THE SESSION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 254, 27 October 1898, Page 3

THE SESSION.

YESTERDAY'S PROCEEDINGS IN PARLIAMENT. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.. WELLINGTON, this day. j THE AG ENT-G ENERALSHIP.' The fact already g*iven expression to in the Parliamentary columns of the 'Star' that the Hon. W. P. Reeves would be reappointed Agent-General was confirmed by the Premier in tho House yesterday afternoon. In replying to the leader of the Opposition, IMr Seddon said: 'The Government have j not arrived at any decision on the j matter. 1 am in a position, however, ito state that Mr Peeves will be offered | reappointment, for what term I am I not in a position to say. That is a j matter on which we shall have to coni suit him. I think it will be sufficient | for me to say that we consider Mr I Reeves has filled the position with credit to himself and with benefit to the colony, and that he is entitled to have the offer of reappointment. The* time, of course, we have not decided upon, and cannot decide until receiving an answer in reply from him. The announcement that the position is again lo be offered to Mr Reeves will, I.believe, meet with general satisfaction? (Hear.) A SENSIBLE APPEAL. Replying to Major Steward, who wants a memorial statue of the late Sir George Grey erected in Wellington, either at the public expense or by the aid of Government subsidy, the Premier said that no one would be more pleased than himself to see a statue erected to the memory of the departed statesman. The funds for the purpose should however be raised b,y vountary contributions. (Hear.) It'seemed to him. that there was a lack of veneration for and appreciation of the services rendered by those who had in the past made this colony really what it is. He should be happy to assist, and he believed that every member of the House, no matter what his political views might be, would help in subscribing to .a Grey memorial statue. THE PREMIER* AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION. The question of technical education was before the House yesterday afternoon, the member for Palmerston asking the Premier whether he had any serious intention of proceeding with the Technical Schools Bill this session. This is the Bill that occasioned all the trouble last session. The Premier's reply was to the effect that if the opponents of the Bill would guarantee not, to obstruct its passage he would willingly bring- it on, an anouncement which drew forth derisive cries from the opponents referred to. He denied that the Bill was of the denominational character alleged. Mr Pirani then asked whether, in the event of the Bill not being passed this session, the Premier would introduce a short measure empowering the Government to advance pound for pound on amounts subscribed for technical school buildings under control of Education Boards. The Premier said he was not one of those men who believed in trifling with an important question. He believed that it would be only encouraging obstruction to the Technical Schools Bill if he brought in a temporary measure. Later Mr Pirani referred to the answers of the Premier and charged Mr Seddon with not being in the least sincere in his professions in regard to his desire to promote technical education. He had no more idea of promoting technical education in its true sense than he had of taking the Agent-Generalship in January next. He might take it later on. What the Premier desired was the power to aid denominational schools. He (the Premier) had stated that the clause in tbe Technical Schools Bill objected to by several members had been drafted by Mr Riley, of the Technical School at Wellington. This was not correct. Mr Riley had neither drafted the clause, nor was it fathered by , him. though he did give some sug- j gestions to the Government respecting ; it. He thought it only fair to Mr j Riley that the House should know ! that it was not a fact that he bad j drafted the clause that was in the Bill i enabling assistance to be given to de- j nominational schools. The Premier had said he was in favour of extending subsidise under the existing law. This was because it would enable him to subsidise denominational schools. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL REFORM. In moving yeterday afternoon 'that j it is detrimental to the best interests j of the colony to any longer delay the ! consideration of the Bill introduced ! for the reform of the Legislative! Council,' the Hon. Mr Peacock re- J ferred to what he called the unsatis- j factory and discourteous procedure of the Government in putting a Bill reforming the Council on the orderpaper and not proceeding- with it. Formerly, the Council had done good work as an impartial revising chain- i ber, but its effectiveness had deterior- ! ated -with the advance of party Govern- i ment. and the time had come for the restriction of nominations, especially : as the abolition of the life tenure had impaired the work of the Council. Now that the time was coming for the retirement of the first batch of seven year members, it would be well to re-consider the whole question of the