PARLIAMENT.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 2989, 10 September 1891, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCCL. TUKSDAY. Tin; Council met at :J.ilO p.m. Tim Ouli.uid Secretary moved the second reading of lb') Kiectoral Bill, and in doiii? rtfj explained it* provisions. The second residing was uereed to on. tlio voices, and Lliu Hill ordered to he committed uoxt day. The Mining Bill was conviiitted. .Sever ,1 amendments were agreed to. Mr IJonar, on c!au.<a HI : Wmjirs men tn have a proportional claim, moved tlin -substitution of "three months" instead of "six months." Agreed to. Clause 104 beins? reached, tlio committee took toe dinner adjournment. The Council resumed at 7.30 p.m. On clause 320 : Dun.tiou of the hours of labour, Sir U, Whitmorn moved that the first paragraph he struck out. The committee divided, with the result that the clause, eilfht hours' liib'our, was struck out bv lo to S, and the Bill w.ts reported with amendments, leave beiui.' fjiveu to sit ajr dn next day. The Colonial Secretary moved tliat the amendments made by the House in the Legislative Council Bill lie agreed to. After debate, the amendment* were put seriatim. The amendment relating to 21 years of age being the minimum at which a member may he appointed was disagreed with. The amen Iment relating to the term of office being reduced to seven years went to a division, and was negatived by 13 to 10. The retrospective amendment, the leave of absence clause, and the election of Speaker clause amendments were also thrown out. The new clause, " privileges to retiring members," was agreed to.

Di. Pollen, Mr Millar, Sir G. Whitmore, and Mr Stevens were appointed managers to draw up the reasons for disagreeing with the amendments of the House on the questions at issue ill the Bill. The Council at 10.10 p.in. adjourned till tho following (lay. WEDNESDAY. The Council met at 2.30. Mr Fulton presented a petition, signed by 10,000 women, in favour of female suffrage. Ho moved the second reading of the Female Suffrage Hill. Mr B<>won characterise! the Hill as revolutionary. Ho opposed it out of respect for women who would be degraded by entering into political strife, and he moved that the Hill bo road a second time that day six months. Messrs Whitmore, Miller and Whyte opposed the Bill, whilst Messrs Stewart, I'ollon and Phura/.yn supported it. At five p.m. the dinner adjournment was taken. Tho Council resumed at 7.30. The deVite on the sccond reading of the Female Suffrage Hill was adjourned till next clay. Tho Government Loans to Local Bodies Bill was read a second time. The Selectors' Land Revaluation Bill passed through its tinal stage. The Mining Bdl was further considered in committee, Several amendments were made and the Hill was reported. The Council roso at 10 p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, TUESDAY. The House met at 2.30 p.m. Mr Reeves' motion (moved yesterday), with reference to tho amendments made by the Legislative Council in the Factories Bill, was agreed to. On the motion that the House ko into Committee of Supply, Mr Rees moved an amendment to the effect that Vaile's system of railway in wiagoinent should be fairly tried on the Auckland railway*, under tho supamsi-m ol Mr Samuel Vaile, before the expiration of the Government Railways Act, 18*7. The amendment was lost bv 30 to 21. The House ad journed at 5.30 p.m. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. Mr B.dlance congratulated Mr Rolleston on being elected to the leadership of the Opposition, and Mr Rolleston, in thanking the Premier for his kind expressions of goodwill, said the Opposition would exercise a full and fair criticism of the administration of the Government, but would not unnecessarily obstruct their policy. Mr Seddon laid tho Public Works Statement on tho table, and tho House then weni into Committee of Supply for the consideration of the Estimates. Post and Telegraph Department: Vote, £255.000. After discussion, lasting several hours, the total vote of £255,000 passed without sinele alteration. ' The Justice Department E-timate-pussed without alteration, although Mi Fish tried to cut off the increases in the salaries of sonio of the higher officials in tho Department. The House rose at 3.30 a.m. WEDNESDAY. Tho House met .it 2.30 p.m. In answer to a question froin Mr Rolles ton as to what business the Government proposed to s» on with this session/ Mr Balianco said it was intended to bring the session to a close /is soon as, possible, probably at tho end of next week, if tho discussion of the estimates wero proceeded with without waste of time. He would be able to announce to-morrow what Hills were to be proceeded with, but he must remind the House that some urgent business over which they had no control might arise. With reasonable despatch however, tho session ought to close either at the end of next week, or early in the following week. He hoped 11 push the Bankruptcy Bill through if business would allow for they wore told that it had been so carefully dealt with by the S#lect Committee that it could be put through in about three hours, and they recognised that it was a matter of tho greatest importance to the commercial community. As to the Public Works Statement, he suggested that it should be discussed on tho motion for going into CommiUue of Supply. Mr \T. Kelly presented a report from the Special Native Coirimitreo to the effect that the Native Land Bill bo postponed till next session, ami after two hours debate the ropoii was ordered to be laid on the table.

Mr Ballance moved the second reading of the Stamp Acts Amendment liilJ, which lie explained imposed duty in the same way as receipts on all passenger steamer tickots of the value of £:3 and tipwards and proposed to impose a totalisator tax of li per cent, on all machines at race meetings. He intended tha Bill to take effect from tlio beginning ot October next. The motion was carried on the voicos and the House rotfe at 5.30. p.m. The House reslimed at. 7.30 p.'m. The Pioperty Tax Bill, imposing a property tax of one penny in the £ for the year ending 31st March next, was read a second time. Hon. McKenzie moved the second reading of the Land for Settlement Bill, to authorise the acquisition of private property for settlement purposes when recommended by a Board of Land Purchase Commissioners, to be appointed for the purpose, consisting of the Surveyor-Gene.-al, the Property Tax Commissioner, the Commissioner ®f Crown Lands, and the District Land Registrar for the district where the land to be acquired is situated. Tho Maori members objected to the provisions in the Bill referring to native lands, and after a protracted debate tho motion for the second reading was agreed to on the voices. The Water Supply Bill aud the Property Tax Bill were put through their tinal b(rages. On tho motion for goiug into committee on supply, VTr E. M., South mm-nd, as an a-iiend-ment a resolution affirming tho desirableness of appointing a Roy >1 Ominrs»i"n to experiment in the smelting of New 2l;al»nd irou ores and iron 4'ind. (L-.n S't'in.)