PARLIAMENTARY.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3116, 23 June 1881, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. - Wednesday. The House met at 2.30 p.m. -LEAT2 OV ABSENCE. Leave of absence for a fortnight was granted to Mr Seddon on account of sickness in bis family. -POTIC'ES 0? -.OTIOff. Mr Moss gate notice of an address to the Governor to put a sum on the estimates, to compensate Mr Farnell for his service. \ as emigration agent. , Mr Macar.drew gave notice to move that, in fche opinion of this House, no Licensing Bill will be suitable to the requirements of every part of.the colonj* which does not preserve to each district the right to determine the description of licenses to be granted, and the fee 3 payable for such license within its boundaries. QUESTIONS. Replying to questions put to Ministers, ifc was stated that the Premier was gnidod by constitutional practice when he declined to accept responsibility for the depatch of his Excellency to the Secretary of State in reference to the resignation of Mr Bryce— this view was supported by reference to Tod's Parliamentary Practice ; plans of the electoral districts under the new Kegistration Bill were in course of being prepared, and would shortly be circulated —the bill would be brought down very shortly; the Imperial Commission had been supplied wifch an interim report on the defence of the more important porta and coaling stations; the Government had received an assurance from - the authorities of New South Walt 3 that there was no further spread of small-pox, consequently it was not intended to proclaim Newcastle an infected place under the Public Health Act; the actuary's report on the Government Insurance Department would be received from England aboufc the 24th of August, when ifc would be circulated j the Government did intend to fill up the portfolio of Public Works. NEW 811,_,3. The following bills were introduced and read a first time : —Po Ac Chalmers Drillchcd Bill (Macandrew) ; Education Act 1877 Amendment Bill (Bastings) ; bill to amend the Hawke's Bay and Marlbrough Rivers Act, 1868 (Fulton) ; bill to provide for the formation or r,. Institute of Surveyors in the colony of New Zealaud and for the incorporation thereof (Tole) ; Ot_go Unive.'sity Reserves Vesting Bill (Oliver)• b ; !l to amend tho Tiraaru Mechanics' Institute Act, 1877 (Turnbull) ; Otago Harbor Ec._.i Bill (Stawr.rS.) CIVIL BE-ITICD E^Qulll^D. Hr Andrews moved, "Tii _*; in all cases whorein .ny memc::' or m3_.t**-rs of the Civil Seivieo, ov any pe-.on :n the Government employ, be charged with an offence by which they may, if found fcivlty, bo liable to Cze or dism-'str 1 , when the cbcvge shall bo he.vil by tho autho.ifci.g appointed to dsr.l wifch such questions the cr,".a shall be he:.:_. with, open dears, go Mint the Press of the colony may be p._.cnfc to report on every erie ifc re .y be disposed to make public." Mr Hall opposod fche motion. S?'v GlcDi-ge Gri-sy supported the motion. Acer some discussion the House divided, and the moticn was carried by £5 to £8. CO. £■ 2lSor .'.TEAM. !Z3. Mr Hutchison moved, " That in the opinion of this Houco ifc is desirable for the due pi-oteriion of \)":e nnd property that such an amendment be introduced into the shipping legislation as will prevent small st.amers trading, along the coasts of New Zealand and carrying passengers, from leaving any port insufficiently manned." Mr Shephard moved as an amendment the appointment of a sebefc committee to inquire into the whole question. Mr Hutchinson accepted fche amendment, which was carried on tbe voices. PBISOIs EMPIOY-TENT. Mr Hutchinson moved for a return of the number of convicts in the various gaol employed afc trades and afc various kinds of labour, specifying the various trades and the value per week of fche work done by each convict, with the rate at which such value was reckoned, either by time or results, in each trade respectively. The Government agreed to the motion, which *vas carried. The House adjourned at 5.30. The House resumed afc 7.30. THE DUNEDIN EXHIBITION. In reply to a question, Mr Hall stated that Dr. Hector had been appointed to report on the Dunedin Exhibition. SECOND READINGS. The Drainage Bill (Murray) and tho Fire Brigades Bill (Stevens) were read a second time after a brief discussion. lICHNSING- BILL. This bill was further considered in committee. Clauses 63 to 13 were passed. Clause 14 was amended to give the chairman oi any two members of licensing committee power to grant conditional licenses clauses 75 to 81 werepas.ed. Clause 82 was amended co that the committee could require the personal attendance cf applicants for renewal if ifc was desired to do SO. Clause 83 to 92 was passed. Clause 03 was postponed. Clause 94 and 95 were amended by two members of the licensing committee being substituted for two Justices of the Peace. On the latter clause Mr Saunders moved that ifc be struck out, as he thought, if forfeiture of license followed conviction for any offence, the landlords would be more careful in the »election of tenants. Tho amendment was lost, and fche clause passed. The clauses up to 107 were pas.cd.

On clause 108, fixing tho amounts of license fees, considerable discussion ensued. Mr Bastings moved that the publican's license fee be reduced from £40 to £30. The amendment was lost by 35 to 25, and £40 was passed. Another amendment to make this apply only to boroughs with upwards of 3,000 inhabitants was also lost. In licenses for outside boroughs a proposal to make tho sum £30 was struck out, and an amendment to make the sum £20 was lost by 27 to 24. A hu-tlier amendment to make ifc net exceeding £L 0 afc the discretion of the bench was ne-y.,tived by 2G to 25. A further}amendment to make the sum .£29 was negatived by 25 to 2-i. The amountwas ultimately fixed at ££5.

Progress was then reported, and the House roso afc 11.45.

In the House to-day Major Atkinson stated that he would make his finanoial statement to-morrow week or the Mowing

Tuesday, and on the nexfc sitting day thereafter he would state the full "views of the Government on local government.