HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2033, 18 July 1885, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

THURSDAY. Replying to Sir Oorge Grey, if Gtnern- j metit will at the close of each session came a copy of the statutes ot that session to bo furnished to each public library in tho colony, Mr" Tide ''aid the libraries in all tho large ccnties wpip aheady supplied with the st itnte, but (iorcrniriPiit did not consider it wi>c to incur the large expense thr4 would be entailed by -ending them to all tho lihraucs in the colony. It wns estunnted that the cost would be .(bout £SOO. Mi Johnson lntioduccd .v Bill ti> .unend the Financial Ai r \ngements Act, l(>7l>. Sn lieoigc <Jiey save notice of a Bill to pi os ide for the election of Justices of the Peace Mr Locke mo\pfl for returns showing tho amount of Uiid n.'W in possession of the Manu-. m the NoitU L-Uud, &o. \grccd to. The Armed Constabularly Act, 1807, Amendment Bill was reported, lead a third tune, and passed. . The School Committees Election BUI was repotted, lead a third time, and passed. Mt J>vistam moved the second reading of 'tho Employment of Fein 'dot and Otheirf Act, 18S1, Amendment (No. 2) Bill. He slid tho bill provided for e.xtta hours being worked, in case of emergency, and for changing the halfh >liday from Saturday to another day. Agieod to. Mi Downie Stewart moved th<- second leading of the Bible-ieading in Sehoolsßill. He said tho bill was introduced for the purpose of giving effect to a very widspread desiie that the Bible should br lee >gnised in the public .schools of the colony. If they looked to countiies where cnihsition was highest, and the aits and -deuces most extensively known, it would bj found that it u,is iii tints.' c>uiitiies whem the Bible w is lecoguwd as a text-book. He contended that the piesont c lueatio-i system provided thitnoininhadanyinorftlorreligiousnatme. The Catholics were stiougly against that s\ stein. Tlie Episcopalians weie alnv>st wholly opposed to it, and the Pre-bytenans also weie going m the same direction. He thought if the Bible vein lead extensively in schools it would not mean tho destruction of the (lies jut .system. Hefurthei contended | that no petsniidesiions of local option m Incition could consistently votJ against Mi Tnrnbull supported the bill. He pointedoutth.it I'iolestanl chil«li«n wave now glowing up in utter ignoiaiice of the Bible, while the Catholics weie b"ing diligently taught. Mi Stout combatted the statement tliat the education system failed to iec>gnw man's moral or religions nature. He contended that the schools, taught the bM; of nior.vK They .iK> tiught lehgion, .is t!ie school-books weie full (tf it. If the hon. member introducing the bill were smceie he would advocate that tho State should piovirie teaching fur all ieligi<>ns and nonlebgion. As far .is bible leading was concel ned, he had no olijection to its being taught in schools j)io\ideri the nndosii able paiTs of it were omitted. He contended tint to read the Biblo witho.it note or comment was not teaching. They should have a system of education wheieby childien of all denominations could Le t night without piitisanship. As to the aigumenl that the Citholics hid not been bi ought in under the picsent system, he said there were Catholic teachers m all paits ..f the colony. He s.ud for gr.tvv n-up people the Bible was giand leading, and lad many beauties, but it had to be reid intelligently and with explanation. He hoped the fate of the bill would show the colony that they weie determined to have no Stite Chinch. He wished to sco the children of the colony, nch and po< r. ti amed to lived in amity and peico, but if they weie to have .sepuate schools the opposite would result. He moved that the bill be lead that day six months. Mr Fulton hoped the House would agref to' the bill, and give that Luge section nf the people who desired it the option to have tho hi bio lead at their schools. Mi Montgomery coiitend-d tint leligmus te idling could \eiy well be given foi h-ilf an houi pievious to the opeuuu of school. He thought religious mstniction should be a','iin given in schools, if it were the wish (tf the people. Mr Macandiew contended tliat the bible was a divinely inspned book, and it via-, a disgiaceto their boasted civilisation toha\e it banished from their schools. Mi T. Thompson could say that as far as Auckland was concerned thu Catholics theie had availed themselves, of the piosent system of education vei y l.ugely. Mr Bruce said notwithstanding