GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2395, 13 August 1892, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. ADJOURNMENT. The Legislative Council met on Wednesday afoernoon,but, following the usual procedure when a " want of confidence " motion is being debated in another place, in adjournment was immediately taken, on the motion of Sir Patrick Buckley. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. on Thursday. WESLEYAN CHURCH TRUST BILL. Mr Barnicoat moved the second reading of the Wesleyan Church Trust Bill.—Mr Oliver reluctantly moved as an amendment that the second reading be taken that day six months. He believed in the objects sought to be obtained by the measure, but took the course he did, as he considered that the majority of the Methodists had had no opportunity of studying the measure. After a long debate Mr Oliver withdrew his amendment, and the second reading was agreed to. FRIENDLY SOCIETIES AMENDMENT BILL. The Friendly Societies Amendment Bill, which protects the contributions of members of juvenile lodges, was read a second time. The Council rose at 4.30 p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.20 p.m. ou Wednesday. THE LAND BILL. Mr Richardson resiumed the debate on the Land Bill. He said that a fresh turn had been given to the debate by the Premier deciding to accept Mr Bruce's amendment as a "no confidence" motion. The Premier might well, in his (Mr Richardson's) opinion, have accepted the amendment in a non-party spirit, and the Minister of Lauds had stated that the Government were not averse to the freehold tenure. The Minister of Public Works had also emphasized that, and yet the Premier treated the amendment as one of "no confidence." If the leader of the Opposition had moved the amendment the Premier might have been justified in treating it iu a party spirit, but as it was moved by an Opposition member who was known to be not an extreme party man, it had an altogether different aspect. Mr McKeuzie, in his speech on the previous nighfc, had stated that there had been only 4£ per cent of transfers, whereas in the Crown Lands Report the number of transfers was stated at 10 per cent. He quoted from returns to show that the figures given by Mr McKenzie last night were not correct. Ministers had been crowing all over the country during the recess about the success of special settlements, and yet the Crown Lands Report stated that settlement was being starved for want of reading. A great deal in the present Bill was proposed to be done by regulations, and far too much was left to Ministerial patronage instead of to ordinary departmental administration. As to the proposal for elective Land Boards, all he would say about that at present was that these boards required men with special qualifications, who were not likely to be secured by the elective principle. He had no objection to the perpetual lease proposed by the Minister. As long as the optional choice of tenure did not include cash purchase there should be two systems of perpetual lease, one with the right to acquire th;» freehold, and the other without that right. A great blot in the Bill was the provision for special settlements, and out of the whole of these settlements in the colony only absut one-fifth of the original settlers now remained. He pointed out that the Bill contained the same absurd provisions for small grazing runs as last year's measure, a fact which would prove . a serious check to pastoral enterprise. He did not regard the amendment as one of "no c mfidence " in the Government, but he thought it very unwise to alter the law relating to freehold, for people would have the freehold.

The debate was continued by Mr Lawry, Captain Russell, Mr T. Thompson (Auckland), Mr Buckland, Mr Fish, MrTaylor, Mr Scobie Mackenzie, Mr Mcintosh, Mr W. Hutchison, Mr McGuire, Mr Buchanan, Mr Blake, Mr Duncan, Mr R. Thompson, and Mr Lake. On a division being taken the amendment was rejected by 39 to 21. The following is the division list on Mr Bruce's amendment:—

Ayes, 21 Allen, Bruce, Buchanan, Buckland, Duthie, Hall, Hamlin, Harkness, G. Hutchison (Waitotara), Lake, M. J. S. Mackenzie (Mount Ida), T. McKenzie (Clutha), J. Mills (Port Chalmers), Mitchelson, Rhodes, Richardson, liolleston, Russell, Valentine, Wilson., Wright. Noes, 39—Balhmse, Buick, Qadman, Carncross, Carroll, Duncan, Earnshaw, Fish, Fraser, Guinness, Hall- Tones, Hogg, Houston, W. Hutchison, Joyce, Kelly (In vercargill) ,Lawry,Maointosh,McGuire, J. McKenzie (Waitnki), McLean, Meredith, C. H. Mills (Picton-Waiinea),, O'Conor, Parata, Pinkerton, R. H. J. Reeves. (Inangahua), W. P. Reeves (City of Christchurch), Saudford, Saunders* Seddon, Sliera, E. M, Smith (New Plymouth), W. 0. Smith (Waipawa), Tanner, Taylor, !*, Thnmpsm (Marsden), T. Thompson (City of Auckland), Ward. Pairs, for amendment Taipuaj, Newman, Swan, Fergus, Fisher, Moore. Pairs against amendment—Kapa, Sees-,, Dawson, Blake, W. Kelly (East Coast), Palmer.

On the motion for the second reading of the Bill, Mr McKenzie said the Government had been twitted with making this a party question, but the fact was that the Opposition had frequently stated that the supporters of freehold w&re in a. majority in the House, and th& Government had therefore to givethorn an opportunity of proving that,.with the result of the division just taken. Again he pointed, out to the House that the Land, Q4*\ provided that anyone Gould qbicaJA h\nd with the option of tenure and the right to obtain the freehold if he desired it. He warmly defended the ballot system, but said that i? any better system were shown to him he should be only too glad to aceejifc. it. He criticised at great length the speeches of membera of the Opposition, and said that he was prepared; to accept any reasonable amendment which would improve the Bill. The motion for the second reading was agreed to on the voices.

The House rose at 1.45 a.m. Tho House met at 2.33 p.m. on Thursday. REI'IiIES TO QUESTIONS. Replying to Mr Fisher, Mr Reeves said that he did not propose this session to give effect to his formerly expressed opinion in favor of the retention of the working average, nor as to the establishment and maintenance of training colleges. Replying to Mr George Hutchison, Mr Seddon said that tho Government had no intentions with regard to the purchase of the Wellington-Manawatu Railway. THIRD READINGS. The Oamaru Racecourse Empowering Bill, The Te Aroha Recreation Ground Bill, the Sydenham Borough Council Empowering Bill, the Napier Harbor Board Further Empowering Bill, th 4

Dunedin Ocean Beach Public Domains Bill, were read a third time and passed. The House rose at 5.30 p.m. and resumed at 7.20.

BILL THROWN OUT. The Napier and Wanganui Museum Endowment Bill, to provide endowment in land for public museums in Napier and Wanganui respectively, was thrown out.

EIGHT HOURS BILL. The House went into Committee on the Eight Hours Bill. Clause 2—lnterpretation clause.

Mr Tanner moved an amendment to the effect that u employer" includes the Railway Commissioners. The amendment was lost by 48 to 6, and the clause passed. Several amendments were made in the Bill, chiefly those made by the Labor Bills Committee, and it was ordered to be reported next Thursday.

INEBRIATES HOME BILL. Mr Shera moved the second reading of the Inebriates Homes Bill, to make better provision for the treatment of inebriates. The Bill contained two principles, the firat of which was that no person should go to gaol for drunkenness; the other was that it is the duty of the State to regard habitual drunkards as persons suffering from a disease which n© efforts should be spared to cure. Mr Fish deprecated a Bill of this kind being brought in by private members. It was undoubtedly a question of Government policy, and his opinion was that the House should refuse to keep a quorum together when Bills of this kind were brought in by private members. Mr Earnshaw agreed with Mr Fish's views, and opposed the Bill. After a short debate the motion for the second reading was agreed to on the voices. The House rose at 12.35 a.m.