ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT.

Evening Post, Volume XXVI, Issue 15, 18 July 1883, Page 2

ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT.

« In tho Legislative Council, yostorday afternoon, somo discussion took ploco regarding tho petition of Colonol M'Donuell, and tho debate was ovontually adjournod by 18 to 9. Tho Fugitive Offenders Jurisdiction Bill and tho Destituto Porsons Act Amondment Bill woro road a first timo. Tho sooond reading of tho Tenants' Fixturos Bill was moved by tho Promior, and, after discussion, was agrcodtoby2o to 10, tho Bill being afterward referred to a soleot oommitteo. Tho Council adjournod at 4.40 p.m. On tho motion of Mr. Dargavillo, in tho Houso of Representatives yesterday afternoon, tho St. John's Collogo Removal Bill was road a second timo. Leave of absonco for one wook was granted to Mr. J. M'Konzio and Mr. J. M' Donald, on tho ground of urgont private affaire. Replying to Mr. O'Callaghan, the Colonial Secretary promised on bolialf of the Government to proouro nil tho latest information during tho recess with regard to tho working of tho Contagious Discasos Act in England, on tho Contiuont, and in Now Zoaland. Mr. C. J. Johnston askod loavo to introduce tho Wellington Harbour Board Land and Roolamation Bill. Tho Treasurer said tho oonsont of tho Governmont would bo given to this Bill on tho oonditiou that Mr. Johnston undertook to introa clauso providing for oortaiu stroots, which ho understood tho Harbour Board was desirous of carrying out. Mr. Johnston undertook to do so, and tho Bill was theroupon introduced and road a first timo. Tho Bocond reading of tho VVostland Eduoation District Subdivision Bill was agreed to on tho motion of Mr. Soddon, after a alight discussion. Tho Houso thon wont into Commiltoo oil tho Dunedin Southorn Market Roscrvos Bill, which was reported without anicndinont, road a third time and passod. Tho Tiniaru Raceeourso Resorvo Bill (Mr. Suttor) was committed and roportod with Blight amendments, whioh wero orJorod to bo oonsidorod on a futuro day. Tho St ( Poter's Church (Caverßham) Bill (Mr, Barron) was also committed, and a motion of Colonol Trimblo to recommit tho Bill for tho purposes of rooonsidoring cortain words which occurred in sovorol clause* of tho Bill, viz., "Lord Bishop (Honry John Chitty, of Christ* church) was nogativoa. Tho Bill was thon road a third timo and passed. Mr. Bootham noxt movod tho seoond roading of tho Mastorton and Groytown Lands Manngoniont Bill. Mr. Ivoss movod, by way of amondmout, that tho Bill be road that day six months, saying tho pooplo of Mastorton woro totally opposod to tho measure By passing tho Bill tho Mastorton pooplo would bo doprivod of an annual inoomo of £30. Mr. Braokon seconded tho amendmont, and in doing bo referred to tho petition ho probonted against tho Bill on behalf of tho Mastorton pooplo a fow days ago. Mr. Hutchison urgod Mr. Beetham to postpono th* furthor oonsidoration ef tho Bill for a fortnight. Mr. Rolloston thought tho Bill should bo referrod to tho Waste Lands Committee to bo investigated. _ Mr. Ivgbs adopted tho suggestion of tho Minister of Lands, and withdrew tho amendment. Mr. Boetham also oonourrod with tho BUggostioo, and tho Bill accordingly stood reforrod to tho Waste Lands Committee The Minister of Justico afterward movod that tho amendments mode by the Legislative Council in tho Prisona Bill bo agreed to. Upon disoussion, howovor, it was resolved to disagree with the amendments, and a oommittoo was appointed to draw up reasons and oonfor on tho subject with a oommitteo to bo appointed by the Counoil. Tho Crown Grants Bill and tho Shoriffs Bill were aooordod a seoond roading without opposition. At the evening bitting Mr. Dick moved tho sooond roading of tho Auctioneers Bill. Mr. Munro had no objection to tho Bill being allowed a sooond roading, but thought Its provisions too sovoro upon auctioneers. Mr. Shrimski supported tho Bill. So, also, did Mr. Turnbull, who, howovor, intimated his intention whon tho Bill ?"t into committee of amending tho third olauno by tho insertion of the word " valuators " after " auctionoors," so as to provide that thoy shall pay a foo oqual to that demanded of auctionoors. Mr. Sutton did not intend to oppose tho Bill, but hopod it would bo greatly amended in committee. Mr. Shaw said as a consolidation Bill, the measure should havo his Bupport, but expressed a hope that it would como out of oommitteo much altorod. It contained ono provision, for instanco, of tho Exotor Hall typo, which tet forth that nothing in the Aot should apply to any salo at a bazaar or for a roliglous or charitable object. Who, ho askod, was to be tho iudgo of what was a roligiouß or charitablo object P In Mb opinion bazaars woro pious frauds. (Hoar, hear.) Mr, Hutohison condemned the moasuro as ono more drastio than had ever emanated from tho Liberal side of tho Houso. In roplying, Mr. Diok said tho Government had boon pressed over and over again to introduce suoh a Bill. As for tho "religious and charitable" clause, he was not at all anxious thai it should bo