PARLIAMENTARY

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2369, 10 August 1886, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY

United Press Association, ! LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Sir J. Whitaker brought up a report of the seleofc committee relative to the New. Zealand Loan Bill andmoveditsadoption. The report was ordered, to be printed, and, the Bill was committed' for the same sitting. •The Government Loans to Local

Bodies .Bill was read a third time and passed. ■'■'■' '.

The Sheep Act Amendment'Bill was further considered and agreed ■&. "The Mining Bill wai considered in'Gommittee and reported with amendments. The Deeds and Instruments Registration Bill was committed and progress reported.

Mr Buckley moved the third reading of the Local Bodies Bill.'' ■ ~

Sir F. Whitaker objected to the Bill. The debate was interrupted by the.5.30 adjournment. Tho report of the Committee on the New Zealand Loan Bill set forth that the only linos of railway unauthorised in tho schedule of tho Bill wore HelensvUlo (four milos extensiou of which had been however authorised), and the Oamaru breakwater line. The function of the Committee was entirely to dotormirie whether the law had been complied with which was a function entirely apart from the consideration of the money Bill and tho Council would not be doing its duty by voting money for work not properly authorised.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30. The Local Bodies Finance and Powers Bill was read a third time and passed. Sir R. Stout said he did not quite agree with the amendments' made by tho Legislative Council in the Civil Service Reform Bill as to the nomination of cadets. The Council had altered the Bill in that respect, and instead of making the appointments by members of the House, a provision was inserted for the appoint-, ment by competitive oxaminatiouß. Although he.did not agree- with that alteration, owing to the late stage of the session he would aek the House to agree to it so that, the Bill should not be lost.

After some discussion, in which several members urgod that the Bil| should be withdrawn as it was entirely changed from the original Bill, Major. Atkinson aßked whether the Premier still hoped to effect the saving he had promised of L 25.000 or L3o,ooobv this BiU. : Sir R. Stoiit'said the clause by which he hoped to effect that saving had been struck out- by the' Houso. The only very 'important alteration made by the Council was as to competitive-ex-amination for cadets and he should take care that in these. examinations boys from country schools would[have the same advantage as those from other schools.

The amendment was agreed to on the voices.

Mr Larnach brought up the report of the Privilege Uonjjriittee on the rejection of the Gold Duty Export. Abolition Bill by the Council recommending'that all financial measures bo joined in one Bill; The report was ordered to be considered on Wednesday next.

Sir R. Stout moved that the Hospital and Charitable Institutions Bill be recommitted for tho consideration of clauses 3 and i.

Mr Buchanan moved an addition that the clause relating to tho separation ol Wairarapa from Wellington be also considered.

Moßsrs Whyte and Walker moved similar amendraenta. Sir Robert Stout said he eould not accept any of the amendments .proposed. If the Bill were split up in that, manner he should be compelled to drop it. Mr Buchanan's amendment was carried by 32 to 30, but it wbb. then discovered that there was no such.clause 35 Mr Buchauan had-mentioned. With the Speaker's permission Mr Buchanan then moved the recommittal of the Ml for the consideration of the new clause. This was lost by 29 to and the other amendments wero withdrawn. The Bill was recommitted for the consideration of the clauses proposed by Sir Robert Stout, who moved an amendment, malcini? subsidies on contributions from local authorities pound for pound. This was agreed to, and the Bill reported with amendments, read a third time and passed. On the motion for the third wading of the Government Life Insurance Bill. Mr Hatch moved that the Bill be recommitteed for tho consideration of a new clause providing that agencies, may be established in the United Kingdom for the sale of annuities for life, and for the appropriation of money for that purpose, Sir J. Vogel had no doubt this proposal would be •'- profitable for the Insurance department, but he thought they would not be justified in going into it this session, He should advise Mr Hatch to be content with setting the matter, discussed, and- that ifc should thenstand over at any rate till next session. Major Atkinson said he should have to vote against the. new clauße, although he had very little doubt that the Depart-, mont would eventually-.estterid its operations in that direction, which he admitted would be a profitable undertaking. •. fle was of opinion, however, 'that-a' proposal of this nature should come from the Government, arid only after mature consideration. After further discussion the amend* ■merit was lost, and the Bill' read a third time and passed. - - • ..Sir, J. Vogel moved the second reading of: the Stantp Aet Amendment Bill, which' •was agreed to. A discussion on the new clause; which was proposed by Mr Wi Pere was- not concluded ..at the 6.30 adjournment.

