GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2251, 8 September 1891, Page 4

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

■Wellington', September 5. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. on dayAGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT. Mr Pharazyn moved that in the opinion of the Council the establishment of a well equipped agricultural department is urgently required in New Zealand. Mr Buckley said that the country could not afford the expenditure at present. The debate was adjourned. THIRD READING. The Customs and Excise Duties Bill passed the final stages. THE LAND BILL. Mr Buckley moved the second reading of the Land Bill, which he said provided for the settlement of the people on the land in accordance with public opinion. Mr Stevens criticised the measure in a hostile spirit, .?• The debate was adjourned till Monday.

■ HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30 p.m. on Friday. DR'POLLEN'S PENSION ARREARS. Mr Saunders brought up the report of the Public Petitions Committee on the claim of the Hou. Dr Pollen for arrears of pension. The Committee recommended that £1389 be paid to petitioner from July, 1873, to October, 1876. Several members protested against the payment of this money, and the report was referred back to the Committee for reconsideration. i auctioneers' bill. Mr Seddon moved that the report of the Conference on the Auctioneers' Bill be agreed to. He said that the Houbo would find that the amendments made by the Council in the Bill were more of a widening than restrictive character. The motion, was carried. ELECTORAL BILL. The Electoral Bill was further considered in Committee. Clause 7l;(postponed clause)—Maoris duly qualified to vote under part 5. Sir John Hall moved an amendment that half castes in the Middle Island shall not be qualified to register for European elections. After a very lengthy discussion, the amendment was lost on the voices. ' Mr Bulck's new clause was to the effect that any person who supplies or causes to be supplied to any other person on polling day any intoxicating liquor Bhall be liable to a penalty not exceeding £SO and not less than £5 for each offence. The clause was lost on the voices. . A new clause was moved to the effect that all publichouses within a radius of two miles of any polling booth shall be closed for the sale or supply of intoxicating liquor on polling day at a general election, and that no holder of any license shall supply any liquor to other persons on that day, and that the penalty for a breach of this clause shall be forfeiture of the license. The clause was .lost by 32 to 13. The Bill was reported with amendments, but was immediately re-committed on the motion of the Premier for the reconsideration of certain clauses. Clause 112—Result of poll. The Premier moved to strike out the proviso (inserted on the motion of Mr Buick two nights ago) providing that the ballot boxes at small polling booths where there are not more than forty electors ahall be forwarded to the returning officer unopened. The motion was earned, and the proviso struck out. The remaining postponed clauses were agreed to, and the Bill was read a third time and passed. The House rose at 5.30 p.m. and resumed at 7.30. THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BILL. The Legislative Council Bill was taken in Committee. Clause 2—Appointment of members. The Premier moved that the age of members who could be summoned to the Council should be 21 years instead of 35. Agreed to. Clause 3—Members to hold office for ten years only. . r ■■ ; The Premier moved that "ten be struck out and " seven " substituted. Mr Rolleston objected to the amendment, and said if the councillors, were appointed every seven years it would put too much power into the hands of the Government on the day. The Premier replied that seven years was a long time in the history of the colony, and a man who had been seven years in the Legislative Council would want renewing. Mr Rollestion said if that were the case the latter portion of the clause which provided that every such person may from time to time be reappointed should be struck out, and he would test the • feeling of the Committee by moving that no member of the Legislative Council be reappointed unless during his term he iheUi office as a Minister of the Crown. Captain Russell had long been of opinion that some limit should be put to the duratkm of time for which Councillors should be appointed, but he could not agree with Mr Rolleston that there should be no reappointments. Sir George Grey said that the character of the Legislative Council was altogether changed from what it was intended to be. He complained strongly of the action of the Council in rejecting measures which '.iwere intej&dea )for the benefit of the "people, and said-that the members of the Council were really nominated by powerful coiTipameSj some °* whosdj oSiicers and manager.? possessed seats in the Chamber. ,H 9 asked w'hat-the House had done that tiieir measured should be treated with scorn by the Council- They should take some step to release themselves from this incubus, and it was in the power of the House to say that after a certain tune the Legislative Council should ceflB0• to exist. The Premier's; motion was carried on the voices. Sir George Grey moved that members of the Council should only hold office for three years. He did so in order that : Legislative 'Councillors ;should have the aame term ,of office as members of the House. The amendment was lost by 39 to 11. Sir George Grey then moved to in*sert « five " years instead of " seven," but it ■WW also lost by 33 to 16, and " seven " ■was carried on the voices. Sir George Grey moved that theCouncil BhouW be elective, but Mr

Percival ruled the amendment out of order. '

Mr T. Thompson moved that this Act should apply to the last seven appointments made to the Council/namely, to those appointed after Ist January, 1891. Agreed, to on the voices. Captain Russell thought the amendment just passed by the Committee made' the Act retrospective, and would jeopardise the Bill.

The Premier said that Mr Thompson had stated that he had been informed by a member of the late Ministry that the gentlemen recently appointed to the Council had given a pledge to make this Act apply to their appointments. If it were found that those gentlemen had not given such a pledge this amendment would not have effect, but it would be a matter for the conference to consider. Mr Rees considered this a most serious question, and he thought Captain Russell, as a member of the late Cabinet, Bhould inform the Committee whether or not such a pledge had been given. Mr T. Thompson (Auckland) said he had taken a strong objection to their appointment, and at a caucus of supporters of the late Government he had referred to the matter. The explanation given them then was that the members appointed to the. Council had gone into it pledged to make a reform of the Chamber apply to themselves. Sir J. Hall and Mr T. Mackenzie said they were present at that caucus, but had no recollection of any such explanation being given. Mr R. Thompson (Marsden) said that his impression was that the late Premier stated positively at the caucus that the gentlemen recently elevated to the Upper House had given a pledge that they would support a reform of the Council applying to themselves. Mr Richardson, as.a member of the late Ministry, said that there was no obligation on the part of thr late Ministers to make any such discloses as advocated by Mr Rees. The clause as amended passed. Clause 7 j appointment of Speaker. The Premier thought that the right of appointing the Speaker should be vested in the Crown instead of in the Council itself as provided in the Bill. He moved, therefore, that the whole clause be struck out. After a short discussion the motion was agreed to. A new clause was inserted entitling any Legislative Councillor who voluntarily resigns his seat in that chamber to a free railway pass, and to have access to the Parliamentary library. The Bill waß reported with amendments and read a third time and passed. DENTISTS ACT AMENDMENT BILL. The Dentist Act Amendment Bill was considered in committee.

New clauses were inserted providing (1) for a repeal of the 6th section that a dentist's certificate shall on payment of a registration fee be entitled to be registered under the Dentist Act 1880 without further examinations; that a board of examiners shall hold examinations at Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin. LOCAL BODIES LOANS. The Government loans to Local Bodies Act Amendment Bill was considered in committee. Very strong objection was taken by several members to the provision in Clause 2, allowing the Minister of Lands to expend a sum not exceeding £50,000 in any one year towards opening up blocks of land for settlement, by the formation of roads and bridges, to afford access to such blocks.

Mr Seddon assured the Committee the money would be judiciously spent. Mr Fergus suggested an addition to the clause, so that no money should be expended in the direction indicated until after its appropriation by the House. Mr Seddon said he could not accept this, and it was lost by 21 to 6. After a lengthy discussion the clause was added to the bill. With verbal amendments other clauses were agreed to and the Bill reported. THIRD READINGS. The Dentists Act Amendment Bill, and University of Otago Council Election Bill were read a third time and passed, and the House rose at 3.55 a.m.