GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2411, 13 October 1892, Page 4

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. on Monday. The Naval and Military Settlers and Volunteers Land Bill was referred to the Waste Lands Committee. BILLS PASSED. The Public Works Act Amendment Bill, the Offensive Publications Bill, the Police Offences Act Amendment Bill, the Printers and Newspapers Registration Act Amendment Bill, and the North Island Trunk Railway Loan Application Bill, were committed and passed their final stages. LAW PRACTITIONERS BILL. Sir George Whitmore moved the second reading of the Law Practitioners Bill (No. 2), relative to the admission of persons to the practice of the law. Mr Hart moved as an amendment that the Bill be read that day six months. Sir Patrick Buckley, as a lawyer, protested against the constant attacks which, session after session, were made upon members of the legal profession. After some discussion Mr Hart’s amendment was carried on the voices. At 4 p.m. the Council adjourned till 10.30 a.m, next day. The Council met at 10.30 a.m on Tuesday. BILLS PASSED. The Naval and Military Settlers and Volunteers Land Bill passed its final stages. The Mining Companiaa Act Amendment Bill passed all its stages. PUBLIC WORKS APPROPRIATION BILL. Speaking to the motion for the second reading of the Public Works Appropriation Bill, Sir P. Buckley thanked the Council for the great assistance they had given him under what ho regarded somewhat peculiar and trying circumstances. A new era had dawned upon the constitution of the colony by the Council having to elect its own Speaker, and by the time Parliament met next year he hoped that the Government would be represented by at least two members of the Executive in that Chamber. The Bill thou passed its final stages, and the Council adjourned till 2.30, THE APPROPRIATION BILL. The Council passed the Appropriation Bill without debate, and adjourned at 6.45 p.m. HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 11 a.m. on Monday. MISCELLANEOUS. The Wanganui Harbor Board Endowment Sale Bill was committed, read a third time by 33 to 15, and passed. Mr Seddon moved the recommittal of Class 2, Supplementary Estimates. — Several members objected to the recommittal on the ground that the particular vote to which opposition was to be shown was the £3OOO compassionate allowance for the widow of Sir H. A. Atkinson.—Mr Rees said, as Chairman of the Committee, he had waited some little time before putting this vote, on the ground, firstly, that he was aware some members wished to speak on it, and also because he thought the vote recognising the service of a distinguished statesman should not be allowed to pass without some few words from the acting Pemier, and leader of the Opposition. —Mr Rolleston said he hoped the vote would be carried unanimously. He had the assurance of the Premier, that ill as he was, he would be prepared to come to the House to defend the vote if necessary. It was almost needless for him (Mr Rolleston) to say he cordially approved of the vote, and he saw no reason to recommmit it under the circumstances.— Mr Seddon said this vote had been carried in the Cabinet after careful consideration, and ascertaining that the vote met with the approval of both sides of the hUnne. At the same time it was only fair to those members who were absent from the House on Saturday night, that they should have an opportunity of discussing the votes under debate. The motion for the recommittal of the vote was carried, and the House rose at 1 o’clock. The House resumed at 2.30 p.m. ARRESTING SUPPLY. On the motion fox' going into Committee of Supply, Mr Hamlin moved that the House messengers receive a bonus of £4O. The amendment was lost by 26 to 16, Mr Seddon undertaking that its terms should be complied with by the Government. FACTORIES BILL. Mr Reeves brought up the report of the Conference on the Factories Bill, to the effect that an agreement had been arrived at between the two Houses. SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATES. The House went into Committee of Supply for the further consideration of the Supplementary Estimates. Class 2, (re-committed) —Grant of £3OOO to the widow and family of the late Sir Harry Atkinson. Mr 'i'anner moved that this vote bo struck out. He did not wish to say anything painful to anybody in moving this motion, but it was a high matter of principle with him. He did not wish to depreciate Sir Harry Atkinson’s sendees to the colony in any way, but he held that Ministers should receive sufficient remuneration to enable them to provide for their families.—Mr Seddon said that the Government had been influenced in its decision by the case of Dr Featherston’s family, and Mr Macandrew’s family. The Atkinson case was similar to those two. Sir Harry Atkinson had lendered good service to the colony, not only as a statesman, but as a soldier, at a time when Hie colony needed sxiclx men foif its defence. That being so he thought it only right that the colony should make some recognition of services of this nature. If Sir Harry Atkinson had devoted the same ability to his own business that he had to the service of the colony, there was no doubt that he wonld have been one of themost wealthy men in the country. He hoped that the vote would pass without alteration.—After a short debate the vote was retained by 38 to 4. The House rose at 5.40 p.m.

The House resumed at 7.30 in Committee on the Supplementary Estimates. Several of the items provoked considerable discussim, but no alterations were effected.

