GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2232, 25 July 1891, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

July 22. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Council met at 2.30. p.m. on Thursday. THE LATE Sm FREDERICK WELD. Several members referred in eulogistic terms to the services to the colony in former days by Sir Frederick Weld. POLICE OFFENCES ACT ADMENTMEJJT BILL The Poline Offences Act Amendment Bill, providing that women of ill-fame, who directly or indirectly obtain the lease of a honse, shall be liable to a fine or be imprisoned, was read a second time. HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30 p.m., on Wednesday. THE LATE MR WELD. The Premier referred with regret to the death of Mr Frederick Weld, who was formerly a member of the House and for two years Prime Minister of the colony. Sir George Grey had been acquainted with Mr Weld for fifty years, and he had never known him to fail in distinguishing himself in whatever sphere of life he was placed in. LAND AND INCOME TAX BILL; j The Land and Income Tax Bill was received by Message from the, Governor, and read a first time. * j LICENSING ACTS AMENDMENT BILL. In moving the second reading of the Licensing Acts Amendment Bill, Mr Joyce said there were too many publichouses, not only in large cities but in smaller and by his Bill those who did not believe in Prohibition would have the opportunity of voting for a decrease in the number of houses rather than for the closing of all of them. His task was not a selfimposed one, as he had taken up the Bill at the request of Sir William Fox. If the Bill passed, it would remain inoperative till 1894, as an opportunity would be given the people at the general election in 1894 to say whether or not the measure should remain on the statute book. The large number of petitions sent to the House from all parts of the colony in favor of the Bill showed that a large section of the public thought that a change of the licensing laws in the direction he had indicated was desirable. Among other things the Bill provided that all adults, both male and female, should have a vote at the local option poll; that no intoxicating liquors should be sold at Railway stations; arid that no license of any kind should be granted in any licensing district until a poll of the ratepayers had been taken. The main principle of the Bill was to give the people of the colony the power to say at the ballot box how-many licenses should be issued, or whether there should be any licenses at all in any particular district. Mr Buick and Mr Wright recognised that legislation was necessary . and would vote for the second reading of the Bill.

Mr Ehodes would not oppose the second reading, but would take exception to some of the principal clauses in Committee. Mr Rolleston contended that the Bill was one that could hot properly have the support of the House as a measure of that kind was not one that they could mould into a form satisfactory to the country.

Mr W. P. Reeves said that he would oppose the Bill on the ground that the time was inopportune for the teetotal party to demand more drastic legislation than they possessed at present.

Sir John Hall would vote tor the Bill, but he could not give it his entire support unless the compensation clause was inserted it.

I The motion for the second reading was carried by 31 to 38. The following is the division list :• — Ayes—3l: Buckland, Buick, Carncross, Duthie, Fisher, Grey, Guinness, Hall, Hall-Jones, Harkness, Hogg, Houston, Hutchison G., Hutchison W., Joyce, Kapai, Kelly J., Meredith, Mills J., Mitchelson, Moore, o'Conor, Parata, Rees, Saunders, Seddon, Smith E., M., Tanner. Thompson R., Thompson J. W., and Wright. Noes —2B: Ballance, Blake, Buchanan, Bryce, Carroll, Dawson, Duncan, i Fergus, Fish, Kelly W., Lawry, Macintosh, McGuire, Fraser, Mills C. H., Palmer, Perceval, Reeves R. H., Reeves W. P., Richardson, Rolleston, Russell, Shera, Swan, Thompson T., Valentine, Ward and Wilson. Being a private Bill no pairs were recorded. THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Mr Rees moved the second reading of the Legislative Council Appointments Cancellation Bill to. disqualify certain members of the Legislative Council under their present appointments. He hoped the Bill would be discussed on its merits, and without party considerations. It had been held for a long time that it was unconstitutional for ministers who were about to resign to make important appointments. It was said (and he believed with authority) that within a few days of the resignation of the Atkinson Government no less than sixteen names were submitted to His Excellency with the advice that they should be called to the Legislative Council. If that were so such advice it was a revolutionary proceeding and the object of the present Bill was to raise constitutional argument against unconstitutional proceedings. The reason for the appointment of those gentlemen was undoubtedly to secure a preponderance of political power in

the second branch of the legislature, and it was the duty of the duty of the House to record its verdict against the conduct ol Ministers in this extraordinary proceeding. *

