PARLIAMENTARY.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3739, 10 July 1883, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Monday

The House met at 7.30 p.m

NEAV MEJIDEIJ. Mr J. MoDonald took tho oath and his seat for Bruce. CONSTITUTION ACT AMENDMENT BILL. Sir George Grey moved tho second reading of tho Constitution Act Amendment Bill No. 2. It was the same bill which had been before tho House last session, and was intended to provide against the occurrence of a dead lock betAveen tho tAvo Chambers. The people of this colony had, he held, an inherent rig-ht to determino the form of the constitution under Avhich they would live, and this bill Avould really secure that right to them. It would prevent constituencies being terrorised or bribed, and instead of the sham of an appeal to the people in the ordinary way as at present their real voice would be heard by a plebiscite beforo their rights Averc taken away, as they had been by tho abolition of the provinces. Major Atkinson had not heard a single good reason given for the bill. This hill would enormously increaso the poAver of the Legislative Council, aud destroy that of the Houso, for tho Council Avould have poAver to force a plebiscite. Ho held that tho Avill of the people had been fully consulted before abolition took place, and on the experience of other countries ho altogether objected to a plebiscite. Mr Shephard opposed the bill. A plebiscite would simply mean giving all the power to the largo toAvns. ' I Mr MacandreAV said that Otago and Auckland had almost to a man opposed abolition, but their voice had been unfairly SAvampod. Sir George Grey replied, and the Houso divided, the bill being thrown out by 40 to 24. Ayes. BroAvn, J. 0. Hutchison Buchanan, J. Pvess Cadmau MacandreAV Do Lautour McDonald, A. Daniel McKenzic, J. Duncan Moss Feldwick I'otrio Fish Shrimski George Smith Grey Tomoana Harris Turnbull Holmes AVhite, AY. Noes. Allwright McMillan Atkinson Mitchelson Beetham Montgomery Brown, J, E. Morris Brycc " Munro Connolly Peacock Dick Tilliot Driver Pearson Fergus Postlethwaite Fitzgerald Rollcston Fulton Sluiav Hobbs Shepliard Hurst Sutter Hursthouso Siitton Johnston, AY. Swanson Johnston, C Tawhai Kelly Thompson, 11. Larnach Trimble Lee AVatt, Le'vestani AVhyte, J. B. McKenzic, F. AY. AVilson, J. Mason Wright McDonald, J. AVynn-AViUiams EIGHT IIOUBS HILL. On the motion of Mr M. W. Green tho House AVont into committee on the Eight Hours Bill. Mr Bryce moved that the chairman _do loavc tho chair, and, after a long discussion, tho Committee divided. Ayes 31; Noes, 31. The chairman gave his Aoico Avith tho Noes, and the discussion proceeded. A motion by Mr Turnbull that it should not'apply to farm or domestic servants Avas lost by 34 to 29. On clause 2 being put it Avas struck out by 30 to 24. 'This being the only operative clause, tho bill Avas then left to consist only of a short title.

It was reported as amended, and Mr Greon moved that it be re-committed on tho Bth August. This Avas lost by 30 to 28, ancl the bill was thrown out altogether.

The House divided on Sir George Grey s motion to go into committee on tho Law Practitioners' Bill. Ayes, 34 ; Noes, 31. The bill passed through committee Avithout amendment. On the motion for the third reading the House divided. Ayes, 32 ; Noes, 32. The Speaker said, as there Avas a further stage, he would vote Avith the Ayes. The bill Avas read a third time.

On the question that the bill do pass the House again diA-ided. Ayes, 34: Noes, 34. The Speaker said that, as the House was so equally divided on tho bill, and as the portals of admission to the law had been opened very much last year, ho would give his vote with the Noes. The bill Avas thrown out, and the House rose at 12 o'clock.