HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3626, 10 August 1880, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wellington, Monday, The House met at 2.30.

THE NEW GOVjSENOR

The Hon. J. Hall announced that the Governor had intimated to him his acceptance of the Governorship of Cape Colony, and that he would leave New Zealand at the end of this or the beginning of next month. His successor would be Sir Arthur Gordon, the present Governor of Fiji. GOVEBNMENT PBOGBAMME. Hon. J. Hall, in moving that the House sit on Fridays and Mondays at 11 a.m. during the remainder of the session, stated that the Government had deter mined upon dropping certain measures of lesser importance, so as to enable others te be gone on with. The ones they proposed dropping were:—The Town Districts Bill, Fisheries Bill, * Education Reserves Amendment Bill, Public Entertainments Prohibition Bill, Cemeteries Bill, New Zealand University Reserves Bill, Canterbury Rivers Act Amendment Bill, Auctioneers' Bill, Fire and Marine Insurance Companies Bill, Gaming and Lotteries Bill, Hawkers and Pedlars Bill, Peace Preservation Bill, and these in due course he would ask to be discharged from the order paper.

It was proposed to deal with the following bills at morning sittings : —The Counties Act Amendment Bill, Night School Reserve Bill, Companies Act 1860 Amendment Bill, Dogs Registration Bill, Brands and Branding Bill, Fencing Bill, Impounding Bill, Thames Water Supply Transfer Bill, and the Kabbit Nuisance Bill.

The next class Government called desirable bills, including some of the Native Bills, the Licensing Bill Representation Bill, Regulation of Local Elections Bill, and Corrupt Practices Prevention Bill. The course taken with these would depend on what was done with the next claß3. The Licensing Bill he looked upon, as a very useful measures, but he could make no promise regarding it. With regard to the Representation Bill, he had heard many members express an opinion that it was undesirable to proceed with it this session. That, however, was not his opinion. For very many reasons he thought it desirable that that bill should be pushed on this session. The Government were anxious that this should be done, but it would depend strictly on the House whether it was passed or not. He would take the earliest opportunity for moving the second reading, and then it would be seen whether it would be necessary to drop it. Upon this would depend ih.3 passing of the Eegulation of Elections and Corrupt Practices Bills, as if the Representation Bill was not passed this session the other two would have to be postponed until next session.

With regard to the native bills, which included the Native Lands Court Bill, Native Land Frauds Prevention Bill, Native Succession Bill, Native Land Sales Bill, Native Lands Contracts Act Validation Bill, the Native land Stamp Duties Bill, the Waikato Confiscated Land Bill, Nineteen Miscellaneous Natives Claims Bills, and Twenty Native Reserves Bill, Government: scarcely hoped they would all become law this session. The Native Lands Court Bill met with favor, and would doubtless pass, and it was hoped the Native Land Frauds Prevention, the Natives Succession and Confiscated Land Sales Bill would pass. The next class comprehended bills which were absolutely essential finance measures, for placing the finances of the country on a sound footing. These must be dealt with this session. They were the Property Assessment Act Amendment Bill, Beer Duty Bill, Deceased Persons Estate .Dalies Bill, Local Public Works Bill.

The motion was then put and carried. On the motion for going into Committee of Supply, Messrs Shrimski, 'Ireland, Jones, Hamlin and Pyke spoke of the great injustice proposed to be done to their several districts in the matter of Public Works, and urged upon the Government to make more liberal provision therefore.

The debate was then interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment.