HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4574, 1 September 1883, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wellington, Yesterday,

The Public Petitions Committee, on the petition of George Longhurst, a prisoner under conviction for rape, reported that they had not been able to investigate the evidence in the case, but they recommended ifc to the consideration of the Government—Mr Shaw, in a long speech, moved that it be referred to the favorable consideration of the Government.—Mr Connolly said he and bis colleagues had very carefully considered the case before advising the Governor. They did this with every desire to established Longhurst's innocence..— Messrs Fitzgerald, Moss, Turnbull, and Steward advocated the immediate release of Longhurst.— Messrs Bolleston and Bryce contended that the House could not fairly'judge in the matter, not having, considered the evidence—Mr Kelly advocated the reconsideration of Longhurst's case.—The amendment, agreed to.—After debate, Mr Connolly having again expressed the willingness of the Government to fully consider the matter with the most earnest desire to release Longhurst, if any reasonable doubt of his guilt wa3 established, the original motion, as amended by Mr Shaw, was passed. In reply to a question, it was stated that contractors who failed to pay their men fortnightly rendered themselvos liable to a penalty of £50. It was agreed that the House do meet at 2.30 to-morrow. i

Major Atkinson moredtbe second reading of the Eoads and Bridges Construction Act Amendment Bill, stating that Government, had not found themselves able to accept the recommendations of the Select Committee on the subject.—Mr Montgomery said the A cfc of last year had broken down for want of money, and he did not think the Government could ever carry out the promises of the present bill.—Major Atkinson said the Act was simply a machinery one, —not a bill. It, was for the House to find the money.—The bill was read a second time.

The Auckland Harbor Act Amendment, General Assembly Members' Expenses Bill, and the Land, Crown, and Native Lands Rating Act Amendment Bill were passed through Committee without discussion.

Latch.—This day. On the motion for the third reading of the Expenses of Members of General Assembly Bill, considerable discussion took place, several members saying it had got through its previous stages without debate entirely by surprise.— Mr Seddon protested against the bill; the Council should not be paid by Statute, the House should vote their payment, and it should not be less than the House received. This bill actually gave Welliugton members £70 a year more than they now got, while the Wellington Councillors were to get nothinft—Mr Peacock opposed

the bill for the same reasons, and Messrs Sheeban, Whitaker, Moss, and others thought the bill a very mean way of attacking the Council.—Capt. McKenzie thought members of each House should get only one hundred guineas.—Mr Swanson thought the Council would make short work of the bill, and the experiment of sending it to them was worth trying,-* Mv Turnbiillmoved the recommittal of the bill, but this was negatived by 30 to 18, and the bill was read a third lime.— On a motion that the bill pass, Major Atkingon replied that he repudiated the idea that the bill was an attack on the Legislative Council, bat the members of that House had expenses which Legislative Councillors had not, in visiting their constituents, lie would like to see both

Houses' honoraria reduced one half, "but it was impossible to carry that.—The b?U then finally passed. $ t,Tue following bills were also read a third time and passed: Crown and Native Land Bating Act Amendment, Property Assessment Act Amendment, Bating Act Amendment, [Railway Construction and La7id Act Amendment. The Properly Law Consolidation Bill, and the West Coust Peace Preservation Act Continuance Bill were read a third time and passed, but on the question of parsing the title ( of the latter, Mr Hutchkon wished t0;.,. protest against the measure, and accord* ingly divided the House. —The title being carried by 33 to 8, the House rose at 2.10 a.m.