HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3164, 19 August 1881, Page 3

HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES.

Thursday. The House met at 2.30 p.m. ■ SBEB TBADB IN THE PBACTICE OP THE LAW. Sir George Grey gave notice to introduce a bill authorising anyone to practise law in the Courts -when duly authorised by any party to a suit. BOGUS PETITION. w.*., Replying to Mr Jones, the Premier stated that he had received what had since turned out to be a bogus petition from " unemployed "in Waifcaki. The petition came to him direct, and he had no reason to suppose that either of the members representing the district knew anything of it. Mr Jones and Mr Shrimsld denied positively that they knew anything of the j petition. QUESTIONS. Replying to other questions, it was stated that a bill would be introduced to allow postage stamps to be used for duty purposes and vice versa • the Q-overnment had received, through Warden Stratford, an anonymous letter reflecting upon the Clerk of the Court at Greymouth, which was returned without notice being taken of it —no formal complaint had been made against the clerk; the Q-orernmenb had no intention of Testing the various lakes in the Wakatipu district in the Lake County Council; during the last two years no reward had been offered for goldfield discoveries, and there "was no intention of doing so—the aid hitherto given for prospecting was found to be more effectual when devoted to the opening up of tracks, and instead of rendering pecuniary aid to prospectors, the Government intended to furnish diamond drills and Buch like appliances to assist in searching for gold, and a sum for that purpose would be proposed on the supplementary estimates ; instead of sending the agricultural and analytical chemist throughout the districts to analyse manures, the agriculturalists were in the habit of sending samples of their manures to be tested—the plan had worked well, and the Government had no intention of changing it; domains in the hands of the County Councils and municipalities were for by the Act under which those bodies operated — with regard to other domains provision was required to bo made, and in any future legislation that requirement would be attended to ; if tho counties interested were agreeable to abide by the report, the Government engineer •would be instructed to report on the Bangitafca bridge and the iron pile design; the t. Government would not undertake to provide funds for the completion of the Catlin river line to the main road. NEW JILLS. The Public Health Act, 1876, Amendment Bill and the Education Reserves Act Amendment Bill were introduced and read a first time. SECOND HEADINGS. The Kaikoura Harbor Reclamation Bill } the Geraldine Racecourse Reserve

Bill, and the Southland -Agricultural Association Keserre Bill were read a second time. BriL COMMITTED. The Onehunga, Grammar School Bill was under consideration in committee when the House rose for the 5.30 adjournment. The House resumed at 7.30. AXNTTAL PARLIAMENTS BILL. Dr. Wallis wished to withdraw his Annual Parliaments Bill on the ground of want of support, but Mr Brown moved i(s second reading, which was supported by Mr Andrews. On a division the bill was thrown out by 41 to 8. PAS3AGE OF BITXS. The protection of Crops Bill (Saunders) was read a second time. The Parliamentary Oaths Bill (Grey) was read a third time and passed. The Kakanui Harbour Board Borrowing Bill (Shrimski) was passed through committee, read a third time, and passed by 31 to 24. The consideration of the Council's amendments in the Drainage Bill were adjourned for a week. The Pensions Bill (Shrimski) was recommitted, and after considerable discussion clause 6 was altered so as not to debar a pensioner having a seat in Parliament from receiving the usual honorarium. This was carried by 36 to 16, and the bill was reported, read a third time, and passed. The Adoption of Children's Bill (Tole) was considered in committee. A motion by Mr J. B. Fisher for the chairman to leave the chair was lost 39 to 17. A number of amendments were then made pro forma, on the understanding that the whole bill would be recommitted next week. GOLD DTTTY ABOIITIOK. On the motion to go into committee on the Gold Duties Abolition Bill (Soddon), Mr Eolleston pointed out that, if the gold duty was abondoned, the goldfields must not expect any exceptional assistance from the general revenue to replace it for local works. A long discission ensued, Mr Pyke and Mr Weston protesting against the special taxation on miners, and the latter saying ho would do his utmost to impose a tax on wool unless the gold duty was abolished. Mr Sheehan urged that the remission of the duty should be left optional to the local bodies. Ultimately the House went into committee at 2 a.m. In committee, after discussion and a motion to report progress being negatived by 28 to 15, Mr Seddon proposed an amendment that the duty should altogether cease on the Ist January, 1883 (being reduced in the meantime as originally proposed in the bill). Mr Eeevee moved the total abolition from the Ist January, 1882. Mr Seddon's proposal was carried by 26 to 10. Mr Sheehan moved a new clause leaving the abolition of the duty optional to the local bodies on the second reading. This was carried by 22 to 18, and ifc was after further discussion added to the bill on a division of 32 to 8. The Bill was then reported as amended, and the House rose at 3.20 until 7.30 tonight.