GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2546, 24 August 1893, Page 4

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

The Council met at 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday. The Gore Electric Lighting Bill was read a second time. The Juries Act Amendment Bill passed its final stages. THE ELECTORAL BILL, Mr J. Bowen resumed the debate on the motion for the second reading of the Electoral Bill. He said that the agitation for the enfranchisement of wamen was not the primary cause of the question being introduced, but arose rather from a desire to tinker with the licensing law. The people had not asked for female suffrage, which had been thrust upon an unwilling Government by a foster-father of whom they were afraid. Before the clause was passed, he maintained that such a grave national question should be decided at the hustings. Mr Oliver supported the Bill as a whole, but particularly favored the enfranchisement clause, a principle which was as old as the hills. Mr Macgregor supported the proposal for the enfranchisement of women. On the motion of Mr Macgregor, at 5 o’clock the debate was adjourned till next day, and the Council rose, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30 p.m. on Monday, CUSTOMS AND EXCISE BILL. Mr Ward moved the second reading of the Customs and Excise Duties Act Amendment Bill. He explained that the Bill was intended to make the present Act more workable, and to relieve merchants from the payment of certain dues on drawbacks, —Agreed to after a short discussion. The Bill was committed, reported with amendments, and passed. NATIVE BILLS. The Rohe Potae Investigation of Titles Amendment Bill and the Native Trusts and Claims Definition and Registration Bills passed through Committee without material amendment, and' were read a third time and passed. POST OEEICE BILL. Mr Ward moved the second reading of the Post Office Act Amendment Bill, making several alterations in the existing Post Office Act. Uause 2 provided for the introduction of letter cards which, unlike postcards, could be folded up. It was intended to charge Id for these within the colony and 2d to Australia. Clause 3 dealt with the matter of offensive publications and indecent literature, a large quantity of which now passed through the Post Office. It was intended by the Bill to give greater power in stopping the circulation of literature of this kind. A new feature in the Bill was that it proposed to pay compensation up to £2 for the loss of a registered letter. The Bill also set forth the exact form in which postal notes should be issued, and determined their currency. Sir John Hall thought that there should be some definition of what a letter card was. He also pointed out that it would be very undesirable that a large number of postal notes should be left outstanding, and suggested that it would be better to allow postal notes to lapse in a year, with power of renewal, as was the case iii the Imperial Post Office. In reply to Captain Russell Mr Ward said that the revenue would not be decreased by the proposed changes. On the contrary there would be an increase. As to* thd definition of “ letter card,” he might say it was more private than a post card, and th-flatter would be sent between two perforate* sheets instead of being on the back as was 3 0 case post csrds. As to the other queJ tlon raised by Sir John Hall, he said that it was proposed to extend the currency of £1 or £5 notes in order to enable people in remote country districts to take advantage of it. The intention of the Bill was to make the currency of these postal notes unlimited. The second reading was agreed to on the voices. BANKS AND COMPANIES AUDIT BILL.

Mr Ward moved the second reading of the Banks and Coiripauies’ Accounts Audit Bill, which, he said, he proposed to send to the Public Accounts Committee, and the debate could afterwards be taken on it. He pointed out that it was not of a drastic character, and was not in any way prompted by the recent financial disasters in the sister colonies. _ it was simply meant to enable the majority of the shareholders in any incorporated company or bank to have an independent audit if they so chose. He was glad to be able to state that these was no necessity for the Government to introduce anything in the shape of banking legislation, and the Government did not intend to bring down any measure on the subject, excepting the one which he had just outlined to the House, The Premier moved the adjournment of the debate. The motion was agreed to. THE STOCK BILL.

