GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2563, 3 October 1893, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. on Friday. The Weatland and Nelson Coalfields Administration Act, 1877, Amendment Bill, and the Land Drainage Bill were read a second time. The Infant Life Proteotion Bill was put through its final stages. The Electoral Law Amendment Bill was committed. Clause 3 Shearers may vote on electors' rights. Sir George Whitmore moved to include all absent voters in the clause. The amendment was lost by 22 to 10, and the clause after slight amendment, was added to the Bill. The remainder of the Bill passed without amendment. Mr Shrimskl moved a new clause, providing that women shall not be able to vote at Parliamentary elections until after January Ist, 1894. The motion was lost by 20 to §, Mr Bowen moved the addition of several new clauses, which were in the Bill that lapsed last year, for giving women greater facilities for voting through the Post Office. The motion was carried by 16 to 13. The Bill was reported with amendments, and the third reading set down for Monday,

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House rn,e,t at 2.30 p.m. on Friday. HANSABD. Mr O'Connor brought up the report of the Printing Debates Committee, which recommended that, iu order to cheapen the cost of Hansard, the reporting of debates be considerably curtailed, and suggestad the publication of a daily Hansard. He moved the adoption of the report. The Premier moved the adjournment of the debate, on the ground that the question concerned the next Parliament, and it was not fair to take any action now. " BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE. The Premier moved that the House meet on Saturday itf 2;. 3,0 p.m.. If the motion we ; re carried they might finish the business by Wednesday next, but if th* House did not sit on Saturday +>- would not dm \m P«week. Vr~ " | .. Rolleston objected to the motion. Members had been driven much more than usual this session, and they were utterly wearied with late sittings. After a lengthy discussion the motion waa lost by 35 to 30, aud it was decided

that the House at its rising should adjourn till Monday at 2.30.

REPLIES TO QUESTIONS. In reply to Mr W. 0. Smith, the Premier said that there was no doubt whatever that when an alien became naturalised his wife and family (if any) were entitled to the full privileges of the franchise, but in case there should be any doubt on the point, he should instruct the Registrars to allow the names of those women to be put on the rolls. Replying to Mr Sandford, the Premier said that he intended going into the whole question of police constables' promotion, and he should endeavour to deal fairly with all members of the force. LAND BILL. The House disagreed with the amen dments made by the Council in the Land Act Amendment Bill, and Mr McKenzie, Sir Robert Stout, and Mr Duncan were appointed Managers to draw up reasons for disagreement. The House rose at 5.30 p.m. and resumed at 7.30 p.m. RATING ACT. After a lengthy debate the Rating Act Amendment Bill was committed. Clause 2—Local bodies to make their own assessments, was retained by 30 to 23. It was decided on Mr Ward's motion, that assessments could be made either annually or triannually at the option of the local bodies. On reaching the clause for rating native lauds Sir R. Stout suggested that the natives should be required to pay only on land which had been through the Land Court except any occupied by Europeans. Mr Ward said that that was the intention, and that the Bill would be made clear upon that point. Clause 13 was amended so that the rate on native lands should be only half that charged upon European land, and that native land should not be subject to a special rate. Clause 18—Providing for rating land on the unimproved value was retained after a lengthy discussion by 27 to 24. The Bill was reported, read a third time, and passed. The House rose at 1.50 a.m.