PARLIAMENT.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 2981, 22 August 1891, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. j THURSDAY. The Council met at'.!.3o p.m. The Distillation Act Amunt B|U I was committed, read a third time, and passed. Friday. The Council inot at 2.H0 p.m. Tho Consolidated Stock Hill and the Counties Act Amendment Bill were road a s-cond time. The P'ist and Telegranh Classification Kill was passed thmngh OommiUeii without amendment., read a tliird time, and pissed. The committal of tlio Shop Hours Bill win postponed till Wednesday. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. THURSDAY. The House met at 2.30 p.m. Ovor an hour and a half's discission took place on the report of the Public Petitions Committee on the petition of Colonel Humfrey, late Under-Secret iry for Defence. The coinmittoe found that the petitioner bad not been wronefully retired from ofiice, but that Ilia services had boen dispensed with on tho score of economy. The report was Anally ordered to bo laid on tho tabla. Mr O'Conor moved: "Thst it is dosir able that large blocks of suitable land should bo set asido and placed under competent management, where under proper regulation's persons might combine to clear, cultivate, and improve the land, and receive instruction in the practice of suitable industries." Mr Ballance expressed his sympathy with tho spirit of the motion. Tho debate was interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment. The House resumed at 1.".0 p.m. The House went into C unmittee on Sir George Grey's Law Practitioners Bill. Several amendments were mads, and tho Bill was then reported, road a tliird time, and passed. Mr Fisher's B iok Purchasers Protection Bill passed through committee without amendment. Sir George Grey's Friendly Societies Act Amendment Bill was considered in committee. Mr R,eos moved an amendment to clause A, m iking th-? measure retrospective in regard to the formation of associations or societies, which was agreed to on the voices. It was decided that societies formed .amongst employers be also brought under the operation of tho Act, and a now proviso was inserted in clause 2, that the Act should only apply to the ordinary purpose of benefit societies, such as providing sick fond, death fund, superannuation fund, etc. Clause 4 : A society not to bo under tho control of any employer. Mr J. Mills moved a proviso to the effect that employers contributing to the funds of the society should be allowed to have seats on tho committee of management. The amendment was lost by !) to 27. ind tlia clause added to tho Bill. That portion of clause 5 which imposes a penalty of six mouths' imprisonment for forming a society in contravention of the Act was struck out, and the penalty was reduced so as not to exceed a fine of £50 for each offence. Oil the motion of Mr .T,_ Mills, a new clause was inserted providing that any society already in existence, but which might be seriously alfectoi by the passing of tho Hill should b3 allowed to go into liquidation. The wont into committed on Mr George Hutchison's G lining and Lotteries Bill. Clause 3 : Legality of sports, was struck out, the majority of tho committee agreeing that as the clause stood it was very ambiguous, and might prevent the holding of legitimate sports and competitions. In clause-}, dofiuing what lotteries should be lawful, tho words "games of chance," which were proposed to ba unlawful • in general, wero struck out. Other amendments were madi of a trivial character, and tlio Bill was reported. The B ink Purchasers Protection Bill was read a third time and passed. Oo reaching tho final stage of tho Friendly Societies Act Amendment Bill, Messrs Rollpston, Billance, .J. Mills, and Cairncross spoke briefly on the measure. Mr Mills admitted that the Union Company's Society had needed some regulation by law, but he said tho Lizislature ought not to have crushed in the outset a legitimate attempt to improve the relations between employer and employed. The third reading was agreed to, and tho Bill passed. The House roso at 2.45 a.m. FRIDAY, The House mot at 2.30. Replying to a question, it was stated that the Government had not power to purchase largo estates, but they hoped to obtain the power under the Land for Settlement Bill. Mr Billance moved a resolution removing Mr R. C. Hainerton from his office as | Public Trustee. Ho said he regretted it had fallen to him to take for the removal of an officer who had for years hold office without a single charge being brought against him. After he had received the report of the Public Trust Commissioners, lie felt it was not desirable in the public interest that Mr Hamarton should continue as Public Trustee. Mr Hainerton had committed errors which, in the Public