constitution of the Council, and perhaps reform it in the direction ot putting it upon an elective basis. The Minister of Education said he did not wish to traverse the constitution of the Council. He proposed next day to move the discharge of the Council Reform Bill from the. orderpaper, and would then make a full explanation. After a short debate the motion was withdrawn in consideration of the Minister's promise of an explanation. SHUTTING OUT BUNNY. The measure introduced by the Minister of Lands, and known as the Rabbit Proof Wire Netting Fences Bill, which enables settlers to band together for the purpose of borrowing money under the Government Loans to Local Bodies Act to erect rabbit-proof fences, met with a favourable reception in the House yesterday afternoon. The second reading was agreed to on the voices, and the Bill was put through committee and its final stages. THE JURY SYSTEM. A deal of contentious matter was raised by the Juries Act Amendment Bill? which came before the House in Committee last evening. The proposal for the abolition of special juries met with a deal of opposition, their retention being supported on the ground that certain mercantile cases required expert evidence. A motion by Mr G. J. Smith to leave it to the absolute discretion of the judge whether a trial should be by a common jury, special jury or by His

! Honor alone was negatived by 29 to 2G. Thereupon Mr Moore moved to report progress and the Leader of the . Opposition appealed to the Minister to j accept the motion, saying that otherI wise an all night sitting loomed large. IHe regarded tampering with the law courts as one of the most serious mati ters that could be brought before' Parliament, and this Avas the first step apparentlj- to the abolition of trial by jury. This elicited from Mr Hogg an' expression of his preparedness to vote for the abolition of juries lock stock and barrel, and to substitute for them a competent bench of magistrates. The Premier said it was useless to report progress. Were the motion carried he would bring the Bill on again. He was willing to have the clause amended so as to _rive the judge, when in his opinion the case required expert knowledge, power to order it to be tried before a special jury. Bather than see the Bill blocked he would agree to that. He suggested this addition to the end of clause 3, 'or unless in any case where in the discretion of the judge expert knowledge is required," he may direct the case to be tried by a special jury. This did not satisfy a large section of the House, and the motion to report progress was accordingly put at 12.45 a.m". and negatived by 27 to 25. A motion to postpone consideration of the clause was also negatived. At 1.40 Mr Meredith again moved to report progress, which was lost by 2(> to 23, ancl eventually the clause was passed by 29 to IS in this form: 'From and after the coming into operation of this Act no case or inquiry shall be tried or heard by special jury unless all parties consent thereto, or unless in the opinion of the court or judge expert knowledge is required.' Progress was then reported ancl the House rose at 2 a.m. KAURI GUM BILL. The consideration of this measure was resumed in Council. Clause G: Who may hold special licences.' This clause provided that holders of special licenses should fulfil one or more of the following qualifications:—(l) Owniug land in the colony in fee simple; (2) being lesseeof laiid in the colony for an unoccupied term of not less than three years; (3) being a native; (4) having been engaged in .digging gum for not less than 12 months and being a British subject by birth or naturalisation. The Waste Lands Committee recommended that three months be the term under the 4th condition. This was strongly opposed by the Hons. Jennings and McCuliougb. Dr. Grace urged that the Bill would have to be held over for Her Majesty's consideration since it- affected our relations with a friendly Power, a view that was dissented from by the Hon. Macgregor, who did not think the Bill affected treaty obligations with Austria since it did not prevent Austrians from coming to the colony. The amendment was carried by 19 to 15, and three months was thus made the time required. Tlie fourth condition was then separated into two alternative conditions, thus doing away with the need of naturalisation in case of men who had been digging for three months. The remaining clauses were passed as amended by the Waste Lands Committee. The Hon. Mr Williams wished to introduce a new clause imposing a tax: on gum, but this was challenged on the ground of being beyond the jurisdiction of the Council. The Bill was then reported ancl leave was given to sit again. The Speaker undertook to rule on the subject of Mr Williams' amendment on next sitting day. SEPARATE INSTITUTIONS BILL. In the Council last evening the Hon. Mr Walker said he would abandon all the contentious clauses. Sub-section 2 of clause 2, providing for the annual election of trustees, was struck out, as were clauses 6 and 7, limiting the vote of voluntary contributors and providing maintenance of the present trustees in office, and clause S, containing provision