GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2405, 29 September 1892, Page 4

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday. EXPLANATION. Dr Pollen explained that he had voted on the division on the Electoral Bill on Friday last on Colonel Whitmore's amendment that "person" does not include "woman," under a misapprehension through defective hearing. BILLS PASSED. The Electoral Bill and Kaitangata Relief Funds Transfer Bill were read a third time and passed. CONCILIATION BILL. Sir P. Buckley moved the second reading of the Industrial Conciliation Bill, which was agreed to on the voices after a short debate, and the Bill was referred to the Labour Bills Committee. At 4.45 p.m. the Council adjourned till 7.30 p.m. SECOND READINGS. The Dairy Industry Bill, the Mining Company Act Amendment Bill, and the Government Loans to Local Bodies Act Amendment Bill were read a second time. LAND BILL. The Laud Bill was oonsidered in Committee. Clause 87, disqualifying married women from selecting land was struck out by 8 to 6. The first sub-section of clause 89 was retained by Bto 6\ this paragraph refers to selection toy children under 17 years of a ge. _Mr Ofttiottd moved an amendment to the clause, to enable a pers ■>« to take up 2000 acres for himself and 1000 each for three of his children under 17 years of age. The amendment was agreed to by 7 to 6. Clause 133—Yearly limit of land sales, was amended, by 11 to 2, in the direction of limiting the area to 210,000 acres instead of making the value £150,000 On reaching clause 172 progress was reported. LOCAL BODIES BILL. The Local Bodies Loans Act Amendment Bill passed through committoe without amendment, BILLS PASSED. The Oamaru Harbour Board Advance Repayment Bill, the Otago School Commissioners Empowering Bill, the Auckland Harbour Empowering Bill passed their final stages. The Council rose at 10.45 p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The Hous6 mot at- 2.30 p.m. on Monday. SECOND READINtt. The Naval and Military Settlers ««d Volunteers' Land Bill was read a second time. In reply to a question, Mr Seddon said there would be no further schedule of claims this session, but the Government would not object to a reasonable extension of the time for sending in claims under the Bill. IN COMMITTEE. The Westland, Grey, lnanghua, and Buller Counties Vehicle Licensing Bill, awl Kaiapoi Bill passed through committed without amendment. The Minna A/si Amendment Bill was further considered in committee. The House adjourned' ai .5.30 and resumed at 7.30 p.m. The Mining Act Amendment Bill wan passed through committee with the amendments made by the Goldfields Committtee. The Bill was reported and the third reading set down for next dsy, INTERCEPTING SUPPLY. On the motion that the House go into Committee of Supply, Mr J. W. Kelly ealM .attention to the superior position of Invei'<jaj?£ill over that of other parts of the colony, m<L moved—" That in the opinion of this Hous* it js desirable that next session ot Parliament sliced be held in Invorcargill." Mr Kelly's amendment waa put and lost by &2 ia 12,

Mr Rolleston again referred to the proposed Legislative Comicil appointments, and hoped that the House would be put in possession of the terms of the cablegram received by the Government from the Home authorities. He would also like to know whether Ministers were in receipt of a telegram from the Agent General on the subject. This matter was one of most momentous importance to the colony, and it would be regarded as a precedent of a most dangerous character. The question was whether the people of the colony were prepared to divest themselves of responsible government, and whether they were willing to allow Ministers to set aside the constitution in the manner proposed by making 12 appointments to the Council. As to the Agent General there was reason to fear that that official had been at the door of the Colonial Office negotiating in the dispute between the representative of the Crown and Ministers. He also hoped that they would have an assurance that they would not be kept there till such unreasonable hours as on Friday morning last, when they witnessed one of the most discreditable debates that had ever occurred in the House, and one which he trusted he would never have to listen to again. Sir George Grey, Mr Scobie Mackenzie, Mr G. H. Hutchison, Dr Newman, and Mr Allen also spoke. Mr Seddon considered that the Governor had acted in a thoroughly constitutional manner, and had shown himself to be a worthy representative of Her Majesty. Ministers had not seen the contents of the telegram received by Hia Excellency. His opinion was that the action of the Home Government would strengthen the bonds between the colony and the Home authorities' Notwithstanding what the Opposition said to the contrary, the decision given by the Colonial Office on this question would enable the majority of the people to govern, and noc the small Opposition in the House and country, and had also justified all that the Government had been contending for without putting the country to the expense and worry of a general election which the Opposition had been striving to bring about. He ridiculed the idea that twelve new Councillors would give the Government control of the Upper House, and said that on several occasions this session there was a majority of seventeen against the Government in that Chamber. The Agent-General had been very unfairly treated in this matter. Now that the Government were about to restore the Upper Chamber to a position that would enable the voice of the people to be heard, he was astonished to hear Sir George Grey strongly oppose the proposal, especially when it came from the party that had supported that gentleman for years. The treatment meted out by the Council to several of the measures that had come before it showed that the necessity had arisen for a change. COMMITTEE OV SUPPLY. On the House going into Supply, a discussion ensued as to how long the House should sit, and how many of the estimates should be put through. Colonial Treasurer's Department, £44,679. , x , , On the item £23,192 for Land and Income Tax Department, several members drew atttention to the unsatisfaotory manner in which the valuations under the Land and Income Assessment Act had been made —Mr Ward said the Government hoped to be able to effect a change for the better.

