HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 10482, 21 October 1899, Page 9

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

MORNING .SITTING. QOVIM&'fWAiiS TO LOCAL BODIES.After the telegraph office closed, the discussion ou ths second reading of the Government Loans to Local Bodies Act Amendment Bill was continued. A motion was carried on the voices, after a short discussion, tliat clauses 2 and 3 as to voting be struck out, the Local Bodies Voting Act providing for voting. Other minor smendments were made, and a new clause added, including town boards. The PREMIER intimated that he would, by Governor's message, bring down at the next sitting a proposal to reduce the rate of interest a half per cent. OTHER BUSINESS. The Railways Authorisation Bill was read a second time and committed, and progress reported. . , i _he Closing Bill was read a second time. The Melrose Gas Bill amendments made by ths Council were agreed to. The Native Land Laws Amendment Bill was committed, and reported without amend-H_6ll-S MUNICIPAL FRANCHISE REFORM. !__. Municipal Franchise Reform Extension Act, 1899, Amendment Bill, was committed. Objection was taken to the provision enabling residential voters to be nominated for ths cMoe of Mayor or Councillor.

Mr HERRItS moved to report progress. Lost on the voices, and tbe Bill was passed through Committee with'slight amendment, to be read a third time at the next sitting.

The House adjourned at 4.45 a.m. till 11 a.m.

The House Dae* at 11 a-m. % The PREMIER moved tbe reco__Jmrttal of the Municipal Frsaeh_w Reform Extension Act Amendmeot BUI, conferring the right on residential burgesses to become members of municipal corpncMJoom. *nd mayors. He did this because Mr, .Crowther was absent front the Chamber-uring the prsvious sitting, and it was. Tmdsrßto_d that he had received commumc-it_a_s _t-K_ Auckland, asking him to oppose the provision in question. After a long discussion tbe motion was carried by 36 to-15* In Committee on the-Bill, Mr WASON moVfe- an amendment to clause 4. iv the direction of making th» mayoral office an elective one at the hands of CounciUors instead of the b*i-g_s_-* • The d_ba__ was intsrrupted by the luncheon adjournment. AFTERNOON SITTING. The House r__U-_ed at 2.30 p.m. CTanM-lderatuou of the Fratkohdse Reform Extension Act 1899 Amendment in Committee was continued, Mr WASOJTS amefidmeot that the nmyor should he elected by borough council Ices being under discussion. Mr G. HUTCHISON moved to report prograss. The PREMIER said it aras apparent a few members had made up their minds to obstruct business to prevent the session closing to-morrow. Personally he would make no further effort to wind uu business this week. After discuaßka, Messrs Wason and Hutchison withdrew their amendmsots. Strang opposition was di-ptayed to olause 4, conferring upon residential voters the right to be elected mayor or oounc-ior. On a division the clause was retained by 31 votes to 23. The B"il wm i-snorta*-.with amendments, read _4-i_rd"rJ___ md pmad. ■ .pT^P^ILLS. The Govectunent- Leans to Local Bodies Act Ares-ndn-O-t Bill was recomnriUed for tbe purpose of reducing ths rats of interest on Joans hatf par cent. Ths Bill was reported with the amondmeut.. Tbe Government Life Insurance Acts Amendment Bill passed through Committee with a slig-ht amendment. The Trust*-- Act Amea-ncnt shu wss further cotM-dered in CkmaaaAtm, and progress wa_j reported. Tbe House adjourned at 5.30 pm. EVENING SITTING. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. ANIMALS PROTECTION WLL. T_* _in*t— '■ Protection Act __a_-__-ent Mvw)«_m-(t_-

Clause 2, season to begin on the Ist May. and end on the 31st July evoked some discussion.

Mr McGOWAN contended that the only way to protect gome was to declare a close season at intervals.

Mr thought that the question of prcsomng native" bird, was of much greater importance _b-__ the dabe"of the open; ing of the season. Mr ROLLESTON thought the question was one of ducks versus eccksiusticism, and he did not think that the House should be engaged in discussing such a question at that .tags of the session. It was merely making game of t-be question. -ur wARROJLL movtd to report progress, as it was apparent thp Hcß_se~was not in a humour to His intention was to dec_are a ck*e season for native game. ' The motion to report progress was carried on the voices. GOVERNMENT LIFE INSURANCE. The Government Life Insurance Act Amendment Bia was read a third time. RAILWAYS AUTHORISATION BILL. In Committee on the Railways Authorisation Bill, Mr TAYLOR said the mere fact of the House authorish-l the railway from Waipara to Uiteviot would increase the value of the properties through which the line would pass equal to tiie amount cf the cost of the railway. He advocated the State endeavouring to secure the advantage of that expenditure, and moved an amendment that the Act should not come into force until the Betterment Act were passed. Mr J. DUTHIE moved an amendment to clause 2 to omit "undertake or," with a view to prevent the works being carried out on the co-operative system. After some debate, Mr Dutliie's amendment was lost on the voices, as was also Mr Taylor's amendment. The Bill was reported without amendment, read a third time, and passed. LAND AND INCOME TAX. Mr CADMAN moved the second reading of the Land and Income Tax Bill. Mr DUTHIE asked whether, looking at the large surplus Last year, it would be necessary to levy the full amount of the tax this year. The PREMIER replied that the whole of the revenue would be required to supply the wants of the country. The Bill was committed, reported without amendment, read a third time, and passed. FACTORIES BILL. The PREMIER moved that the amendment made by the Council in the Factories Act Amendment Bill be agreed to. This was lost by 35 votes to 23. NATIVE BILL. The Native Land Laws Amendment Bill was recormT-itted to add new clauses, stipulating that no mortgage or lien received in payment of costs of survey of native land can be enforced by the sale or alienation of the land, this to appiy to mortgages on Liens created either before or after the pas.ing of the Act. This was lost by 30 votes to 26. A new clause was added prohibiting the sloe of land held by natives either to the Crown or any person. The Premier "proposed a new clause providing native land cannot be sold bf the holder of a surveyor's lien .without the consent of the Governor, and that the Crown should have the first offer of the lao_l. This was carried by 40 votes to 13. A proposal to add a new clause that no surveyors' liens should take effect after the pissing of the Act was lcet by 30 vctes to 22. _ (The House was still sitting when the telegraph office closed at 2 0,m.)