under certain circumstances at the instance of Hospital and Charitable Aid Boards for the dissolution of separate trusts. Progress was then reported in order to see how the last clause, dealing with repeals, would be affected by the amendments made. WORKERS COMPENSATION FOE ACCIDENTS. Several hours were spent in the Upper House yesterday over the committee stage of the Workers Compen-i sation for Accidents Bill. The battle began on clause 2 from which the j lion. Downie Stewart moved to exclude from workers under the Bill 'persons employed in agricultural or pastoral pursuits? This was stoutly opposed by the Minister in charge on the ground that it struck at the general principle of the Bill that all risks should be covered, but on a division the amendment was carried by 22 to 14 in the following form: 'Worker does not include persons employed in or about agricultural or pastoral pursuits.' Clause 4 exempts the employer from liability for injury which is proved to | be directly attributable to the serious ■< and wilful misconduct of the worker, and the word 'directly' was struck out on the recommendation of the Labour Bills Committee, thus minimising the employers liability. A proposal by the Hon. Mr Oliver to introduce 'negligence' on the part of the worker as a cover to the employers' liability was also carried. As this strikes at the vital principle of the measure progress was at once reported on the motion of the Minister in charge. In its mutiliated form the Bill is certain to be dropped. AN UNPOPULAR RATING SYSTEM. The measure which the Premier had charge of to amend the principal Rating Act provoked considerable hostility last evening. The principle of rating upon the unimproved value I had, he explained, been approved and j this was simply a teehiiicaramending ; Bill. Under it town ancl road boards I were included among the local bodies j which can adopt this system of rating, j There were other amendments dealing j with voting. Mr J. Allen said the Bill was of aj revolutionary nature. It was to do away altogether with plural voting in j the country districts. In the original j Act there were some safeguards. For j instance it was provided that rating ; on unimproved value could not be brought into operation unless one third of the ratepayers on the roll voted. This was now to be done away with, and there was no safeguard at all. Among the chief objections was the proposal to place all property holders, both large and small, on the same footing in regard to voting on the question of whether the system of rating should be brought into force or not., There were other minor objec-

! tions and he would oppose the Bill at ! all stages and as long as possible. I Captain Russell also opposed the Bill. The alteration proposed in re* gard to the taking of the poll and the voting w*as of vital importance. There was no demand in the country for the alteration in the law proposed. An onslaught on the Bill was made i by Mr It. Thompson who declared that the system of rating on unimproved ! value was nothing less than highway j robbery. Some of the valuers were i selected not on account of their com- | petency or local knowledge, but be- | cause the}' would do just as they were I told. Some two years ago he votei. I for the principal Bill, but since then his view on the question had under* gone a change. The country settlers were now being valued simply for the purpose of seeing what amount of tax~ ation could be. ground out of them. The burden under the Bill was to be shifted from the village and hamlets and thrown on to the outlying settlers. Mr Hogg said the member for Masterton. was evidently on the stool of repentance. He had voted in haste and repented like the forlorn lover at his leisure. Messrs J. Huteheson and o'Regan warmly supported the Bill. A motion by Mr Moore for the adjournment of the debate was carried by 33 to 29, which means that the Bill has received its quietus. THE GUTHRIE COMPANY'S LIQUIDATION. Mr Fisher yesterday gave notice to ask the Premier whether the Government can inform the House if the liquidator in the group of companies known as the Guthrie Companies has lodged with Mr Jus. Pennefather. the report ordered to be prepared by Mr Justice Williams in February last in regard to the insolvent condition of the said group of companies, and what steps are necessary to be taken to obtain a copy of the said report so that members of this House may be informed of the full amount of loss sustained by the Bank of New Zea* land through the failure of the said Guthrie companies. JOTTINGS. The Minister of Lands told Mr Herries that it had been intended to deal with the question of local government at Rotorua this session, but the hon. member and others had so delayed the progress of business that the idea had to be abandoned. The Minister of Marine assured Mr Crowther that it. was intended to pass the Admiralty House Bill this session. The Pharmacy Bill was read a second time ih the Legislative Council last night without debate. The Slander of Women Bill, Fencing Act Amendment Bill, Inspection of Machinery Amendment Bill were put through their final stages in the House last evening.