The Premier admitted that the action of the late Ministry was wrong, but his opinion was that the Atkinson party had suffered a penalty for their action, as it was condemned from one end of the colony to the other. ■ Sir George Grey said that a solemn act of treachery to the people of the colony had been committed, and into the Upper House there had lately entered a monarch who sat there silent followed.;by a number; of men who would carry out his views to the detriment *of the people of New Zealand. One way out of the difficulty was to abolish the Upper House altogether, and if the members of; the Legislative Council resisted such a. step let the House with a strong Government in office put in,, the second chamber a sufficent mumber of new members to carry it into effect. He would support the Bill as it stood. Captain Russell was surprised that the Premier had not seen fit to interpose so as to deter Mr Fisher from making such reflections on the Governor as he has done. He quoted from authorities to prove that the Governor could" not be held responsible for acting on the advice of his Ministers, and contended that the late Ministry were alone responsible for making those appointments. The present Government on taking office became responsible for the appointments, because if they had any doubt.as to the appointments they should have refused to' take 'Office till they had advised His Excellency to request the late Government to explain their action to the late House. \ 5 The motion for the second reading was agreed to on the r voices and the House rose at 1. a.m.

The House met at 2.30. p.m. on Thursday, / PAYMENT OF MEMBERS BILL. The Premier gave notice to introduce the Payment of Members Bill. SAN FRANCISCO MAIL SERVICE.. * Replying to Mr Fisher, Mr Ward said that the Government intended to renew the San Francisco mail contract for three years, and he might add that although his opinion oh the service had not changed, the Government wonld be able to effect a saving of £19,000 more than when he (Mr Ward), was an, opponent of the service. LICENSING ACT AMENDMENT BILL. Mr Hutchison moved the second reading of the Licensing Act Amendment Bill. He said that he ought to apologise to the House for proposing a Rill of this.,kind,lbut the Government had declined to move in the matter, and he felt that they would all agree that, some amendent in the liecensing laws was necessary. This measure provided that 11 o'clock should be uniform hour for closing publichouses throughout the colony, instead of some closing at 12 o'clock and some at 11 o'lock as at present. The Bill also set up a Court of Appeal, to which auy applicant or objector' who might feel agrieved by any decision of the Licensing Committee, might appeal therefrom. Mr Taylor supported the Bill. Mr Buckland opposed the Bill. Mr Fish said that there was no doubt there should be some appeal from the erratic decisions of licensing committee, \ and he hoped that the House would consent to the second reading.

Mr Earnshaw declared that (he Bill wae simply* in the interests of publicans, and not of the whole community. Mr Soobie McKenzie considered that the Bill was most objectionable. Mr J. Kelley, Mr Hinkerton' Mr Fergus, and Mr Buchanon opposed the Bill.

Mr Duthie spoke in support of it. The motion for the second reading was lost on a division by 21 to 28. The following is the divu i:m list:Ayes—2l: Carncross, Dnvson, Duthie, Fish, Fisher, Grey, Hamlin, Hogg, Hutchison, Kelly W., Lnwry, Macdonald, Fraser, 'Mills C. 11., Rees, Russell, Shera, Swan, Taylor, and Thompson. Noes Bryce, Buckland, Buick, Duncan, Earnshaw, Hall. Hall-Jones, Harkness, Houston, Hutchison W., Joyce. Kelly J., Mackenzie M. J. S., Macintosh, Meredith, Mills J., Newman, o'Conor, Palmer, Pinkerton, Reeves W. P. Rhodes, Richardson, Rolleston, Tanner, Thompson 11., Thompson J. Pairs—For: Mitchelson' and Blake. •Against: Saunders and McKenzie T MUNICIPAL HUE INSURANCE BILL. Mr Hutchison (Dunedin) moved the second reading of the Municipal Fire Insurance Bill, to permit City and Borough Councils to permit City and Borough Councils to insure buildings against fire within their respective boroughs. After a short debate, during which several members took strong exception to the measure, the motion for the second reading was lost by 23 to 15. BOOK rUKCIIASEKS TttOTECTION BILL. Mr Fisher moved the second reading of the Book Purchasing Protection Bill, to protect persons purchasing books from book agents. | After a short debate the motion was agreed to. EKIENDLY SOCIETIES ACT AMENDMENT BILL. Sir George Grey moved the second reading of the Friendly Societies Act Amendment Bill. He said thatthes Bill was to secure the rights of all laboring classes in the colony, and proyidejt that whenever any association sfyajl* lie;

formed among the employes of any person or firm for the purpose of mutual benefit, such society shall be registered under the Friendly Societies Act, 1882, or under the Industrial and Provident Societies Act, 1877' at the option of the members.

Mr James Mills said that there was no doubt at all that this Bill was meant .to wipe out the benefit society which had been formed in connection with the Union Steamship Company.

The motion was agreed to. Thes House rose at midnight,