PARLIAMENTARY

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1475, 5 September 1883, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY

UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.

LEGISLATIVE COUNOIL. , TUESDAY.

The amendments made by the House m the Property'Liiw Consolidated Bill we disagreed to, and a committee appointed to prepare reasons, On the motion to go into committee on the Land Laws' Amendment Bill Hon Mr Miller moved it be committed that| day six months, which was carried on division of 20 to 16. The Bill was thrown out, Diatrict Railway Amendment r5 ST r? (1 Laws Amendment, Bill, Middle Island Half-caste Grants Bill, Inspection of Machinery Extension Bill, and Public Worts Act Amendmont Bill we read a third time and passed. . - ! EVENING SITTING, Districts Act Amendment Jsill, Property Assessment Act Amendment BUI Bill, Industrial Societies Bdl, Roads and Bridges Construction Act Amendment Bill, Otago Sr ??' Act Amendment oul,: and Caversham Improvement Bill were read a third time arid' passed. • <r! ) T m,i Brid s e ®ll and Justices Ot the Peace Act Amendment Bill 1

were read a second time. The Otago Harbor Board Loans Consolidation Bill was thrown out on division of 17 to 7. The Council rose at 11.55,

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. ' lir the 'House yesterday the Public Petitions Committee report on the petition of Angelique Therasse that she had suffered a. grievous wrong by imprisonment on a false charge and should receive £SO compensation and £5 for legal expenses. Mr - Conolly opposed the recommendation, stating there were still grave doubts of her innocence and that the police reported that she had been a prostitute in Christohurch, and, together with her two witnesses, were notorious bad characters. The Government were making further enquiries and sending the stolen article to .Christchurch for identification. If proved innocent the Government would consider her claims to compensation. MrLEvASM pointed out that the alleged stolen dolman had for a time been given back to McDowell and Co., who had since altered it.. He and Messrs Joynt, .Fish,.Macandrew, Hutchinson, Petrie, Sheehan, and others condemned Mr Connolly's statements as quite uncalled for and improper, and as adding to the wrong already done to her character. It had nothing to do with whether the chargo on which she was imprisoned was true or false. Mr SHAW gave a statement as to the case ui the R.M. Court, he having been present, He did not blame the Magistrate so much as the prisoner's counsel. •

Mr Bryoe defended the Jttesident Magistrate, and after occupying nearly the whole afternoon the discussion closed by the report being referred to the Government for consideration, Replying to questions Major Atkinson said he would next .day 'state what course the Government,intend to take in reference to the action of the Lcislft' tive Council in throwing out the Land Laws Amendment Bill. Mr Mason brought up the Dargaville committee report. The committee found that Mr Dargaville having disavowed any intention. to impute personal dishonor or dishonesty to the Premier or Treasurer, any such charge contained in ordeducible from hisapeech is wholly withdrawn; that he adhered to a charge of political corruption and called evidence in support of same, resting his case upon one particular transaction; that the evidence' with legard to that particular transaction wholly fails to substantiate the charge,"' and that the allegation of political corruption based on it is therefore entirely unfounded, The Dimedin Qaol Commissioners' report was laid on the table, when Messrs Macandrew, Bracken, Fish, and others objected to the Government canning out its recommendation in dismissing the chief warder—a faithful officer of twenty years good service. Mr Conolly, in deference to opinions as expressed, promised to carefully reconsider his decision on the case. Mr Moss btought up the report of the Public Accounts . Committee on the Controller's memo, regarding the Plymouth Harborßoards £IBOOO. It was to the effect that no interference by the House was necessary ; that the Controller had acted from good motives; but that sufficient nolioe had not been given tq thp jreasiu'ey. Ml Montgomery .pointed out that no blame was attributed to the' Controller. The report was adopted by 6 to 4, In the Committee, Sir G. Grey thought the report entirely missed the whole point, which was whether a Minister could be an: imprestee of public money. •The report and evidence was ordered to be printed; a motion by Mr J, Buchanan to read the minutes qf (foe committee being losfc, The Council's amendments in the Inspection of Machinery Bill, striking out a clause, and making Government railway machinery subject to inspection, were agreed to by 34 to 27, tho Hon Mr Johnston promising ti? make provision under the Public Works Aot for efficient inspection. The Council's amendments in the Native Land Laws Amendment Bill were agreed to, On a motion to go into Supply, Mr J. Buchanan moved an amendmentI That in the opinion of this House the security of the colony ought .not to bo given to any insurance policy issued by the Government Office after the first of October next, and that any Bill amending the law on the subject should be based on this principle. Ho objected altogether to the way the business of the Department was carried on, and contrasted it unfavorably with private offices, Mr Trimble opposed the motion and defended the Government office from several of the charges made against it. . Mr Macandrew thought the departmentwas badly managed, but was not prepared to abolish it altogether, and that would bo the efioct of the motion. A commission to enquire into its. working might be necessary. Mr Barron uaged the withdrawal of the amendment, Mr Moss did the same, , saying the Publio Accounts Committee had been making an exhaustive enquiry, into the department, and would complete it early next session, So far nothing to indicate unsoundness had been discovered,

Mr Joyce defended the department and Mr Hutchison arid Sir George Grey strongly condemned'its management, the latter being called to order for declaring a statement of Major Atkinson's t.o be absolutely untrue. He charged the Government with dealing illegally with the funds of the Department. Mr Turnbull spoke at great length against the system of Government insurance and the action of the Government in regard to thp investment of the j funds. f