•Evening Sitting. On the House resuming tho Stamp Act Amendment Bill was further considered in Committee, A new clause relative to the duty on Native land was inserted- and the Bill reported. The Railway's Authorisation Bill mt read a first time. The report of Committee •on reasons for disagreeingwth amendments in Council in Harbors Act Amendment' Bill was read. In the course of the discussion it came out that it was proposed to allow the Midland Railway Company to import material on the same footing as Government Railway Material. After argument the clause referring to this was struck out, and the report aereed- to. Sir R. Stoutmov&dthesecond reading of the Roproßentation Bill. He aaid the principle of dealing with it by a Board was not new, and had been .before'the House in 1858, '77, and '79. Tho main features of the Bill were the population basis and' the appointment of a Board. He dealt briefly with the clauses of the Bill embracing these proposals. The Board was to contain fivo members, consisting of the. Controller-General, SurveyorGeneral and three nominated members. Another provision was the amalgamation of city electorates. He thought this plan might with advantage be applied ■ to country electorates as well. Minorities would have a better chance of being represented in amalgamated .than in single electorates. He asked the House with as little debate as possible "to affirm the principle of the Bill and read it a second time. He pledged himself that if it were passed there should be a session as early as possible next year, in fact; as soon as finances could be sot ready. A s to the number of members for the colony, that had been left blank, as the Cabinet were not unanimous on the ; subject. Personally he should not object to seethe present total slightly reduced; but'it mwht-inflict injury on those districts which were crushed out.

Major Atkinson •• m& population waa the only basis they couli go upo'iJr He himself was in favor of women,;-as well as men, voting but. lie: recognised

they wete.-not advpced enough for thajt •';•* The tiro officials mentioned would forA ■ a good board without .- members. He adverted to so®, of the ...'. proTisions»jrhieh he thoUßtit^might' I» •; . Jeft for .discussion in"Comisittge. Hr •■':'. would'like to see variety iri- electorate*, ~.: and though a party to the present Act, . he was not satisfied with its working, and would bo in favor of a change. He :. Bupported'thesecond reading. 1 ■ Mr Peacock supported the Bill, brtlt" ". would have preferred to have seen it brought down earlier..,,He- favored a reduction in the number of rdenfors, aud objected to\amalgamation as a roograde' ' would be swamped, and ' .. election expenaus inoreaßod,-

Mr Moss would sooner see'th'e'uumber of members increased than reduced, unless thoy could get rid of local legislation. He objected strongly to a pausing remark of Major Atkinson's, that triennial Parliaments had not worked well, thoy wanted turning out every three years .to prevent them fancying thert; wore no other people in existence but! themselves.. He did not believe in the, representation of minorities.

Mr J. MbKenzie said he intended in Committeeto move a reduction of mem' •••: bersto,767 ■ 4 ' ■ ■>. Dr bowman thought the.Jtoird an .-.: excellent:'suggestion, but no ™|ber of • the House'ought to bo nominated to it. ./: . Ha supported tho amalgamation of city ; •■:'.• electorates, and thought the prinoiplei •-, could be. applied in some instances to v country districts. The number of mem- fibers would bear reduction. • Mr Wakefield thought it would be» . >.< retrograde step to amalgamate etect&ate»' - : n unless they altered tho system olPpting ..... by reudermg plumping impossible; .-Col. Trimble believed in a purely vJ ; Official 'Board, and did' not think tho •'' number of members could be reduced. Mn He would- oppose amalgamation on tho' "' ground of expense and cliqueisni. Mr Scobie McKehrie objected to tho comparisons that had been made by Dr . Newman between town and country mem- -.':■ < bers to tha- disadvantage of the latter, '.?: He did not belie'vo entirely, on a ponula. !!•:- tion baoiß,'which was not-in'-vogue in ltd .-:i '• entirety in any part of the world. Mr Levestam did not think population •• should bo the sole basis of representation, •-. though -.undoubtedly a most important factor'; He would not dbject to a redu&- -•-:: tion of members if they were taken from cities, none of which ought to liave more ..-: than two representatives. He! did not : believe'-' tho Bill would go beyond tba .■ Becond reading. ' Captain Russell had strong. objection!' • fa the Bill especially to population as tb> sole basis ana theamalganiAnof city ~ electorates..- "He believed in Wgoodolcj •'• democratic principle of taxation' with • representation. Towns were oMjrepresented as compared with the eotirfry, both in the Biiuse arid in the Council, end amalgamation would practically give town electors four votes apiece. He did not see why Maories should not have' their Bpocial representation abolished. Mr T. Thompson said the cities were not unanimous in their desire for amalgamation, 'A petition had boon signed ' asainst it in-Auckland. Mr Taylor, supported..* population . ■ basis but-objected to amalgamation. Mr Guinesh did not see what reason there wis < for redistribution and saw nothiiig-but confusion of electoral dis» tricts. If thoy were to be altered every census he interned to vote against the Bill because there was evident intentions to cut'down the present number o! ' • members, to which ho stronely objected. :• ! Mr Seddon moved the adjournment of - tie debate. Ayeß 31, noes 32. Messrs Kerr and Gore saw noneeessity ,'i.v for forcing the Bill through. Jg* ' W. F.'Buckland opposed tSFam&lgi- •:-«. mationand thought the country should ',: have larger representations than towns. Mr Hursthouse always had and would '•':■ [oppose population basis. Hodislikod V the Bill being forced on at that peppd, *l the session.'-'* \* Mr Ross moved an adjournment of tho , debate to which the Government agreed ; and tho house rose at 1.20 a.m.