EVENING SITTING.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 9234, 11 October 1895, Page 6

EVENING SITTING.

The House resumed at 7.30. FAIR RENT BILL. Mr MACKINTOSH resumed the debate on the second roading of tho Fair Rent Bill. He supported the Bill and contended it should apply to private property as well as to Crown lands Mr THOS. MACKENZIE (Clutha) spoko •gainst tbe Bill. Mr McLachlan, Major Steward, Messrs Montgomery, Fraser, McGowan, Hall and J. W. Kelly also spoke. In the course of his reply, Mr J. M'KENZIE said ho regretted he had not been able to introduce this Bill at an .earlier stage of the session. He could never agree to strike out the provision bringing private tenants within the scope of the Bill. If that provision were excised, he would drop the Bill at once. It was not fair that private tenants should not have the same privileges in regard to their reut as Crown tenants. This cry about private tenants was purely a side wind. He repeated his conviction that, sooner or later, the Fair Rent Bill would be the law of the laud. The principle of this measure was established first in the Highlands of Scotland and also in Ireland. The Bill would not in any way interfere with coveuaitt- of the lease, and applied only to the rent. He had no hope that the Bill would pass the third reading this •session ; but still, he thought the discussion that had taken place would do good. Memben were at liberty to vote on the Bill as they liked. The second reading was carried by 30 to 7. TKACHERS' COURT OF APPEAL. The Public School Teachers' Incorporation and Court of Appeal Bill was committed and passed with slight amendments. watkr supply*. The Water Supply Act Amendment Bill waa committed and passed without alteration. STOCK act. The Stock Act Amendment Bill was committed. Clause 4—Persons slaughtering sheep to furnish return to Inspector — caused a lengthy discussion, several members contwo—g that it would prove harassing to '

small farmers who killed sheep for their j own consumption. The clause was passed I without amendment. C!au«B s—Compensation for destruction of stock, also was debated at great length and passed as it stood. Clause 8. Mr BUCHANAN moved to the clause so that stock owners in the North Island could drive their sheep any day or at any hour. He said it was a great hardship that stock owners should be compelled to drive their sheep in hot weather, as it would lead to great loss of sheep. Mr M'KENZIE said if Mr Buchanan succeeded in striking out this subsection, he wonld drop the Bill. He was prepared to allow permits for driving sheep, which could be obtained from the Chief Constable or Postmaster of the district. He was convinced that the practice of driving sheep at night led to a great amouut of sheep stealing. Mr Buchanan's amendment was lost by 32 to 10. Mr PIRANI moved an amendment that the inspector may have the option of proseting either buyer or seller of sheep within ten days of their changing hands it the sheep were found to be in a dirty or infected condition. Mr M'KENZIE opposed the amendment, which was loet by 30 to 7. BILLS PASSED. The Bill was reported with amendments, read a third time, and passed. The Public School Teachers' Appeal Bill and the Water Supply Bill were read a third time and passed. The House rose at 1.15.