HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Bruce Herald, Volume X, Issue 959, 20 November 1877, Page 6

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Thursday, Noyember 15. The following BU!b were, read a third time : — -Balclutha Athenaeum Bill, Kakanui -Harbour Board Bill, Wa.ikouaiti Harbour; Bill, Y7aikouaili Athenaeum Land Bill. : Mr Sheehan staged that the Government could not agree to the Disqualification Bill, Npl (Kelly's). This Bill proposed toentirely alter the law and repeal that valuable provision by which members- were rendered ineligible for permanent appointment in the public service for twelve months after ceasing to be a member. • ■■■>'■> After some Blight discussion the motion for going' into committee was lost by 32 to 10. Mr Seaton moved the'secohi reading of the South Dunedin Reserves Bill, explaining its qlvject was to vest about 10 acres below highwater mark, on the flit in,the South Dunedin Municipality, for the purpose of forming a reservoir for atorni water. ' , Mr M'Lean contended, that the land was Harbour Board endowment. Mr Macandrew said that the land was long ago promised " to the municipality, and he could not understand how the Harbour Bi>ar<? could have got- it. The Bill was read a second time on a divi? sion by 10 to 13, and then referred to the Waste Lands Corn .-nit tee to euquire fully into the.positioii of the, land referred to, and report in a week. . . . . Mr Eees gave notice of motion that in the resolution passed relative to Mr Lusk the House did not mean to. impute: any corrupt, conduct to him, and that the fine of £50 be remitted. . :-.-. ■ ,-... : '■ i ■ Sir George Grey moved the second reading of the Disqualification Act Amendment Bill ■JJfo 2, the object of 'which was to correct a technical error in the existing law. ■ :: ' • i: Mr Reynolds regretted the Bill did' not 7 go further.'' At present the' law was a trap to catch members. •' who might violate "the law without the slightest idea they were doing so. Bad it not been 'for the error how proposed ;to' be corrected he and many others would have lost their'seats.* ' - '' : "[ Mr Whisker said the Bill would disqualify several members of the House. H-* regretted that the'Goveriiment bad hot accented; all the recommendations of the Disqualificatioh Committee instead of only the one embodied in the Bill. He thought questions of disqualification, should be decided by the Supreme Court, but the House should be able to prevent the imposition of penalties. r , < ■ Mr Reid: thought Parliament could protect its own purity and honour, and that all which was necessary was to prevent contractors and civil servants from. sitting in the House. Mr Montgomery preferred the Supreme Court deciding questions of disqualification. Mr jKennedy explained that he would have been disqualified in regard to a coal contract if it had not been for the error in the Act, and yet he had not actually known that he was a contractor for some time after he. becama'sfi. fi§ had cert-aii^y lost rather than gainpd bj his contract, and had nothing to do witli the contract now. It had not in any way affected his c mduci in the House. ! Sir George Grey said the Bill had been drawn in accordance with the. report of the Committee oVerslght in the existing Act, and render operative the intentions of Parliament. It could, not be introduced without having Fetpospective effect, as affecting those seats which would become vacant under it. He would leave the Bill entirely iti the hands of .the House,. the Government haying no oeraoiiaj desire to, pqshit forward. 'They ''Wese alroady -preparing a Bill to alter •the whole electoral machinery in ace rdauce with modern practice, simplifying the procedure, and referring the trial of all elections to an ihdepehdeht trioumil. The Bjlt would be introducgd' next session, and it would deal iiqc only with the franchise' $n(i e'ectionSj but also with the' disqualification of members. The Government would hive no objection to, this Bill boing reacted, .: ; ■..■ ;■ , ' • bill was read a second time. • - :The;FJsh Protection Bill: wa& read a third time/ ' ■•■■• '■'•■ ; . ' ■'""■■'■