GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Waikato Argus, Volume I, Issue 41, 13 October 1896, Page 4

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. HATING ACT AMENDMENT, The Council insisted on the amendments made by it in this Bill. TOBACCO ACT AMENDMENT?. This Bill was passed. WAGES PROTECTION BILL. In Committee the Bill was further amended, Clauses 10 and IS and the schedule being struck out. The Bill was reported with amendments. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. BANKING COMMITTEE'S REPORT. Mr Graham brought up the report of the Banking Committee and moved that it be laid on the table. Mr G. Hutchison said the Committee had sat last night and till three o'clock in the morning. He had moved the adoption of an amended report, which the Premier had objected to on the ground that it contained offensive references to the Committee. Air Seddon said the Chairman had ruled Mr Hutchison's amendment out of order. Mr Hutchison denied that his amendment contained offensive references. Mr Seddon, after further discussion, moved that the report ha read by the Chairman of the Committee. This was agreed to, and the report was read. Mr Seddon moved that the debate on the report take place on Alonday next. Agreed to. Mr Duthie asked the Premier if the Government intended bringing down any banking legislation. Mr Seddon said it was impossible for him to answer that question in the face of the report just brought down by the Banking Committee, and he should have to consult his colleagues on the matter. GOVERNMENT VALUATIONS OF LAND RILL. The Government Valuations of Land Bill was committed. On clause 4, providing for the prcpara tion of a general valuation roll, the Hon. J. AlcKenzie moved to make the valuation at prescribed periodical intervals, instead of triennially. Hon. J. AleKenzic's amendment to strike out the word ' triennial,' after nearly three hours' discussion, was carried by 35 to 'M), and the words ' at prescribed periodical intervals' were inserted. Clause 4, as amended, was carried. Clause 7, provision as to the preparation of the district valuation roll, elicited a lengthy debate, but was finally passed with several amendments. On the clause which provides that such roll be the standard roll for all local authorities, Mr Allen moved an amendment, by which it would be made optional on the part of the local authorities to accept the valuation roll. Lost by 33 to '2O, and the clause passed. Clause 11, Purposes for which valuations iu general valuation roll arc to be used. Mr Buchanan moved an amendment to restrict the valuations to the purposes of the Land and Income Tax Act, and not to use them for the purpose of money lending. After a long discussion, Air Buchanan withdrew his amendment. Bon. J. McKenzie moved to add to the purposes for which the roll should be used the assessment of stamp duties under the Stamp Act, ISS2, and the Deceased Persons Estates Act, 1881. This was carried, and the clause passed. Clause 15 : Fees payable on registration of deeds affecting land. Air Alaslin moved that this clause be struck out. Carried on the voices, and the clause was struck out. The remaining clauses passed without alteration. Hon. J. AlcKenzie moved a new clause to the effect that a certificated copy by the Valuer-General of the valuation of any property appearing in the general valuation shall be deemed a competent valuer's report under the Trustees Act, 1893, Amendment Act, 1891. Air Bell moved a proviso that where such a copy is required for lending purposes by the Trustee or Trustees the Valuer-General shall satisfy himself that the entry is correct as to their value, and for that purpose shall amend the roll where necessary. Carried by 4'2 to 12. RAILWAY CLASSIFICATION. The Government Railways Classification Bill was committed. Clause 7 : Permanent head to certify as to increases. Mr (.'adman, in reply to Mr Millar, said the permanent bead meant the General Manager. Atr Karnshaw moved an addition that the head of the Department should also furnish a copy of all entries in the Conduct Book relating to the member to whose pay an increase is attached. Carried, and the clause passed. Clause 'J : Governor may recommend reasonable reductions or increases in pay. Mr G. W. Russell moved that no reduction shall be made in the pay of any person who receives less than £i~~t per annum. Lost on the voices. Clause 11 : Penalty for a breach ot the regulations or rules. Air Pirani moved to strike out the penalty of a fine not exceeding £f>, urging that the system of fining for petty offences was a bad one. Lost on the voices. Clause 18 : Minister to hear appeals against fines. Mr Pirani moved an amendment to the effect that all appeals should be beard by the Appeal Board, and not by the Alinister. Lost by 33 to 16. Mr Guinness moved that appeals in trivial cases should only be made to tlic Board with the consent of the Minister. Lost on the voices. Captain Russell moved an amendment with the object of removing the appeal from the Minister of the day. Lost on the voices. Mr Pirani moved that the Alinister should only hear appeals where fines do not exceed £'2. Carried. Clause 1!): Procedure as to appeals. _ Air Collins moved an addition providing that the