GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2392, 30 August 1892, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Council met at 2.30 p.m, on Friday. The Dunedin Ocean Beach Public Domain Bill passed its final stages. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30 p.m. on Friday. WEST COAST SETTLEMENT BILL. The House went into Committee on the West Coast Settlement Reserves Bill.—The Bill passed with the amendments made by the Special Committee, was reported to the House, and after a short debate was read a third time and passed. The House rose at 5.30 p.m. and resumed at 7.30 p.m. THE ELECTORAL BILL. The Electoral Bill was further considered in Committee. Clause 105—Voter to be alone when making up the ballot paper.

Mr Saunders moved an amendment of which he had previously given notice with respect to an election on the Hare system for the city constituencies. The Premier opposed the proposal, and contended that if it were carried the whole of the Electoral Bill would have to be remodelled. He said that he had never known of a case in which the Hare system had been carried out successfully, Mr Bollestou said that the argument that the Bill would have to be remodelled was no argument at all. He should not regret it much if the Bill was dropped altogether. As for Mr Saunders’s amendment, he was inclined to think that it was an improvement on the Bill. After a lengthy discussion the amendment was lost by 35 to 29. The following is the division, list:—

For the amendment (29) : Allen, Buchanan, Buckland, Duthie, Fergus, Fish, Fisher, Grey, Hamlin, Harkness, G. Hutchison, W. Hutchison, Lake, M. J. S, Mackenzie, T. McKenzie, Mitchelson, Moore, Newman, O’Conor, Rhodes, Richardson, Rolleston, Saunders, Swan, Taipua, B. Thompson, Valentine, Wilson, Wright. Against the amendment (35); Ballance, Blake, Buick, Cadman, Cav.icross, Carroll, Dawson, Duncan, Earnshaw, Fraser, Guinness, Hall-Jonca, Hogg, Houston, Joyce, Kapa, J. Kelly, La wry, Mclntosh, McGuire, J. McKenzie, McLean, C. H. Mills, Parata, Pinkerton, R, Reeves, W. P. Reeves, Sandford, Seddon, Shera, E. M. Smith, W. C. Smith, Tanner, Taylor, T. Thompson,

Pairs—For the amendment; Russell, Jas. Mills., Hall, and Bruce ; against the amendment :• Meredith, Ward, Palmer, and W. Kelly. Clause 107 Number of votes to be given by each voter. Mr Moore moved to strike out this clause, He disapproved of amalgamated electorates. Mr Harkness intimated that lie would move at tho end of the Bill a new clause to the effect that within one month after passing tho Bill the Representation Commissioners shall divide the four cities into single electorates. After a lengthy discussion Mr Moore’s motion was lost by 155 to 26. The division list was almost identical with the one published above. Clause 150—Four Maori members to be elected. Mr Shera moved that this clause bo struck out, as lie wished to abolish special Maori representation. The clause was retained by 48 to 8. Clause 152 Qualification of Maori electors was altered to provide that every Maori should be entitled to vote instead of every “male Maori.” Clause 155—Existing Maori districts continue in force.—Retained by 45 to 10. Clause 158—Candidate may have free use of public schoolrooms, Ac., for election meetings. This clause provoked a long discussion and was strongly opposed by several members. A motion to postpone clause 168 of tho Electoral Bill was lost by 33 to 13. Mr Rolleston moved an amendment providing that the use of schoolrooms, Ac., should bo given, subject to tho regulations made by the School Committees or loc»J bodies.

This was lost by 13 to 28, and the clause was retained by 29 to 12. The remaining clauses were passed without amendment.

Progress was reported, leave being given to sit again for the consideration of the postponed clauses. The House rose at 2.45 a.m.