GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2253, 12 September 1891, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Wellington, September 10. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. on Wednesday. THE FEMALE SUM'RAGE BILL. Mr Fulton presented petitions signed by : 10,000 women in favour of female suffrage. Mr Fulton in moving the second reading of the Female Suffrage Bill said that it claimed no favour for women, only justice. He ridiculed the idea that women desired to enter Parliament. All they wanted was to have a voice in the electon of legislators. Mr Bowen moved that the Bill be read a second time that day six months. The debate was adjourned till next day. SECOND READING. The Government Loans to Local Bodies Bill was read a second time. BILLS PASSED. The Selectors Land Revaluation Bill ! passed its final stages. IK COMMITTEE. The Mining Bill was further considered in Committee. Some verbal amendments were made in clauses, and the Bill reported. The Dentists Bill was slightly amended in committee. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. on Thursday, LIEN BILL. The Labor Bills Committee reported that the Workmen's Lien BUI was, an, jnv.

practicable measure, and calculated to stop contract work, but they recommended that it be allowed to proceed with certain amendments. FEMALE SUFFRAGE BILL. After debate, in which Mr Wilson BUpported, and Mr Walker, Mr Barnicot, Dr Grace, and Mr McLean opposed the Bill, the motion, for the second reading was lost by 17 to 15. DENTISTS ACT AMENDMENT BILL. Dentists Act Amendment Bill was read a third time and passed. POST OFFICE AOT AMENDMENT BILL. Mr Buckley moved the second reading of the Post Office Act Amendment Bill. Mr White proposed as an amendment that the Bill bo read a second time that day six months. The debate was adjourned till the following day. ELECTORAL BILL. The Electoral Bill was taken in Committee. A new clause was inserted, on the motion of Dr Grace, providing for both freehold and leasehold qualifications. Clause 6 was amended in the direction of making the residental qualification six months' residence in the district instead of one month, and theproviso in the same clause setting out that no person shall be registered in more than one district was struck out by 18 to 5. The Colonial Secretary said that the amendment just carried practically struck at the principle of " one-man- one-vote," and he therefore moved that progress be reported. N The motion waa agreed to on the casting vote of the chairman. GOVERNMENT LOANS TO i LOCAL BODIES BILL. The Government Loans to Local Bodies Bill passed through Committee without amendment. LAW PRACTITIONERS BILL. On the motion for the second reading of the Law Practitioners Bill, Mr Stewart moved as an amendment that the Bill be read a second time that day six months. The amendment was carried by 19 to 8. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30 p.m. on Wednesday.

STATEMENT BY THE PREMIER. In answer to a question from" Mr Bolleston as to what business the Government proposed to go on with this session. , The Premier said that it was intended to bring the session to a close as soon as possible, probably at the end of next week, if the discussion of the Estimates proceeded without waste of time. He would be able to announce to-morrow what Bilis were to be proceeded with, but he must remind the House that some urgent business over which Jihey had no control might arise. "With reasonable despatch, however, the session ought to close either at the end of next week or early in the following week. The Government hoped to push the Bankruptcy Bill through if the business would allow, for they were "told that it had been so carefully .dealt with by a Select Committee that it could be put through in about three hours ; and they recognised that ft was a matter of great importance to the commerical community. The Ocean Mail Service proposals wouid be submitted to the House on Monday or Tuesday next. As to the Public • Works Statement, he suggested that it Bhould be discussed on the motion for going into Committee of Supply. THE NAVIVE LAND BILL. Mr W. Kelly presented a report from the . Special Native Committee to the effect that the Native Land Bill be post- , poned till next session, and after two hours' debate the report was ordered to lie on the table. THE WATER TtTPPLY BILL. On the motion of Mr McKenzie the Water Supply Bill, to consolidate the laws relating to powers of County Councils as to the construction of waterworks, and also to sligtly amend them, was read a second time. THE STAMP ACTS AMENDMENTS. The Premier moved the second reading of the Stamps Acts Amendment Bill, which he explained imposed a duty in the same way as receipts on all passenger steamer tickets of the value of £2 and upwards; and proposed to impose a totalisator tax of 1£ per cent, on all machines at race meetings. He intended the Bill fo take effect from the beginning of October next. The motion was carried on the voices. The House adjourned at 5.30 p.m. and resumed at 7.30. THE PROPERTY TAX BILL. The Property Tax Bill imposing a property, tax of Id in the £ for the year ending the 31st March next, was read a ; second time. LAND FOR SETTLEMENT BILL. Mr McKenzie moved the second reading oi the Land for Settlement Bill providing for the acquisition of private property for settlement purposes when recommended by the Board of Land Purchase Commissioners to be oppointed for the purpose, consisting of the Surveyor General, the Property Tax Commissioner, and the Commissioner of Crown Lands of the district where the land to be acquired is situated. He argued that there was a real necessity for the resumption of land in the Canterbury and Hawke's Bay districts. It was contended that the Bill would open the Way to jobbery, but the fact of the particulars of all transactions for the compulsory taking of land having to appear in the Gazette and then be sanctioned by Parliament should effectually dispel any charge of that kind. Mr Bolleston admitted that in some parts of the colony a strong necessity existed for some such system as was sketched in this Bill, but he thought that the provisions of the measure were not sufficiently guarded in respect to the purpose for which it was intended to be carried out. He was very much afraid . that if' this Bill passed, the Minister would be besieged with people desirous of disposing, not of their best land, but of their second class land. Sir John Hall had some doubt as to whether the present time was opportune for acquiring land of this kind, but he thought.the Government had done quite right in bringing the Bill forward. After a protracted debate the motion for the third reading was agreed to on the voices. The Water Supply Bill, and Property Tax Bill were put through their final stages.. COMMITTEE OP SUPPLY. On the motion for going into Committee of Supply,

Mr B. M. Smith moved an amendment affirming the desireableneßß of appointing a Royal Commission to experiment in the smelting of New Zealand iron ores and iron sands.

