HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 2894, 31 January 1891, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

FRIDAY,

The House met at 2.30. At 2. l- r > p.m. tho Speaker, with tho mover and seconder of the Address-iu-Reply proceeded to Government House for the purpose of presenting the address to tho Govern°Mr Ballance laid on the table the letter written by Sir H. Atkinson to Mr Gilbert Mair respecting the charges made by Mr Thompson, member for Marsden, lurainst tho late Mr Sperry, Property-tax Commissioner. . , Mr Thompson moved that au enquiry be held into the affair, and after considerable discussion, it was carried. Mr Ballance made a Ministerial statement as to the progress of busiuess. lie said lie believed it was the desire of both sides of the House that the immediate prorogation of Parliament should take place. Theso was no business of any importance on the Order Paper, and the Government proposed to adjourn at half-past 5 o clock that afternoon, and tho prorogation would take place next day. Replying to Mr Saunders, Mr l.allance said the Gm ernment intended to cusider tho question of amending the standing order**, with a viow to tho bettor ruination of debates ill tho House. They did uotcoiisider any legislation was necessary on the subject, but the amondment, they would propose, would not interfere in any way with the right? of the minority in the House* Replying to (Cluthn), Ballance Baid a Bill wonld be introduced in the new session to legalise several titles on tho Ease Coast, which wero rendered defecfcive through tho action of tho Native Lands Court. . - Mr Rees moved the adjournment of the House to enable him to speak on this question. , , , , During tho course of the debate several members spoke stronely against the action of the late Government, in removing police constables from place to place, thus causing great hardship, especially on the West Coast of the South Island. Replying to Mr G. P. Richirdson, Mr McKenzie (Waitaki) said that owing to the short time the Government had been in office he had not been able to bring down an ! amendment in tho Land Act but it would be his endeavour to minimise the evils that had sprung up in the shape of dunmiyisin, and he should novor allow any applicant to evade the law. He should also hold an enquiry into tho transactions of tho past two yoars and if he found people m the possession of lauds illegally lie should have ! their leases cancelled. , 111 replying to Mr Mills (L ort Chalmers) Mr Ballance promised to intioduce a Mil next sesssion providing that tho general body of the electors receive the same privilege as seamen of voting under tiie cloctoml right between the nomination day anu polling day. In answer to other question?, it stated that the Government did not intend to abolish the atook tax on sheep ; that next session the question of tho reform of the Legislative Council would be taken into consideration. Tho llouso r jse at li.o p.m.