1891; that £4962 19s 3d was advanced to the New Plymouth Harbour Board in October, but when the conversion loan was being arranged the sum of £3399 still remained to be paid, but there was adoubt whether it could be collected out of rates ; that Mr Edwards would sit as Judge of the Supreme Court at Nelson on the 2nd July, and that the Judges themselves had arranged those matters; that a Bill was about to be introduced amending the Supreme Court Act; that Government were still taking steps in the direction of abolishing the Public Works Department, but as long as they were expending public money it was necessary there should be some. Department to administer it; that an expert would be sent in the course of a few months to visit the agricultural districts on the West Coast of the Middle Island with a view to having instruction given to those engaged in dairy farming pursuits in the art of making butter and cheese; that Government could not place a sum on the supplementary estimates to defray The cost of stocking streams in the interior with trout. tbemiee’s statement. The Premier said that owing to the state of his health, he had for some time past felt himself in a somewhat anomalous position. He had unfortunately been so unwell that his medical advisers had told him that it would be absolutely dangerous for him to enter into any exciting debate. He had therefore thought the proper course to pursue would be to retire, but his friends were averse to bis doing that, and he therefore proposed not to resign but to retain the Premiership. He was going to ask the House the extraordinary indulgence to excuse him from attending the chief debates. He proposed to superintend the work of the Government but not to undertake any work which would be dangerous to him in his present condition. He might say that he was quite capable of doing work not of an exciting nature. He wished to assure the House that it was not from any desire to escape work that he asked for an indulgence of this kind. Mr Ballanca said that so far as it affected the hon. gentleman’s illness he might say that they sincerely and heartily extended their wai m sympathy, and he trusted that it would net be aggravated by the public business which he was able to perform. With regard to the arrangements just made he would take au early opportunity of stating his opinion on it, but he was quite sure that the indulgence asked tor by the Premier, so far as regarded his own personal convenience and health, would be readily extended to him by the House. In reply to Mr Eeeves the Premier said that he should be nominal leader, and that the responsibility would rest with him, but he should have to absent himself from great debates. The Native Minister would lead the House in his absence-

BEGISTEATIOIT OE ELECTOBS BILE. Mr Pulton resumed the debate on the Registration of Electors Bill. Mr McKenzie (Olutha) and Mr Peacock supported the measure. Mr Fisher, Mr Reeyes, and Mr Izard spoke against it. The debate took all the afternoon and was carried at 10 o'clock at night, the devision being 35 for and 23 against it, 89 follows Ayes,(3s)—Messrs Allen, Anderson. Beetham, Bruce, Bryce. Carroll, Cowan, Dodson, Fergus, Goldie, Harkness, Hislop, Hobbs, Hodgkinson, Izard, Lawry, Mcarthur, Mackenzie (Mount Ida), McGregor, Mitchelaon, Monk, Ormond, Peacock, Rhodes, Richardson (Mataura), Russell, Saunders, Seymour, Stuart-Menteath, Taiwhanga, Tanner, Thompson (Marsden), Thompson (Auckland North), Yalentine, and Wilson. Noes (23).—Messrs Ballance, Blake, Button, Duncan, Feldwick. Fish, Fitzherbert, Eraser, Grimmond, Joyce, Kelly, Kerr, Larnach, McKenzie (Waihemo), Newman, Perceval, Reeves R. H. (Inangahua), Reeves W. P. (St. A[bans), Smith, Steward (Waimate), Tayior, and Yerrall. Pairs. For — Messrs Pyke, Fulton, Moat, Hall, Withy, Ross, Humphreys, Mackenzie T-, Stewart, Arthur, Barron, and Atkinson. Against —Messrs O’Cenor, Moss, Cadman, Fitchett, Richardson, Loughrey, Walker, Hutahison, Lance, Grimmond, Grey, and Turnb^l^ The House ros§