Mr Seddon regretted that the Government could not accept the amendment, but they would assist the member for New Plymouth in sending exhibits of iron sand and iron ore to the Chicago exhibition.

The amendment was lost on the voices. The House went into Committee of Supply. Education Department—£369,776. ' The total education vote was agreed to without Lunacy and Charitable Department £40,918, was agreed to. Progress was reported and the House rose at 2.5 a.m. The House met at 2.30 p.m. on Thursday. ANSWERS TO QUETIONS. In answer to Sir John Hall, Mr Seddon said that in the present circumstances of the colony the Government could not afford to grant free passages by steamer to competitors at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Rifle Association, but thought that it was a fair thing to ask that free railway passes should be granted to the men, and he should make a recommendation to that effech to the Railway Commissioners. BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE. The Premier announced that the Government intended to proceed with the following Bills this session : —Greymouth Harbor Board LoanßilLPublic Trust Office ■Biil, Stamp Act Amendment Bill, Payment of Members Bill, Coal Mines Bill, Small Birds Nuisance Bill, Selectors Land Revaluation Bill, Land for Settlement Bill, Municipal Corporations Bill, Borough Reserves Bill, Private Tramways Bill, Naval and Military Settlers Bill, Rabbit Nuisance Bill, School Committees Elections Bill, and Counties Act Amendment Bill. The Government had decided to hold over the Local Authorities Accounts and Audit Bill till next year, but they would proceed with the Libel Bill if time permitted. With regard to the Bankruptcy Bill, he was informed that it would go through in two or three hours. B: that were so the Government would give facilities for passing it. As to the Civil Service Bill, Ministers had received such a large number of amendments from the Civil Service Association that they had no time to consider them, and the Bill would therefore have to stand ovei. The New Zealand Institute of Surveyors Bill, a private measure brought in by Mr' Richardson, would betaken charge of by the Government who would endeavour to pass it through the House. The . Indecent 1 Advertisements Bill, another private measure, might also be taken charge of by the Government. There were grave constitutional reasons why the Allen Disqualification Removal Bill should not be passed.. As to the date on which the House would be prorogued, ihat depended greatly on the action of the Opposition for the remainder of the session. SPECIAL COMMITTEE. On the motion of Mr Rees, a Special Committee was set up to cousider the propositions of a Bill to be introduced to deal with certain pressing matters in relation to native lands. The House rose at 6.30 p.m. and resumed at 7.30. BILLS FROM THE COUNCIL. It was decided to disagree with amendments made by the Legislative Council in the Dentists Bill and the Legislative Council Bill, and Managers were appointed to draw up reasons for disagrreement. /' GREYMOUTH HARBCiUR BOARD LOAN BILL The Greymouth Harbour Boaad Loan Bill was read a third time and passed. \ PTTBDIC TRUST BILL. The Public Trust Act Amendment Bill was considered in Committee. Clause 3—Public Trustee to hold office at pleasure. After considerable discussion the clause was passed without alteration, and the Bill was ordered to be reported with amendments. SMALL BIRDS NUISANCE. The Small Birds Nuisance Bill was committed, and was reported with amendments made by the Stock Committee. STAMP ACT AMENDMENT BILL. The House went into Committee on the Stamp Act Amendment Bill. Clause 2—Certain passenger tickets liable to duty as receipts. An addition was made to the clause, enabling steamboat companies to compound for a yearly stamp duty on tickets sold over £2. Clause 3—Duty on the takings of the totalisator. No material amendments were made. PAYMENT OF MEMBERS BILL. The Payment of Members Rill was committed.

Clause 4—Annual sum payable to members of the General Assembly. A motion py Mr B. Thompson that the honoraium for menbers of the Legislative Council be £IOO instead of £l5O as proposed by the Bill was lost by 32 to 25. Mr Duncan moved that the payment of members of the House of Representatives £2lO per annum, instead of £250 as provided in the Bill. Sir George Grey moved that the sum be £250 per annum, which was negatived by

32 to 23 [Left sitting at 2 a. m-]

Lord Salisbury refused the Grand Prussian Order of the Black Eagle offered him by the Emperor of Germany during his recent visit. Mrs Prank Sheldon, the American female explorer of Africa, was so much injured physically by the trip that she lies very low in London, and her doctors say that she will be an invalid for the rest of her life. Cardinal Manning made public on August 16th a letter denouncing raffles, church fairs, lotteries, and all games of chance ostensibly to benefit the finances of the church. Lady Caithness by virtue of her milions and her enthusiasm, succeeds Madame Blavatsky as the high priestess of the Theosophical movement, or Esoteric Buddhism as some call it. A couple married at Denver, Cal., on August 16th, took a balloon ascent for the bridal trip, under the direction of Prof. King. They had reached an altitude of 8000 feet when the balloon suddenly collapsed and shot earthward like a plummet for nearly a mile; the folds of the silk then suddenly expanded and the remainder of the descent was comparatively gentle. The balloon alighted in a corn-field near the town. Its tenants were unconscious, and remained in that condition several hours.

Cholera made its appearance in Ohio on August 12th. Physicians pronounce the disease to be of the true Asiatic type.

Frank Melbourne, the so-called "Australian rain king" is an exploded phenomenon. Twice before had his efforts been unsuccessful, and on August 10th at Canton, Ohio, his third failure has shaken the faith of the people in him below par. Instead of raining, the heat from an unclouded sun became almost unbearable. "He may be able to produce rain in Australia," writes a sneering reporter, " but his machine is of no avail in Ohio."