EVENING SITTING.

Press, Volume XLVI, Issue 7360, 12 July 1889, Page 6

EVENING SITTING.

The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. AUCTIONEERS BILL. Mr Samuel moved the second reading of the Auctioneers Bill, and explained .that theßill was for the consolidation of the law relating to auctioneers. It had often been before the House in previous sessions. The Bill provided that all license and other fees received under the Act shall be divided amongst local authorities iv the several provincial districts. It also provides that one license should be issued, and that under that license a person should be able to sell in any part of the colony, as ie was felt all over the colony that the law should be assimilated. Another feature of the Bill was that the license should take effect from the time it was taken out. The provision for obtaining a license was also very simple, as application could be made to a Resident Magistrate, who could hear such applications after the expiration of fourteea*Bays, aud could then decide whether the applicant was or was not a fit and proper person to hold a license. He expected to encounter some opposition from the House as to the proposal to divide the license fees amongst the local authorities, but If any reasonable alternative could be aaUjto,in Committee he should be glad to accepFit. Another important alteration in-?4he Bill was that in the case of illness, in the absence of any licensed auctioneer a substitute may be appointed, bat no licensed auctioneer who has appointed a substitute shall resume business until after three days' notice. After detailing tf>« other provisions of the Bill, he said he should be grateful to any hon. member for susqjestions. Mr Fish would not oppose the Bill, but he protested against the proposal to deprive the cities of the revenue to which they were justly entitled. He altogether deprecated the feeling of injustice :rzL'" r *- 1 i Be s til, « ta **•*■* respect to ►ET7-*L,?|-- d be *«**t«reato say that if SStJTSSSkSi* P«»»l8«»d in much longer no one would have more cause to reeret it he hoped Mr Samuel would um«fn ■« amendment allowing to obtain revenue ,f»m auctoneertf hcenses, which was only just and rea^-

Mr Seddon wished to know why Borough Councils should obtain thfaTw£ venue, and what claim they had la tha with M-™» that thi time had come for a reckoning between town and country, but hia (Mr "f t the cities *■»■ now w^^Ea^^ 0 ?-** 08 - He held itwas fully Bm^uula S a ttd " hoped *• present

