GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2527, 11 July 1893, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Council met at. 2.30 p.m. on Thursday. PETITIONS. The Public Petitions Committee reported that they had no recommendation to make on the Bishop of Waiapu’s petition re the licensing laws. THE LIBEL BILL. The Libel Bill passed through Committee with only verbal amendments, notwithstanding the hostile attitude of Mr Macgregor, who opposed clause 14, providing for security for costs, on the ground that a poor plaintiff would not have justice if unable to find costs. This contention was combated by Mr Bigg, Mr Kerr, Mr McCullough, and Sir George Whitmore, who said that if a poor plaintiff felt aggrieved he might remove the action into the Magistrate’s Court ou showing sufficient grounds, where the costs would be very trifling. The Bill was reported, and put through its final stages. THE CRIMINAL CODE BILL. The Criminal Code Bill passed through Committee with one or two Ministerial amendments, was read a third time, and passed. The Council at 3.45 p.m, adjourned till Tuesday next. HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30 p.m. on Thursday. THE GORE ELECTRIC LIGHT BILL. The Gore Electric Light Bill was read a second time. LEAVE OF ABSENCE. Mr Fergus was granted leave of absence for a fortnight on account of domestic affliction. ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS. Replying to Mr Mackenzie, Mr Ward said that he saw no necessity for amending the land and income tax in the direction of enabling mortgaged small farmers to enjoy certain exemptions and privileges, as small farmers were at present under the Act entitled to deduct mortgages, and also entitled to an exemption of improvements up to £3OOO. After considerable discussion, Mr Ward said that as a result of personal observation, he had no hesitation in declaring that the bulk of the small farmers , were perfectly satisfied with the existing system of taxation. Replying to other questions it was stated that enquiries would be made as to the advisability of purchasing some of the islands off the northern coast of New Zealand for fruit-growing purposes; and that the Government had no present intention of purchasing the Wellington and Manawatu Railway. GOVERNMENT ADVERTISING. The rest of the afternoon was spent in a discussion arising out of a question asked by Mr Fisher with regard to the charge for the Government advertisements inserted in the New Zealand Times. The House adjourned at 5.30 p.m,.and resumed at 7.30. CHEVIOT COUNTY BILL. Mr McKenzie moved the second read* ing of the Cheviot County Bill, to bring the Counties Act, 1886, into force within Cheviot county. He said the necessity for the Bill arose from the fact that in a very short time the Government expected to have a considerable number of settlers in Cheviot, and it was necessary to pass a Bill of this kind to enable the people to avail themselves of the machinery required for the establishment of looal * government. After a short discussion the second reading was agreed to. TONOARIRO NATIONAL PARK BILL, Mr McKenzie moved the second reading of the Tongariro National Park Bill, to authorise the setting apart of a certain tract of land in the vicinity of Tongariro mountain as a national park. The land proposed to be used for a park was of little ' value, except in regard to the picturesque scenery surrounding it. Several members congratulated the Minister on the Bill, as it was in the direction of the preservation of the native beauties of the colony. The reading was agreed to on the voices. lhe companies SiLL The House went into Committee on the Companies Branch Registers Act Amendment Bill, which was reported without amendment and put through the final stages. THE SHIPPING AND SEAMEN'S BILL. Mr Reeves moved the second reading of the Shipping and Seamen’s Act Amendment Bill. The Bill provides that every ship or steamer shall carry a specified number of deck hands, and also firemen and trimmers, and provides heavy penalties in case of vessels proceeding to sea without a full crew or with men not duly qualified. The qualification of seamen is four years’ service before the mast. Fishermen are shut out from employment as seamen in cases of emergency, unless they have had one year’s foreign service. Firemen must have been at least six mouths as trimmers. Seamen at presort 9iUl h* engaged or discharged Jy uie master on board, but it is proposed in future that they must be engaged at the Custom Hoqse, The'provisions m to imprisonment ip. cases fif desertion, refusal ©f work, assaults, etc., are modified, and in most cases imprisonment is abolished and a small fine substituted. For desertion the penalty is forfeiture of the wages then due. There are also stringent provisions as fa the overcrowding

passengers, and the schedule declaring the number of men to be carried by ships involves a considerable increase iu crews especially on the coastal steamers. The accommodation for crews is also to be greatly increased. Mr J. Mills thought that most of the provisions of this measure were not required. The Bill to his mind bore the stamp of the Maritime Council of Dunedin, and if it were carried the colony would be handed over to the tender mercies of tha> body. The Bill would entail the Union Company carrying 124 more men on their steamers than they now carried, at a cost of £IO,OOO a year. Mr Bruce supported the Bill, because it was au allirmatiou of the principle that sailors were no longer to be looked on almost as outcasts. He hoped that the Bill would be improved in Committee by the united wisdom of both sides of the House.

Mr McKenzie denied that there was a power behind the throne in connection with this Bill. He flouted the idea that it was the Maritime Council’s measure. He held that the time was coming when the colony would have to grapple with the monopoly held by the Union Steamship Company, and for this the company only had itself to blane. Mr Scobie Mackenzie said that the Bill was simply a slavish and unmanly fawning to the Maritime Council, and he regretted that the Minister had taken it in hand.

Mr Rolleston thought the Bill was purely an electioneering measure, put together by persons under strong feeling. It was not to his mind a healthy thing to hear the Minister for Lands utter such statements in respect to a company that was doing great good to the colony. Mr Duthie stated that two owners of steamers had represented to him that afternoon that if the Bill passed it would cause a large number of steamers to be laid up. Mr McKenzie (Glutha) thought that if anything justified a stonewall, it was this measure.

Mr Taylor spoke in support of the Bill.

The Premier said that the Bill had been brought in purely in the interests of the colony, and he deprecated very much that any question of labor versus capital had been introduced into the subject. The Government were prepared to accept any reasonable amendments in the Bill, their desire being to make it as workable as possible. Several other members also spoke, taking up various views on the measure. Mr Beeves having replied, the Bill was read a second time on the voices, and referred to the Labour Bills Committee. The House rose at 1 a.m.