GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2407, 4 October 1892, Page 4

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. on Friday. The Speaker ruled that the Government Loans to Local Bodies Act Amendment Bill, and the Land for Settlement Bill were Appropriation Bills, and consequently could not be amended by the Council.—lt was eventually decided that the third reading of the former Bill be postponed till Monday, to give the Council an opportunity of considering what course should be pursued. The Land fer Settlements Bill, and the ; Westland, Grey, Inangahua, and Buller' Counties Vehicle Licensing Bill passed ; their final stages. The Shops and Shop Assistants Bill was further considered in committee. — Sir George Whitmore moved the excision of the word " olosed " in the interpretation clause. The effect would be to allow ehopowners to keep their premises open although their assistants are released duty.—The amendment was agreed to by 16 to 4.—Clause 5, providing for a weekly half-holiday, was amended by imposing a fine of £5 on any shop employer who refused to give the holiday.—The Bill as Amended was reported, and ordered to be read a third time on Monday. The Industrial Conciliation Bill was considered in Committee. The principal amendment was to the effect that no lawyer shall appear before the board unless by consent of both parties. Progress was reported on reaching clause 42. The Factories Act Amendment Bill was considered in committee.—Clause 8, providing for the appointment of chief inspectors, was struck out by 15 to 6. The employment of boys between 13 and 14 years of age was also excised. —A new clause, exempting slaughterhouses, freezing works, dairy factories, and shearing sheds, from the provisions of the Bill was inserted. The Bill as amended was reported. At 5 p.m. the Council adjourned till 7.30. The Council resumed at 7.30 p.m. The Public Revenues Bill passed through committee without amendment, was read a third time, and passed. The Native Land Purchase Bill was committed and reported without amendment. Messrs Oliver, Stewart, Stevens, and Pharazyn were appointed managers to confer with the managers of the House With regard to the Electoral Bill. The Customs Law 3 Consolidation Act Amendment Bill, the Servants' Registry Office Bill, the Mining Act Amendment Bill, were read a secoud time. At 8.50 p.m. the Council adjourned till Monday.

HOUSE OF EEPRESENTATIVJKS. LAND AND INCOME.

On Thursday night, Mr Houston's proposition to exempt standing timber was lost by 39 to 11. Mr T. McKenzie moved that incomes derived from money advanced on land by ■way of mortgage be treated as subject to Income Tax.—Lost by 26 to 16. Mr T. McKenzie moved to exempt incomes to the extent of £IOO derived from instruments on mortgage, provided the person enjoys no land exemption.—Lost by 26 to 13. Clause 3 was then agreed to, with verbal amendment.

Clause 24, relating to the mode of making assessment and returns, having bean passed unaltered, progress was reported. A motion for adjournment of the House •was lost by 29 to 21, and the Speaker left the chair at 3.30 a.m. on Friday. The House met at 2.30 p.m. on Friday. LAND BILL. Mr McKenzie said that he proposed to accept a certain number of amendments made by the Legislative Council in the Land Bill, and he should ask the House to disagree with others. He stated the amendments which he should agree to, and said that he should object to clause 17, which limited the width of streets in new boroughs or towns to 66 feet, instead 99 feet, a 3 he had suggested. He »hould also object to the amendment in clause 73, which took away from the Minister all power with respect to reductions of valuations made by the Board. He took exception to the clause empowering married women to become lessees under the Bill. He objected to clause °4, providing that nothing shall prevent any person taking up an area not exceeding 1000 acres of land for any of his children. He objected to clause 123, referring to Crown lands not being sold for nonpayment of rates. The Council had altered this ao that the Board should pay overdue rates to local authorities out of moneys received by them from improvements on lands. He objected to the Council altering clause 138, limiting cash Bales in the year to 250,000 acres, instead of to the value of £250,000. He proposed to object to the alteration made in clau.se 190—« No person or company to hold more than one run/' The Council had altered this to the effect that it should not be competent for a holder of any run to hold more land than would carry 20,000 sheep or 4000 cattle. He would ask for a conference on this and the other clauses he took exception to. He moved that Mr Seddon, Mr Duncan, and the mover, be appointed a committee to draw up reasons for disagreeing with the amendments made by the Council in the Laud Bill.—Agreed to. PUBLIC RESERVES BILL. The Public Reserves Vesting and Sale Bill was read a second time. SELECTORS REVALUATION BILL. The Selectors Land Revaluation Continuation and Amendment Bill passed through committee without material amendment. LAND AND INCOME ASSESSMENT BILL. The Land and Income Assessment Act Amendment Bill was further considered in committee. Clause 5 Assessment of land and mortgages held by or belonging to tenants in common, joint tenants, or partners. Dr Newman moved an amendment, providing that farmers who are partners should be allowed to send in separate i returns and claim separate exemptions. | Mr Ward could not accept the amendment. If it were carried it would mean a loss by one estate alone of £15,000. After considerable discussion the amendment was lost by 28 to 19, and the clause was caraied. The Bill was still under consideration -when the House adjourned at 5.30 p.m. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. THE ELECTORAL BILL. A message was received from the Council insisting on the amendments made in the Electoral Bill, and giving their reasons for taking that course.—Mr Seddon moved that the House disagree with the reasons, and that a committee consisting of Messrs Tanner, Guinness, Earnshaw, and the mover be appointed to «3nfer with the council. The motion was carried on the voices. IN COMMITTEE. The Land and Income Assessment Act Amendment Bill was further ouu.sid.ered J 8 CQRimHtej,

Clause 14—Power of owner of lana to require assessment to be reduced—elicited a lengthy debate, several members asserting the assessors were frequently chosen through being political partisans of Ministers. Mr Ward said that the great cause of complaint against the present Government was that they caused appointments of assessors to be made from amongst their opponents. Mr Rhodes moved an amendment in clause 14 to the effect that an owner of an encumbered estate should have the same right to get the assessment of his land reduced as the owner of an estate that was not encumbered. After a long discussion the Committee divided ; ayes 24, noes 24. The chairman gave his casting vote in such a manner a 3 not to interfere with the existing law, and declared Mr Rhodes' amendment carried. In clause 17 Sir G. Grey moved the amendment he had given notice of, to exempt improvements under the Act by striking out the words " up to £3000." Mr Ward said that when the Government decided to change the incidence of taxation this matter was fully considered, and it was found impossible in the present state of finances to go so far as was proposed by the amendment. He could assure the committee that the finances of the country could not stand such an inroad as would be made by the exemption of the improvements. The Government had already given way to the extent of £20,000 in exemptions, and they were now asked to give up £40,000 more by Sir Georgh Grey's amendment. Sir George Grey observed that the present Government were always ready to do everything for the benefit of thepeople, and yet they never did. During their two years of office they had done nothing. The amendment was lost by 34 to 14. Mr Fisher moved that improvements should be exempted only up to £IOOO, but the chairman ruled that it could not be put as it imposed fresh taxation. Mr Joyce's amendment to the effect that building societies which are not exempt in their deposits should be exempt in their mortgages up to £6OOO, was carried.

A new proviso was inserted in schedule C on the motion of Mr Ward for the purpose of removing double taxation. An amendment was made in the clause defining the meaning of "Income derived from business." Progress was reported and the amendments were agreed to. BILLS PASSED. The Selectors Lands Eevaluation Bill was read a third time and passed. The Land and Income Assessment Act Amendment Bill was read a third time and passed, after upwards of an hour's debate. The Hou?e rose at 3.10 a.m.