THE APPIiOPHI AT lON BILL. The Appropriation Bill was put through Committee without amendment. The House was counted at 1.20 a.m. The House met at 10.30 a.m. on Tuesday. KEPLIES TO QUESTIONS. Replying to questions it was stated that the Government would give full consideration to the Charitable Aid question during the recess; that the Government would carefully consider the Libel Bill during the recess; that the question of consulting the Oppo.-,‘ion next session before appointing the usual Sessional Committees was worthy of ■consideration, and the Government would consider it. BILL PASSED. The Mining Companies Act Amendment Bill, which had been laid aside by the Council, was re-iutroduco;i, committed, the u«ivu4#wwt valhdmyj; tlwt Iwd

been sent up to the Council. The Bill was then read a third time and passed. THE APPROPRIATION BILL. On the motion for the third reading of the Appropriation Bill, Mr Rolleston said that the House had just had a striking exemplification of the propriety of the course taken last night, and it showed that the Opposition were justified in insisting that the Appropriation Bill should be the last Bill considered, in or’er that no other business could bo possibly brought forward. He hoped, however, that the last day of the session would not be the occasion of sending members to their homes leaving any angry feelings behind them, but they should all do their best during the recess for the good of the colony. He referred to the Legislative Council appointments, and strongly condemned the action of the Government in having sought the intervention of the Secretary of State in this matter. It was a course calculated seriously to interfere with our local government, and was not likely to create a good impression m the colony. Referring to the Land Bill, he thought it was no improvement on the land law of the country. It tended to create dummyism and foster speculation in all directions. He ventured to think that it would cause a revulsion of popular feeling from one end of the colony to the other. As to the Electoral Bill, he considered that the action of the Government had been subversive of all political morality. Mr Scobie Mackenzie had spoken strongly on the Bill, and he (Mr Rollestou) agreed with him that it revealed an extraordinary state of political duplicity on the part of the Government. He was one who was opposed to the women’s franchise, but he confessed t-at the Electoral Bill had been made a playground for political dishonesty and chicanery. After referring to other proceedings in connection with the Electoral Bill, which he regarded as discreditable in the extreme, he regretted to say that the days of chivalry appeared to bo over. Both sides of the House had accused the Government openly of treachery, and it was impossible to fitly characterise their action over this Bill from first to last. Their Civil Service Bill had gone to the wall, although it had been made a prominent subject in the Governor’s speech. The fact was that the Civil Service suffered at present from a reign of terror, and no man in that service dared to call his soul his own unless he were of what was termed “ the right color.” He referred at some length to the Native question. What was wanted was to wipe out all existing Native laud laws, and make a fresh start altogether. The whole question of Native land purchases was in a most unsatisfactory state, and Lumlon’s transactions with the G >- vernmeut would be the talk of the fireside, and would not raise the Government in the estimation of the people. At the same time he congratulated the Premier on the passing of the West Coast Settlements Bill. Referring to the conduct of the business of the House, he said that the acting Premier could not resist his old habit of stonewalling, and two whole nights had been occupied by Mr Seddon in blocking Bills on the Order Paper. He had already that morning spoken of the necessity of some change being made in the constitution of Committees appointed by the Government. There never was an occasion when Bills submitted to the House were so loosely and carelessly drafted as in this session. They had verbal draftings which nobody could understand, and which would lead to trouble in the future. He asked the House to look at the legislation they had passed, and see how much of it was necessary mid how much was local. The whole of the legislation this session necessary to bo done by the central legislature might have been contained in eight or ten Bills, so that the session had been prolonged for nearly four months instead of being finished in five or six weeks. He considered that Ministers spent far too much time during the recess on the platform, to the neglect of their departmental work, and this accounted for the ignorance of the Government on many of the Bills which they had brought I down. With respect to tlu course taken by the Government on the Public Works Statement, he said that it was extremely wrong that the House should have been kept to the last moment before the statement was brought down. He had spoken on the administration of the Government in no spirit of acrimony, but he felt that ha should not be doing his duty if he had not put his views clearly before the Government, as it was only by so doing that they he could hope to cause them to amend their ways for the future. He admitted that the position of every Government was a difficult one, and especially was that the case with the present Government since the loss of their chief. Ha claimed for the Oppasition that they had acted all through with a desire for the welfare of the country, and with no idea of obstructing the House in any way, so that the charges made against his party in that respect were wholly unfounded. He had the greatest faith that the popular will would work out its own destinies, but he condemned the introduction of revolutionary measures. He regretted that some politicians , went about the country preaching about abolition of the Legislative Council and against the rights of those who were termed “ social pests.” That was greatly to be deplored. They should strive to look for higher results. He hoped that, now they wex*e to part for a season the efforts of our public men during the recess would not be to preach discontent to tlio psopla of the colony, tnd endeavor to set class against class, but that they ■would all work for the good of the colony as a whole.

