HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1721, 21 December 1887, Page 3

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Tuesday, Dbcbhbbr 20. The House met at 2.30 p m. QUESTIONS POSTPONED. The Premier moved that the questions be postponed till next day. The motion was agreed to. MINISTERIAL STATBMBNT. Replying to Major Steward, the Premier ■aid he saw no reason why the business of this session should not be concluded by Wednesday evening. He Intimated that Government did not intend proceeding with the Grown and Native Lands Rating Act Repeal Bill this session, bat it would bo Intro, need early next session. The Premier further stated that he wished local bodies to understand that no obligations would be Incurred under this Aot ■est year. XHI LAND BILL. r Iff Richardson brought up the report of ihe conference on the Land Bill, tbe effeot of which was that a compromise had been elected with the Legislative Oounoil by whioh the present land boards would be maintained until next session of Parlla__tnt at the reduced rate of payment de* termlned on by the House. Tbe report was adopted building societies bill Mr HUlop moved the second reading of the Building Booletieß Act 1880 Amendment Bill, the effect of which was that boilding societies should be allowed to possess tbe powers exercisable by an erdlnsry mortgagee. The Gill was of a retrospective character. The motion waa agreed to. VALTDAIIK- BILL. Mr Fergus moved tbe second reading of the Taranskt West Licensing Dlatrlot Bill to validate certain prcoeedings under the Licensing Act, 1881. The motion was agreed to," HOSPITAL BILL. Mr Hlalop moved the second reading of the Sounds County Hospital Representation Bill. The motion was agreed to. PUBLIO WORKS BILL. Mr Mitehelton moved the second Beading of the Publlo Works Amendment BUI. MTJBICIPAL CORPORATIONS BILL Mr Hislop moved the second reading of the Municipal Corporations Aot Amendment BUI (No. . .) DISCHARGED, The 'Crown and Native Rating Aot Repeal BIU was discharged from the Order Paper. WBST COAST RESERVE. The Premier moved the seoond reading ef the West Coast Settlement Reserves Aot Amendment Bill, dealing with leases on the West Coast, and proposing to grant Be* leases on the surrender. Mr Taipua opposed the Bill at some length. Mr Carrol suggested that It be postponed till next session, and deprecated baity legislation of this kiDd. The Premier said that the Bill was not hasty legislation. It was only brought In te fulfil engagements with certain persons which were entered Into m 1881, and it waa merely an act of justice to the people of the West Coast. |£Tbe motion was agreed to. SOtTH ISLAND NATIVE RESERVES. The Premier moved tho seoond reading ef the South Island Native Peierves BUI. He said It was similar to the previous Bill, It provided for tbe management oi rTatlveJreierves In the South Island. Mr Pratt said it would not be necessary to o_er any oppositldn to this Bill aa certain amendments suggested to the Premier had been accepted. The motion was agreed to. LOCAL BODIBS PINANCB AND POWBRS. The Premier moved the second reading of the Local Bodies Finance and Powen Bill, the objeot of which was to redcci cnbsldies as provided In the Flnancia Statement. The motion was agreed to. The Premier moved the second readlm ol the Naval and Military Settlers an< Volunteers Land BUI. The motion was agreed to after som iiioßsslon. GOVB*NM___ RAILWAYS BILL. Mr Mltchelson moved that the amend ments made by the Legislative Counoll I: the Government Ball ways Bill be agree' tol He said that the amendments wer unimportant. Tbe motion was agreed to, BELLA PASSED. The Baddlng Societies Aot Amendmen Bill, Taranskt West Licensing Distrlc Bill, aud Sounds County Hospital Reprc •entatlon Bill, were committed, read third time, and passed. PUBLIC WOBKS BILL. The House went IntoCommltte on th • Pablio Works Act Amendment BIU, an progress was reported to enable membe: to consider olause _. The House adjourned at 5.30 p.m. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m, Tbe Pablio Works Aot Amendment Bl was further considered m Oommltee. Olanse 7.-— Cost of exercising powers ' be paid by local authority. Mr G. Richardson moved that th elauie be struck ont. The amendment waa lost, and tl clause retained by 35 to 32. Olause B— Power to Minister to co street ov authorise construction of bride r-W W «ttt4k f.* « the voices,

Mr Wlthey proposed a new olause fc re-enscting a provision a truok out of th Railway Bill by the Council, glvln l'censing c< mmlssionors control over th issue of licenses to railway refreßhmeo ro' ms. The Chairman ruled that the motloi could not be put as tt would necessitate to v area] of a previous decision. ' Mc Withy moved that the commla [ sioners power of licensing such room should only be exercised by the consen i of the local road board, county couhci lor borough council. The motion waa lost by 86 to 35. A new clause waa adopted on the motloi of Dr Fitchett, empowering tramwaj companies to purchase suburban railways. A condition was attached, on thi motion of Mr Mills, that the purchasing company must within six months run sb trains per week each way, along the whole length of the line. The provision m the sohedule for payment of £670 tc Lord Halsbnry for land on the NapierWoodville line of railway taken for railway purposes was struck ont on the voices. The BUI was ordered to be reported with amendments. PUBLIC bodies powers bill. The House went into C>mmtttee on the Publlo Bodies Powers Bill. Clause 17. That a leasing authority (looal body) shall have power to cancel, modify, and vary, any eontraot or agreeing for sale of land. Mr Peroeval moved that this olause be ■traok out, Dr Fitshett moved to amend the olauae so as to provide that notification of variation of any eontraot for aale of land could be allowed, The clause was passed with amend* menta. The Premier moved a new olause, that overdrafts Incurred by harbor boards before the passing of the Harbor Act of 1886 shohld be legalised, but not any other. The motion was agreed to by 45 to 16 MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS BILL. The Houae went Into Committee on the Munloipal Corporations Aot Amendment Bill: Mr Fiah suggested that this Bill be postponed till next session as there were several amendments to be proposed whioh there waa not time to consider this session. Its only object was to legalise certain Jubilee expenditure, and to give the corporations power with reapeot to lighting the streets by eleotrlclty. Mr Ormond hoped the Bill would not be postponed, ss there were other clauses which required to be passed. The Premier asked the Committee to pais this Bill, and next year the other 1 matters referred to oould be introduced m an amending let. He promised to give ' facilities for this legislation. The Bill then proceeded m Committee, and leveral clauses were a truok out by agreement? Clause 5, providing that Jubilee expenditure be sanctioned, was agreed to. Olause 6— Special provision as to streets m Slnde Island m Napier, Agreed to. Clause 11— Counoll may light streets by eleotrloty and supply eleotrloity. Agreed to. Olauae 12— Governor In Counoll may extend time for holding election. Agreed to. The BUI was ordered to be reported with amendments. BILLS PASSED. The House went into Committee on the j West Coaat Settlements Amendment Bill, which passed with Amendments. The South Island Native Reserves Bill and the Local Bodies Finance and Powers BUI, and Naval and Military Settlers i Land Bill, were committed and passed with amendments.