GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2074, 19 July 1890, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

1 HOUSE OE REPRESENTATIVES. On Wednesday morning at 2 a.m. Mr. Monk's motion to reduce the first item ef the estimates by £1 was carried, almost all the Opposition as well as the Government voting for it, and the House rose. , In the afternoon at 2.30, QtrESTienrs. f r -Mr Smith moved the adjournment of the House to protest against the action of Government in having withdrawn the proclamation from a block of 42J000 acres in Hawke's Bay, aad allowing it to fall into the hands of prive individuals. Mr Mitchelson gave an unqualified denial to the statement that the Government had been a party to allowing the Peraagohau block to fall into private hands. The Government did not know who had acquired it. The removal of the proclamation was done, at the express wish' of the Native owners themselves. ; Mr Wilson asked the Government itthey-would place £IO,OOO on the Estimates for the purpose of carrying out the promise of the Premier to give a bonus for the improvement of flaxdressing machinery. Captain Russell said the GovernmenVwere in some difficulty over this as to the best means of giving Khis bonus, but they would set up a to enquire into the matter, &i s£r* Samuel asked the Minister of £aAds.' whether tbe Government into introduce into the Bank■raptcy Act Amendment Bill a to prevent deferred payment land holders from continuing to defraud their creditors by the pro•tection afforded to holdings under that * tenure. ' . **'"" Mr Richardson said he did not think it desirable to make any alteration at present. Mr Reeves (Inangahua) asked the Minister of Lands if he would give the necessary instruction for the postponement of any further land sales until he, devised measures to prevent dummy ism. Mr Richardson said it did not appear desirable to take any such steps, as the whole question was now before a Committe.' * Mr Duncan asked the Premier if he would give any concession, such as a Remission of duty, upon colonial made spirits so as to encourage the consumption 1 of grain now almost unsaleable in , this colony. v " Mr Mitchelson regretted that the present condition of the colony did not Warrant :this being done. .'Mr Goidie asked the Premier why 'the.promiseJ he had given in the financial Statement, submitted on the - Ist November, 1887, that the travelling 'allowances paidrto the whole Ministry ■should not exceed in any one year "£IOOO, had not been kept. Captain Russell said that the £IOOO ' for the year included travelling expenses which were distinct from -allowances to Ministers. .. -. ammra. - .-The Mining Act Amendment Bill moved by Mr Seddon passed its second reading. •:' AMfEGffiD BREACH 02 PEIVILEGE. " Sir John Hall called attention to -what he considered a breach of the privileges of the House. He pointed ."'out that no rule was more clearly laid -down than that reporting the pro- :' ceedings of a Select Committee was a .' breach of privilege, and he quoted * from tbe Eevening Post of to-day, •which gave an account of the proceedings of the Committee that was z then sitting to investigate Mr Hutcheson's charges against the tfro- : Yernment. in. -Tbe Speaker said that when the Press was made aware that publishing ... the proceedings of a Committee was a breach of privilege, they would pro ' bably cease from doing so He Bug- ' *est«d,asno motion had been made that "the House should not waste anj '' further time over the matter. ATTCTIONEEBS BILI.. Mr Seddon moved the second read * insof the Auctioneers Bill, to regulafo £! lining of auctioneers, he ex

plained that it was a similar Bill to the one before the House in previous sessions. Seeing the great necessity which existed for the Bill, he hoped the second reading would be agreed to, and that the Government would then take it up and pass it into law. The Bill made one important alteration, namely, that the holder of an auctioneer's license should be entitled to sell by auction in any part of the colony. Messrs Samuel, Anderson, Fitchett, and several others supported it. Sir John Hall and fi'r Beeves (Inangahua) opposed it. The motion for the second reading was agreed to on the voices. Captain Kussell, replying to Mr Seddon, said he could not without consulting his colleagues say whether or not the Government would'take up I the Bill, j The House rose at 12.45 a.m.