all the Premier's atguments he intended to snppoit the bill. Mr Levestam opposed the bill. Mi Bevau hoped the bill would be tluow n out in .vi unmistakable manner. Mi Hatch intended voting against the bill. Sir George (trey said they stood in .1 peculiar epoch at present, as men's lehgious convictions had been shaken in all pails of the woild. Ho said theie was a strongly oiganised eftoit m many paits to put an end to Christianity. He quoted fiom a newspapei published in Dnnedin, vvlmh stated that the Deity did not exist, or the universe would not bo so bully made. Ho stated that beyond all doubt tho Bible was the foundation on which the Bntish nation tested. He maintained that the main doctime which the Bible taught was that man did not exist alone, that theie was a silent monitor always leading him to act aright. He also referred to the advantages which the Bill had confetred upon the Maoiis in the early days of the colony. He was not, however, tn f ivmir of Bible reading in schools. Ho should not be in fa\oin of compelling a teacher who did not himself believe in tho Bible to teach it to tho childien. Mi Hakuene hoped some such Bill would bo bt ought in, as far as the Maon schools were conceited, at any late. Mi ])ownie Stewart said several members who had spoken against the Bill had not even lead it. He did not wish to destroy the piesent systen of education, but to add ,to it. He contended that the Piemier had Ueated the matter with an amount of levity that was altogether unbecoming; to his portion. The aiguments he advanced were also most illogical. The Bill carefully provided that children not wishing to partake of reading the Bible in schools need notamve at school till after tho leading was o\ei. He thought the House should sanction this Bill, which was not compulsoiv in any way, bntmeiely optional. Colonel Tumble opposed the second reading of the Bill. Mi Smith opposed the Bill because ho Ind great veiieiatiou foi the Bible, and he considered if it weie read in .schools it would nijuio tho cause of religion. If the Bill were passed it would bieak up the piosent system of «ocul.tr education. Tho motion for the second loading was then put and lost on a di\ ision by 18 to 50. OII\.HIT\HM- All). Mr Fergus resumed the debate on the Hospital and Charitable Aid Bill. Mr Montgomery said Government was to be commended foi bringing up a meavue of this kind. Mi Cowan said the Bill was a most ci editable attempt on tho pait of tho (io\ei mnent to redeem tho promise they had made. " Sir J. Vogel made an explanation as to tho views of tho Government. After discussion, tho motion for the .second reading was then pnt uud carried on the voices. Tho House ro*e at twolvo o'clock,

FRIDAY. Tho House met at 2 30. Roplying to question I*,1 *, it was stated that (Jovcrnnnint weio inqtunncf as to tho d.uiger of communication lining inteuupted by the Manawatu nver bieakmg thiotigh the appiouch t> tlie Ngauapnra budge; Government would consider the advi<-a bility of planting pnriri at Am.kl.uid ; Government could not pei mit tho use of a puvate still m New Zealand for the inamifacluie of spiuU of wmo ; enquiries would Irmade as to the necessity foi an engineering smvoy from Kkitahuna to Woodwlle being in ide foi the purpose of locating a lino ; fiec passes out railway weie not issued to haveiling agent- of the Government Insuiince Association. Sir (Jeoice triey intiodueed .1 bill to pro\id<* foi the election of Justices of the I'eacc. Kir Julius Vogel's in ition re a fre-h 'Fusco mail contiact was postponed until Fiiday ne\t, m older to allow a lelurn to Im piopaiod of the cost of the duect mul sen ice and San Fian^i-co s nicy. Mi Ballance moved t!ie second ro rim? of the Land Bill. He said it was.i j >ns ilid itio i measure, with some n -u clause-, wlndi would hugely inuoi-o the power* »f the Government in the adnnnistiation of the luid. He believed tlnue was n'lthing in this world to equal the peipetuil lea-ing system, which had beci very succe-sml. He thought, how cum, they should not cmlino themselves to one ptrtienlai sy-tem, but should give all tin system, a fin tnal. He c intended th it tin- special settlement system had b-eu a faihuc, although he did not blam > the Minister who introduced the system. He strongly advocated the operation of the billot in the '-ale of land, as ho c nisideved the defened pi\ - ment system had failed on ing to the system of sale by auction that prevailed. Mr Rolled m congratulated Mr liallance on the speech he had made and on his