GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2089, 23 August 1890, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. On Thursday, GOVERNMENT LIFE INSURANCE BILL. On the motion of Sir Frederick Whitaker, the Government Life Insurance Bill, which provides that the nett profits shall be distributed every three instead of every five years, and also divides the temperance section into persons who have been temporate all their lives, and those who in later life had adopted temperance principles, was passed. HOU3E OF BEPBESENTATIYE3. On Wednesday, THI GENERAL ELECTION. In reply to Mr Brown Captain [Russell said he had given notice of a Bill' to facilitate the holding of the general election speedily, and it would be held as early as possible. THE HUTCHISON CHARGES. Mr Hislop desired to make a statement as to the intentions of the Government with respect to the charges made against them by the member for Waitotara. As to the charges made against the Government respecting the public accounts, he ashed for permission to lay on the table a memorand urn from the Colonial Treasurer, dealing fully with the state of the public accounts since the present Government took office, quoting the daily average kept at the bank, etc., during that period, and going fully into the whole question. The Government had also considered the personal aspect of the question, | and the result was that the AttorneyGeneral, tjit Frederick Whitaker, I would bring an action in the Supreme I Court, so as to give Mr Hutchison an | opportunity of proving the charges he had made against him. [ Mr Ballance did not know how far Parliamentary privileges were affected | by the statement made by the Government. If a member were to be made, amendable in a court of law for his speech made in the House it might prove a very dangerous proceeding. He now asked whether the Government intended taking any further action in this matter in the House. • Mr Hutchison said that he had Mr Hislop's statement with some satisfaction. The Government had apparently decided that the public charges should be fought out in the House, and he thought properly so. He was perfectly ready to meet those charges, but had not had an opportunity of doing so. The three courses referred to by Mr Hislop had at last been explained. The first course was a voyage of discovery to the printing office; the second was the volume of statistics which was now laid on the table; and the third was an action in the Supreme Court. He was not at all disconcerted at those courses, nor was he dismayed at the prospect of the action in the Supreme Court. He had never sought to set up the question of privilege, except in so far as it was proper that the dignity of the House should be maintained. ' Mr Hislop said, as to question of who would pay Sir Frederick Whitaker's legal expenses, the action would be simply as man against man, namely, Sir Frederick Whitaker againt Mr Hutchison, and the Government would take no advantage of their position over the action in any way.

The Treasurer's memorandum was allowed to lie on the table.

SECOND SBASQra. Mr Hislop moved the second reading of the Electoral Acts Amendment Bill which provides for written nominations at elections for the House of Representatives in the same way as in the elections for local bodies.—Agreed to.

The Employers Liability Act Amendment Bill was passed throngh committee without amendment. New clauses were inserted providing that the illegitimacy of a workman should not be a bar to compensation on behalf of his father or mother; that a workman might obtain satisfaction for injury even though he had been aware of the danger of the machinery with which he had been working; that a workman shall not be entitled to any compensation against an employer for injury in a case where the employer was ignorant of the defect which caused the injury; that the representatives of a deceased employer may be sued for injury received. IN COMCITTBE. The Shipping and Seamens Act Amendment Bill was committed and passed with verbal amendment. The Educational Reserves Leasing Bill was committed and passed with slight amendments. The Todman Land Grant Bill was committed and passed without amendment.

The Sheep Bill as amended by the Joint Live Stock Committee was committee.

The principal amendments made by the Stock Committee ware that all sheep should be wool branded forthwith after shearing, and prohibiting the use of any other instrument than a punch in earmarking. I In clause 75, offences to be prose- [ cuted summarily, Mr Marchant protested against the power to imprison without the option of a fine for i offeDces under this Bill being placed in the hands of two justices of the peace. He moved that the words " resident magistrate" be inserted instead of " two justices." Loifcby3oto'ls. ,

A new clause was added providing that sheep should be wool branded forthwith after shearing. Progress was reported and the House rose at 1.45 a m. On Thursday, THE HUTCHISON CHARGES. Major Steward (Waimate) brought up the report of the Reporting Debates Committee on the manuscript and proof sheets of Mr Hutchison's speech, n?aking certain charges against the Government. The report was to the effect that no material alteration had beeu made in the speech, and that the corrections were mainly literary ones. Mr Hislop said that he thought it right to inform the House that in the part of the speech referring to the charges against the Government there were 1867 words, or 359 than appeared in- the original manuscript. Of the 1508 words originally in the manuscript, 309, or more than one* fifth were struck out by Mr Hutchison', leaving 1189 words to which had been added 678 words, that was to say, that over one-third of the speech as U now appeared in Hansard was not made by Mr Hutchison in the Home. The speech now appearing in Hansard was mueh stronger against the Govern" meat than that actually delivered in the House, and Mr Hutchison,had taken advantage of his privilege as a member to emphasise those charges by altering bis manuscript. Major Steward (Waimate), as chairman of the Committee, said that it was quite true that the Committee had found a great many alterations in the speech, but he could, distinctly jsay that the charges which Mr Hutchison made in the House were notjmateriaily affected by the alterations. I ' A lengthy discussion easued, In reply to Sir George Grey the Speaker said it was for the House to decide whether it would not be • breach of privilege to allow a Select, Committee's proceedings to be used for the purpose of bringing an action against a member of the House. Eventually it was decided to print the report and evidence.

ELECTORAL BILL. • The House went into Committee on the Electoral Acts Amendment Bill. Clause s—Candidates to be nominated by five electors.

On the motion of Mr Smith " two " was inserted instead of " five." The clause waß altered bo as to provide that nominations may reach the returning officer seven days, before polling day instead of ten days. Clauße 10 was altered so that candidates may withdraw from the contest five days from polling day instead of three days. - Clause 21 —Tote may be given by a seaman in any part of the colony. The clause was agreed to after, a long-discussion. , „...!...... _ II A new clause to the effect that £O. intoxicating liquor shall be given 1 or sold at any election during the hours ~ of polling was struck out, > Sir John Hall meved a new clause as follows:—" For all purposes con-.L nected with and having reference, to the right of voting in the election, of members of the House of Eepresentatives words importing the masculine gender shall include women." Mr Ballance moved a proviso that , the clause shall not come into operation until January 1893. He considered that it was inconvenient to enact a clause of this kind on the eve of a general election. After a lengthy discussion a motion to.report progress was lost, and eventually the clause was struck out by 26 to 19. [Left sitting at 2 a.m.]