GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2709, 8 September 1894, Page 4

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. on Wednesday. / BILL PASSED. The Kaitangata Relief Fund Transfer Act Amendment Bill passed its final stages. DIVOBOB Bill. In Committee on the Divorce Bill, Mr Shrimski moved with a view to the Bill, that the chairman leave the, chair.— The motion was carried by 21 to 13. , DUNEDIN LOANS CONVERSION BILL The Dunedin Loans Conversion Bill passed through ... Committee, and the Council then adjourned. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. on Thursday. BILL PASSED. The Dunedin Loans Conversion Bill and Auckland Harbor: Board' Empowering Bill were put through their final stages. BILL THROWN OUT. The Riverton Harbor Board Empowering Bill was killed on the for its second reading by 20 to 13. AMENDMENTS AGREED TO. The amendments made by the House; in the Designation of Districts Bill were agreed to, GAMING BILL, Another conference on the Gaming Bill; waß granted. The Council then adjourned. HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES. 'The House met at 2.30 p.m. on Wednesday. PETITION. very long discussion took place on Mr G. W. Russell's motion that the minutes of the evidence taken before the Railway Committee on the WestportCardiff Coal Company's petition be printed.—lt was finally decided that the report lie on the table and that the evidence be printed. ; REPLIES TO QUESTIONS. . Replying to questions it was stated that a Bill was being prepared dealing with the administration of secondary and university education reserves, but that there was no intention of diverting those reserves from the purpose for which they were set aside; that' the Government would consider whether any provision could be made for university scholarships for Maoris, and half-castes; that the Government hoped to have some of the Budget Policy Bills in the hands of members on Friday and others next week. ANNIVERSARY DAY. A Select Committee was appointed to enquire into arid determine the proper date' for the ' general holiday on the anniversary celebration of the foundation of the colony. '. SECOND READINGS. The Public Works Bill was read a second time pro forma, and referred to the Statutes Revision Committee. The Lake Forsyth Drainage Bill and Ngare and other blocks Native Claims Adjustment Bill were read a second time. BANKING BUSINESS. Mr Pirani gave notice to ask (1) will the Government give formal assurance to the House that they will not approve of any agreement for the purchase by the Bank of New Zealand of the business of the Colonial Bank of New Zealand, or of any amalgamation of the business of those banks unless such agreement shall distinctly and in the terms Bet out as the price of the shares of either or both companies, the market price of the said shares as at the date of passing by this House of the Bank of New Zealand Share Guarantee Act ; (2) will the | Government give formal assurance that | no such agreement shall be ratified unless the concurrence of the House has first been formally obtained by resolution; (3) if the directors of the Bank of New Zealand have power to make any such agreement, without the concurrence of the Government will they immediately legislate to make such consent a condition precedent to the completion of such agreement. , {'y , GRANTS TO BOARDS •OF EDUCATION. . , Major Steward asked the Miuister for Education whether the Government would this session ask that special provision be made to enable the South Canterbury Education Board to meet its requirements for additional school accommodation in that educational district, especially in connection with the several village settlements recently established therein. Maj or Steward admitted the difficulty in which the Minister for Education was placed in regard to these educational grants, but South Canterbury was a very progressive district^and the Education Board had not been able to overtake the requirements caused by the increase of settlement. The Village 'settlements in that district had been a great success, and during the last few years the Education Board had had special calls on its funds in erecting Bchools in these new localities. The board had not sufficient funds to meet all requirements iu this respect and he hoped that the Minister would recoguise the special claims of the case. , , , Mr W. P. Reeves, the Minister for Education, said that he would. be most happy to give every consideration to the special wants of South Cauterhuiy when allotting the education building grants for the year. He would also give every consideration to the special wants of all other districts. The House took the usual dinner adjournment. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. IN COMMITTEE.

