GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2711, 13 September 1894, Page 4

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. on Tuesday. „ ANNIVERSARY DAY. The Joint Committee recommended that the official Anniversary Day of the colony be the 30th January. BILLS PASSED. The Waimakariri Water Supply Bill and the Newmarket Hall Bill were put through their final stages. tlmabu habbob district bating bill.; The Timaru Harbor District Bating Bill was further considered in Committee. The two. new clauses proposed by Mr McGregor were adopted without alteration. The Bill was reported, the third reading being set down for the following day. oaths act amendment bill. The Oaths Act Amendment Bill was farther considered in Committee. Mr McGregor’s new clause, enabling Magistrates at their discretion to permit children to make a declaration instead of taking an oath in courts of justice, was agreed to. The Bill was reported with amendments, and the Council adjourned. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 7.30 p.m. on Monday. NEW BILLS. The Government Advances to Settlers Bill and Foreign Insurance Companies Bill were introduced by message from the Governor and read a first time. TOWN DISTRICTS BILL.

Mr George Hutchison moved the second reading of the Town Districts Bill to revive the Town Districts Act, 1881. The Premier strongly objected to the Bill, and said that it was one of the most dangerous measures introduced this session. The Bill would bring into existence a number of local bodies which the legislature had declared were unnecessary and were injurious to the country. Several members supported the Bill, on the ground that it would greatly benefit suburban localities which were not large enough to form into municipalities; whilst others agreed with the Premier, and opposed'the Bill on the ground that it would tend to weaken our county council system. The second reading was agreed -to on the voices.

CORONERS INQUESTS Bill. In the absence of Major Steward, Mr Saunders moved the second reading of the Coroners Inquests Bill, which he explained had been before the House six times and its provisions were well known. It provided that the dead-house of a hospital shall be a public morgue, and that no publican shall be required to receive any dead body for the purpose of an inquest if there is a courthouse or police station within one mile or a public morgue within two miles of his licensed premises. It also provided for the payment of jurors at a coroner’s inquest. The second reading was agreed to on the voices without debate. NATIVE RIGHTS BILL. Mr Hone Heke moved the second reading of the Native Rights Bill to empower tba aboriginal natives of New Zealand to enact laws for the Government of themselves and their lands find other property. Mr Carroll opposed the Bill as being altogether outside of practical politics. Be held that the time had come when special representation of the native race in the House should be dona away with. Sir Robert Stout said that it was impossible to have a separate government for Europeans and natives, but he thought that the natives might have more voice in the management of their lauds. Mr George Hutchison looked upon the Bill as a protest against the long coarse of injustice indicted on the native r&ea by the Parliament of the country. Captain Resell opposed the Bill. He held that the only way for the Maoris to remain a people was by waging into the European population. x Mr Stevens aleo opposed the Bill. Ho thought that the Maori people had been well and? properly treated. After the supper adjournment a count out resulted on the Native Rights Bill, and the House adjourned at IIJS p.m. for want of a quorum, the Bill thus being killed. The House mot flt 2,30 p.m. on Tuesday. 11? I'LIKS 0 O QUESTIONS Replying to questions, it was stated that full enquiries would bo made as to the expediency of urging upon the Imperial authorities the desirability of establishing a depot of warlike stores at Wellington, from which direct steamers trading to the colony could, if necessary, be turned at short notice into armed cruisers ; that the question of introducing legislation to enable local bodies to convert their loans was now under consideration. DESTITUTE PERSONS BILL. The Destitute Persons Bill was read a third time and passed. GOVERNMENT RAILWAYS BILL. Mr Mitchelson resumed the debate on the motion for the second reading of the

