HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Press, Volume L, Issue 8597, 26 September 1893, Page 6

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Monday, September 25. AFTERNOON SITTING. The House met at 2.30 p.m. ORDER OF BUSINESS. Mr SEDDON moved thai for the remainder of the session Government Bills after the stage of second reading be dealt with on the understanding of Order No. 352 as Bills of urgency. MrROLLESTON hoped that the Premier would make the statement to the House he had promised to make with respect to the Bills he proposed to go on with this session.

Mr SEDDON said he should not propose any formal motion at the present, but he might state that the Government would not proceed with the adjourned debate on Colonel Fox's report and with the following Bills:—Arsenic and Cyanide of Potassium Imputation Bill, Sale of Poisons Bill, Noxiou* Weeds Bill, Auctioneers Act Amendment Bill, and Imprisonment for Debt Abolition BilL He saw no reason why, if the House got on with the work, business should not close by the end of this week. With respect to the compilation of tbe electoral rolls, he said the rolls would be completed by October 7th, and after that date supplementary rolls would be prepared. Three weeks would elapse before the main rolls were printed, and during that time names could be sent in for the supplementary rolls. Mr ROLLESTON hoped the Premier would not adhere to October 7th as the date for completing the main roll. He pointed out that in view of the new development that had occurred ov/ing to female franchise the time proposed by Government was entirely insufficient for the purpose of putting people on the electoral roll, and it was scarcely fair to fix so early a date as October 7lh.

Mr SEDDON said Government had considered that point, and they had decided that after October 7th three weeks would el&ase before they were printed, and during

that time the supplementary roll coald be compiled. Mr RHODES said that would be of no use, as until the main rolls were printed they could not see what names were on it and who should be placed on the supplementary roll. Sir J. HALL said it was an absolute farce for the Premier to tell the House that they conld dispose of forty_ Bills in a week. He referred to several of the Bills proposed to be gone, on with, and said that one or two of them would of themselves occupy a couple of days in 'discussion. They had also not yet discussed the Public Works Statement and Estimates. In the face of such an Order Paper as that before them the Premier told them they could finish business that week. He regarded this as simply trifling with the House. Considerable discussion arose, several membera protesting against the Premier's j motion on the ground that it would enable fresh business to be taken after 12.50 o'clock, and that the Premier would take advantage of that to rush the whole of the business through after half-past 12 at night. In reply to Mr Fisher, The bPEAKER said that the Premier's j motion would not necessarily imply that j fresh business would be taken after half-past tweive ; any Bill that happened to be in progress of debate before 12.30 could be carried to further stages by tnis motion, but unless the motion distinctly stated that new Bills would be proceeded with after 12.30 that could not be done. The Premier's motion was carried on the voices. LOCAL BILLS. Mr J. KELLY moved the second reading of the Invercargill Corporation Empowering Act Amendment BilL Carried after some discussion by 28 to 27. The following local Bille were put through all their stages, read a third time, aud passed :—Kaitangata Cemetery Site Side Bill; Otogo University Reserve Vesting Bill ; Lyttelton Orphanage Lauds Vesting Bill; Auckland Domain Vesting Bill; Gisborne High School Act, 1885, Further Amendment Bill; Mokoreta Cemetery Reserve Bill; Mahinapua Creek aud Lake Reserves Bill; Westland Churches, Schools, and Hospital Vesting Act Amendment Bill; St. Albans Public Library Transfer Bill ; Hawera Borough Council Enabling Bill. The Invercargill Corporation Empowering Bill was committed and strongly opposed. Mr FISH moved thao progress be reported on the BilL The motion was carried by 27 to 23. Mr WILLIS moved the second reading of the Wauganui River Trust Amendment Bill. This was agreed to, and the Bill was then committed and put through its final stages. The House adjourned at 5.30 p.m.