GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Waikato Argus, Volume V, Issue 359, 27 October 1898, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. TUESDAY. Tun Council net at 2.30 p.m. MASTER AND APPRENTICES BILL. Tlie adjourned debate on the second reading of the Master and Apprentices Bill was continued by Mr McLean, who urged that as the session was so far advance 1 members would not have the opportunity of properly considering the measure. He therefore moved that it be read a second time three months hence. Messrs Oliver and Peacock supported the amendment. Messrs Rigg and Jones favoured progress being made without delay. The Minister for Education contended that it was not necessary for the Labour Bills Committee to take evidence on the subject. Messrs Bouen and Ormonrt eombate 1 this suggestion, holding that it was imperative to make the inquiries as exhaustive as possible. The amendment proposed by Mr McLean was eventually negatived by IS votes to 17, and the second reading was agreed to. CONCILIATION AND ARBITRATION BILL. The Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Bill was read a second time after a brief debate, and referred to the Labour Bills Committee. The Council rose at 9.30 p.m. WEDNESDAY. workers' compensation for accident's HILL. This Bill was considered in committee. Mr Stewart moved an amendment in clauses, "that persons employed in or about agricultural or pastoral pursuits should be included among those not to come within the operation of the Bill." Considerable discussion arose, when the amendment was carried by 22 to 14, and the clause passed. HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES. TUESDAY. SLAUGHTERING AND INSPECTION BILL. After the telegraph office closed this morning consideration of the -Slaughtering and Inspection Bill in committee was continued. Clause 3 was passed with slight alterations. At ten minutes past two a.m., when an ameudment to clause 4 was under discussion, the Minister moved to report progress, as he was physically unable to remain longer at the committee table. Progress was reported, and the House rose at ten minutes past two. A PUBLICAN'S PETITION. The Public Petitions Committee, repotting on the petition of Alfred Crossey, hotelkeeper, Wellington, stated chat at the request of the petitioner, leave had been given to withdraw the petition. Mr Smith pointed out that the petitioner had made serious allegations against the Commissioner of Police, and hs (Mr Smith) wished to know if the petitioner, in withdrawing the petition, had withdrawn the allegations. Mr Joyce, chairman of the committee, said that the petitioner's solicitor had informed the Commissioner of Police of his intention to withdraw the petition, and the Commissioner had consented to the proposed course, which had beeu granted by the committee. Mr Taylor dealt at some length with the facts of the case, and said the petitioner, in accusing the police of persecution, and in bringing the matter before the House, had attempted to arouse public sympathy. After further debate Mr Tanner moved that the report be referred back to tho committee to bring up a report, giving the reason which weighed with them in permitting the petition to be withdrawn. Mr Joyce read a letter from the petitioner'ssolicitor, in which it was stated that the petitioner's reason for withdrawing the petition was that tho evidence which had been depended upon had been found to be unreliable. After further debate Mr Tanner's motion was agreed to. NATIVE RESERVES. Mr Seddon asked leave to introduce the Native Reserves Act Amendment Bill which, he explained, contained technical amendments to the existing law. Mr Taylor objected to the Bill, and Mr Seddon said he bad been working night and day endeavouring to get the business arranged in order to let members away soon, but if debates were to take place on trivial questions he would relax his efforts aud take a holiday. Leave to introduce the Bill was granted by 31 votes to 24, and the Bill was introduced, and read a first time. THE END OF THE SKSSION. Considerable debate ensued on Mr Seddon's proposal to postpone orders of the day, in order to move a motion permitting new business being taken after midnight. Captain Russell considered that some indication should be given as to what business it was intended to deal with. The Hon. J. MoKeuzie mentioned seven Bills, which he considered should be parsed before the Hou&e prorogued. He said he did not believe in this idea of members wanting to get home. Either the business of the country should be done, or the Premier should get His Excellency to dissolve the House, so that the country could S3iul men to the House to do the work of the country. Mr Rolleston agreed that the business should be done, but considered that the Premier was responsible for much of the time which had been wasted. After further discussion, Mr Seddon pointed out that there was a possibility of the House adjourning within a fortnight if members made sacrifices to some extent. The postponement of the orders of the day was agreed to, and the motion allowing new business after midnight was agreed to by 45 to 25. REPLIES TO QUESTIONS. Ministers, in reply to questions, stated :—That 19 head of cattle, out of 63 head, had reacted when the tuberculin test had been applie 1 to them at Sunnyside. That instructions have been given that special attention be paid to cargo gear in order to prevent accidents similar to that which happened recently at Wellington. THE GENERAL ESTIMATES. The House went into Committee of Supply on the General Estimates On Clause 10, Department of Agriculture, total vote £57,235, Capt. Russell urged the Minister to appoint veterinary surgeons as stock inspectors, and also considered that inspectors should be empowered to alter the date of sheep dipping. The Minister said nothing would please him better than to agree with the first suggestion, but he pointed out that these surgeons were trained only as veterinary surgeons, and they did not care to take up the other work done by the inspectors. The time would be extended for dipping to suit the convenience of districts.

