GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2246, 27 August 1891, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Wellington, August 25. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday. BILLS PASSED. The Consolidated Stock Bill, and the Wellington Electric Lighting Bill, passed their final stages. LAND AND INCOME ASSESSMENT BILL. The Colonial Secretary moved the second reading of the Land and Income Assessment Bill. Sir George Whitmore criticised the Bill, not altogether unfavorably, but he did not think that such a change in the incidence of taxation had been demanded by the country. The debate was adjourned till next day. BOOK PURCHASERS PROTECTION BILL. The Book Purchasers Protection Bill was read a second time. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.20 p.m. on Monday. FEMALE FRANCHISE BILL. Sir John Hall, in moving the second

reading of the Female Franchise Bill, said that he thought it was a matter for regret that it had been arranged to take this question in a separate Bill. It would have been more appropriate to have a clause extending the franchise to women

embodied in the Electoral Bill. He did not think that any new arguments in favor of the Bill were necessary, for the old arguments had now become red-hot. The very principle of the Bill, and an unanswerable argument in its favour, was that every .human being who was bound by, the laws whose rights were so vitally concerned had a right to some share in making those laws. The Legislature had already allowed women who paid rates and taxes to have a voice in local elections, and he felt sure that not a single instance could be quoted in which this privilege had been exercised in an objectionable manner. As to the argument that women would be dictated to by their husbands, and that it would thus give husbands two votes, he asked whether there was anything wrong in that ? To his mind, such an argument was a recommendation in favour of the Bill. He thought it desirable that in the House all interests and all phases of opinion should be represented, yet up to the present time women had not had any representation. Surely women should have a voice on the education question, and in that of the liquor traffic. So far from degrading women, as had been represented, he thought it would, on the contrary, have an excellent effect on a woman’s character if she were allowed a wider sphere than she at present possessed. In recording their votes women would not be easily misled, and their support would be given to men of known integrity and uprightness of character in preference to the professional class of politicians. Plenty of proof was available that women did desire the franchise, and he firmfly believed that they would exercise it in a prudent and a right manner. He asked the House not to be led away by a frivolous excuse—the cry of a few politicians whose doom would be sealed by the women’s vote—that the time . was inopportune for making this great change. Referring to Mr Fish’s amendment, that women should also be entitled to have seats in the House, he said that he could not agree with that as women could not desire such a concession. He concluded by saying that the struggle for this great reform had been one of long duration, but he believed that the champions of the cause of woman’s suffrage were now about to achieve their desires, and he felt that the extension of the franchise to women wonld be a lasting blessing to the people of New Zealand. Mr Pinkerton second the motion.

The debate was continued by Messrs Fish, Fergus, Saunders, Buick, Taylor, .Mackintosh, Swan, Bolleston, C. H, Mills, Fisher, O’Connor, Earnshaw, W. Hutchison and others. Mr Pish made a severe attack on the Bill, and notified that he would propose a number of amendments in committee.

In the course of his reply, Sir J. Hall said that he would be quite willing to insert a provision in the Bill deferring its operation till the general elections, but to go further than that and to postpone the Bill till after the general elections would be to destroy the effect of the measure altogether. The second reading was carried by 33 to 8. The following is the division list:— Ayes —33: Ballanoo, Bryce, Buick, Buchanan, Buoldand, Cadman, Duncan, Duthie, Earnshaw, Fraser, Hall, HallJones, Harkness, W. Hutchison, Joyce, J. Kelly, W. Kelly, McDonald, McGuire, T. Mackenzie, Meredith, C. H. Mills, Moore, O’Connor, Palmer, Perceval, Pinkerton, J. H. H, Beeves, Saunders, W. P. Peeves. Shera, Tanner, Wright. Noes —B : Blake, Carncross, Dawson, Fish, Fisher, Kapa, Swan, Valentine. The pairs were not available.

The Premier said that he should ask that the Bill be committed on Wednesdayand he should then take charge of it himself as a Government measure.

