GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2255, 17 September 1891, Page 4

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Wellington, September 15, i LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. on Monday. THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BILL. The report of the conference on the Legislative Council Bill was agreed to. BILLS PASSED. The Government Loans to Local Bodies Bill, Otago University Council Election Bill, and Property Tax Bill, were put through their final stages. th!e land bill. The Laud Bill was further considered in Committee. Clause 84, land to be acquired for the sole use aud benefit of the apjillicarit, Mr Ormond moved an amendment that any person may select 1000 acres for no more than three members of his family, such members to be under the age of seventeen years. Agreed to by 20 to 6, In the penalty sub-section of the same clause the terra of >,imprisonment fbr making a false declaration under the Act was altered so as not to exceed one year instead of two as printed. The Couricil adjourned at 5 p.rix., and resumed at 7.30. Clause 102, Ellesmere Lake lands to be declared Crown lands, was struck out. Clause 132, residence to be coxnpulaoiy, was ariterided so that it should not apply to land taken up for children. Clause 138, cash lands to be improved before issue of Crown grant; was struck out by 17 to 8. Clause 139, providing for certificate of occupation to be given to cash purchasers pending improvements, was also 'struck out. Clause 148, dealing with the fulfilment of conditions of license, was amerided, so as to give selectors power to capitalise alter conditions are fulfilled, In clause 149, having reference to the terms of a lease, which was really the, vital clause of the Bill, Mr Stevens moved a proviso giving the right of purchase at the rate of 5 per cent as under the existing law. This was carried by 18 to 6. Clause 193, which provides that rid person or company shall hold more than one run, was struck out'by 19 to 3. Clririse 203; cdinpellirig a mortgagee to exercise his power of sale within 12 months of the time when the power accrued was rejected by 19 to 1 (the Colonial Secretary’s vote). Clause 206, the Board may refuse to sanction the transfer of any run or interest in any run. Struck out by 14 to 6. Clause 229, runholders not entitled to compensation if unaltered or repealed. Thrown out by 15 to 6. Progress was reported, and the Couneil me at midnight. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday. LAND BILL. The Land Bill "was further considered in Committee. The schedules were amended in accordance with the amendments ihade by the Council iri the clauses of the Bill. The Bill was reported, read a third time,, and passed. ELECTORAL BILL. The Electoral Bill was further considered in Committee. Clause 1,4 was amended so as to provide that persons having a residential qualificar ' tion, shall not be deemed to have left the district if only temporarily absent. OlausS 15—Claims to be signed. , Mr Reynolds moved an amendment, debarring mere electors from witnessing signatures. He said that his object was to prevent professional politicans from hawking declaration pap»s around for new votes on the eve of an election. The amendment was carried by 16 to 12. ' , Clause 46 was altered so as to prevent names being placed on the roll after a seat is declared vacant. Clause 63—Seamen’s votes. The clause was airiended by making it peremptory for a seaman to apply for his electoral right within fourteen days of periling day., , ■ Clause 71, declaring a public holiday on polling day, was excised by 24 to 5. The Council adjourned at 5 p.m., and resumed at 7.30 p.m. FACTORIES' BILL. Mr Stewart announced that a comS arise ru, regard to the Factories Bill been agreed upon at the free conference cf both Houses. It had- been arranged that a factory or workroom within the meaning of the Act should be a place where three or more persons are employed; that the maximum arid minimum Working space shall be fixed by regulation; that a “child” shall be a hoy of 13 Or a girl of 14; that flour mills hLnil be exempted from the compulsory whitewashing clause; that the provision, requiring young workers to have been educated up to the fourth standard,-be struck out; that factory doors shall, be kept open for inspection of the premises while work is proceeding; that the hours of labor in factories and workrooms shall be eight hours on five days of the week, and five hours , on Saturdays; that woollen mills be permitted to work their employes 48 hours weekly at any hour after 7 aj». and before 6 p.m.; that overtime be permitted iri factories bn 20 days in the year for three hours each day, with the consent of the inspector, who is also to approve of the rat© of payment; that females may be employed as type-setters at the age of 15; that appeals be allowed from the' inspector’s decision to a Resident Magistrate; arid that the Railway Commissioners’ workshops be brought under the operation of the Act. On the motion of Sir George Whitmore it was decided to take the report into consideration the next day. ELECTORAL BILL. In Committee on the Electoral Bill, a new clause was added, the effect of which was that no election shall he declared by reason of any irregularity m the proceedings preliminary to polling. The Bill was reported with amendments, the third reading being fixed for next day. PUBLIC TRUST OFFICE BILL. The Public Trust Office Act Amendment Bill was read a second time. STAMP ACT AMENDMENT BILL. Th© Stamp Act Amendment Bill was lead a second time. payment of members bill. The Colonial Secretary moved the second reading of the Payment of

