HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Tuesday.

Waikato Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1543, 25 May 1882, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Tuesday.

Several new 'members were sworn in, <" and new bills given, notice of. ' Mr Macandrkw gave notice to move, 11 That the Speaker leave the chair without question put at 12.30 a.m. during the session, so that the House may not adjourn later than hour." Major Atkinson gave notice that on Thursday he would move, " That Mr W. J. Hurst be elected Chairman of Committee of the whole House.

CORRUPT PRACTICES ACT. • ' Major Atkinson moved without notice that a select committee be appointed to enquire into and report whether or not the penalties provided for by sections 17 and 18 of the Corrupt Practices Act were^ unnecessarily severe, and whether or not it was advisable that the law should be£ altered and amended, and in that respeci to report on Friday, said committee to consist of Messrs Montgomery, Turnbull, Williams, Rutherford, Connolly, Trimble, and the mover. He intends to defer moving for the new Staumore writ until the committee reported. The motion was put and carried. A number of new bills were introduced and read a first time and the usual Sessional Committees were appointed.

ADDKESS-IN-REPLY. Mr Peacock moved, "That a respect-, ful address be presented to the Governor in reply to the speech that His Excell-ency-was pleased to make to both Houses." He referred iv terms of gratification to the increasing prosperity ot the colony and the development of its resources ; he disapproved of a system of leasing Crown lands ; he referred in terms of piaise to the action of the Native Minister on the West Coast, and expiessed astonishment that no mention had been made of the improved relations j with the king natives. He viewed with alarm any proposal to increase the public debt, but admitted the necessity for the completion of the main atenal lines of railway. He hoped that any loan would be fairly divided. He also trusted to see measures introduced for the solidification and simplification of the laws. Mr Rutiukkford seconded the motion. He disapproved of the deferred payment system of disposing of lands, and was in favor of raising a new loan. Mu Montgomery, in speaking of the increased prosperity of the colony, claimed that it was owing to causes other than those connected^ ith the Government of the day. He disapproved of the projiosal >c Te Whiti. He hoped the new loan would be impartially spent. He expiessed surprise that no reference was made in the speech to the proposed reforms in the constitution of the Council. He hoped the Financial Statement, Public Woiks (Statement, &c, would be bi ought down at an caily date- He promised that theic should be no factious opposition to the Government measures. Mwott ATHLON congratulated the House on the existence of an Opposition ■with a recognised leader. The late Government was also to be congratulated, in view of the attack made by the last speaker as the ieoognised leader of the Opposition, that he had squally failed in sheeting home anything like a tenable charge against their administration. There weie members of the Government who had thought it advisable for many yeai & to lease the lands of the colony, lieyond that he did not feel called upon to give any fiuthcr explanation on the point. Ho defended his autum in sending the uiicuLir to the local bodies, and contended that the Government would thoieby gst much valuable information on a very vexed question. He promised that there should bo no unnecessary delay in bringing clown the Government nieastues. Mr dk L vutour said the reference to the gold fields was a mockeiy, as nothing had been done foi them. He condemned the native policy, and urged that in the allocation ot a new loan, care should be taUeu to settle the lands of the colony ' wherever practicable. He was in favor of making the public estate inalienable. Mr Suttox regretted that the speech should have been so guarded on the native policy of Mr Bryce which he ventured to say was approved by the whole colony. He endorsed the mover's remarks re the loan, and expiessed himself in favor of imposing more direct taxation upon propeity benefited by the expenditure of public money. He was in favor of the counties .alone having the power of taxing locally. He condemned the Licensing Act of labt session. Mr Holmi,s said that what was new in the speech Avas not true, and what was true was not new. He thought it the duty of the Government, as they were at variance with the Governor, to resign. He said measures should be taken to prevent the establishment of a landed aristocracy, the greatest curse any country could suffer from. He condemned the native policy, and said it was an affront to the House to have the Premier in the Coi mil. Sir Georue Grey complained of the delay in the meeting of Parliament. He combatted the Treasurer's statements that the Grey Ministry had left an empty Treasury behind them. He intended to ask leave to introduce a bill to limit the area of agricultural land held by one man. The native policy had been carried out to gain popularity. He condemned the local government circular, and asked new members to aid him in protesting against the Premier being chosen from among the members of the - Upper House. Mr Joyce severely criticised the ; Speech, and concluded by moving as an amendment, "That there be tabled a motion that the Governor be informed that, in the opinion of this House, it is desirable that the Premier should be a member of the Representative branch of the Legislature." ' Mr Feldwick seconded without remark. r; ' Sir George GtJcby said that on Thursday he would table an address to the ' Queen, congratulating her on her. happy .escape. '« "■■ ~ > • "-I <.''>'* Mr Dick warmly defended J;he action of the Governmeijt,' an\|he^amn^einent by which the Premier- sat* m , the Upper *House, which.was common in England, f He, advised! them, to Jet r <leaa> past ; bury^its djead, ,and, devote., 1 themselves 1 to the work of the future. « < <.£$ t- .w .. - ' ' The amendment wasiosfc on the voices,

and tlio motion was then pnfcand carried. The House then adjourned till 2.30 p.m. on Thursday.

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