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Temuka Leader, Issue 2383, 16 July 1892, Page 4

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LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Council met at, 2.30 p.m. on Wednesday. On the motion of Sir George Whitmore ft Select Committee was appointed to enquire whether it is not possible to arrange that volunteers should be encouraged by any privileges or concessions which, without affecting the revenue, would have a beneficial effect in maintaining the efficiency of the force. The Unclaimed Lands Bill, which provides that the Public Trustee may take possession of lands the owners of which are not known, was read a second time. The second reading of the New Zealand Company's Land Claimants Bill was agreed to. The Libel Bill was committed and reported without amendment. The Council rose at 3.30 p.m. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. on Thursday. The Libel Bill and the Courts of Justice Technical Departments Bill passed their final stages. The Institute of Surveyors Bill was partly considered in Committee. Clause B—Qualification for membership. Mr Stevens took exception that the Institute might become a kind of trade union, and therefore he considered that the clause ahould be amended. Sir Patrick Buckley admitted that there was need for amendment, and progress waß reported. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. [The following is the conclusion of Tuesday's sitting]. Mr Kelly's amendment was lost by 44 to 14, and the freehold qualification was retained. The following is the division list: — For, 14 Buick, Eamshaw, Hogg, W. Hutchison, Joyce, J. Kelly, Pinkerton, R H. J. Beeves, W. P. Reeves, Sandford, Seddon, W. C. Smith, Tanner, Taylor. Againat, 44 Allan, Ballance, Blake, Buchanan, Buckland, Cadman, Carncross, Carroll, Dawson, Duncan, Duthie, Fergus, Fish, Fisher, Fraser, Hall, Hall-Jones, Harkness, Houston, G. Hutchison, W. Kelly, Lake, Lawry, T. McKenzie, MeGuire, J. McKenzie, McLean, Meredith, E. H. Mills, Mitchelson, Moore, Palmer, Parata, Rhodes, Richardsou, Rolleston, Russell, Saunders, Shera, Swan, R. Thompson, T. Thompson, Valentine, Wright. Bo pairs were recorded. Progress was then recorded and the House rose at 2.10 a.m. The House met at 2.30 p.m. on Wednesday. KEPLIES TO QUESTIONS. Replying to Mr MeGuire whether the English capitalists who lent money comprised in the North Island Trunk Railway loan gave any security that the money so lent should be expended on the eaid railway, the Premier said that the North Island Trunk railway loan was ear-marked, but that there was no specific engagement with the English creditors. In reply to Mr O'Connor Mr Seddon said that tho Railway Commissioners could not undertake to run special ■working men's trains morning and evening at 2d for five miles, 3d for ten miles, and 6d for 15 miles, including return, as those prices would involve a lobs. . , , Mr O'Conor moved the adjournment of the House as this was a very important matter. He considered that the reply of the Commissioners was most unsatisfactory. Mr Seddon agreed that the reply w_as not satisfactory; in fact, the ConinnsBioncra were almost impertinent in replying to it. He thought that special facilities might with great advantage be given to working men living out of towns, especially in places like Christchurch and Auckland. A lengthy discussion ensued, during which several members deprecated the Minister of Public Works taking every opportunity of attacking the Railway Commissioners,who had responsiblejduties to perform. Mr W. P. Reeves defended his colleague. Several other members having spoken the matter dropped. NEW BILLS. A number of new Bills were introduced, including one to amend the Licensing Act, 1881, which is in charge of Mr E. H. J. Reeves. The House ndjonrned at 5.30 p.m. and resumed at 7.30. ROAD BOARDS BILL. Mr Wright moved the second reading of the Road Boards Act 1882 Amendment Bu% to prevent the recurrence of certain abuses which had crept into the valuation rolls for Road Board elections. Tho motion was agreed to, and the Bill referred to a committee. FISHERIES CONSERVATION. Mr Wright moved the second reading of th» Fisheries Conservation Act 1886 Amendment Bill, which provided a penalty for selling or taking under-sized flounders from Lake ElleHnicre in the Canterbury district of rot leas than one pound or more than fifty pounds, and it was agreed to. THE EIGHT HOURS BILL. Mr Hutchison (Dunedin) moved the second reading of the Eight Hours Bill | to fix the hours of labor within the colony. Clause 7 proposes that no child: under 13 years of age shall be employed for hire, and no person under sixteen j years shall be required to work more than five hours a day. He was afraid, however, that he would have to part with this clause, as he was advised that it was in ; advance of the times and would not be I acceptable.