The Destitute Persons Bill passed through Committee without amendment. The Adulteration Prevention Act Amendment Bill was committed. Clause 3—All bread to be sold in loaves of certain weights provoked a long discussion. Eventually on the Premier's motion the clause was altered to the effect that the Act Bhould not apply to rolls, cakes, or confectionery, instead of making it not to apply id bread made up into loaves or French twists. Mr Morrison moved a further amendment that the Act should not apply to any description of fancy bread, The Premier Baid that if this were agreed to they might just as well leave the law as it stood. The amendment was carried by 29 to 27, and the clause as amended was added to the'Bill. After considerable discussion the Premier promised to recommit clauses 3, 4 and 5 if the Bill were allowed to go through now. This was agreed to, and the remainder of the Bill passed. The Designation of Districts BUI was committed. Clause 3 was amended on the following words "and in all such alterations future names preference shall be glv&n iQ the original Maori names." The roineiofog daises pa sea with slight alterations. The Rating on Unimproved Value BJU was committed In reply to Mr Heke Mr Ward said that thero was nothing in the Bill that affected the Native race. Several members differed from this statement. On clause 2, " interpretation," progress fM reported. The Destitute Persons Bill was reported, and the third reading fixed for next day.

The amendments made, in the 'Adulteration Prevention Act Amendment Bill were ordered to be considered next day. - : <Jk ' The House rose at 1.50 a.m. The House met at 2.30 p.m. on Thursday. policy, bills. ■ Mr Ward, gave notice to introduce the Foreign Insurance Companies ; Deposit Bill (the Bill already on the Order Paper being withdrawn), the Post Office Bill, the, New Zealand Loans and Inscribed Stock Bill, and the Government Advance to Settlers' Bill. Mr McKenzie gave notice to introduce the Roads and Bridges Construction Bill and Land Purchase. Bill. In all fifteen , new Government Bills were given notice of, ... ;c ~,, The Tariff and Industries Committee was granted a further extension of a week for bringing down its report.,

REPLIES TO QUESTIONS. Replying to questions, it was stated that the Government would enquire as to the legislation, required to confer the necessary powers upon local bodies to convert their loans without compelling each body to go to the expense and trouble of introducing separate Bills into the House; that if possible the Government would/ proceed with' the Eight flours Bill this session, but it would greatly depend on the course of business in the House; that it would depend on the course of busiaess on the Order Paper as,to when/the ;second reading of the Licensing Bill would come on. Mr Maslin asked the Minister of Lands what action the Government are taking in response to the petition of settlers in the Rangitata district asking for a reclassification of lands rented them from the Crown.

Mr John McKenzie said that there was no legal power to enable the Land Board to reclassify lands while the present occupiers held the leases. The best way out of the difficulty he thought was to ask the Canterbury Land Board to accept the surrender of the leases, and then the land could be reclassified. Mr Maslin asked, the Minister of Lands when the Bum of money promised to open np roads, in Arundel village settlement, will be paid. oyer. to J the account of the Mount Peel Road Board. Mr John McKenzie said that the money would be paid over as soon as application had laeen - made : for it. Up to the present it had not been applied for. THE GAMING BILL. Sir Robert Stout stated that the conference of the House had been unable to agree with the conference of the Legislative Oouncil on the Gaming Bill, and it was decided to appoint iresh, managers, consisting of the Premier, Captain Russel'., Mr Houston, Mr Larnach, Mr Fraser, and Mr G. W. Russell. The House rose at 5.30 p.m., and ft. sumedat7.3o. IN COMMITTEE. The Rating oh Unimproved Value Bill was further considered in committee. Clause 2 (which caused a lengthy discussion on the. previous-, evening) was again under consideration for several hours.' ;;•:": - ; ■■.*■'; i ;!. Mr Buchanan, Captain Russell, and Mr Earnshaw strongly opposed the Bill. Sir Robert Stout_,said that the Bill {Would exempt capitalists from taxation, land he should move .that no general rate to be levied under,the, Bill should exceed 2d in the £ on the improved value.! ■ Mr Ward could not accept ..the amendment, and. said it wbuld have to be left to the discretion of the local bodies to fix the rate. . ■"''•

.Shortly after midnight clause 2 was passed as printed by 43 to 11. r ,.,., ' Clause ,4 t— Ratepayers ; may - t fey, vpte adopt this Act—caused. considerable discussion,, but all suggested amendments were rejectfJ. ■ ■ ; v . On clause 10—Adjustment of rating power,- '■':■"'■'' Mr Earnshaw moved a proviso enabling any city br'borough in which this Act, is not in force to impose, in addition to the ordinary rate's, a special rate on unimproved land not exceeding id in the £.

: Mr Ward opposed the amendment, which was under .discussion when the telegraph office closed at 2 a.m.