Messrs G. H. Mills , Guinness, Bruce, Buick, R. H. Reeves, Richardson, Macintosh, G. Hutchison, O’Conor, and Buchanan, and Dr Newman also spoke on the Bill. The Bill was then read a third time. On the motion that the Bill do pass, Mr Seddon regretted having to undertake the task of replying to the speeches of members, especially the cause of that was the illness of the Premier. He felt sure that the House would end&y&e the wish that Mr Ballauce would soon be restored to health. The duty cast on him (Mr Seddon) was not sought hy him, and if any shortcomings ha 4 occurred in his leadership it was not wJJfrjlJy done. Respecting the constitutional question and the Council appointments, he agree,4 i with Mr Rolleston that it had a most • important bearing, but the effect of it had been to restore to the people the rights which they had been deprived of for years. He denied Mr Rolleston’s contention that the Government should have made these appointments before referring the matter Home. He contended that the Government were correct in asserting their rights as they had done. They had to thank the Secretary of State for some of the great measures passed by the House. Such a spectacle, he hoped, would never occur again as that of the leader of the Govei’nment in the Upper H ruse pleading to a large hostile majority to pass the Government measiVU'VS' A? to the mte i^aiust ;

the Government on the Electoral Bill, he denied that the Government had been guilty of any treachery in the matter. He held that the Council was to blame for the whole thing. The Government had been true to their principles, and if there had been treachery it was from the other side. Had Sir John Hall and Mr Rolleston used that influence which they could have exercised the Electoral Bill would now have been the law of the land. The fact was that in the Lower House there had been obstruction, and in the Upper House destruction. Mr Rollestou told rhem that he regretted that the Civil Service Bill had not been passed, and had questioned the sincerity of the Government in the matter. But the Government had done the best they could in drafting the measure which had been before the House and was now before the country, so that next session a perfect measure would be brought down instead of an imperfect one. The Government had dropped the Bill at the instigation of their supporters, and they would not consent to pass any measure at the dictation of the Opposition. With respect to Mr Rolleston’s strictures on the Native Department, that gentleman must admit that the Government had put a careful administrator at its head, and as to sweeping away all existing laws that was a very large order, which would not tend to a satisfactory settlement of the Native land question. He recognised Mr Rolleston’s admission that the Premier had done good service in passing the West Coast Settlements Bill. As regards ex-Judge Edwards’ position, he said that the Government had dealt with that question in its various stages. After it had been decided by the Privy Council it was not for the Government to take the initiative. It was not for the Government to run after Mr Edwards and ask him what action should be taken about his case. Respecting Mr Rolleston’s statements that Mr Luudon’s transaction would ring throughout the country, and not to the credit of the Government, he asserted that if the Whyte scrip transactions were dealt with in the same manner it would not rebound to the credit of the late Government or to the late Minister of Lands. (Mr Richardson : The honorable gentleman is stating what is absolutely contrary to the fact). Well, he should take an early opportunity of laying the papers on the table. (Mr Richardson : Let the honorable gentleman lay on the table all papers). He went on further to refer to other scrip transactions, and said that a number of the House were implicated in it, (Mr Rolleston ; The honorable gentleman is making accusations which he dare not make if the members referred to were present). Referring to the administration of the Government ho asserted that it compared very favourably with the previous Government. (Mr Richardson : Self-praise is no recommendation). That was his opinion any way, Mr Rolleston had complained that Ministers had spoken too much on the platform, but the Government intended to continue that course, which had done so much good for the people of the colony. The only chance for the Government putting their whole policy before the country was by the platform. With respect to the complaint that the Public Works Statement had been brought down so late in the session, his reply to that was that when it did come down it was perfect, ajjd Ministers had broken the record by having their estimates reduced by only £2. (Mr Richardson : Why not admit that the Statement had to be corrected to the extent of £9600 '!') The member for Mataura was very good at figures, but he (Mr Seddon) asserted that the Public Works Statement did not invite criticism. He defended the policy of the Government. The legislation which they had brought in had been of a most moderate character. The Government had not gone round the colony either inciting the people or introducing violent legislation. The time was coming when the Government must of necessity see that in the interests of the country some change was made in the Council. He believed that if that Chamber had contained some Labour members their Bills would not have been rejected there. (Mr Buchanan: Why did you not put them there ?) They had taken the proper course in what they had done. As to the assertion of the member for Waitotara, that this was the worst session they had ever witnessed, he pointed out that they had passed the Bankruptcy Bill, the Workmen’s Lien Bill, the Land Bill, and the Land and Income Tax Bill. Would anyone call the session which had seen those Bills passed into law the worst they had had ? Mr Hutchison had also told them that the women’s suffrage would be fatal to the Ministerial party, and that was the reason it had been dropped. But there was no member in the House who feared the women’s suffrage more than Mr Hutchison did. As members wished to leave by steamer he should not detain the House much longer (Mr Thomas Mackenzie : Why, you’ll stonewall the steamer.) He referred at some length to Mr Hutchison’s political career. With respect to the Government Railway Bill, which had been dropped this session, he asserted that it was an absolute necessity that some change should be made in the management of the railways. The Bill had now circulated, and next session he hoped to U become law. The finances of the colony WPP® in a sound condition, and a degree of prosperity existed in the country that did not exist wken the Government took office. The BaJJ. was passed on the voices. THE PROROGATION. The House adjourned tov a week, and will be prorogued by Commission. WORK OF THE SESSION, The schedule of business transacted during the session, shows that 26 Committees were appointed. l(i!) Public were introduced, 150 having originated in the House and I'J having been brought from ■ Council. Two Private Bills were inwfc'diij-u-i, l . 711 petitions were presented during the 183 divisions were recorded. There w f}.f) sitting days, tae daily average of sitting kehig 1 hours 10 minutes. 511 questions were of Ministers; and 1110 entries made in the Journals of the House. 271 papers were laid upon the table ; and (170 reports were received frpm Select Committees. Of tae Bills introduced ,87 received the Koyal assent, and HI we*4 &cpp.w} 01 otherwise disposed of. The following is a list of the Acts parsed by both Houses - PUBLIC ACTS. Aliens Act Amendment. Appropriation. . Auckland University College Land Exchange. Bankruptcy. Contractors’ and Workmen's Lieu. Courts of Justice. Technical Defects Removal. Customs Laws Consolidation Act Amendment:. Dairy industry. Employers’ Liability Acts Amendment Factories Act Amendment Fisheries Encouragement Acts Amendment. Friendly Societies Act, 1882, Act Amendment. Government Loans to Local Bodies Act

