GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2679, 30 June 1894, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. on Wednesday. THE ADDRESS- IK- REPLY. Mr Kelly moved the Address-in-Reply. As a whole he approved of the Governor’s Speech, and he considered the enfranchisement of women the most momentous event in modern history. Referring to the dairy industry he drew a comparison between the facilities afforded by the Victorian railway authorities in famishing refrigerating railway vans and cooling chambers, and the supiueness of the New Zealand railway people. Touching the labor question he admitted it was one of demand and supply, and until labor and capital recognised this no finality could be arrived at.

Mr Bolt expressed approval of the Government’s proposal to introduce cheap English money for settling land and other industrial purposes provided the State obtained good security for the advances. He likened the special settlements to so many cities of refuge for persona who had not been successful heretofore, and as such they should be supported. He favored cheap money loans by the State on sufficient security. Mr Pharazyn was the only other speaker. He complimented the Government generally on their policy, and that the country having determined on a labor policy he would offer no further opposition to it. The Address was agreed to, and the Council adjourned. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. on Thursday. ADDRESS TO THE QUEEN. Sir George Whitmore moved that a committee be appointed to prepare a loyal address to the Queen, congratulating her on the birth of the son of the Duke of York. Mr Bolt opposed the motion. The motion was agread to on the voices. The Council then adjourned. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.15 p.m. on Wednesday. WANT OF CONFIDENCE. Formal business having been disposed of, the Premier rose and said it would not be consistent with the dignity of the Government to go on with the business while Sir R. Stout’s motion respecting the Sergeant-at-Arms was on the Order Paper. If the motion was carried by the House it would be a vote of censure on the Government, and he moved that all other business be postponed till Sir B. Stoat’s motion was called on. If the Government had lost the confidence of the country, all he could say was the sooner Sir Robert Stout and suitable colleagues took their places the better. In reply to Captain Bussell, the Speaker said the Premier had taken Sir B, Stout’s motion as a want of confidence, and it was quite regular to take it before all other business.

Sir Robert Stout then moved that a respectful address be presented to the Governor praying him to appoint some eligible person to the position of Sergeant-at-Arms. In doing so he said the Premier had adopted his present attitude of set purpose in order to compel him (Sir Robert Stout) to deliver himself in opposition to the Ministry. He was not going to be influenced by a trick of that kind, and would proceed with his motion, in order to assert the rights and privileges of the House. His motion was one of want of confidence in the Government. He then proceeded to refer in detail to the procedure in regard to the appointment of officers of the House, and pointed out that Colonel Fraser had not been appointed by the Governor-in-Conncil f presumably because it would be in direct violation of the Disqualification Act. Ho asked young members of the House to consider whether the law was to be broken purely for party purposes, for if so then all possibility of purity of Parliament was at an end. This gentleman was to be appointed as Sergeant-at-Arms merely as a reward for his having stood aside to allow another Government supporter to be elected, and he asked whether this House would allow itself to be dragged through the mire in this manner* He reminded the House of the position the present Government took up with respect to the appointment by the late Government of a Judge of the Supreme Court. Were Ministers then to be allowed to break the law in respect to this appointment ? Mr Hone Heke seconded the motion.

The Premier held that no grayer censure could be proposed on any Govern* meat than to approach His Excellency over the heads of Ministers as this motion proposed to do, and Sir Robert Stout might well have waited 24 hours before precipitating a crisis of this kind. He complained of Sir Robert Stout’s action with respect to the Waitemata and Tuapeka elections, and said that it seemed to him that nothing Ministers did was right in that honorable gentleman’s eyes. He denied that he wished to force Sir R. Stout into opposition,' but he did wish the Government to be treated with respect. There had been no violation nor evasion of the Disqualification Act over this matter, and the Government had not the slightest intention of asking or moving that the Disqualification Act should be set aside to meet the case. He denied that the Government had paid Colonel Fraser’s expenses to Wellington. They had not paid him a shilling or promised to pay him a shilling till after tho time of his disqualification should have expired. He wished young members not to be deluded into voting for a motion which might lead to a split in the Liberal party. The law had not been broken, and it was well for young members to know it. It must be remembered that Sir Robert Stout himself in 1884 advised the electors of the Thames to return Colonel Fraser as their representative, and he had been for yean a strong supporter of the Liberal party. So much for Sir Robert Stout’s attack, which was in reality not on Colonel Fraser but on the Government and the Liberal party. Sir Robert Stout, by his present action, was helping to do what the Conservative press of the colony so much desired, namely, to cause a split in the Liberal party. He was also assuming a great responsibility, as an Imprest Supply Bill must be passed before the Ist of July, and he (the Premier) hoped that the House would not pass the motion. Mr Hutchison (Waitotara), Captain Russell, and Mr Hone Hoke also spoke. Sir Robert Stout having replied, the motion was put and lost on a division by 48 to 19. Tho following is the division list; — Ayes —l9. Allen, 8011, Buchanan, Button, Duthio, Earnshaw, Fraser, Green, Hoke, Lang, Mitchelson, Mackenzie, T, McKenzie, Massey, McGuire, Russell, Stout, Toao, Wilson.

