PARLIAMENT.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2647, 29 June 1889, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. FRID VY. Thh Council mot at 2.30. The Medical Practitioners Bill and an Act for the constitution of Waiapu County were introduced and read a first time. Several Bills were read a second time. The Imprest Supply Bill from the other House was introduced and passed through all its stages. The Council rose at 3.25 p.m till Tuesday. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. THURSDAY. The House met at 2.30 p.m. Mr Steward introduced his Educational Franchise Bill. It provides for tho repeal of the cumulative vote. Mr Fergus thought there were soma objections to the Bill. The word "elector" should be added tu tho definition of householder. The second reading was agreed to. The House went into Committee of SupA lengthy discussion took place on the item Inspector of Lunatic Asylums£l,2oo. The vote passed after the dinn or adjournment. The total vote of class 2, £113,022 passed, and the House rose at 10.30. FRIDAY. The House met 2.30. QUESTION'S. Replying to questions, Ministers said they were quite unable, at present, to move in the direction of entering into a reciprocal Tariff treaty with New South Wales; tho Government did not intend to amend the Railways Act in the direction of limiting the hours of labour of railway employees; the Agent-General had been in communication with tho High Commissioner of Canada mi the subject of a Reciprocal Tariff Treaty with this colony : it was the intention of Government to bring down a Bill for the Relief of Crown tenants ; Government would endeavour to give facilties allowing clergymen of other denominations. other than Anglican and Roman Catholic-;, to conduct worship in prisons ; a Bill was being prepared dealing wirh the Otago Central Railway; Government did not propose to introduce any measures correcting tho alleged existing anomalies in the tariff; Government did not propose any alteration of tho duty on s;'.cchariiio ; Government were preparing a Bill dealing with tho position of wiue growers in respect to tho distillation of spirits from grapes ; Government would endeavour to obtain information from the Agent-General as to tho best machines used in dressing fibre.

NEW 1111.1.5, Tim following Bills wcro introduced :— By Sir G. Grey, a Bill to repeal "The Contagious Diseases Act, 187!)." By Mr Hislop, Dunedin Exhibition ; Public House Closing and Licensing Bill. By Mr Onnond, Napier High School Leases Validation Bill. By Sir G. Grey, a Bill to Amend the Conditions on which Lands are held in certain settlements which have recently been established. A Bill to Regulate the Admission of Persons to Practise in the Courts of Law. NOTICES OF MOTION". Mr Barron is to give notice to move a gradual decrease year by year, in the Property Tax. SUPPLY. The House went into committee of supply for the further consideration of the Estimates. Class 3: Colonial Treasurer's Department, total vote £33,1(>3. Passed. Class -1: Justice Department. Resident Magistrate and Warden's Courts, £435(>. Mr Goldio moved to reduce the item by t'265. Lost by 42 to 15. The House adjourned'at 3 o'clock. The committee resumed at 7.30. Clause J, Jnstieo Department. — A lengthy discussion ensued on the item £150 subsidy towards the publication of New Zealand law reports.—Mr Hutchison moved that the item oe struck out.—Carried by 57 to 18.—The total vote, Glass *1, £107,078, then passed as amended. Class 5 : Post and Telegraph Department. —Mr Goldie moved to reduce the vote by £120.—A lengthy discussion fol-

lowed, in which Messrs Seddon, Kerr and Moss animadverted in strong terms on the small salaries paid to junior officials in these departments.—The Premier said the Government had striven to equalise the salaries of officers, and that, generally speaking, the salaries of junior officers had been increased. The amendment was lost by 51 to 22.—Conveyance of mails by sea : xVLr Ballanco suggested the vote be postponed.—The Premier said that as New South Wales had renewed the 'Frisco Contract. he proposed bringing down a resolution on the subject in a few days. Mr Ward said the San I'rancisco service was simply eating into the vitals of the colony.—The Premier moved to reduce the item by £5,100, so that the committee might vote only tho amount necessary to carry out the present contract. Vote reduced by £5,100, and progress reported at 10.20., and the j House adjourned till Tuesday, I