GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2561, 28 September 1893, Page 4

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. on

Monday. The Joint Statutes Revision Committee recommended that the Conspiracy Law Amendment Bill be not further proceeded with, The report of the Conference on the Licensing Bill was agreed to** The report of the PrivilegeStlommittee, on the question of the control of the officers of the Council was adopted. Pir Patrick Buckley, in moving the second reading of the Government Railways Act Amendment Bill, said that it was in no party spirit that the Government were endeavouring to make the changes proposed in the Bill. After a debate, the second reading was agreed to on the voices, the committal being set down for next day. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. on Monday. The Land Act Amendment Bill and the Tairua Land Bill were read a second time on the voices. The Attorney-General moved the second reading of the Shop and Shop Assistants Bill. Sir George Whitmore moved as an amendment that the Bill be read a second time that day three mouths. —After considerable debate the amendment was carried by 25 to 31. The Government Railways Act Amendment Bill was considered in Commiteee. Mr Stewart moved as an amendment to strike out certain words in clause 2, with the object of inserting other words, providing that the present Commissioners shall be reappointed for one year. This was carried by 21 to 13. The followiug is the division list:—For the amendment—(2l) Reynolds, Stewart, Whitmore, Bonar, Barnicoat, Shrimski, Pharazyn, Williams, Stevens, Whyte, Acland, Oliver, Orinond, Bowen, Grace, Johnston, Hart, Holmes, Peacock, Kelly, Mantell. Against the amendment —(13) Swansou, Richardson, Rigg, Jenkinson, Feldwick, McGregor, Buckley, McCullough, Kerr, Jennings, W. C. Walker, Montgomery, Dignan. The Attorney-General said that this was ii questioc of too great importance to take his own responsibility upon, and he therefore moved to report progress to enable him to consult his colleagues. Mr Stewart objected to thin, as he wished the words of his amendment to be inserted in place of the words struck out. The .motion to report progress was lost by J 8 to 15. The Attorney-General said that this was the first time that a responsible Minister of the Crown had been deliberately insulted as had happened that day. He had been refused permission to consult his colleagues upon a question of vital importance to the country, and he wished to emphatically enter his protest against such a of action. Mr Stewart's to appoint the present Commissioners for one year, was then carried by 20 to 35, and the clause as amended waß passed. Progress was then reported on the Bill, to alioiy the Attorney-General to consult his colleagues. The Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Bill was further considered in Committee. Mr Stewart moved to strike out the words "and arbitration" from the title of the Bill, as the arbitration cliinaes had been already struck out. The motion was carried by 18 to 15. The Bill was further amended by tha excision from the interpretation clause of all reference to Courts of Arbitration. _ The Attorney-General gave notice to move that a call of the Council be made on Tuesday next, the 3rd October. The Chrjstc'hnrch Hospital Act Amendment Bill »'j«s yajsoAdThe tfewtniufket 1141 Afsj; Amendment Bill was read a second tiros.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

The House met at 2.30 p.m. on Monday,

OOVEJiNMBNT BUSINESS. The Pr<^ iel ' » tated » ili r °Pty t 0 x> li * +i + A Government would Rollestou, that the , j Q u„ +fi not proceed with the adjou. v . on Colonel Fox's report, or with following I Jills :—The Arsenic and Cyanide of Potassium Importation Bill, the Sale of Poisons Bill, the Noxious Weeds Bill, the Auctioneers Act Amendment Bill, and the Imprisonment for Debt Abolition Bill. He said that there was no reason why, if the House got on with the work, the business should not close by the end of the week. TH« NEW ROLLS. Mr Rollestou said that he lvped the Premier would not adhere to the 7th October as the date for completing the main rolls' In view of the new developments that had occurred, owing to, the female franchise, the time proposed by the Government was entirely insufficient for the purpose of putting people on the rolls.—The Premier said that the Government had considered that point, and they had decided that after the 7 tii October three weeks would elapse before the rolls were printed, and during that time a supplementary roll could be compiled. TBF END APPROACHING. After considerable discussion it was decided to suspend the Standing Orders, so that new business could be taken after 12.30 a.m. A large number of Local Bills were put through their final stages. i The House rcse at, 5 30 p.m. and resumed at 7.30. CONFERENCE REPORT. The Premier moved that the report of the Conference with regard to the Alcoholic Liquors Sale and Control Bill be agreed to. Sir Robert Stout moved as an sinsndrnent that consideration be postponed for a month. He moved in this direction in order to show that he objected to the compromise which had been made. The amendment was lost by 30 to 21. The Premier defended the action of himself and the other members who composed the Conference with the Legislative Council on the Liquor Bill They jj.ad acted for the best. j tfa amotion was agreed to. ! IKttiOM/riVE OFFICERS. The Premier movfcd that the report of the Privileges Committee w|th reference lf> the control of legislative o&eers be a.'.ee<ii;o. He spoke strongly in favour | of the ecntvol of these officers beiug placed in the fj«;4* (> f the Government Instead of the Kufcfifcetf &*,# present. Sir Robert tftout wajrrniv the proposal, and . moved as an affi.tiii4-in.fint kat the control of officers should remain \ with fclwt Kpeuker, as had been the custom since ISiili. Sir John Hall ikying spoken, atter a long debate, in which a £arge number ot of members took part, Sir R, .Stout's amendment was put and lost by 23 to -22. Mr Thompson (Auckland) moved to add to ■paragraph 3 " provided that employment by Government 0 f the officers of tho House in the public service during the recess shall not apply fc<> clerk aiKJ clerk's Resistant of the Legislative Council; Messrs Sfc'owo and Bothamley, clerk and i clerk's assistant of the House of titivea ; Messrs Friend aud Ottorson, record clerks ; Mr KutUerford, Sorgoant*at- I