decision of the Board shall be linal. Lost on the voices, and the clause passed. The remaining clauses passed. Mr Karnshaw moved a new clause, that no person under the age of 20 years shall be employed as a shunter at any of the main railway stations. Lost by .".S to S. Air Ale Nab moved a new clause, that when any officer joins the Railway Department who has previously been in the public service, his previous length of service should be taken into consideration. Lost on the voices. Mr G. J. Smith asked the Minister whether he would accept certain amendments iu the schedule without jeopardising the whole scheme. Air Ciidman asked the House not to interfere with the schedules. The scheme was on its trial, and they would have to see how it worked out. Mr Finiiii moved that the maximum for the General .Manager be CI2OO. He said that this was the lowest amount paid to any General Alanager in the Australian colonies, including Tasmania. All Morrison moved an amendment that the salary be inerease.l to £IOOO by four annual increments of JL'.iO. The amendments moved by Air Pirani lid Air G. \\\ Ku-sell to increase the

salary of the General Manager were withdrawn. Mr Karnshaw moved to make the two increments of sixpence pur day in the pay of guards annual, instead of the second increase being at the end of seven years. Lost by 30 to 7. Air Morrison moved to increase the pay of crossing-keepers and bridgekeepers from 303 to 36s per week". Air Collins said all members of the House wanted to move amendments of this kind, but in order not to jeopardise the Hill were willing to sacrifice them. He asked Air Morrison under these circumstances not to press his amendment, which there was no hope of carrying. Mr Seddon denied that some of the rates in the schedule were lower than the scale of pay for similar work outside the railway service. He said the Government would adhere to the schedules as they had been brought down in preference to jeopardising the Bill. Air Karnshaw quoted from returns laid on the table of the House and contended that the rate in this schedule tor crossing keepers was a deliberate reduction of wages. Mr G. \V. Russell said he had had several letters from men in the railway service, stating that the scale in the schedule, especially that for the locomotive department, amounted to a_ reduction in the rate of wages, and asking him to block the Bill, but he could not agree to do this. Mr Morrison withdrew his amendment, and Air Karnshaw moved a similar one, but after considerable discussion it was negatived by '2s to 7. Air Karnshaw said he desired to move several other amendments in the schedules, but he recognised that in the present temper of the House it was useless to do so. However, he moved an increase in the tradesmen class of the locomotive department, which was lost by 31 to 7. The Bill was then reported, and after a long debate was put throught its linal stages on the voices. VALUATION OK LAND BILL. The Government Valuation of Land Bill passed its final stages on the voices without debate. LANDS FOR SETTLEMENT HILL. The Minister for Lauds brought up the report of the conference on the Lands for Settlement Act Amendment Bill. He said the House managers had not been able to get all they wanted from the other branch of the Legislature, but taking the Bill as a whole it was an improvement on the present Act, and at this late stage of the session he therefore moved that the report hi adopted. The motion was agreed to on the voices. THE WAGES PROTECTION DILL AND RATING BILL. The amendment made by the Legislative Council in the Wages Protection Act Amendment Bill and the Rating Act Amendment Bill were disagreed with, and conferences were arranged. THE TOBACCO BILL. The amendments of the Legislative Council in the Tobacco Act Amendment Bill were agreed to. BASKING LEGISLATION. Air Seddon gave notice that on Monday he would introduce the Bank of New Zealand and Banking Acts Amendment Bill. He said lie would be able to state on Monday or Tuesday what other business would be gone on with. LAND AND INCOME TAX. Air .Seddon moved the second reading of the Land and Income Tax Bill, which provides the usual machinery for the collection of the land and income tax. He added that it was proposed to collect the tax on the same date as last yearThe second reading was agreed to on the voices, and the Bill passed all its remaining stages without alteration. TOBACCO EXCI.SE DUTIES. The Tobacco Excise Duties Bill was committed. In clause '2, d.ity on tobacco manufactured in the colony, Air Crowther moved to reduce the duty on cigarettes manufactured by machinery from 3s (id to -!s in the lb. Air Seddon opposed the reduction, and said if the clause were not carried as introduced the colony risked losing £14,000 for the benefit of an Auckland company. He said lie was prepared to reduce the duty to Ms, but he could go no further. He did not want this company to close down, as they had invested capital in the country, but lie must point out that the revenue was Buffering in the meantime. After a very long discussion, Air Seddon said he would accept '2s (id as a compromise, and this was agreed to, and the clause as amended was passed. The Bill was then reported, read a third time and passed.