GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2244, 22 August 1891, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Wellington, August 16. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, The Council met at 2.30 p.m. on Wednesday. THE SHOP HOURS BILL. The Labour Bills Committee recommended that the Shop Hours Bill should not be proceeded with. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. on Thursday. SECOND READINGS. The River Boards Bill, the Public Revenue Bill, and the Selectors Revaluation Bill, were read a second time. DISTILLATION BILL. The Distillation Act Amendment Bill was committed, read a third time, and passed. HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES. [The following is the remainder of Tuesday night’s debate on the Land and Income Assessment Bill.] Mr Rolleston, Mr Wright and Mr Moore spoke in opposition to the Bill. Mr Ballance rose to reply at 2.25 a.m., and pointed out that no new system of taxation was perfect, and he did not say that the Government proposals were perfect, as he knew that they would admit of some amendments. Referring to Sir John Hall’s statements that he could not in the face of the taxation proposals advise anyone to invest money in the colony, Mr Ballance said the policy he had at heart was one of “ New Zealand for New Zealanders,” and he had not much regard, politically, for those people who were continually shaking the dust of New Zealand off their feet and making disparaging references to the the colony. He thought amendments might be made, but the policy of the Government was one that would command the confidence of the countiy, and he predicted that when the time came for the Ministery to leave office the verdict of the country would be that they had instituted useful reforms and left behind them a good record. The Bill was then passed by 30 to 14, and the House rose at 3.10 a.m. NEW PLYMOUTH HARBOUR'BOARD LOANS. The rej)ort of the New Plymouth Harbour Board Loans Committee was presented. The Committee recommend the Government to open negotiations with the Council of foreign bondholders with a view of replacing the debentures of the New Plymouth Harbour Board with the New Zealand stock on such terms as may be equitable. - - Mr George Hutchison moved that the report be referred to the Government to carry out its recommendation. 1

The debate was adjourned till next Wednesday.

THE STANDING ORDERS. Replying to Mr Harkness the Premier said that early next session the Government would take into consideration the matter of amendingjthe <Standing Orders so as to prevent the recurrence of obstruction, EOANS CKST BOCAE BODIES. The Premier moved the second reading of the Government Loans to Local Bodies Bill, to enable the Government to lend money to local bodies in the colony for making roads through unsold land, but the sum was not to exceed £50,000 in any one year. THE TRUCK BIRD. The amendments by the Legislative Council in the Truck Bill were agreed to. THE AUCTIONEERS BILL. Mr Seddon said that the Legislative Council had altered clausa 9 of the Auctioneers’ Bill so as to provide that the whole of the auctioneers’ fees should go to the local authority where the licensee has his principal place of business, instead of where he resides as passed by the House. This amendment was so important that he did not propose to ask the House to agree to it. He moved that the House concur in all the amendments made with the exception of the one he had referred to.

The motion was agreed to and the managers appointed to confer with the Legislative Council. IN COMMITTEE. The Consolidated Stock Bill went through Committee without amendments.

The Lunatics Act Amendment Bill was committed.

Clause 6, empowering the medical officer to send discharged lunatics not cured to the benevolent institution, was struck out. The Min mg Bill was further considered in Committee, All the ammeudments by the Goldfields \Committee were agreed to and some few other minor amendments were made. Progress was reported. BILLS PASSED. The Marriage Act Amendment Bill, Consolidated Stock Bill, and Lunatics Act Amendment Bill were read a third time and passed. The House rose at 1.30 a.m. The House met at 2.30 p.m. on Thursday. COLONEL HTjMKRBY’s CASE. More than an hour and a half’s discussion took place on the report of the Public Petitions Committee on the petition of Colonel Humfrey, late Undersecretary for Defence. The Committee found that the petitioner had not been wrongfully retired from office, but that his services had been dispensed with on the score of economy. The report was finally ordered to be laid on the table. r LOCAL BILLS. Several Local Bills were passed through their final stages. LAND SETTLEMENT. Mr O’Conor moved that it is desirable that large blocks of suitable land should be set aside and placed under competent management, where, under proper regulations, persons might combine to clear, cultivate, and improve the land, and receive instruction in the practice of suitable industries. The Premier expressed his sympathy with the spirit of the motion. The debate Vas interrupted by the 5.30 p.m. adjournment. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. LAW PRACTITIONERS BILL.

