GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11730, 3 November 1903, Page 6

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

(rKF.SS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Monday, November 2. EVENING SITTING. The House met at 7-50. NOTICES. Mr ELL gave notice to ask the Government whether the "New Zealand Times" Company has paid the fine imposed ou it for a breach of the privileges of tiie House. Mr BARBER gave notice that in. Committee on the Licensing Bill lie would move an amendment to provide that the election of licensing committees be held on tlie same day as the local option poll. LOCAL BILLS. The House then took the Local Bills on the Order Paper. Too Dunedin City and Suburban Tramway and Water Power Biii (.Mr .Miliar), Wellington Hospital Contributors' Empowering Bill (Mr Field), and Wellington Harbour Board Reclamation and Empowering Bill (Mr Wood) passed through Committee and their final stages. The following Bills were read a second time: —Port Chalmers Corporation Empowering (Mr E. G. Allen). Otago Dock '1 rust Electric Lighting (Mr E. G. Allen), Carterton Borough Water .Supply (Mr Buchanan), Waniono Drainage District Adjustment r ->r W. J. Steward), Thames Harbour Board Empowering (Mr McGowan), Taranaki and Haweru Hospital Districts Apportionment (Mr Smith), New Plymouth Borough and Taranaki Hospital Exchange (Mr Smith), and Whangarei Borough Repayment of Kensington Tark Kate Enabling Bill (Mr Manden/VV'airewa County Bill (Mr EM. Petone Foreshore Vesting (Ma- Field), Hutt Mechanics' Insiituto Sale (Mr Field), Palmerston North High School (Mr Wood), Timaru Harbour District and Harbour Board (Mr Hall-Jones), Lytteltoii Harbour Board Enlargement (Mr Witty), Christchurch District Drainage Act, 18/5, Amendment (Mr D.ivey), Wangajiui Suburbs Lighting (Mr Willis), New Plymouth Harbour Board Empowering (Mr Smith), Wellington Corporation Leasing (Mr Aitken), Waiapu Hospital District (Mr Carroll). Otago Harbour Board Empowering (Mr Millar), Patea Harbour Board Foreshore (Mr Sym.es), Taranaki School Commissioners and Borough Exchange (Mr Smith), City of Christchurch Special Loans Enabling (Mr Taylor), Wjtikokopu Harbour (Mr Carroll), City of Auckland Empowering and Reserves Exchange (Mr Kidd), Mokau River Trust (Mr Jennings), Waimate County Water-races Validation (Sir W. J. Steward), Inchclutha Road, River, and Drainage Act, 1901, Amendment (Mr J. Allen), Gisborne Harbour Board Amendment (Mr Carroll), St. Albans Special Loan Validation and Empowering (Mr Davey), Huirangi Domain and Institute Empowering (Mr Jennings), Borough of Dannevirke Electric Power and Loan Empowering (Mr "Hall), Wairoa Harbour Board Empowering and Loan (Sir W. Russell), Masterton Hospital Contributors Empowering (Mr Hogg), Gore Athemeum Reserve Vesting and Empowering (Mr McNab). Collingwood County (Mr R. Mackenzie), and Wellington City Recreation Ground (Mr Aitkeu). REFERENDUM BILL. Mr SEDDON moved tho second reading of the Referendum Bib;, to provide for certain Bills and legislative proposals being referred to a poll of the electors of New Zealand. Ho said several questions might with advantage be referred direct to the people for their calm and dispassionate judgment, such as the reform of the Legislative Council, leasehold verais freehold tenure of land, and Bible teaching in public schools. The people of the colony were labouring under a grave delusion as to the amount of scriptural instruction their children received outside of Sunday schools. He quoted figures to show that out of 1754 public schools in the colony, only 156 gave instruction in scriptural subject's. Ho would not encroach on the time devoted to secular instruction in publiu schools, but no child's education was perfect if its religious training" was neglected, and ho regretted that more use had not been made of the facilities at present available for teaching Scripture before and after school hours. The Bill did not give the people the power of initiation, and there could be no danger in the public giving un. expression of opinion on matters that immediately affected them. Mr MASSEY said the Bill went in the right direction. It would give every elector a direct voice in the Government of the country, as well as an indirect (say through his representative. Mr SIDEY thought that on large questions where it was desirable to have the people's opinion, the referendum would be verv useful.

Sir W. J. STEWARD urged that the Bill should be amended to give increased facilities to private members to carry a resolution to refer a question to the referendum. Mr FLATMAN supported the Bill in order that the Bible-residing in schools question should be decided by the people. Mr ELL predicted that before many years the public would demand tho initiative. The debate was proceeding when the Telegraph Office closed at 2 a.m.