In reply to questions with respect to various items, the Men. J. MeKenzie stated that, in addition to the salary of the poultry expert (€225), the other expenses in connection with this department amounted to £239. With respect to dairy schools, he hoped that by next Vancouver mail steamer an expert would arrive, who would establish these schools, the intention being to establish one in each Island. Mr Lewis moved that the poultry expert's salary (£226) be struck out. Mr Taylor contended that the poultry industry had in the past been hampered by the fact that shipping rings had prevented direct communication between Cape Colony (where a good mc.rket existed) and "this colony. After further discussion the motion was negatived on the voices.

The Hon. J. McKeuzie, in answer to Mr. McLean, said that better proposals must lie submitted with respect to cool storage at London before the colony could undertake to provide storage. Replying to i\Jr McGuire, he said that i Iforts of the Department with respe t to the direct steam conveyance of proj duce to England had been rendered futile, on account of the necessity of guaranteeing that a certain amount of c:\rgo would be forthcoming. Shipping agents had also stepped in, and offen d to quote freights at rates as cheap as those quoted by the Depirtmeut. After further debate, the class was agreed to unaltered. After a btief discussion, the vote for the Department of Land;; and Survey (£97,672) was passed unaltered. On the vote for miscellaneous services (£ll, 592). The Hun. J. McKonzie, in reply to Mr Pirani, said the to*al cost of the Old Soldier's Claims Commission had been .€IOO2. Several member? objected to the manner in which this inquiry was conducted. After further debate, Mr Pirani moved that the item, "oil soldiers' claims expenses, £600," be reduced by £!, as an indication of the perfunctory manner in which the Commissioner had performed his duties. Tint was negatived by 2G to 23, and the class passed. Glass 11, Working Railways Department, total vote, £871,000. The Hon. Mr Cadman, replying to the questions put by several members, said arrangements had been made to stop all extraneous work at the railway workshops, in order to push on as fast as possible with the construction of waggons to meet the demand of the wheat harvest. Ameticau locomotives would ar rive in the colony in about 10 day 3. As through passengers on the Welling-ton-Napier line were only 6 per cent, of the passengers carried, he was not prepared to altar the present arrangements to benefit them. The Hon. Mr Cadman, in reply to a question, said it would tike about £IO,OOO to provide dining cars on the Government railways. After further debate the class was passed unaltered. On class 16, Valuation Department, a total vote of £23,148, much discussion ensued on what was held to be the excessive charges made to local bodies for valuations. Replying to Mr Lewis, who objtcted that the improvements on his property had been valued at the amount which he was paying for the insurance of the buildings on tne property, the Hon. J. McKeuzie pointed out that the valuation would, on application to the Department, be reviewed, as the valuation made was not unalterable. He stated that it was hoped next year to reduce the amount required for the Department by £6OOO. The Valuation Estimates were under consideration when the telegraph office closed. WEDNESDAY. QUESTIONS. Minister in reply to questions said funds for the erection of a statute to Sir George Grey, should be raised by voluntary contributions. It would be impossible to introduce a Bill to amend the Factories Act this session. On account of litigation between the Midland Railway company and the colony it would not he advisable to introduce legislation dealing with the lands of the Company. A Stock Amendment Bill granting compensation for stock destroyed by order of Inspectors would be introduced to-morrow. An extension of term of holding the Agent generalship would be offered to Mr Reeves but for what term could not be decided till a reply was received from Mr Reeves. The government would not ask the House to authorise a special loan for the construction of a railway from Gisborue to . Rotorua and from Napier to Gisbome. RABBIT PROOF FENCING BILL. On the motion of Mr McKenzie the second reading of this Bill was agreed to. SECOND READING. The Fencing Act Amendment Bill 3nd Inspection of Machinery Act Amend ment Bid. RATING ON UNIMPROVED VALUE ACT AMENDMENT BILL. The Premier moved the second reading of this Bill. He said the object of the Bill was to promote Town and Road Districts to come under the principle Act ; it aiso provided that votes of absentees shall not tell against tho.se of voters for proposals under the Act. Mr J. Allen considered the measure revolutionary and designed to do away altogether with plural voting in country districts. Capt. Russell objected to the proposal iu the Bill that a hare majority of the votes recorded should be sufficient to carry proposals under the Act. So far as he. knew there was no strong feeling in the country for an alteration in the law. If any feeling e.xisted it was against the system. Mr Bollard protested against the proposal to introduce the one-man-one-vote principle into elections under the Act. Mr R. Thompson said the system of rating on unimproved values fell heavily on new settlers, to whom its adoption meant ruin. Mr Maasey considered that one effect of the Bid if passed would be that one class of the community would have power to levy rates whilst the other clsss would have to pay them. (Left sitting at midnight.)