Mr Miller said that in the present coridition of the finances of the colony he thought it would raise a blush of shame to the cheek of every honorable member of the Council if they accepted the bribe held out by the Bill, He moved the following amendment : Council is of opinion that the proposal to increase the payment of members of Parliament is inopportune and hot warranted by any change in the financial position of the colony. The Council is, therefore, not willing to pass a measure which would include a provision for an increased payment to its own members. As, however, the House of Representatives has decided to make larger provision for its members, the Council will not feel justified in refusing,to pass a Bill for that purpose, if it so desired after reconsideration.” POST OFFICE ACTS AMENDMENT BILL. The adjorithed debate on the motion for the second reading of the Post Office Acts Amendment Bill, to which an amendment had been proposed that the Bill be .read a second time that day six months, was resumed. The amendment was rejected on the voices, and the second reading agreed to. The Council rose at midnight. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House riiet at 2.30 p.m. on Monday. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL BILL. The Premier brought up the report of the Managers on the Legislative Council. He explained that the Council had agreed to the minimum age of future appointees being fixed at 21 years instead of 35, and the period of appointment being seven years instead of ten years. On the other hand the House had conceded to the Couricil tlie right to elect its own Speaker, arid the retrospective clause ’ in regard to the seven gentleriien who were appointed in January last had been struck out of the Bill. The Premier said that the coiripromise in regard to the late appointr ments were arrived at on the strength of a positive assurance that no pledge had been given that the gentlemen then appointed were to come under the seven years’ tenure. Mr Rolleston asked whether the Government would be entitled to recommend any new appointments for. life pending this new Act coming into operation, or whether they would be bound by the spirit of the Act, so that any new appointinerits should be for seven years only. _ g . The Premier gave a positive assurance that pending the Act coming into force the Government did not intend to make any new appointments. The.report was agreed to by 43 to 12. GOVERNMENT LIFE INSURANCE BILL. The Premier moved the second reading of the Government Life Insurance Act Ainendmerit Bill, to enable a division of profits to be made by an Order in Council if the report of the actuaries is received during the! recess. The motion was agreed to. The Bill passed through Committee without amendment. BOROUGH RESERVES VESTING AND SALE BILL. The Borough Reserves Vesting and Sale Bill which vests certain public reserves which are practically of no use to the Government, in the local bodies of the districts, was read a second time. NAVAL AND MILITARY SETTLEsb AND VOLUNTEERS LAND BILIJ The Naval and Military Settlers and Volunteers Land Bill was taken in Committee and amended. The remaining clauses passed unaltered. The House rose at 5.30 p.m., and resumed at 7.30 p.m. BILLS PASSED. The Lyttelton Harbour Board Land Bill, Government Life Insurance Bill, Naval and Military Settlers Bill, and Light from Crown Land Restriction. Bill, were read a third time and passed. IN COMMITTEE. The School Committees Eelection Bill was committed. Clause'2, definition of householder. The clause was eventually amended to provide that “householder” shall mean every adult male or female owner or tenant of any dwelling-house within a school district' who has resided in a house for three months prior to the day of election. Sub-section 3, of clause 2, was altered' to provide that in school districts within a 1 proclaimed mining district “ householder”' shall mean a holder of a mining right has for three months before the election day, resided in the district. Clause 5, annual election of school committees, elicited a lengthy discussion. On the question whether the members of committee should be seven or five, Mr Reeves moved to strike out the word “ seven,” and urged that a number be left to the people of the different districts to decide for themselves. The amendment was agreed to, the clause as amended being added to the Bill. Clause 8, proceedings at meetings. Ori the rimtum of Mr Palmer, an addition was made to the effect,that any candidate may be allowed to withdraw' from nomination before the ballot is ' taken, either verbally dr in writing. A new clause was substituted for clause 9, to the effect