HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4530, 12 July 1883, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Welmnoton, TJesterday.

The House met at 2.30,

The joint committee on the bills reported that the New Zealand Native Land Company's Bill was a private bill. In reply to questions it waf stated that Government would amend the: law so as to give local bodies power; to keep roads free from gorse, spreading from adjacent hedges.—Samples of brown paper recently, submitted Prom the Mataura mills were a great improvemedt: on previous samples, and Government would give an order if the prices were reasonable.—Government could not interfere in the Auckland Educational Board's inquisition into the religious belief of teachers* because it had no such power; such inquisition was, however, quite illegal, and teachers could refuse to answer.—The vote of £2000 on the estimates for Dunedin gaol was to purchase a new site, if one could be secured, the site of the present gaol being unsuitable andvtoo valuable, for. the purpose.—There was no power to prevent James Carey or any other informer landing in the colony if they catne.—Steps would be taken to enforce the publication in the Gazette of all mining, company's annual statements.—A bill for the arrest of fugitive husbands would be introduced. Mr Hutchison moved for leave to in* tfoduce a bill to repeal the Contagious Piseases Act. and in doing so spoke at ■bine length on the supject.—Mrßolleston objected to discuss the matter on leave/sto introduce the bill. Onthe second reading he would ie prepared to show that the operation of-the Act had beau benefical. —Mr "Fyke would like to see the Act made aompulsory. —Mr Montgomery strongly supported the existing Act, and would do away with prudery, and render the Act not only generally compulsory,

but extend it so as to provide, as or. the ' Continent, for the surviellance of bouses of ill-fame. It was absurd to attempt to ignore the existence of such places, while human nature was human nature.—Mr Joyce opposed the repeal of the A ct, and Mr Holmes bore testimony to it haririg worked remarkably well in Chrißteburcb. It would be of immense benefit to extend its operation —Mr Fitzgerald saiA the tendency in Europe was to repeal such Acts. It might, howerer, be better to wait here for further information before repealing ttie present Act—Mr Buchanan said inFraace and England public opinion was against the system. He supported the bill.—Mr Hutchison replied, and lea?•< to introduce the bill was refused on a ! division of 42 to 19

The Companies Act Amendment Bill (Shaw) was introduced and read a first time.—-A number of unopposed returns were ordered.

Mr Levewtam, in resuming the debate on Mr'Monftroraery's anti centralisation re solutio is, alluded to the various'eompactt* made by Ministers of the day with sections of members, They were enabled to do this through their large expending powers. The compact* made some years ago with the kelson members, that 10 miles a year of their railway extension should be car-ried-pnt.had b«en broken—not a mile being made. He objected to the Government hating such powers, as it,promoted log-* rolling. He was strongly opposed to central administration He was proceeding to comment on tlie possible diversion of tlie £180,000 for the main trunk railway, when Mnjor Atkinson rose and stated emphati cally that the Government would not, under any circumstances, consent to a diversion o|that vote. —Mr Levestam said he was glad to hear it, but then the Government had not been honest or candid to the Cantlrjbury members in encouraging false hopes on their part.—Mr J. W. Thompso«|iaid there, was undoubtedly diasatisfactipnlthroughout the. colony^ but it was not likely lo find much expression while ih'ecqioy went on borrowing. He did not altogether agree with the resolu tions, but Uiey expressed a growing feel ing, especially in Otago. He himself, was in favor , of^ dividing into .two separate colonies—Mr Fi*h accused Ministers of gross discourtesy in not to the members who had spoken in support of the resolutions. He demanded to know whether they regarded the question as one of want of confidence or not. To ? treat it as not one, was a breach of faith on the part of the Government; but he was, not surprised at it from Major Atkinson., who himself had been an advocate for Abolition, but the promises then made had not been fulfilled, and he therefore supported the resolution. He had seen the folly of hia former ways. The present system was if miserable sham. He denied thaCtjjke>resolutions proposed to restore the old form of Provincialism i He wouW .prefer insular separation, with a Federal Government, but after all.that was a matter of detail. — Mr Munro hoped the rusolutions would be adopted hereafter as defining party lines in the House. The question really was not Central Government, jbutyC^^ government versus Provincialiiaai Ho did not think the County system had at all so failed as to justify a return to Provincialism. The. provinces, no doubt, had been broken up, but was there any discontent now existing to be compared to the discontent prevail* ing under Provincialism ?—Mr Holmes supported the principle of the reso? lutjons,- but if they were to be re* garded as a vote of want of confidence he would not vote on them at all. He was not at all prepared to go back to the extravagances of Provincialism,! but the Central system had, certainly failed.! He condemned the proposal to increase the salaries of the Supreme Court Judges as a fresh instance of pernicious Centralism,* He quoted a great number of instaacesjin Canterbury of central maladministration. He accused the Government of having hoodwinked and imposed upon the Can terbury members in regard to the Bast and West Coast railway, and the diversion of the £180,000 vote. They understood something very different from what the Treasurer bad that afternoon said on the subject

Lateb.—This day.

Mr Connolly thought it a waste of time to discuss the possibility of giving fresh life to the dry bones of Provincialism. His experience and that of his constituents Had been that, Provincialism was the most centralising system possible. He would not remain an hour in the Government if it consented to divert the £180,000.—Capt. MeKenzie thought the present system of local self-government satisfactory, sufficient, and a great improvement on Pro* vincialitm.—Mr V. Pyke moved the adjournment of the debate, and the House rose at 12.10.