The Hou. Mr Mackenzie moved the se 'oond reading of the Stock Bill, which he exp' l^ was before t - lie House last then it had been before the Agricultural and Pastoral Societies of the colony, and suggestions had been received from . bodies. The Bill provided for the abolish of Cattle Boards, and for the payment 21 compensation to people whose cattle ha,, been destroyed on account of disease. It rendered the clipping of long-woolled sheep compulsory, and made new regulations with regard to the driving of stock and the branding of sheep. The proposal in the Bill with regard to ear-marking would probably provoke some opposition, but he thought that something of that kind was necessary to prevent sheepstealing. As the Bill now stood it was principally a consolidation measure. Mr Buchanan thought that the Minister would be uuaole to pass any Bill of this kind in the House this session. If the Bill passed in its present form the greater part of the North Island would have to be declared infected land. He mentioned the features in the Bill to which he took exception. Captain Russell thought that the Bill was fearfully and wonderfully made. It bristled with penalties from the first to the last clause. Mr McKenzie evidently thought that he could extirpate foot-rot by Act of Parliament, but do what they could in that direction foot-rot would be as bad twenty years hence as at the present time. The Bill had been termed a consolidating measure, but to his mind it consolidated the whole of the power into the hands of the Minister himself. He objected to the driving clause, as entailing great hardship. Mr E. M. Smith, Mr Richardson, Mr McGuire, Mr Thomas Mackenzie, Mr Palmer, and Mr Meredith spoke. Sir John Hall thought that the Bill wave too much power to the Minister, but fie could not agree with those who held that its provisions were too stringent. The law on this subject required to be efficient. ~ , , Sir Robert Stout said that the system of both branding and oar-marking was entirely futile to prevent sheep-stealing.

In his opinion the only efficient way to cope with sheep-stealing was to establish district registrars. Mr Tanner, Mr Buckland, Mr Bmck, and Mr Lake also spoke. Mr Rhodes said if the Minister could devise any means, either by this Bill or any other one, to prevent sheep-stealing he would do good work for the colony. In the course of his reply Mr McKenzie said that after the tone of the debate, he feared that there was little chance of the Bill passing. He had felt it his duty to introduce the measure. The debate had convinced him that very few members of the House really knew what the law was at present, as many of the penalties complained of were in existence now. The motion for the second reading was agreed to on the voices.—The Bill was referred to the Stock Committee. STAMP ACT AMENDMENT BILL. Mr Reeves moved the second reading of the Stamp Act Amendment Bill. Clause 2 provided that inland bills of exchange included promissory notes, and no duty was to be chargeable on certain leases or licenses of native lands. Clauses 3 and 14 had reference to the stamping of insurance policies. The Bill was opposed by the Native members, who took objection to stamp duty being placed on Native lands. The second reading was agreed to on the voices. The House rose at 12.50 a.m. The House met at 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday, BILL PASSED. The Maugatu (No. 2) Empowering Bill was read a third time and passed.

LAND SCRIP.

Upwards of two hours was spent in discussing the report of the Public Accounts Committee on the question of the land scrip exercised in Canterbury. THE CONVICT CHEMIS. On a motion for the adjournment of the House Mr 0. H. Mills referred at great length to the whole case of Louis Chemis, who is now confined in Auckland gaol for the murder of Hawkins near Wellington a few years ago, Mr Mills contended that Chemis was wrongfully convicted.

The House rose at 5.30 p.m., and resumed at 7.30.

THE LIQUOR BILL

The Alcoholic Liquor Sale Bill was further considered in Committee.

The Premier moved in the interpretation clause that the words “ Licensing Act, 1881,” be struck out, and the words “ this Act ” inserted. Sir Robert Stout said that this amendment raised the whole question of the increased size of licensing districts. He thought it would be better to keep the licensing districts as they were, and it would be a huge mistake to have the districts as large as indicated by the Bill.

The Premier urged that it was necessary to increase the districts, and if this amendment were not agreed to, there was no chance of a Licensing Bill at all this session. Sir Robert Stout said that if that were the Premier’s opinion, let him drop his Bill altogether. Sir John Hall pointed out that although he did not want to keep the districts absolutely as they were at present, still if they were made as large as the electoral districts, the direct veto at any rate would be a dead letter.

The clause was discussed at considerable length. The Premier’s amendment was carried by 53 to 13, and the words “ this Act ” inserted. The following is the division list: —

Ayes —s 3. Blake, Buchanan, Buckland, Buick, Cadman, Carucross, Carroll, Dawson, Duncan, Duchie, Fish, Fisher, Eraser, Hall, Hall-Jones, Hogg, Houston W Huicl'iaon, Kapa, J. Kelly, W. Kelly, Lake, Lawry, 11. J- S, Mackenzie, Mac. kiutosh, McGuire, McGowan, J. McKenzie, McLean,Meredith, 0. H. Mills, Moore, Newman, O’Connor, Parata, Pinkerton, Reeves, Rhodes, Richardson, Russell, Sandford, Seddon, Sbera, E. M. Smith, W. C. Smith, Swan, Tanner, Taylor, R. Thompson, Valentine, Ward, Willis, Wright. Noes —13. Bruce, Earnshaw, Fergus, Hamlyn, Harkness, G. Hutchison, Joyce, J. Mills, Mitchelson, Palmer, Stout, Taipua, Wilson. (There were no authorised pairs.) Clause 3 —Electoral districts of the colony constituted ordinary licensing districts.

