PARLIAMENTARY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2328, 23 June 1886, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

Press Association.)

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

- Mp-Menzies Raised tho queatiou of privilege in reference to the debate in the fyuse relatiye. to .tho .Clerk of the Council refiising 'to give evidence'relating to expenditure in the Council,

Mr Buckloy failed to see where tho question of privilege was. . Mr Pollen remarked thafrthe refusal on the part of the Clerk to give evidence \ DBiore a committee of tlje house arose through a misconception. After some debate the speaker ruled that the clerk musk give evidonce if ordered to do so by the Council. The.matter then adjourned. On the motion of Mr Chamberlain, it was agreed that a return should be furnished relative to the rabbit pest in the King Country. On the motion of Mr Robinson it was agreed that a return should be furnished showing the districts infected by scab. ' Mr Buckley said the Colony was'clear of scab.

On the motion of Mr Petrie it was agreed to furnish a return showinf the number of Land Boards in the Colony, together with the endowments of officers omployed thereon,

The adjourned debate on Mr Whitaker'a motion re the advisability of a treaty on the subject of the islands between Engand and France was resumed by Mr MeLean. After discussion the debate waa further adjourned, The Post Office Amendment Act Bill, Justices of the Peace Amendment. Bill, and Principal Corporations Bill were received from the House and read a first time. Mr WhMer moved tfc fchifd wading I

of tho'Bible in Schools fill that day sir months, ■

Mr Wilson moved the adjournment of the debate, which was lost, The motion, for the third readiu' was lost, ayes 10 noes 17.

The Council then adjourned to next day. . :

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. • The House met at 2.30 p.m. Replying to questions it was stated that a sum would be'placed on the supplimentary estimates tor recognising special services of Dansey, Gardiner, and Macauley, telegraphists at Rotorua, during the last ten days. That the question of erecting a new Printing Oflice in Wellington would be dealt with on the Public Works estimates,

That the Govemmenkould not promise to introduce a Bill to amend the Impounding Act to session, so aa to make the administration of the .Act self-supporting. . Sir Robort Stout said he desired to make a statement on the question of representation. When it was first brought before the House earlier in the sessien, he had an opinion when the census returns were completed it would be found that the difference of population between north and south would nut be so .great a» would be expected, and he still adhered to thut opinion; He found now, taking the population-as the basis, that about' three members should be taken from the Middle Island and given to the North. Ho pointed out, 1 however, that although the Government had received the returns of the electoral district, they had not received the returns of tho various, wards and subdivisions, and it would bo impossible for the Government to introduce Bill before those returns, were received 8 He had, however, himself' felt for many years that this matter of representation should be dealt with'automatically after each census wastaken, and thatsoinething should be done to take the power away froiii the House in the matter. The bovernmeut also felt that if public business allowed they mi«ht introduce a Bill of that- character to Bession. But if they could not do so this year,. it might be. prepared so that it could bo discussed by members and the county before next Bession,

In reply to Major Atkinson, Sir R. Stout said on going into committee of supply, they could consider whether tho Bill' should be actually introduced this session, and whether the number of members should be.reduced or not. In reply to Mr Johnston, lie said the Government proposed to amalgamate city electorates. Captain Russell was strongly of opinion that the representation question should be gone into this session ovon if tho House was detained two or thren months longer. _ Members were thero to transact the business of the country, and the injustice at present suffered by the North Island in, the matter of representation should not be perpetuated. Mr Wakefield did not think the Premier's statement satisfactory. Mr Turnbull was in faror of a reduction cf members by at least one third, In reply to Mr Stewart, tho Premier said it was proposed to amalgamate city electorates.

Dr Newman Baid it was understood seats in the Council had been offered to three gentlemen, The Premier ought to satisfy the House that there would be no increase in tho Upper Chamber. After some furthur discussion the matter dropped, The Gold Duty Abolition and Mininp Conipanys Bill was passed. The case of the action of the, Clerk of the Legislative Councirwas disposed of by passing the Premier's resolution asking the Council to direct him to give evidence in the debate.

The second reading of tho Midland Railway Bill was resumed by Mr Fisher, who said he should oppose tho payment of interest during construction if the' colony took over the line, otherwise he would offer no factious opposition. Mr Wakefield spoke strongly in favor of the Bill, and quoted from a former speech to show he had always supported the work. He firmly believed it would be very profitable when once completed, Mr Moss said the Canterbury district should not receive greater concessions in land grants than other districts. If they passed this Act they would be compelled to set aside millions of acres of land for contractors.

Mrlveas had never known Mr Mosb take a hopoful view of anything. He was glad to see Mr Rolleston and Mr Wakofield support the Bill, as it showed perfect unanimity m Canterbury in the railway. Mr J. W. Thompson would not oppose the Bill because the Colonv was now committed to thd construction of Railways.