The House went into Committee on Sir George Grey’s Law Practitioners Bill. Mr R. Thompson moved to amend it so as to provide for the admission of women to the legal profession. Mr Rees, as a practising lawyer* sup* ported the amendment. Sir George Gray accepted the amendment. Mr Guinness said that he would vote for the amendment, as he believed it would ultimately have the effect of killing the Bill. Th* amendment was agreed to. Mr Guinness moved that the provision admitting persons to the legal profession without payment of a fee, be reversed. Sir George Grey said that he could not agree to this proposition. y Mr Reeves thought that this was one of the most important points in the Bill, and if Sir George Grey gave way on it, he might as well drop the whole measure. Mr Seddon contended that if the amendment were adopted the scope of the Bill would be greatly limited. After further discussion the amendment was lost on the voices. ' Mr Guinness moved a clause to the effect that no person be entitled to be ad- ; mitted as a solicitor or practice as a solicitor unless he has served articles with a solicitor for tlnee years. The motion was lost by 40 to 15. The Bill was reported, read a third time, and passed. BOOK PURCHASERS’ PROTECTION Bill.. The Book Purchasers’ Protection Bill passed through Committee without amendment. FRIENDLY SOCIETIES’ ACT AMENDMENT BILL.

The Friendly Societies’ Act Amendment Bill was considered in Committee. Mr Rees moved an addition to clause 2, ' making the measure retrospective in regard to the formation of associations or societies. Mr James Mills hoped that the Committee would not agree to this amendment.

Mr Eamshaw said that it was absolutely necessary that the Bill should be retrospective. It was because of a benefit society formed by the Union Steamship Company that this Bill was required, and speaking as a strong unionist he must say that working men could never bend their heads to such organisations as had been set up by this company, even at the risk of revolution. Mr James Mills said that most of the men in the employ of the company viewed with favor the formation of this benefit society. Sir George Grey contended that if the intentions of large companies and capitalists to form these benefit societies were allowed to be carried out, men would b© reduced to a state of slavery. After further discussion Mr Bees’s amendment was agreed to on the voices. It was decided that societies formed amongst employers be also brought under the operation of the Act, and a new proviso was inserted in clause 2, that the Act should only apply to the ordinary purposes of benefit societies such as providing a sick fund, death fund, superannuation fund, &c. Clause 4—Society not to be under the control of any employer. Mr James Mills moved a proviso to the •ffect that employers contributing to the funds of the society shall be allowed to have seats oh the committee of management.

Sir George Grey asked those who were supporting him in his endeavor to obtain protection for labor to stand by him and resist Mr Mills’s amendment, Mr Rolleston could not understand how such a reasonable proposal could be objected to. Mr Rees could not see how Mr Mills’s proposal could be carried out without interfering with the independence of the men on the committee.

The Premier thought that Sir George Grey should not accept the amendment. No employer could sit on the committee without having undue influence, and that would undoubtedly affect the independence of the men. Mr Mills contended that if an employer had a seat on the committee ha would not be able to do anything very dreadful. . The amendment was lost, by 9 to 27, and the clause added” to the Bill. ’ That portion of clause 6. which imposed a penalty of six months’ imprisonment for forming a society in contravention of the Act was struck out, and the penalty was reduced so as not to exceed £SO foe each offence.

On the motion of Mr James Mills a new clause was inserted providing that any society already in existence, but which might be seriously affected by the passing of this Bill, should be allowed to go into liquidation. The Bill was reported with amendments. GAMING AND LOTTERIES BILL. The House went into Committee on Mr George Hutchison’s Gaming and Lotteries Bill. Clause 3—Legality of sports. _ The clause was struck out, a majority of the Committee agreeing that as the clause stood it was very ambiguous and might prevent the holding of legitimate sports and competitions. [Left sitting at 2 a.m.]