ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT.

Evening Post, Volume XXII, Issue 31, 5 August 1881, Page 2

ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT.

In the Legislative Counoil yestorday afternoon, Dr. Monzies moved tho Beoond reading of the Education Act 1877 Amendment Bill. The Attorney-General moved tho previous question, remarking that thoro was not the least hope of passing the ' Mil this aossion, and no doubt tho question would bo welldiscussed at tho general election. He believed reading the Biblo in sohools did more harm than good. On a division the second reading was carried: — Ayes, 18 — Aoland, Bailiie, Brett, Baokloy (G), Charnborlain, Holmes, Man toll, Martin, Menzios, ("Miller, Nurse, Peter, Pharazyn, Reynolds, Jiiohmond, Robinson, Scotland, and Wilson. Nogs, 12— Buckley (P. A.), Dignan, Fraaer, Grace, Hart, Johnson (Ot. It), Lahman, Peacock, Waterhouse, Whitakor, Williamson, and Wood. The scbond reading of tho Waitara, Harbour Board Loan Bill wtw carried by 15 to 13. Several mombors Urgod that tho committal should be deferrod until after the Lower Houso oommittoo had roported on the Now Plymouth harbour works. In doing so they said if th.it report proved adverse to tho >ow Plymouth harbour, as they believed it would, thoy wonld withdraw their opposition to the present moasuro. The bill, howevor, was ordered for fcommittal on Wednesday next. Tho second reading of Dr. Grace' 8 Medical Practitioners Bill was carried by 26 to 20, and tho bill vrab roferred to a select committee. Tho Counoil adjourned at 5 p.m. A conaidonblo portion of yesterday uffcornoon's sitting of tho Lowor HOU9O was occupied in a discussion of tho amondmonta in tho Church of England in Now Zoaland Trustees lnooiparation Bill. A groat many members raised objections to tho bill as drafted, and urged its postponement. Eventually it was ordered to bo recommitted. A good deal of amusement was caused by fivo or six motnbora giving notice to introduce bills for harbor endowments of 100,000 acres eaoh. Several other members gave notico of Harbor Board and River Improvements Bills. Th's action was evidently taken by inembora Who - objooted to Mr. Turnbull's Endowment Bill (whioh passed through committee the previous day), in ordor to kill that bill by overwhelming the House with'similaf measures, which they doubtless think have as much right to pasß as that of the hon. member for Timaru. In answer to Mr. Roevos, Mr. Rolleston said the uniforms of the Armod Constabulary and polioo wero made from colonial ly manufactured cloth ; tenders wero called for making them up, and tho cost was £3 12s 6d for «ach uniform. Mrv Ballanoo was informed by tho samo Minister that a bill was being prepared to regulate tho disposal of native reserves, set apart under tho 4th section of the West Coast Settlements Act of last year. The Premier, in reoly to Mr. Reeves, said tho Pnbl.o Work* Statement would be down, ho thought, sdWo.time next week. Tho Timarn Mechanic's Inßtituto A ct, 1877, Amondmont Bill, was road a third time and passed.' 'In the evening Mr. Shrimiski moved the second reading of his Pension's Bill (the provisions' of which have already appeared in the Post). He said he could not soo why the Government should gi vo pensions to thoir servants more than outsiders. It was only fair that Parliament should be Hskcd to say whether in future any pension should be granted. Tho House too, wonld agree with him that a person in receipt of a ponsion should not have a seat in the 1 Legislature. The Premier said tho bill interfered with vested rights as well as those which might aocruo in tho future. Many offioors had served for years and wero juatly entitled to their pensions, and the bill would really be committing a breach of contract with these. Ho could not agree with the bill, and hoped it wonld not be pressed. Mr. Ballance agreed with the Premier that anything in the nature of repudiation Ottght not to be countenauccd by tho House ; but the bill did not propose that. It simply proposed that tho oompntrttion .npon whioh future pensions wore based should be laid before tho House for its consideration. He did net agree with the clause prohibiting a pensioner trom sitting iv the Houso, and he hoped that would be struck out. The measure was in many respects a desirable one, and he would yoto for tho seoond reading. Mr. M'Leah said a bill i£ould have to be brought down before the sossion closed based on recommendations from the Public Accounts Committee- Therefore ho thought it would bo bettor after tho second reading of tho present one to postpone-fur-ther consideration for a time. Mr. M'Eoan pointed out that while there was much in Mr. Shrimski's bill that was desirable,, it did not propose to go anything like far enough. Sir George Grov thought Mr. Shrimaki deserved the thanks of the Houso and country for bringing down the bHI. p Ho held that the object of tho bill was to' have the papers respecting a pension laid before Parliament for consideration before tho pension was granted. Messrs. Hursthouso, bheehan, Kelly, Shephard, J. B. Fisher, and Saunders were mor» or less favorable to the bill, which was ultimately read a second time. The Gold Duty Abolition Bill, introduced by Mr. Seddon, was favorably rpceived on the whole, and its second reading agreed to. The Adoption of Children Bill, which had recently passed in " another place," was introduced by Mr. .Tole, and Messrs. Stvw&rt and Bo wen, in brief speeches, supported it. Mr. Shephard, on the other hand, did not think the measure should pass in ii-k present shape, as a system of white slavery might creep in by the assignment of children. The bill was read a seoond time, and it) committal fixed for Thursday next. The second reading of the Gisb'nrne Harbour Board Bill, introduced by Mr. M'JDonald, having been agreed to, the Houso rose at 1 a.m. This Dat. Mr. Richardson gave notice of a qnestion as to by whose authority tho train which went over tho Uimutaka last September was made up with tho engine in tho centre, contrary to the well understood principle on which trains worked by Fell engines should be made up.