Mr Syke hoped a similar concession would be givon to other distriots as well as to Canterbury. He' pointed out that there was nothing in the Bill or contract to compel the Company to complete the railway, and this should bo rectified in Committee.

Mr Seddon supported the Bill but said it was expedient to prevent the Company taking auriferous land on the West Coast for the purpose of the railway. He entered into tho subject at length quoting from various acts to uphold his contention, The debate was interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment.

Evening Sitiing,

At 7.30 Mr Seddon resumed hit speech and artjued on the clause in the contract for resumption of auriferous land ceded to the company was not sufficiently stringent, and would leave the door open for much legal quibbling and hardship hereafter. They ought also to demand from companies a pledge not to introduce colored labor. At the conclusion of a long speech he Said lie threw on the Premier the responsibility of guarding the miners of Westland against their land being appropriated by the Company, and begged them to reserve at once all known as auriferous land. Sir Robert Stout said that if this wero done the whole of Westland would be exempt from the operation of the Bill and destroy the Bill altogether. Special care would be taken in, tho Mines Aot to meet the wants of miners, arid,.mAffcovor, all known mining districts .wete already exempted under the Act, He traversed Mr Seddon's nrgumonts one by one, and concluded that there was no danger whatever in the direction fancied.

Mr Menteath was of opinion that it would be found that the railway was dearly bought, but thought the Government had done the very best they could in the face of tho attitude of the House. He did not agree with Mr Scddon'a feara. Mr Ormond expressed great surprise at tho attitude of the West Coast members in obstructing the Bill in its last stages, He claimed the right to review the contract if necessary, and' complained that the Government had nptgiyen them sufficient information about the Bill, Messrs Hatch' and Dowiiie Stewart spoke disparagingly of the contract, - Sir George Grey was opposed to land giants and considered that the contract should never have been framed in its present form and he had aright to opposeits ratification if he chose. Mr Fergus was- strongly' ftgainat construction by company and thought end-' ,liss trouble was. looming in the' future, He would vote against the Bill, Messrs Tutnbull, Dargaville, tevastan, and Kerr also;spoke on the question.' • ; ■Mr Htra%?9e favtsi4

II linlgr merits of tho opponents to •, scouted the idea vf politiaf being brought cuutinuaU^l|i^te>^' : ; }j -Parliamentift, • • / it would inflict on urgod the route frmm Reeftoii to Boll* " > fcrove should be altered,-jui^ 1 tajterj via' Collingwood on 'account: 'oi\wj£t«(iieral dopoaits and greater populiitiißM th4i v " djstriet.' ■'■f.:.' Wf' Sir J, Vngel obnaetbiied the' a&ion .•<& ,• •those yho now damned the Bill *M ' mint praise, action of the Government on the matter; and cAagratulattd Mr Wakefield on hiß taiite. The argument' now- brought .fons#' ; by some of the West Coast'momberii might ■ have been brought forwaid'vlast year, but he did not corisidor they were of much weight;. He, entered, at length, int6 the advantages that would 1 frointhe construction .of the. line 1 ; HH . said it was ungenerous to argue the contract .wasjoo.liberal. Tho Hour? ! had a nie;ht to consider- tlie 1 proposed modifications, but was in honour bound to ratify the contract the action of members in consent™ to it last ■ session.

Sir George Grey called foi a division oa the second reading ayes 52,<n6es 14. Ayea: Allwright, Atkinson, Ballance, ■ Bevan, Bradshaw, Bruce,', Buchanan, - Conolly, Cowan, Dargaville, Dodson, Duncan, Fisher,' Fraser, Garrick, Gore,' Guinness, Harper, Hatch,, Holmes, Hurethouse, lyeas, Joyce, Kerr, Laruach, Locke, Macarthur, McKenzie J. S. (Mount Ida), McKonzie 'J; (ffoeraki), • McMillan, Menteath, jl'lontgomftry, Or. mond,.(yCallaghan, Pearson, Pratt,Reese, •' Richardson E. (I{aiapoi),',Jtichardson G, T. (Wataura), Rolleston, Samuel, Seddon, • Smith, Steward W. J.'{Waiipate), Stout, - 'S,utter; . Taylor, Tole,; Turhbull,. YogeL" \Vakefield,'WalkerV; V- Noes; Barron, Bucklaiia)V. J. kouaiti), Fergus, Fulton,/ Grey, HaUilin]' 'Hirst H, (Wallace), ffislopj"Jake, Mosi, * Peacock,Ross, ;RusSel{, Triable. Pairs,for—Levastaiii,'' O'Conor, and ■ Macandrew; against— W. D. Stewart, Reid, -Bryce. 1 v ' , ■Mr Barron moved that the'Bill be ' referred to a seleot committee .0)1 the ground that the present contract'differed to tho. proposals of last yeiir, which was lost by 67t09. '

The Coal Mines Bill was committed, Several clauses were pa&sed with sljgkt amendments, and the BousO rose at midnight.