The amendment! was negatived on the voices, and the Hon Major Atkinson then, in a long speech, defended the department from the Me against it. With regard to the 1 investment of the'funds, the jipresenti Government had only followed tjii course adopted by the Grey povern-ij ment, who, when they went out oit office, had left £150,000 invested in |

precisely the mdhnii l Sir Geot-g© Qray * now condemned. He quoted tive figures to show that the department was sound, successful, snd economically managed, and attHbiiied the opposition shown to it to members being interested in private companies. The motion for going into supply wag carried on the voices. On the Hon Mr Connolly's motion, the ; House disagresd to: the/Council's amendments in the' Property Law Consolidation Bill, and appointed X j committee to draw up reasons.W'' In Committee of -Supplyl Legislative, the following increases to y permanent salaries of officers of Legis-) lative Council were struck; out on the' voices Chairman of- Committees • £IOO, Clerk of Council £IOO, Clerk's assistant £SO, second Clerk's 'assistant £25. In the House of .Representatives in-creases-of £SO to second Cleric nssigtants and £SO to the Reader, carried, and the item for sergeant-at-arras was also passed on 'division. Total Legislative vote £41,568, ineluding honorariums. for both ( Houses of £24,500 was passed without further debate. Yote chargeable ori ; Government insurance fund £35205;,' Mr J. Buchanan, referring,to Major Atkinson's replying before going jnto supply, repudiated with scorn 1 the ; insinuations that he was in way. way influenced by or interested in. any * private insuranoe company, and, l'addressing Major Atkinson, said, You have been charged that you at£ the slave and tool of a particular institution and you could not disprove it," Major Atkinson moved that the words be taken down and reported to the Speaker. . This was done, and the Speaker said to Mr Buchanan that there were three courses open to him—to explain the words, retract them, or apologise for them.

Mr Buchanan replied that he had stated a fact-Major Atkinson'" had been so charged, Major Atkinson said this wade the matter worse. : The Speaker said he understood Mr Buchanan adhered to his word? and he ordered him to withdraw from the House, which Mr Buchanan did, Mr Rolleston then moved that the new member for Napier has.; used words for which there is no foundation and which deserves the displeasure of this House. it was a fact liatsucha charge as that alluded.to had been made against Major Atkinson and it was a matter of opinion whether wero disproved. Mr Buchanan had only repeated an old charge. Ho should if the Speaker considered >the words unparliamentary, bo called in,' told so and asked to withdraw then!! . Mr Rolleston said he had nb objection to this opportunity heing . given, and he withdrew his motion, Mr Buchanan wag then introduced, by the sergeant at arms,' i The Speaker, addressing him, said 110 House agreed that if, in his opinion/ . words used were unparliamentary, l ' and ought not to have been used, the bon. member would probably see fit to withdraw them. He did. consider / them unparliamentary and derogatory' f to the dignity of the House, and ho thought he had, before the hon. member withdrew, sufficiently indicated b'ir l jpinion. • i

Mr Buchanan said it was probably duo to his infirmity of hearing that he had not so understood the Speaker! He had been brought up in too goodsa * school not to know what was due ttf the House by bowing to the decision"., of the Speaker, and he would there; foro entirely withdraw the words. The Speaker said no doubt the words had boen used in the heat of debate, and he was sure the House would have extremely regretted had it been called on to censure an honorable member who, since he had sat i* It had gained the esteem of all 'its members, The matter then dropped. Messrs Hutchison, Turnbull and one or two others kept up a general discussion on the items of salaries until 3.50 a.m., when the total vote passed, less a reduction of £239, moved by Major Atkinson in the item Superintendent of Agents, L 450, as a new .arranger ment, had been made with that officer. A motion to reduce the actuary's salary was negatived on the voices/ : Major Atkinson promised a full enquiry into the value of certain tables of surrender value which had been compiled by the Actuary, for which he had received a special sum of LI 50, Supplementary estimates wero then - proceeded with. On class 8, Higher Education, Mr Petrie moved to reduce ' n?An Q ? IB T R S! gll m ? cllool ' Auoklail(i . S' o j The c °mraittee, at ISO, divided on this reduction, it beiua lost by 25 to 17. Mr Soddon Moved to strike out the whole vote of 15350 l The vote was retained as printed biT'-cJp 27 to 15. fifr Major A.tkinaon announced that all the increases with three exceptions on these estimates applied to'officers rooeiving less than £l5O a year Tha three were£so to an exceedingly valuable officer who should. r? %ywiw poaa j sorvice ' makin g his salary, hto h ßn add!tional i£loo ' A 'y ea^ Lands and the Under-Secretary for Defence,' to place them on the same footing as other Under-Secretary* . Mr Duncan moved to strike out the item of subsidy of pound for local bodies for the destruction of the Kea parrot pest of £3OO. Iterb retamed on division of 21 to 20. ; Mr Allwright moved to strike out the item 12000 for the erection of a, nonprinting offioein Wellington. Item re ' a ' Qet i by 24 to 13. The remainder of ~ The supplementary estimates were then passed, and at 5.45 a.m, pwgresa was reported and the various votes read a second time and agreed to,The House at 5,50 adjourned until 2 p.m, to-day.