Government Railways Bill. He'WAs top- 1 ’ posed to State control, os he was of Opinion that the T management by Commissioners had been o ouccess. The Bill now before the House was neither one thing nor the other. Under it the Commissioners would be 1 powerless, and he did not believe that the Premier would get any men of spirit to act with him On the board. He held that the question of State control had never been before the country at thfi late election. It would, in his opinion, be a hnge mistake to revert to State control of the railways. There was not a tenth part of the dissatisfaction expressed throughout the country now; at the management of the railways under Commissioners as compared With '‘the expressions, of dissatisfaction When they were under the control of the StSte. The proposals of the Premier and those who supported the Bill practically meant that the railways were to be controlled by the' workers and not by the users. Although he was opposed to the Bill as introduced, he agreed that a Minister should have a seat 'ton the board, but not that he should possess the powers given him under the Bill. Mr Buick said that he agreed with all that had fallen from Mr Mitchelsou with respect to this Bill. He was strongly opposed to Ministerial control of the railways. The Bill proposed that thto Minister should simply control the whole concern, and the result would be chaos and uncertainty, while the discipline of the whole service would be absolutely undermined, and the department would fall a prey to the selfish designs of unprincipled agitators. Ho had no objection to a Minister having a seat on the Railway Board with two Commissioners, but he was opposed to the .proposal in the Bill to give him power to do so much mischief without any responsibility being on his shoulders.

Messrs Willis, Morrison, Carncross, Meredith, and Thonlas McKenzie also spoke. Mr Flatman did not agree that the Minister should have the power of veto in this Bill, bat approved of the proposal to appoint two Commissioners with a Minister on the board. The railways as at present managed tvere simply taxing machines, and the freights charged oh them were altogether too high. The debate was interrupted by the 5.30 p.m. adjournment. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. Messrs.R. M. South, Montgomery, Bell, Firani, Pinkerton, Collins, Mills, J. Kelly, O’Regan, Hall, and Massey having spoken, In the course of his reply the Premier hiald that vefy little had bb'dh said during the debate to induce those who favoured political control to change their views. He had frequently stated that he had no personal objections to Mir Maxwell or Mr Hanuay, but as he had objected to the principle from the first, no Commissioner that could be appointed could have satisfied him. He denied that the farmers of the colony were protesting against the proposed change, and said that the users of the railways wanted a change. With respect to Sir Robert Stout’s charges against the Commissioners in dismissing certain men at the instigation of the Railway Union, he said that he had communicated with the Commissioners that day bn the subject, and had received a reply to the effect that the Commissioners had had no communication whatever from outside persons as to' reductions in . the, service,, and thait any reduction that had been made was the outcome, of deliberations with the heads of branches. He regretted the tone of Mr Buick’s remarks. As for the Bill itself it was simply intended to give Back to the people rights which should neveij have been takbn from them.

On a division the second reading was carried by 45 to 13. The 1 following is the division list: —■

Ayes (15). —Button, Carncross; Carroll, Carnell, Collins, Crowther, Earushaw, Duncan, Flat man, Graham, Guinness, Hall, Hall Jones, Harris, Hogg, Houston, W. Hutchison, W. Kelly, Larhach, Lawry, Mackintosh, McGowan, J. McKenzie, R. McKbuzie, McLachlan, McNab, Meredith, Mills, Montgomery, Morrison, Newman, O’Regan, Parata, Pinkerton, Firani, Reeves, G. W. Russell, Seddon, E. M. Smith, G. J. Smith, Stevens, Thompson, Tanner, Ward, Willis. Noes (13). Allen, Bell, Buchanan, Bnick, Fraser, Green, G. Hutchison, Lang, Massey, McGuire, W. R. Russell, Wilson, Saunders.

Pairs.—Ayes : Buddo, Joyce, W, Kelly, Cadman. Noes : T. Mackenzie, Duthie, Teao, Mitcbelson. MINISTERIAL STATEMENT. In reply to a question, the Premier said that the second reading of the Licensing Bill would be taken on Thursday night and the second reading of the Government Advances to Settlers Bill on Friday night. He intended to dispose of the Railway Bill next day. CROWN LANDS BILL. Mr Ward moved the second reading of the Grown Lands Bill to provide for payment of rates in respect of Crown lauds.

After a short debate the motion was carried by 27 to 23. The House rose at 12,40 p.m.