HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume XXII, Issue 1667, 5 July 1892, Page 3

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

June 30. The motion for lhe Address-in-reply was agreed 'o. The lion J. Balance said the Government saw no reason to alter the law in reßpect of dividing the cities of the Colony info single electorates. The Hon J. McKenzie said he hoped to introduce a Bill in a few days for the purpose of appointing experts to grade fUx. butter, cheese and other agricultural produce exported from the Colony, and also to reduce ravages of codlin moth. July 1.

The Hon J. Balance said there was no time this session to deal with an amendment to the RUing Act giving local bodies power to exempt permanent; improvements froir local taxation. A Bill would bo prepared at a future time. The Government did not intond introducing a Bill to enable the people of the Colony to elect members of the Legislative Council The Opposition strongly objected to the constitution of tho Sessional Committees on the ground they were inadequately represented. The Hon J. Bailanco moved Dio second reading of the Electoral Bill, to amend and consolidate the law relating to the qualification ot electors and tho conduct of elections of members of lhe House. He said, with one or two remarkable exceptions tho Bill wn» exactly the samo as that passed by tho House last year. Tho most important alteration in the present Bill was granting the franchise to women, which the Government was anxious to ccc carried into law this year. As to the question of allowing women seats in the Houpe, he thought it would bo better to poßtpone that to a future occasion ; but if the House thought differently it could insert such pro vision. Ho hoped thia question of fernalo francbiso would be eettlod now, once and for ever. It was carried last sc?shion by a largo majority, and in the Upper llouso it was only rejected by two votes. The debate lasted till the House rose. TllO second reading was carried,