that any householder present at the annual meeting may noiriinate for election on the committee any resident housholder, and the meeting shall then by resolution fix the number ofi committee, which must not be less than five or more than nine. The Bill was ordered to be reported with amendments. The House then went into Committee on the Municipal Corporations Act Amendment Bill. The Bill was reported with amendments and put through its final stages, THIRD READINGS. The School Committees Election Bill was read a third time and passed. The House rose at 1 a.m. The House met at 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday. THE AGENT-GENERAL. The Premier announced that the Agent-Generalship had been offered to and accepted by Mr Perceval, who would proceed to London in the course of a few weeks to enter upon his new duties. ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS. In answer to questions it was stated that during the recess the Government would appoint an expert to assist the fruit-growers of New Zealand; that it was not the intention of the Government to appoint a Royal Commission, to enquire into the working of the Gcfvem-

ment Life Insurance Department, as the work that would be performed by the Commission was now being done by the Assistant Auditor-General, who would be asked to make inquiry as to whether some of the officers could be dispensed with or not, OCEAN MAIL SERVICES. Mr Ward moved the following resolutions in connection with the ocean mail services “ (1) That in the opinion of this House two-weekly mail services .should be maintained between New Zealand aud Great Britain. (2) That in the event of the Imperial Post Office agreeing to extend the present agreement for the apportionment of the cost of the San Francisco and ..direct mail services between the office and the colony, or any favourable variation thereof, this House empowers the Government to arrange with the present contractors for the renewal of the San Francisco and direct services for a period not exceeding three years, on the . following conditions; —(a) That the basis of payment shall be a rate of 11s per pound on the net weight of letters conveyed, excluding those from America by the San Francisco service, (b) That all payments arid rioritribritiOriS from Great Britain and other countries shall be receivable by the contractors, (c) That the colony’s direct liability be for the payment of its outward letters only, (d) That at least one New Zealand steamer in three shall be employed in the San Francisco service. , (e) That the time between San Francisco and New Zealand shall not exceed 20 days, the port of call in the colony to be Auckland or Wellington jat the option of the contractors. (f) That the time between New Zealand arid Plymouth shall not exceed 41 days homeward, and 45 days outward', the contractors to be at liberty to arrive arid depart from any New Zealand port, (g) No bonus to be paid for early arrival, and penalties at the rate of £4 an hour to be enforced only when a late delivery exceeds 48 hours. (4) That all the provisions of the existing; agreements, where > not at variance with any of the foregoing conditions, shad be applicable to, any new contract or contracts made under this authority., ; (3) That in the event of it being impracticable to renew a four-weekly direct service on the foregoing terms, then the Government to make temporary provision for an alternate fortnightly mail being sent by direct steamer at the ordinary ship letter gratuity or by federal packets, on such terms as it may be possible to arrange with the contracting colonies. (4) That this House also authorises thb reduction of the Brindisi and Naples letter postage to a universal rate of 2sd per half ounce, and the rates for books and newspapers being assimilated to the rates via San Francisco and by direct steamers. ” Mr Duthie thought that the of the Government were the best that could, be made. After a short debate the proposals were agreed to and the resolutions as a whole were reported to the House and agreed to. FACTORIES BILL. On the motion of Mr Pinkerton the report of the Free Conference of both Houses on the Factories Bill was agreed to. SUPREME COURT PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE BILL. The Supreme Court Practice arid Procedure Acts Amendment Bill, relating to a purely departmental matter in connection with the Napier Supreme Court, was read a second time, and the Bill was subsequently put through its other stages and passed. COUNTIES ACT AMENDMENT BILL, The Counties Act Amendment Bill was further considered in Committee. Clause 2—Constitution of new road districts. The clause was amended to provide, that the area for' new districts should contain fifty ratepayers and that the rateable value of such area should not be less than£so,ooo. Clause 5 —Couricil may declare all district roads to be county roads. The clause was struck out. Clause 10—County electors to have one vote only, Mr C. H. Mills moved an amendment to the effect that a county elector should only have a limit ' of 1 three Votes'according to the rateable value of his property. The amendment was lost by 31 to 18, [Left sitting]