AFTERNOON SITTING.

Press, Volume L, Issue 8534, 14 July 1893, Page 5

AFTERNOON SITTING.

' The House met at 2.30 p. m. • MANOATU EMPOWEBINQ BILL. Mr PRATT moved.the second reading of the Mangatn. Empowering Bill, explaining that it affected a block of land in which 180 owners were interested. The owners had appointed a number of trustees, some of whom were dead, and the bulk of the 180 owners wished to have a share iv the administration of the block. ■ Mr MITOHELSOiSr protested against the Bill, and moved that it be read a second time that day six mouths. A ; lengthy discussion ensued, after which Mr MIt'CHELSOiSr withdrew his amendment, and the Bill was read a second time. CHAIRMANSHIP OF COMMITTEES. Mr SEDJXON moved — " That Mr Guiuneea. member for Greymouthv be appointed Chairman of Committees, in place of Mr W. %. Bees, resigned-" .'; Mr FISH said he did not at ail desire to oppose Mr HcGuiunesa's election, as he "thought he would mike an excellent Chairman. . Ho was pleased at having discovered the other day, from the lips of the member for Waipawa, the iutritpies that went on last session concerning the appointment of Chairman oft Committees. . Mr SEDPON denied that there any intrigue. The matter came before the Cabinet in the ordinary way, and the selection was ■ made in the same way as the present selection had been made. : Mr FISH said that the intrigue was the work of some person outside the Cabinet. The motion was agreed to. JfATIVB LAND PtTftCHASE, Sir JOHN HALL called attention to what was almost » matter of privilege. The House last - year granted £50,000 to the Government for the purchase of Native lands, , but the Act provided that the full statement &a to how the money w&a expended should be laid before Parliament within twenty days of the opening of the session. That, however, had not been done, and he felt it his duty to call attention to the matter. Mr J. McKENZIE said that thU wport had been prepared bat wue at present blocked through too much work being is the Government printing office. Hβ hoped to lay the return on the table ia a day or two.' ■■■■-" • ■ ■ . CHEVIOT. , Replying to. Mr Rolleston, . Mr J. McKENZIE said the feU report ©f tite whole of the details eonoeeted witjt Chevioc porchase would be laid oatbeteble inafewdaysi THE K*W CHAIRMAS. Mr GUINNESS odd he desired to take the opportunity *>f thanking the House for < the hoaaar jasfc conferred ou him by electin" bim to the honourable position of Clfairman jot Committees. He could only ] assure hou. iuembsra that he should endear vout to act impartially, and to the beat of hie judgment and ability. Ho hoped to l»ve

the cordial assistance of membersk el both sides of the House in carrying out tibe duties of Chairman. MNAXGIAL DEBATS* Mr BUCKI-AND resumed the debate on the Financial Statement. He said it was quite evident the Statement could not be understood by the great mass of the people in the colony, and he hoped some other way would be found of showing the surplus by pointing out what tha actual surplus was on the years work. He asserted that, notwithstanding what ths Government said about non-borrowing, they were borrowing in two or three ways, and they were getting pretty short of money too. Referring to tho purchase of the Cheviot estate, he .aid it would be much better to spend £260,000 in the King Country than in Cheviot. He referred at some length to the question of the Railway Commissioners, and quoted from anonymous slips that had been put into a number of pigeon-holes urging them to support the R-ilway Insurance Bill, the Government Railways Act Amendment Bill, and other Bills that were supported by the Amalgamated Railway Servants' Society, and he regarded this as a very improper proceeding. Ho condemned the cooperative principle of labour ou the ground that it brought the labourer down to the level of the loafer. He said there was a strong feeling of discontent amongst the working men of the country, who all wanted to go on co-operative works. The fact was that thousands of pounds were being thrown away oh those co-operative works, owing to roads being made in unsuitable places. Which were washed away as fast as they were constructed by the men on those works. He was still speaking at the 6.30 p.m. adjournment.