On the question being put that the House do now adjourn, Mr Fish said that he was utterly disgusted with the conduct of the Government over the Bill. Even the Government whips had deceived him, and he should pot walk across? the Uousq

and refuse to support the Government any longer. He had no sympathy with the other side of the House or with Sir J. Hall, but if Mr Rolleston led a middle party, and moved a vote of no-confidence in the Government, he should vote for it.

The Premier refused to believe that the whips had done anything wrong. The question was not a party one at all, and Mr Fish had no right to make such reckless charges. The House rose at 1.30 a.m. The House met at 2.30 p.m. on' Tuesday. vaile’s railway system. Mr Reeves gave notice to move on going into Committee of Supply a resolution in favor of giving Yaile’s railway system a trial in the Auckland district. THE AGENT-GENERALSHIP. Replying to Mr Bryce the Premier said that the Government had not yet decided who was to be Agent-General, but as soon as the selection was made the Ministry would take the House into their confidence.

Mr Bryce said that he saw no use in the Government consulting the House after the appointment was made. What he contended was that the House should be taken into the confidence of the Government before the appointment was made. NATIVE LANDS BILL. Mr Cadman, in moving the second reading of the Native Lands Bill, said that he understood there was a consensus of opinion that the debate on the measure should take place on its committal after it came back from the Native Affairs Committee. He had come to the conclusion that the legislature could not possibly make matters in connection with native lands worse than they were at present, and the Government had therefore determined to bring the whole of the Native land legislation into one Bill, which would cover the whole procedure affecting Maori lands. Among the provisions of the Bill was a provision to the effect that no blocks of land of greater area than 5000 acres could be dealt with by private individuals. Mr Bryce and other members of the Opposition took exception to the unfair constitution of the Native Affairs Committee, which they said possessed such a large majority of Government supporters that it would be useless to attempt any alteration in a Bill of this nature. 1

Messrs Taipua and Carroll assured the Native Minister that the Bill in its present shape would never satisfy the Natives, and felt sure that it would not pass the House. In replying Mr Cadman said that all Governments were entitled to a reasonable majority on Committees, and if Mr Bryce thought that the Committee to consider the Bill was unfairly constituted he should be willing to allow him to move for the addition of another member from the Opposition.

On tlxe motion for the second reading being agreed to, the Bill was referred “to the Select Committee.

MINING BILL, The Mining Bill was further considered in Committee. Some new clauses were added, and the Bill was reported with amendments.

On the motion for the third reading Mr Reeves (Inangahua) entered his protest against the measure, as he considered that it was not required. The Bill was read a third time and passed. ME HAMBETON’s CASE. Mr Duthie resumed the debate on the proposed address to the Governor to remove Mr R. C. Hamerton from office as Public Trustee. He said he had been authorised by Captain Russell, who was absent on leave, to withdraw the amendment which he had made last week. Mr Joyce moved an amendment to the effect that on Mr Hamerton resigning his office as Public Trustee a Bill be brought in authorising the payment .to him of a pension of £250 per annum. As the Public Accounts Committee had affirmed the principle that Mr Hamerton should receive a pension, it only remained for the House to fix the amount of that pension. Mr Hamerton was entitled to £350 pension, but he had assured him (Mr Joyce) that afternoon that he was willing to resign his office provided he received some little justice. Dr Duthie seconded the amendment. The Premier reminded the House that under the recommendation of the Public Accounts Committee Mr Ha merton should be paid only £152 per annumn as pension. Mr Joyce’s amendment was therefore a compromise. If the amendment were adopted the Government would not of course proceed any further in the matter, and would bring in a Bill, to give effect to it. Taking all the circumstances he thought that the House could not do bettor than agree to the amendment. Mr Saunders, chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, strongly opposed Mr Joyce’s amendment. Mr Bryce though that Mr Hamerton had not been fairly treated, and he would support the amendment aa it appeared tq him to be a reasonable compromise. [Left sitting.]