Imprest. Imprest (No. 2.) Imprest (No. 3.) Kaiapoi Native Reserves Act, 1877, Amendment Kaipo Reserve. Kaipo Reserve (No. 2.) Land and Income Assessment. Land for Settlement. Land Tax and Income Tax. Law Practitioners. Public Bodies Loans Act Amendment. Manure Adulteration. Meri Toka Land Grant. Mining Act Amendment. Napier Native Hostelry sale. Native Land Purchases. Native Land (Validation of Titles). New Zealand Company’s Land Claimants. North Island Main Trunk Railway Loan Appropriation Acts Amendment. Oamaru Harbour Board Advance Repayment. Offensive Publications. Orakei Succession Further Investigation. Otago School Commissioners Empowering. Oyster Fisheries. Palmerston North Courthouse Site Sale. Payment of Members. Police Offences Act, 1884, Amendment. Printers and Newspapers Registration Act, 1868, Amendment. Provincial Ordinances. Public Reserves Vesting and Sale. Public Revenues. Public Works Appropriation. Public Works Acts Amendment. Registration of Births and Deaths Act Amendment. Kobe Potec Investigation of Title. Selectors’ Lands Revaluation Continuance and Amendment. Servants Registry Offices. Settled Land Act Amendment, Shops and Shop Assistants. Tahoraiti Titles Amendment and Validation. Unclaimed Land. Waikouaiti Reserves Water Supply. West Coast Settlements Reserves. Westland and Grey Education Boards. Westland, Grey, Inangahua and Buller Counties Vehicle Licensing. LOCAL ACTS. Auckland Harbour Board Empowering. Cook and Waiapu Counties Property Adjustment. Dempsey’s Trust. Gisborne Harbour Act, 1884, Amendment. Hukarere Native Girls School. Kaitangata Relief Fund Transfer. Mount Ida Race. Napier Harbour Board further Empowering. Napier Harbour Board Loan. Oamaru Racecourse Trustees Empowering. Ocean Beach Public Domain. Ohinemuri County Ridings Validation (No. 2.) Palmerston North Hospital Vesting. Pa tea Harbour. Petone Corporation Loan Empowering. Sydenham Borough Council. Te Aroha Recreation Ground and Racecourse. Waiorongomia Bridge. Wanganui Harbour Board Endownment Sale, Wanganui Hospital Board Vesting. Wanganui River Trust Act, 1891, Amendment. Wellington Corporation Sanitation Loan Empowering. Wellington Coporation’s and Harbour Board’s Street and Lauds. Whangarei Drill Shed. Westland Churches Schools and Hospitals Vesting. Westland and Nelson Coalfields Administration Act, 1877, Amendment. PRIVATE ACTS. Kaikau Trust Money. Wesleyan Methodist Church Property Trust Act, 1887, Amendment.