—The motion was agreed to. PUBLIC WORKS BILL. | On the motion of Mr Buckland the j Public Works Act Amendment Bill was read a second time. IN COMMITTEE. The Oyster Fisheries Bill was further considered in Committee. Clause 7 Export duty on oystuu Mr Seddon moved that a duty not exceeding Is in the £ be imposed on oysters in their natural state in the shell previous to their exportation. Agreed to. In reply to a question Mr Seddon said that he proposed to exclude the South Island from the provisions of the Bill. The remaining clauses passed with slight amendment and the Bill was reported. The Bankruptcy Bill was considered in Committee. Up to clause 93 no amendments whatever were made. The House rose at 1.15 a.m. The House met at 2.30 p.m. on Thursday. LEAVE OF ABSENCE. Leave of absence for a fortnight was granted to Sir G. Grey on account of illness. DOUBLE TAXATION. Replying to Mr Harkne3s, whether it was true, as reported in the New Zealand Herald, that in answer to the question " Is it your intention to bring in a Bill to relieve English debenture-holders of double taxation," the Premier gave the following reply:—"Yes, I propose to bring in such a measure to relieve debenture-holders who have money on mortgage; that is to say, they will pay

-■■;■ H'.v- ■. :!,:-,:■-. hat n filing in the rtii;tpe of income tax on their debentures." The Premier said he could not vouch for the accuracy of newspaper reports. As he had previously stated the Land and Income Tax Amendment Bill was now in the hands of the law officers, and as soon it was prepared he would submit it to the House. Mr Fish moved the adjournment of the House, and spoke strongly against the action of the Premier over this matter, which he characterised as evasive in the highest degree. Sir John Hall thought that the conduct of the Premier was not only unusual, but absolutely unprecedented. In fact, it was discourteous and insulting to the House. Mr W. P. Reeves asked whether that j language was Parliamentary. The Speaker ruled that it was not. Sir John Hall withdrew the word 8, but j said that the Parliamentary vocabulary j was quite inadequate to deal with the conduct of Ministers in connection with this matter. The Premier denied that he had insulted the House in any way. He also denied that he had kept back information from it. There had never been a Government that had brought down information so readily as the present Ministry had, and he had, in fact, gone out of his way to supply information to questions which should have been tabled as motions. Mr Rolleston said that the House was fast coming to the opinion "that when the Premier proposed to give information he did not give it, nor had they any confidence in what he did say. He referred to the extraordinary attitude of the Premier, who wished to lead the House to believe that he had not made up his mind whether or not he would tax millions of foreign capital twice over, and in keeping back information on that head. The subject then dropped. The House rose at 5.30 p.m., and resumed at 7.30. OYSTER FISHERIES BILL. The Oyster Fisheries Bill was read a third time and passed, after some debate. IN COMMITTEE. The Registration of Births and Deaths Amendment Bill passed through Committee. The Westland and Grey Education Boards Bill passed through Committee without amendment. The Electoral Bill was further considered in the committee. Clause 6—Qualification of electors. The clause was altered, fixing the length of residence in a district to enable a person to be placed on the roll at three months instead of one month. In clause 7, relating to the qualification of Maoris to vote, the Premier moved that a Maori possessed of freehold qualification may be registered under the Act, but in such caso he shall not be entitled to vote for the election of Maori members. —Agreed to. Clause B—Aliens, public offenders, and defaulters, disqualified from registering. On the suggestion of the Premier, the words " lunatics or persons of unsound minds " were inserted. Clause 9—Mr Blake moved the addition " that do woman should be qualified to vote till vitei- next General Election." I Sir John Hall said he would move later on an amendment that the women's franchise should not come into force till Ist Jime, 1893. The Premier said that he would be agreeable to that. Mr Blake's amendment was lost by 14 to 13, and tho clause agreed to. Several members of the Opposition objected to the late hour at which business was being carried on, and thought such late sittings were uncalled for at the present stage of the session. The Electoral Bill was considered up to clause 21, but although there was a considerable amount of discussion no amendment of any conseqnence was made. Progress was reported. THIRD REAUI.VGS. The Registration of Births .wj Deaths Amendment Bill, and Westland and Gray Education Bill were read a third time and passed. The House rose at 3.5 a.m.