desire to settle the people on the land He thought they should have some ceitainly in their land legislation. He advocited the utmost vanety in dealing with agiicultiu.il land, 'so as to promote the settlement of bon i hde oGcnpieis. He was glad to find the pcipetual loa-e system was .ittiatt.ng s> iniieh attention at piesent, and he thought that system would .'mswci bctt'T than the houi3stead -v-tem. Mr Montgomery s.iul thute should be «)iii6 uniformity in land 1 iws of th n colony. Ho id \ orated the intioduction of the lionif-itPid system. Messrs BMliam, Hnist, H-ibbs, Keir, and Moate, also spoke to th* second reading. The debate was interiuptcd by the 3 30 adjonrnment. The Hov.se resumed at 7.30. Mi Ive- thought if the bill passed into law .uiv prison desirous of obtaining a holding w mild have no difficult} m acquiring what was iequi-ite to obtain that holding H'Oiult'd the bill with" satisfaction, and held th.it no colony could become gieat unless it had liberal land laws. Mr 13ruce objected t'> the perpetual leasing system, as he thought it false in puncipal, and would beeomo vicious in piactice. Lands should bj sold m as r>inall allotments ,i^ possible, and disposed of to jwrsons on f.iviuuable teims. He felt b mild to oppose the present bill. Mr Ilursthouse was in favour of the perpetual leasing system, and a reduction in the p\ic« of land. He could see nothing objectionable in tho bill, ai d therefore w< uld support it. Mr Joyc piefeiu'd tin defeired paj niont system to p Mprtu il leasing. Mr J. S. Mcls>i/ie thought that the best system was that most acceptable and piohta'ble to the St ite, and he contended that thj pTp-tnil system was not desiiable. The object of settlement was t » stimulate jn oduction, and f i eohold tenure was most calculated in his opinion to carry that out. As to defeu od payments, he legretted th.it the period foi which Ciown giants should bo is,u"d li id b3jn altoied. He considered several cl.uisp-. m the bill were of a retiospective cb tractor, nnsmuch as thej- imposed conditions which were not in the oiigmil bugain. With leferenee to the clause known as " MtKen/ae's clause," the author of that clause was evidently ashamed of it, as when he s,nv the Luid Hill was up fo>- discussion ho (the member foi Moeiaki) took his depituie for Otago that day. That clau^ 1 had b.'en denounced by the I'le-'s, and by every person c\cept, lieihap^, the rremier The clause jirovided that no ji'rsons owning 20,000 sheep or nioie Could puichase .my pastornl laud. The clause was impeiative, and he hoped the House would thiow out that obiectionable piovision. Tlie Picmiei h i]ied the peipetual leasing clausjs would bo i' tuned, and in sunpoit of hisnigiuneutconlendedtlutthebesttainis rTfScotl.nid were eirried on under leanp, li ild wit'n >ut any lelnble tenuie. He thought it w ould !>.? .i sad day for New Zeiland when it had no state land. He hoped the House v\ ould c infirm the legisl.ition of List session and pi ovule that def"iied payment holuctois should not be allow ed to sell aftei three yeai Hodefended "The McKen/.ie clause," as it pievented a monopoly. Mr Dune in would supp >it the bill with amendments. Mr Fisher thought t)n Mmistor foi [ Lands deserved ci edit for intiodncing thi meastue, as it showed an evident desne to settle people on the land. He opposed tlu ]iei))otual leising syst"ii Tli') ruicti >n system w.is resp insiblo for the Ine.ik-d >w n of the defen ed paym Mit system in the conntiv, and he would like to see the billot mibstituted. Mi Smith complained of the wmkmg <>f the wastelands b»vi'U in the p.ist He would like to see th ; elective pnnciple intioduced. He advocited the catting up of land into sin ill holding-.. He favmuo'l the leasing system. M ijor Stewaid said that there was a good do il to be sun m favour of tho prepetual leasing system, but ho would not do away altogether uithdofei rod payments, as unny pcrsotin canu to tho colony expecting to get a freehold. Mi l'vko could not see any piinciple in tho bill, which was .i purely "consolidating measuie. and theiefore was the old thing hashed np again. He would dcfei any rein irks until tlie bill was in committee. Mr Hillanco lephud to the aignments against the Bill, and said he was gratified at the way the mea&mc had been icceived by the Hou-e. The second reading was carried on the v oices. The Stamp A.ct Amendment Bill and tho i Deceased Poisons Estate Duties Act Amendment were read a. second time. The debate on the Counties Act was re- j sinned. (Left Sitting.)