GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2398, 20 August 1892, Page 4

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL,

The Council met at 2.30 p.m. on Wednesday. The Land Transfer Act Amendment Bill passed its final stages. The Napier Harbor Board Loan Bill was read a second time. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. on Thursday. The Workmen’s Lien Bill was read a second time, and referred to the Labor Bills Committee. The Napier Harbor Board Bill passed its final stages.

HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30 p.m. on Wednesday. THE GOVERNMENT BANKING ACCOUNT. Mr Guinness brought up the report of the Public Accounts Committee on the petition of the Colonial Bank with respect to obtaining a portion of the Government banking account. The rep jrt recommended that the Colonial Bank should receive a share of remittances. He moved that the report lie on the table. After considerable discussion the debate was adjourned till Friday, to enable members to lead through the evidence before they come to a decision whether it should be printed or not. NORTH ISLAND MAIN TRUNK RAILWAY. Mr Thompson (Auckland) brought up a report on the petition from the Auckland Railway League in respect to deciding on the route for the North Island Main Trunk Line. He moved that the report be laid on the table. Sir George Grey moved to add to the motion—“ That the Goverximent be requested to set up a committee for the purpose of considering and x-ecommending the best route for the railway.” A long debate ensued, and it was interrupted by the 5.30 p.m. adjournment.

The House resumed at 7.30. RAND AND INCOME TAX BILL. The Premier introduced the Land and Income Tax Bill. ALIENS BILL. Mr Seddon moved the second reading of the Aliens Act Amendment Bill. The motion was agreed to. REGISTRATION BILL, The Registration of Births and Deaths Amendment Bill was read a third time and passed. INSPECTION OF SCAFFOLDING BILL. Mr Seddon moved the second reading of the Inspection of Scaffolding and Gear used in“the Construction of Buildings Bill. " , Mr Fish moved that the Bill be read a second time that day six months. Mr Duthie seconded the amendment. The amendment was defeated by 35 to 26, and the motion for the second reading was agreed to. SECOND READINGS.

The Courts of Justice (technical defects removal) Bill, the Education Reserve Act Amendment Bill, the Unclaimed Land Bill, the Waikouaiti Deserve Bill, and the Oraki Succession Further Investigation Bill were road a second time. IN COMMITTEE. The Employers’ Liability Act Amendment Bill was committed. The Bill passed through Committee without amendment. THIRD READING. The Kaiapoi Native Reserve Act 1887 Amendment Bill was read a third time, and passed without amendment. BILLS ADVANCED. The Settlement Laud Act Amendment Bill and Mining Companies Act Amendment Bill were read a second time. The Bankruptcy Act was further considered in Committee. Clause 120 was amended to the eliect that in the preference clause for rent the value of goods distrainablo be fixed by the court if the assignee and landlords are unable to agree as to the amount. The sub-section of clause 82, providing that when bankrupts have assigned to trustees property for the benefit of their creditors the acts of trustees shall be validated, was struck out. The remaining clauses aud schedule were passed. The Bill was reported with amendments, read a third time, and passed. The House rose at 2 a.m. on a countout. The House met at 2.30 p.m. on Thursday. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL APPOINTMENTS. In answer to Mr Rolleston, the Premier said that unless the House expressed a desire to discuss the correspondence laid on the table of the House yesterday with reference to the Legislative Council appointments the Government would not bring the subject up for discussion, as they did not consider it warranted the waste of public time. Mr Rolleston differed from this expression of opinion, and said that he would take an early opportunity of opening a discussion on the matter. Mr George Hutchison moved the adjournment of the House, aud a lengthy debate ensued.

The Premier thought that a subject, of this kind should be debated calmly, without reference to parties. Tno Government did not wish to shirk the matter in the slightest degree. He should leave it to the House whether an opportunity should be given to discuss the question. Mr Rolleston asked the Premier to put up Supply as soon as possible, so as to allow the matter to oe fairly discussed by the House. The Premier said that Mr Rolleston’a request was a very reasonable one, and he should put up Supply early next week. BOONPARIES BILL. The motion for the second reading of the Borough of Onehuuga Boundaries Bill was lost by 30 to 18. The House rose at 5.30 p.m., and resumed at 7.30,

THE i.l A OLE RATES. 7 Mr Ward made a statement with icgard to the cable rates. EIGHT HOURS BILL.

The report ol the Committee on Ibr W. Hutchison’s Eight Hours Bill was adopted, and the Bill passed its final stages. ELECTIVE GOVERNORS BILL. Sir George Grey moved the second reading of the Elective Governors Billd to provide for the election of the Go-, vernor in New Zealand. In the course of a lengthy speech, he said he believed that if the Bill passed the homes of thousands of families in New Zealand would be cheered by the hope that some day one of their sons might be Governor ho colony, and this was the hope that sh.mhi animate the breast of every child in jSo\v Zealand.

Me; r;. i’-.yl •• , Bees, O’Con or, Hogg, Macintosh, aim R. i-. J Reeves supported the Bill, and Mr 'l'. McKenzie, Captain Russell, Sir John Hall, Colonel Fraser, and Mr Fisher spoke against it. The second reading was lost by 28 to 27. The following is the division list: — Ayes 27 Oadmau, Duncan, Earnahaw, Grey, Hall-Joncs, Hogg, Houston, W Hutchison (City of Dunedin), Joyce, Kelly (Invercargill), W. Kelly (East

Coast), Lawry, Macintosh, McLean, C. H. Mills (Picton-Waimea), O’Conor, Palmer, Parata, Rees, R. H. J. Reeves (Inangahna), Sandford, Seddon, Shera, W. C. Smith (Waipawa), Tanner, Taylor, T. Thompson (City of Auckland). Noes, 28—Allen, Blake, Bruce, Buckland, Buick, Carncross, Dawson, Duthie, Fergus, Fisher, Fraser-, Guinness, Hall, Hamlin, Harkness, Lake, M. J. $• McKenzie (Mount Ida), T. McKenzie (Clutha), Meredith, Moore, Newman, Rhodes, Richardson, Russell, Saunders, Swan, R. Thompson (Marden), Wright. Pairs —For, E. M. Smith (New Plymouth) and Pinkerton ; against, Ballanco and Mitchelson. INEBRIATES HOME BILL. The House went into Committee on the Inebriates Home Bill. Progress was reported on reaching clause G. The House rose at 1.25 a.m.