EVENING SITTING.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 8929, 20 October 1894, Page 8

EVENING SITTING.

The Council resumed at 7.30. POST AND TELEGRAPH DEPARTMENT BILL. The COLONIAL. SECRETARY moved the second reading of tbe Post and Telegraph Department Bill, which, he explained, was to to place the two departments under one head. The only other proposition was to make a Board of Appeal. The motion was agreed to on the voices without debate. SHIPPING AND SEAMEN'S. The Shipping and Seamen's Act Amendment Biil was committed. Several clauses were amended as proposed by the Labour Bills Committee. Same discussion took place on clause 7, "Number of hands for coastal or intercolouial traite vessels." Mr McLEAN moved to strike out the word '• only," as applying to a steamer plying within river limits, with the view of inserting the words "or extended river limits." Mr RIGG remarked that it wa3 clearly the duty of the State to ascertain that a sufficient number or hands wece engaged on the river boats, in order that human life might be made as secure as possible. Mr OLIVER said the clause had engaged the earnest consideration of the Committee and it was believed, after a very fall examination of witnesses, including members of Parliament who knew the district well, the words proposed to be omitted should be excised. The boats employed iv the Auckland coastal and river trade were built expressly for dsck cargo carrying purposes and were engineered, as a rule, by competent men who had large. interests in the vessels. Messrs MORRIS and SWANSON said that the beats referred to were virtually carriers' carts, and but for these the settlers, who had no roads but the rivers, would be debarred from sending produce to market. Mr JENKLNSON said there Was equal danger in extending river limits as in boats sailing round the coast. Mr JENNINGS remarked that there should be a clause in the Bill similar to one in the Imperial Act giving power to the Board of Trade to make regulations controlling the working of small coastal and river steamers. He thought there was very little danger in affording river steamers extended limits in the Norch Island, At> this juncture, Mr FELDWIUK raised a point of order, remarking that the proceedings of the Council for the last hour were informal, inasmuch as a conference of both Houses was sitting. He moved, "That progress be reported." After a debate, Mr FELDWICK withdrew the amendment, and the motion to strike out the word •'only' was lost by 21 to 5, the dissentients being Mesara Bolt, Rigg, JenkinBon, Montgomery, and Sir Patrick Buckley. The clause a? amended was agreed to. Oα clause 14, " wages to be paid annually," Mr'BOLT said he failed to see why shipmasters should not carry money with them' with which to pay their crews on tha first of the month. Mr SWANSON remarked that shipowners now had the best of it on their side. Mr MACGREGOR moved the excision of the clauae. Mr JENNINGS hoped that the clauae would be retained. After a discussion, the amendment was carried by 18 to 10. I On clause 17, " Punishment of offences," Mr BONAR moved, on subsection 6, " Assault; on officers on the high seas," to substitute six months for twelve weeks on conviction. This was agreed to by 12 to 9, and the Bill as amended w&s reported, read a third time and passed. NATIVE LAND. Several Native Land Bills were read the first and second time, and referred to the Native Affairs Committee. LITTLE BAEEIEB ISLAND. The Little Barrier Island Purchase Bill was read the first and second time, and also referred to the Native Affairs Committee. MININa COMPANIES. Messrs Bonar, Bolt and Montgomery were appoinred Managers for the Council at the Conference on the Mining Companies Bill. PUBLIC TRUST OFFICE. The COLONIAL SECRETARY moved the second reading of the Public Trust Office Consolidation Bill. The motion was agreed to without debate. The Council at 11.30 adjourned till next day at 11 a.m.