Sir Robert Stout moved that boroughs and counties should be licensing districts instead of the electoral districts. The Premier said that he had given this matter very careful consideration. He pointed out that if Sir Robert Stout’s motion was agreed to there were five or six borought in which they would have prohibition in one borough and wholesale selling in another borough across the street.

Mr Fergus supported Sir Robert Stout’s proposal, and said that the Premier was not helping the temperance party by his attitude over this question. After a lengthy debate, the Premier asked whether Sir Robert Stout would use the burgesses’ roll or the ratepayers’ roll for his proposal. Sir Robert Stout : Certainly not. The Premier: Then what roll would the hou. gentleman have, and how would it be prepared 1 He held that there was nothing better suggested than the proposal in the present Bill, which had been most carefully prepared. He advised the House to stick to the present Bill, After further discussion Sir Robert’s amendment was rejected by 39 to 23. The following is the division list: — Ayes— 23, Bruce, Buchanan, Duthie, Earnshaw, Fergus, Hall, Hall-Jones, Harkness, Joyce, Lake, M.< S. Mackenzie, T, Mackenzie, Meredith, Mitchelson, Moore, Newman, Palmer, Rhodes, W. 0, Smith, Stout, Tapua, Tanner, Wilson. . , Noes —39. Blake, Buckland, Buick Cadman, Carncross, Carroll, Dawson Duncan, Fish, Fisher, Fraser? Hogg, Houston, W. Hutchison, Kapa? J. Kelly, VY. Kelly, Lawry, Mackintosh, McGowan, MacKenzie, McLean, C. H. Mills, O’Connor, Parata, Pinkerton, Reeves, Richardson, Russell, Sandford, Seddon, Shera, Swan, Taylor, R. Thompson, Valentine, Ward, Willis, Wright. (No pairs were recorded by the Whips). Clause 4—Special licenses may be granted when the population suddenly increases.

Mr Moore moved that the clause be struck out as he considered it unnecessary. Eventually Mr Moore withdrew his amendment.

Air Sandford moved that a special license may be granted on a petition signed by one-fourth of the electors instead of by 200 residents. — Mr Sandford’s amendment was lost on the voices.

On the motion of the Premier further amendment was made in clause 4, providing that a sudden increase of population in any district should not justify the issue of publicans’ licenses if the electors had previously determined that no licenses should be granted. Sir Robert Stout moved that the words “or reduced” bo added. The amendment was lost by 37 to 22,

Mr Blake moved an amendment that the ratio of residents neceesary in a district before a license could be granted should be 500 instead of 700.

The Premier accepted the amendment, which was lost by 43 to 29. The clause as amended was added to the Bill.

Clause s—Who may be a' member of a licensing committee. Mr Fish moved that any duly registered “ male elector ” shall be qualified as a member of a licensing committee, instead of duly qualified “ elector.” —Lost on the voices.

Mr Fish moved to strike out the portion of the clause which provided that no brewer, wine or spirit merchant, maltster, distiller, etc., should be qualified as a member of a licensing committee. The Premier could not accept the amendment, which was withdrawn. The Premier moved to insert the words “ who is carrying on business as a brewer.”

The Premier’s addition was rejected on the voices. Mr C. H. Mills moved that the' words “ maltster and distiller ” be struck out. — Lost by 36 to 24. Mr Tanner moved that no person in the employment of a brewer, etc., should be qualified to sit on a licensing committee.

The amendment was lost by 47 to 10, and the clause added to the Bill.

Clause 6 Constitution of Licensing Committee, Mr Earnshaw moved that a committee consist of seven members, instead of nine. The amendment was lost by 34 to 26. Clause 6 and 7 passed without material amendment.

Progress was reported, and the House rose at 1,55 a.m.