Trusteo, should not bo overlooked, but he was confident the mistakes wore not tnado with any evil intention, and there were no acts of corruption shown. With respect to the letter which had been read in the House that afternoon from Mr Hamerton, to the effect that he had not been in a position to receive an impartial hearing at tile hands of the commission, Mr Ballance pointed out that Mt Hainerton was afforded every opportunity to state his case Wore the commission, but he had no objection to Mr Hamerton being heard at tiie bar of tho House if he wished it, and he hoped the hon. gentlemen would come to a conclusion without introducing any party feeling into the question. Captain Russell very much doubted Whether tho House hid power to remove Mr Hamerton from His office under the present conditions, and in order to test the question he move) the following amendment: "That as no distinct charge had beon formulated against Mr Hamerton, and us no evidence on oath had been taken oefure tho House, this House is of opinion that Mr Himerton's removal from office without having had an opportunity of being heard at the bar of the House would be it regular and unconstitutional." He quoted from authorities at some length to prove that an oHicer who held office during good bohaviour could only bo removed by a distinct vote of both Houses or on evidence taken boforethe House on oath, not second hand, and he contended the evideuco taken before tho Royal Commission was socond hand. Like that of a judge the office of Public Trustee was a Ministerial one and was held during good behaviour. Mr Roes held there was a great difference between the positiou of a judge and that of a patent officer. A judge could only bo removed on account of misbehaviour either in his office or out of it, but a patent officer of the Trust Department was not guarded by any such provision nor was there any reason why it should be. Mr Ballance said he could not accept the amendment and asked the House to carefully weigh the arguments adduced by Mr Roes with reference to tho respective positions of a judge and tho Public 'i'rustee. In deciding this case without asking Mr Hamerton to appear at tlio Bar of the House he contended the Ministers were following the precedent of tho House of Commons. The debate was interrupted by the 5.3!) adjournment.

The House resumed at 7.30 p.in. On the motion of Mr Duthie, the debate on the Hamerton quostion was adjourned till Tuesday. Mr B.Ulanee moved the second readinsr of the Payment of Members Hill. Jle Raid the payment of members had prevailed in the other Australian colonies. If members were not fairly paid, thore would be only one class of men who could afford to enter Parliament, and that would be against the interests of democracy. Mr lii ycj supposed he should be justified in referring to this Bill as one of the Government policy measures. The Premier had referred to Victoria; but the session there lasted eight or nine months, and the wholo payment to members was only £300 per annum. As to tho argument that mpmbors were put to much expense, he pointed out that every member could.attend to his own business directly tho session was over ; and it surely did not require £240 ayear to covor the expense ho was pub to. No one in the colony denied tho right of members to receive a moderate payment, although it was contended in many quarters that tho amount should not bo so large as to placo them under tho head of professional politicians. Ho protested against the lavish expenditure entailed by this Bill in pro-

| pitting tn increase the payment of irieuibeis. | If the colony was going t'» pay it-' enormous :n>l >>n I! L of intere-t tile y were 11' ■I. justified i« Hinging away ii.oni'y in tl>i -s manner. Xn doubt an uicrfa"f Millistern' salaries would follow IhU i'!ill, as a matter of course, but In; f died In see how such a proposal could bii in keening with the policy of retrenchment. lie moved tint tho ]Jill bo read a second !itin; tli.it dnv six months. Mr Moore seconded tin! amendment. Mr Tanner said lio had bt;<;n iet.nrn<d !o B.rliiiiientas possessing some advanced ill:.'!", but tliu Bill before tho House was ultiiw-.tber ti.t. loUanr.eil for !rm, and ii>: tlmngliL tliat tin; iji'>p'n i! t> increase payment tu memtii-rs catnc with paiticuinrly had taste in tli« f ipi .-f 'Ins lituvy Custom.! duties nn ih'i ii''ci'.f j arii''i of lifn. On this occasion In! should vote agiinst tho (rovernment. Mr S,nmd"rs siid tin! Government Ind put not only a whip but a t; »riJ into the hands of tlii'ir opponents hy bringing in such a Bill as thiHo denied that any improvement wnuM take place ill the class of members if thin Bill were Riven e Ifoct to. lie would not voto fur the second reading or any other stage of thu Bill. (Left sitting.