Noes Carncroaa, Carnell, Carroll, Crowthor*, Co'lins, Duncan, Flatraan, Graham, Hil) s Guinness, Hall Jones, Harris, Hogg Houston, W. Hutchison, Joyce, J. W Kelly, W. Kelly, La wry, Mackintosh, Masliu, MaoGowan, J. McKenzie, R, McKenzie, MoLachkn, McNab, Millar,

Meredith, Mills, Montgomery, Morrison, O’Regan, Parata, Pinkerton, Pirani, Reeves, G. W. Russell, Seddon, £. M. Smith, £. J. Smith, Tanner, Thompson, Ward, Willis. d The House rose at 5.5 p.m. o The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. THE ADDRESS- IN- REPLY. Mr Russell (Riccarton) resumed the ebate on the Address-in-Reply, and was llowed by Mr £. M. Smith, both rongly supporting the policy of the overnment. This closed the debate, and the motion was put and carried on the voices. CROWN LANDS. In reply to a question it was stated that a Bill would be introduced this session in the direction of abolishing school commissioners, and appointing land boards to administer Crown lands. ' SECOND READINGS. The Prescription Law (Light) Amendment Billj Barbonrs Act Amendment Bill (to authorise harbour boards to borrow moneys from banks by way of overdraft), Arms Act Repeal Bill, and Electoral Act Amendment Bill were read a second time. The Premier moved the second reading of the Imprisonment for Debt Abolition Bill which had been before the House last session. The Premier agreed to an adjournment of the debate, and the House rose at 10.30 pjn. The House met at 2.30 p.m. on Thursday. THE SERGEANT-AT-ARMS. Captain Russell rose to a question of privilege, and said that in face of the Premier’s statement on the previous day Colonel Fraser had clearly no right to accompany the Speaker as Sergeant-at-Arms to Government House to present the Address to the Governor. Colonel Fraser was not an officer of the House, and his presence in the Chamber was a distinct violation of the House’s privileges. Sir Maurice O’Rorke said that Colonel Fraser had informed him that he had been asked by the Government to act as Sergeant-at-Arms till the appointment ' had been made. As the last Parliament ' had taken all authority with respect to ' these appointments from the Speaker he felt justified in admitting Colonel Fraser to the House.

Captain Bussell still maintained that Colonel Fraser had no right in the House, and moved —•* That Colonel Fraser’s presence in the chamber is a breach of the privileges of the House.’ ’ The Premier said that what the Speaker had said was absolutely correct. He had informed the leader of the Opposition that he intended to bringdown a resolution, and had asked him not to take any extreme steps in the matter. The action taken by certain members of the House simply bordered on persecution, and was intended either to injure a private individual or damage the Government in the eyes of the House and the country. He intended to move the following resolution on the subject : Sergeant-at-Arms be deferred till the Ist December next, and that in the meantime Colonel Fraser perform the necessary duties usually performed by the Sergeaut-at-Arms without fee or payment of any kind whatever.” After a short discussion Captain Bussell’s motion was put and lost by 45 to 16. THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT. Beplying to Mr Mitchelson, Mr Ward said that the Financial Statement was ready and that it would depend on the course of business for the next few days as to what night the Statement would be

brought down. IMPBBST SUPPLY The House went into Committee, when an Imprest Supply Bill for £278,000 was passed through all its stages. KEPLIES TO QUESTIONS.

In reply to questions it was stated that time would not permit of legislation being introduced this session to enable more State coalfields to be opened and worked; that the Government would consider whether they would assist local bodies in bearing the cost of the licensing elections; that enquiries would be made into the reason why the names of electors who had voted at the last General Election were struck off the rolls. The House adjourned at 5.30 p.m. and resumed at 7.30.

SHOP ASSISTANTS BILL. Mr Beeves moved the second reading of the Shop and Shop Assistants Bill. He explained that the Bill was exactly the

same as had been before the House last session, and provided for compulsory closing of all shops in the colony on one day in the week, the day to be left to the local bodies to fix. A long discussion ensued, the tone of which (was decidedly favorable to the measure. Mr Beeves in replying welcomed the growth of public opinion in favour of the Bill. He did not think, however, that

public opinion was yet ripe enough for such an iron law as one day, Saturday—for the whole colony. The right way to go to work was to popularise the local bodies and increase their functions. The motion for the second reading was agreed to on the voices. THE ARBITRATION BILL. Mr Beeves moved the second reading of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration

Bill, which was the same as last year’s measure. The compulsory part of the Bill as it went through the House last year, he should ask the House to pass again, as he would rather see the Bill thrown out altogether than made a voluntary measure. Captain Bussell, in supporting the Bill, said that he was of opinion that conciliation without arbitration was all humbug. He thought, however, that there would be very few cases for an Arbitration Court to decide, for when people became aware that there was a tribunal of this kind to appeal to, they would take a reasonable course. Dr Newman, Mr Willis, Mr Earnshaw, Mr Morrison, Mr Smith (Christchurch) and Mr Buchanan also spoke in support of the Bill. SECOND READINGS. The Lunatics Act Amendment Bill to provide that all official visitors to asylums need not be Justices of the Peace; and Conspiracy Law Amendment Bill, which puts labour unions on the same footing as other persons regarding conspiracy, were read a second time. The House rose at 11.15 p.m.