The whole vote was agreed to without alteration.

Public Trust Office, expenses acoount £626l.—Agreed to Department of Lands and Surveys, £lo9,l62,—Passed unaltered. Rates on Crown Lands, £looo.—Agreed to. Progresss was reported and the House rose at 3 a.m. The House met at 2.30 p.m. BILLS DISCHARGED. In the absence of the Premier, Mr S ddon announced that the Government had decided to drop the following Bills : The Land Transfer Act Amendment Bill, the Public Works Act Amendment Bill, tne Land Drainage Bill, the Stock Bill, the Unclaimed Money Bill, the Wellington Fruit-growing Association Bill, the Education Keserves Bill, the Inspection of Buildings Appliances Bill, the Boarding and Lodging Houses Bill, the Companies Branch Register Bill, the Labour Department Bill, the Civil Service Bill, the Native Land Court Bill, the Manual and Technical Elementary Instruction Bill, the Codlin Moth Bill, the Shipping Act Amendment Bill, the Municipal Corporations Bill, the Adulteration Prevention Act Amendment Bill, the Civil Service Officers Guarantee Bill, the Hawkers and Pedlars Bill, and the Noxious Weed Bill. He moved that these Bills be discharged from the oi'der paper, With respect to the Criminal Code Bill, the Hew Zealand Institution of Surveyors Bill, tnd the Libel Bill, he thought that some progress might be made with those measures, and as to the Government Railways Bill, it would depend on the course of business whether the Government would proceed with it or not.—The motion was agreed to. Mr Seddon said that the Government had given an assurance that they would take up the Friendly Societies Act Amendment Bill, and the Law Pracfciliom-.rs Bills (Noa. 2 and 3), and they would endeavour to pass them into law.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Replying to Mr Rolleston Mr Seddon said that the Government were not aware of nature of the cablegram to his Excellency the Governor, re the Council appointments. His Excellency had communicated the effect of it to Ministers at his pleasure, and not by command. No communication whatever had b".en received by the Government from the Agent-General or the Colonial Office »,n t)je subject.

EDUCAttIOWAL ENDOWMENTS. Replying to Mr McGwire, Mr McKenzie said that it was the intention of the Government to introduce a Bill next session, dealing with educational endowments all over the colony.

LAND SCRIP. On the motion of the Hon. Mr McKenzie, it was decided that the manner in which land scrip had been used in the Auckland, Wellington, and Uhristclmreh Land offices, bo -referred to the Public Accounts Committe for eoiirildofntJon and report. The House rose at 5.30 p.m., and resumed at 7.30 p.m. jjjr Seddon laid the Public Works Statemoft* and JEatimales on the table. After the Statement l?ad been delivered the House went into Comniiitep on the

PUBLIC REVENUE BILL. Clause 2—Limit of Treasury Bills increased.—-This clause elicited a long discussion, several members contending that it really amounted to surreptitious borrowing to'the extent of £550,00*?. Mr Ward, who had charge of the Bill, denied that the clause bore the construction put upon it by members of the Opposition, and explained, as the Premier had done on the second reading, that with respect to the £550,000 to bo issued in Treasury J}iUa,it>«S .tfevugM advisable ttottlw

Agent-General should have this amount in reservo in order to provide against any emergency that might arise.—The clause passed. Clause 3—Commutation of travelling allowances not exceeding 20s per day to Royal Commissioners, including travelling fares.—Agreed to after a long discussion. The Bill waa reported without amendment, read a third time and passed. The House went into Committee of Supply for consideration of THE ESTIMATES. The total vote of £121,104 for the Justice Department was passed without alteration, after some considerable discussion. Agricultural Department, £33,820. This vote also cansed a long discussion, but passed unaltered. Defence Department, £68,281. —Replying to Mr Fish, Mr Seddon said that the new commandant had not been supplanted by him in any respect. . It was the conmandant's own wish that he should visit forts of the colony, and make himself fully acquainted with them. When his report was received the Government would be prepared to act. (Left sitting at 2. a.m.)