HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume LIII, Issue 2823, 20 November 1903, Page 3

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

November 16. A number of local Bills were introduced for tbe tint time. The House went into Committee to consider thirty five lecal Bills. JThe Premier gave notice to move that a referendum of the people should be taken on the questions :—Whether (a) The Legislative Council should remain aB at present; (b) be abolished, or (c) be made elective. Government Railways Superannuation Fund Contributions Bill, Law Practitioners Bill acd Agricultural and Pastoral Societies Bill were read a second time. Sir Joseph Ward moved the second read' ing of the Public Health Act Amendment Bill. The Public Works Statement and Esti' mates were placed on the table, £he Preferential Tariff Bill wbb introduced by Governor's message. After some debate, in which Mr Seddon announced that, if the >ill passed, it would be the first country to give precedence to tho_Empire, the Bill passed its tir. t reading. November 17. The Premier gave notice to move the House ehould meet each morning at 11, so that tbe session should close on Saturday morning. The Natinal Scholarships Bill and Hutt Road Improvement Bill were introduced by Govern orß message Bnd read a first time. The Government Railways Superannuation Furd Contribution Bill, Law Practitioners Bill rr.d Agricultural bnd Pastoral Societies Amendment Bill passed their final stages on the voices. The Bank of New Zealand Act Amendment Bill was introduced by Governor'e message and read a first time on the voicep. The Public Health Act Amendment Bill, Kauri Gum Industry Act Amendment Bill, and Imprisonment for Debt Limitation Aot Amendment Bill parsed their final stages on the voices. November 18. There was a debate on the abolition of the totalisator, and uj in the eecoud reading of and Beciprocal Trade Bill. There waa a long discission, the Premier, Mr Massey, Sir Joseph V«ard, and others giving their viewß on the preferential tariff question