GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Waikato Argus, Volume V, Issue 352, 11 October 1898, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. ' SATURDAY. The House met at 2.30 p.m. OLD AGE PENSIONS BILL Mb Seddon, iu his reply, flenied that the Bill had been promoted for political purposes, and stated that the Premier who would retain power by bringing forward a Bill of this nature would be unworthy of the position he held. He did not like to prophesy, but he would say that once the Bill was on the Statute Book public opinion would insist upon its retentiou. Those who supported the Bill did so conscientiously and fearlessly. The third reading was agreed to by 25 to 15. The Bill then passed the final stages, and the House adjourned at 2.45 a.m. MONDAY. The House met at 7.30 p.m. ORDER OF BUSINESS. In reply to Mr Rolleaton, Mr Seddon said he would be in a position to-morrow night to announce the order of business for the remainder of the session. LEAVE OF ABSENCE. Mr Lewis was granted one week's leave of absence on account of illhealth. MUNICIPAL REFORM. Mr Seddon moved that the amendments made in the Municipal Franchise Reform Bill by the Legislative Council be disagreed with, and that Messrs Morrison, Jno. Hutcheson and the mover confer with the managers from the Legislative Council on the amendments. As an amendment Mrßolleston moved that the amendments be considered seriatim. After a brief discussion, in which Mr Scobie Mackenzie and Mr Rollescon contended that the amendments made by the Council in Clauses 5 and 15, dealing with the residential qualification and dual qualifications for husband and wife, should be agreed with, the amendment was negatived by 29 to 22, at,d after further discussion by the same members the original motion was agreed to. TUE BANKING BILL. Mr Seddon moved that the amendments made by the Council in the Bank of New Zealand and Banking Bill be agreed with. He explained the nature of the amendments made, and said many of them had been introduced in accordance with promises he had made. Mr J. Allen, as a amendment, moved that Clauses 16a and 16b be disagreed with. These are new clauses introduced in the Legislative Council, giving the auditor power to suspend the proceedings of the Board of Directors and abolishing the President's veto. Mr Montgomery considered that the power of veto should not be exercised by the auditor, and objected to the power given to the auditor to attend meetings of the Board, as he considered it would interfere with his duties as auditor. Mr Scobie Mackenzie said doing what was proposed by the Bill was mixing two offices which should be kept distinct. Mr Seddon said the power given to the auditor hardly amounted to the power of veto, but was intended to give the auditor power to suspend matters which are being discussed by a bare quorum and which he may consider should te dealt with by a fuller meeting. He read a letter from the auditor, in which he stated that he considered it his duty in the light of the knowledge gained during his short tenancy of office that he should have power to veto unsafe proposals and safeguard the great interests involved. Mr Fraser objected to the provisions in the clause dealing with compensation to the President for loss of office, and said they would allow the bank in defending the action brought by the President to allege that nt some period the President had done something that time had in all probability condoned. Mr Duthic said it could hardly be expected that the persons competent to rule the bank's affairs would sit quiet und be overruled by u subordinate. Mr Seddon pointed out that the auditor was not a subordinate officer. The amendment was negatived by 32 to 23, and the motion agreed to. MASTERS AND APPRENTICES. The Masters and Apprentices Bill was committed. Clause 1, short title and commencement of Act, was postponed. Clause 2 : Interpretation. It was contended that the definition of factory should be amended to exclude places where only two or three persons are employed. Further objection was taken on the grounds that it would apply to trades, such as the gum trade, to the detriment of such trades. After a lengthy discussion, Mr Seddon said he wis quite willing to include in a schedule the trades to which the Act should apply. Mr Sligo moved to amend the interpretation of apprentice, by adding the words defined iu the schedule to the Act. Mr Seddoaintimated that he was willing to inedßwate the schedule of last year's Bill ™the present measure. ([<fy sitting at midnight).