GERERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2401, 20 September 1892, Page 4

GERERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. on Friday. The Dempsey Trust Bill passed its final stages.

Sir x’. Buckley moved the second reading of the Land Bill. Mr Stevens adversely attacked the provisions of the Bill. He objected to elective land boards, and ridiculed the idea that married women should be debarred from selecting land or that parents should not bo allowed to take up land for their children on the absurd ground that they might be guilty of dummyism. Ho spoke in favor of the deferred-payment system and also of the freehold tenure, the abolition of which system would inevitably prove disastrous to the tenant and the revenue, which would be unable to find the fees for the surveys, &c. He was convinced that the 99 years lease would not prove acceptable to the majority of the jeople, and besides which the settlers would be unable to borrow money unless at usurious rates of interest. He predicted that the Bill if passed would not only cripple the farmers, but would have the effect of driving them from the colony. He strongly opposed the one-maii-one-run clause, and ho also objected to power being vested in the Minister of setting apart 250,000 acres per year for village settlements, as calculated to place too much power in the hands of the Government of the day, ixi addition to which it would injure other systems of tenure. Dr Grace was opposed to the perpetuallease scheme, as also of clause 44, by which the Crown might cancel a lease without hearing evidence. He strongly opposed women being debari’ed from acquiring homes for themselves and their children when they were burdened by drunken or thriftless husbands. Dr Pollen opposed the Bill. It was not land settlement so much as settlers of the good hard-working yeomen of England sort, that the colony required, and which they wwuld have but for the blatant cry of the so-called unemployed and trade unionists who ruled the present Ministry. He expressed the belief that the C nmcil, despite threats, would do their duty to the public and to themselves. Mr Barnicoat generally supported the Bill, while Mr Stewart opposed it as being calculated to withdraw money from Home at present invested in the pastoral lands, which if the Bill passed would be left to the rabbits. The Bill was read a second time on the voices and referred to the Waste Lands Committee. The Council adjourned at 5 p.m.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30 p.m. on Friday. QUESTIONS. Replying to Mr Fish, Mr Seddon said an attempt had been made to relieve the congested state of the labor market in Dunedin by placing some of the men on the Otago Central line, and bringing others up to the North Island. CONCILIATION BILL. The whole afternoon was occupied in debating the motion for the third reading of the Industrial Conciliation Bill. A large number of members took the last opportunity of expressing their views on the measure, which some claimed was one of the most important that had ever been before the House. The debate was interrupted by the 5.30 p.m. adjournment. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. After further debate the Industrial Conciliation Bill passed its final stages on the voices. THE ESTIMATES. The House went into Committee of Supply. Postal and telegraph salaries, £107,690. —Passed without discussion. Telegraph cable subsidies, £309. Carried after a considerable discussion. Conveyance of mails by sea, £32,098. — In reply to Mr Duthie Mr Ward explained the whole position of the San Francisco service, for which it was proposed to take a vote of £18,500. He believed that even if this colony did not increase the present subsidy the service would not be discontinued as the contractors would carry it on themselves. In his opinion the service was a fast one, and had on the whole proved of great benefit to the colony—After a lengthy discussion the total vote was carried, The other items in the department were passed without alteration. Education Department Head office, £2130. —TIIO vote passed without amendment.

Mr Meredith’s motion to reduce the Burnham school vote by £5 was lost. School for Deaf Mutes at Sumner, £32oo—Mr Fish severely attacked the management of this Institution, and several members said, after the statement made by the member for Dunedin, the fullest enquiry should he instituted into the charges.—Mr Reeves said that a Royal Commission had recently inquired into the charges of ill-treatment at the institution, and had reported there was no foundation for them.—Mr Fish moved —That the item Board of Pupils, £I6OO, he reduced by £6oo.”—Mr Reeves undertook, if Mr Fiafi would formulate charges, to have a searching investigation made into them.-- Mr Fish said he *?/■???hi make further inquiries into the statements, and if he found they were sound he would put them before the Minister in writing,—Mr Reeves said fie would see whether a master and matron could be appointed to manage the institution, leaving Mr Van Asch, the present master, to perform the duties of teacher only? provided that such change would not be to the detriment of the children.—After this assurance, MiFish withdrew his motion, and the vote passed. Lunatic Aavlnma, £41,079. —Agreed to. ChaHLiWp Department, £Bs9.—Agreed to. Progress was reported; Mil- the House rose at 4.16 a.m.