Arms ; and the members of the Hansard ' staff." After some debate the first portion of | the amendment wai carried, and it was also decided to exclude members of the Hansard staff who were engaged prior to the appointment of Messrs Russell and Gore from the operation of the report; also to exclude interpreters in paragraph 4 of the report. Mr T. Thompson moved to strike out the portion providing that in case of vacancies occurring in Hansard preference should be given to Civil servants in filling vacancies. This amendment was carried and the report as amended was adopted. The House rose at 3.15. a.m. The House met at 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday. LAND AND INCOME ASSESSMENT BILL. A message was read from the Governor, enclosing the amendments made by the Government in the Land and Income Assessment Bill. The principal amendment was in the direction of exempting certain Building Societies from taxation. The amendments were agreed to. ELECTIVE GOVERNOR'S BILL. A motion by Mr Taylor for the introduction of the Elective Governor's Bill was lost by 35 to 27. LAND FOR SETTLEMENT BILL. On the motion for the third reading of the Laud for Settlement Act Amendment Bill, Sir Robert Stout moved as an jimendmeut that the Bill be recommitted in order to give him an opportunity of moving the amendments of which he had given notice. The amendment was lost by 30 to 21, and the Bill was put through its final stages.

THE PUBLIC WORKS DEBATE. On the motion that the House go into Committee of Supply, Mr Mitchelson entered his strongest protest against the action of the Government in delaying the Public Works Statement for so long a period. It appeared to him that many votes had been placed on the Public Works Estimates for the purpose of influencing the elections. The Premier had stated that the Public Works Statement had now lost its attractiveness, but if he had carried out the policy of 1887 there might be some ground for that assertion, as ever since that year the expenditure on public works had been increasing. It was proposed to spend this year £693,068, whibh was £10,288 more than was expended last year. In addition to that the Premier was about to ask for authority for liabilities to the extent of £813,628, which was £65,940 more than he had to credit of the Public Works Fund. He felt that it was hopeless to appeal to the Government side < f the House to take an interest in this matter, as no amount of argument would convince them ; but he was prepared to show that the public works policy of the Government was an absolute sham, and that although the Premier took credit for constructing public works for the last three years out of revenue, it was done out of loan money. In spite of what the Government might say to the contrary he declared that they had spent only £23,315 out of revenue for the Ust three years. The rest had come out of borrowed money. He quoted figures to show that the public debt had been increased by £IIO,OOO since 31st March last. The Government had seized on evury peuny they could get, and the result would bi an empty chest when the next Pailiameut met. Since 1890 the present Government had increased the debt of the colony by £910,762, yet they posed a a non-borrowing Government.

Dr Newman in the course of his speech said the Government were borrowing in every direction. The House adjourned at 5.30 p.m. and resumed at 7.30.

Mr George Hutchison asserted that a more nefarious statement had never been delivered. The Governmont were nearly at the end of their resources and what were they to do next year ? Mr Ward said that Mr Hutchison had Studiously, as was his habit, misrepresented f"ota. The policy of the present was to settle the land, and thfrrfure *'■■ waa m a Qifesfc that mom3 y spent in landsfor settlement He denied Mr Hutchison s assertion that the public works expenditure of the present year was voted to influence the corning elections, and he thought that the imputation was unworthy of tllfl fton. member. After referring at some length to the position of the Imperial guaranteed debentures, he stated that both Mr Mitchelsou and Mr Hutchison had endeavoured to mislead the House in this respect, The public works expenditure as proposed this year was not excessive, and it had been impossible in the past to spend tke full amount of the appropriation. The Government believed that their revenue would keep up, but it it decreased it would be the duty of the Government to meet the situation by reducing their expenditure. If the present Government could be accused of borrowing money under conversion operations, the late Sir Harry Atkinson was the greatest sinner in that respect, and when hon. members said that the present Government had increased the public debt by £910,000 they did not do justice to themselves, and stated what was not a fact. He defended the co-operative system of works.

Mr Richardson's opinion was that whether the present Government or any other were on the benches next year, they would have to go in for a new loan. Sir Robert Stout said that if the Premier had had more money available, he would have satisfied more members. With respect to the public works policy to be pursued he thought that they must either go in for a loan or restrict the expenditure to £250,000 a year. The present statement provided for £64,000 more expenditure than there was moneys in the chest to meet it, and if the Government expended all the money they must go in for a loan. They were now face to face with the question—Were they to begin borrowing again ? He did not think that the ijoiony was prepared for that, and the Ministry ahould, therefore, undertake to reduce the expenditure to £250,000 a year.

Mr Rollestou said that the (Statement was really bringing their finance into a jfjuch worse position than before, and mada it toneless to devise a satisfactory system of dealing with pur roads. The oresent Estimates were&b6Ui the greatest mes.s ho ever saw, and they were drifting back into the system of purchasing yo£ps all over the culony. Mr MfiKeiijjie (Clutha), Mr Bruco, Mr darkness, M* Roberf; Thompson, Mr Duthie, Mr McLean, Mr MeGowan, Mr Buchanan, Mr Moore, Mr Rhodes, and Mr 2. M. Smith also spoke.

,«ir John Hall said that last year's Pubik * J /orks Statement was misleading, inasmuch as & mJ4 *ke occurred in the ii.mred, but this year tew .document was deliberately mUeading. Since to® ni* : sout Government took office there had been a steady increase every year m the .expenditure on public works. (Sir <f ohu Half was still speaking when the Telegraph Qffici ("Med j# 2 .a.m.}