I Mr Reeves (Inangahua) said there was no necessity whatever for this Bill, and he should oppose it. ~«- - £ Mr Ward supported the Bill, * and hoped to see some amendment in Committee. Mr Goldie objected to the Bill altogether, as one which should have been brought in by tbe Government. He failed to see where the rights of the country districts to auctioneers' license fees came in, and he held that the boroughs were undoubtedly entitled to them. Mr Taylor wanted to know why small centres called cities should obtain those fees, and he objected to that part of the Bill. Mr Feldwick thought the Bill was not wanted, but if it got into Committee be should like to see it amended in some respects. The motion for the second reading was agreed to. CALIFORNIAN THISTLE BILL. Mr T. Mackenzie (Clutha) moved the second reading of the Californian Thistle Bill, a measure to prevent the spread of the Californian thistle. He said the Bill had been before the country for the last two years and during that time the agricultural community had had an opportunity of studying the Bill with very beneficial effect. " Tne present Bill was a modified form of that of last year. He thought it was time some legislation should take place so as to destroy this noxious weed and prevent our land being ruined by it. In other countries this weed had rendered large tracts of valuable land absolutely useless, and it was found utterly impossible to prevent its spread. If, however, they took active measures in this colony now he thought in a few years they would be able to eradicate the thistle altogether. He hoped the House would agree to the measure he had introduced. Mr Kerr thought the thistle perfectly harmless, and it was to be found in all parts of tbe country. It was impossible to eradicate it as, like the Scotch thistle, the seed blew all over the country. Speaking with some knowledge of the subject, be asserted that anyone possessing either a run or a farm could not possibly clear cheir land of this weed, as it had got too good a hold in the country. Mr Rkeves (Inangahua) hoped the Bill would become law, as it would be a great boon to the country. Mr J. McKenzie admitted that the present Bill was greatly modified, but he felt that several other amendments were required. The Bill included the Bathurst burr, but left out several other things that were just as destructive as the Bathurst burr. An amendment was also required in the direction ol appointing inspectors. Mr Buxton would oppose the Bill, and was satisfied that the Californian thistle was not nearly so bad as many other weeds. He had consulted many farmers on the matter, and they all felt it would be useless expenditure to undertake its eradication. Mr Fulton would like to know what the Government thought of this measure, as it affected their land. They had attempted a similar thing in the South some years ago, but it was found to be altogether inoperative. Mr Dodson wanted to know not only what the Government but Native members thought of it. He regretted he could not support the second reading, as the Bill would be useless in operation. Mr Richardson would not oppose the second reading, but he should require a very large number of amendments iv Committee, especially in respect to giving more power te local bodies in eradicating che weed. i Mr Bruce agreed with the Minister of Lands that the local bodies should eradicate the weed, and that the Bill should be of a permissive character. He thought, at 1 any rate, the House should pass the second reading without a division, as Mr Mackenzie had taken great trouble in connection with it. The motion for the second reading was agreed to. licensing act. Mr Fish moved the second reading of the Licensing Act, 1831, Amendment Act, to enable married women to hold licenses. He thought tbe House would pass the second reading of the Bill, as it was simply an ace of justice to married women. Mr Fulton thought they might fairly consider whether married women might not hold licenses who were separated from their husbands, but he wished to inform the House that the Bill was really brought in to rectify an illegal act, namely, granting a licence go a person who wss not legally entitled to obtain it. The motion was agreed to. registration of births. The House went into Committee on the Registration of Births Extension Bill, which was reported, read a third time, and passed. OTAGO UNIVERSITY. Dr. Fitchett moved the second reading of the Otago University Council Election Bill, a measure to make better provision for the government of the University of Otago, aud to remove certain disabilities under which the Council now labored. Clause 2 provided that a graduate of the University of Otago should include graduates of the University of New Zealand who have kept terms at the University of Otago. He trusted the House would pass tne second reading of tbe Bill, and that it would become law. He had only just received a telegram to the effect thac a petition had been forwarded, signed by 150 students, praying that the Bill might pass. Mr Fulton said it was open to ques tion whether the management of tbe Council should be put into the hands of the students, who were mostly very young men indeed. He believed Dr. Fitchett was the oldest graduate in the University. He read a lengthy manifesto from the Couucil objecting to the Bill.

Mr Allen never intended opposing the Bill, and to some extent he agreed with the principle of it, but at the same time they should not run the risk of injuring tbe financial prospects of the Couucil till tbe graduates were of a more mature age. With regard to the tenure of office of the members of the Council, he thought it should be for life instead of for five years, as provided for in the Bill. There were also one or two Committee objections to the measure, which he hoped the member for Dunedin Central would see his way to accept. Mr Downie Stewart expected much more vigorous opposition from Messrs Fulton and Allen with regard to this Bill, which made such radical alterations in the Government of the Otago University. He had no hesitation whatever in saying that many members in the House would hail with satisfaction this attempt to destroy Otago University and its endowments. Dr. Fitchett, in his opinion, was acting unwisely in the interest of the University, and he was not at all sure that the students themselves would like to sit in Council or have a voice in putting in the members of it. The primary object of electing the members of that Council was that they should be judicious business men. He was in favor of the charter being granted to confer degrees by Otago University, and if that University was represented by able men there was no reason why such degrees should not be as valuable as those of any other University. This Council had the management of endowments of about £12,000 a year, and he thought it was uo friend of the University that brought in such a Bill as the present one. He was a friend of the students of Otago, but he deplored the introduction of a measure of this kind. Mr Fergus coincided with the last speaker, that the Bill must be considerably altered before the Government could agree to it. He should not oppose the second reading, but he hoped the hon. gentleman who moved it would see his way to make material amendments in Committee. The motion was agreed to. DOG REGISTRATION. Mr Duncan moved the second reading of the Dog Regis- ration Act Amendment Bill, which provided that any shepherd or driver should be entitled to have any dog or number of dogs not exceeding four, registered at a fee not exceeding 2s 6d each, and that any rabbiter may register dogs for the exclusive purpose of rabbitting at Is per dog. Mr Jones would not oppose the second reading, but in Committee he should move an "amendment giving power to local bodies to increase the tax on sporting docs. The motion was agreed to. The House rose at 10.40 p.m.