retained, and like Mr. Shaw, he considered baE&WS- " pious frauds." (Hoar, hoar.) The Bill was thon road a second timo. Afterward tho Colonial Socrotary movod tho second reading of tho Adulteration Prevention Aot Amendmont Bill, whioh was agreed to. Tho Tauamutu Native Commonago Bill was postponed. Tho Bills of Exchange Bill was read a second timo, after whioh Mr, Rolleston moved tho socond reading of tho Land Act Amondment Bill. He said the BUI proposed to extend the operations of the leasing system to the whole of tho colony, which was brought down last session iv relation to tho goldfields. He now asked tho House to roaffirm that principle. If tho House would support him, he was ready to advocate that there should bo no more absolute salos of pastoral or deferred-payment land. (Hear, hear.) His belief was that the history of last year, in respect of the amount of land that was now open in proportion to tho population of the country, proved that we hod at the present tune quite a sufficiency of land in the market in those district* whore thoro was land open at all for tho requirements of boni, fide settlers, and, on tho whole, we had reason to be satisfied with it. During tho past year, ho continued, tho attention of the public had been roused in respect of tho tenure that had been given, under tho Act of 1877, of blocks of pastoral land on the deferred payment system. Tho present Bill would first of all establish a system by which pastoral lands of that sice, whioh waa contemplated under tho deferred payment By b torn, should not bo permanently alionated, but shopld bo held on a quasi perpetual tenure, with improvement clauses providing that the tenant who obtained those blocks of hind should bo paid the full valno of his improvements at the end of tho first period of his lease. Tho Bill also proposed that anyone could hold ono of those blocks if he lived on a small freehold block within a cortain distance of those blocks. This, ho bolieved, would tend to foster the settlement of people already in the country, and who were working their way here on small fre holds. Further, it provided for improv ments being valued to the holder at the termination of the period of the lease— l 4' & 21 years, as the case might be — and that at tb > end of that time the lease should bo put again to tender with the improvements. With regard to the pastoral deforroa payment system, ho said if that system was to bo continued ho strongly appealed to tho House to pass provisions similar to thoso contained in the Bill with respect to reaidenco and improvements. With these provisions he believod the evils of dnmmyism would bo very ranch rcdncod, and the sottloment of the country would be greatly promoted. Mr. Bathgate supported the Bill, as also did Mr. J. W. Thomson. Mr. Joyce referrod to the remarks of Mr. Rolleston regarding bind monopoly, and said thoy wore simple folly in view of the fact that 16,000,000 acres of tho best hinds of the colony had been alienated from tho Crown. The true remedy under tho existing circumstances was to alienate cvory aero in the colony, and make it freehold as soon as possible, levying upon it such a hind tax as would meet the needs of the S tate. That was the true nationalisation of the land ; leasing it was only "pottering" with the question. Mr. Petrie differed from Mr. Joyce, and held that the only way to deal with the lands in this country was to lease them. He mentioned incidentally that during tho past year 166,000 acres had been alienated from the Crown, realising altogether £231,000, or an Average of £1 7s lOd per acre. He Bnpported the Bill. Mr. Montgomery expressed himself in favour of the freehold system ; but as the House decidod last year in favour of the leasehold system, ho was content to abide by that decision. Mr. Holmes considered the Bill as tending on the whole in the right direction, but took several " committee objections " to some of its provisions. Mr. Fulton said however he might differ with the Minister of Lands in some of his proposals, he was entirely with him when he expressed himself in favour of discontinuing the absolute sale of pastoral deferred - payment hinds. Mr. Pearson briefly supported tho Bill. Mr. Bolleston briefly replied, and the Bill was read a second time. The Minister of Lands proposed

ihnt tho Bill nhonld now bo referred to tho Wasto Lands Committee, but oxception was takon to thin by novoral motrtborfl, who pointed out that tho Houao, by resolution, dooidod last susition that Bills of public polioy should bo dealt with in committee of tho wholo Houso. After the supper adjournmont tho Honio wont into committoo on the Bankruptcy Bill, resuming at clauao 173. Tho latter part of tho clauso was struck out by 22 to 2. Mr. Soddon, in viow of tho scant intorsst taken in tho mattor, movod to roport progress, but ultimately withdrew tho motion. OlauHe 178 wua, on tho motion of tho Minister of Justico, amondod by oxpnnging that portion which provided that tho assiifnoo should doposit with tha Court pass-books verifying tho balancos belonging to oncli OHtufco. Sovornl consequential amonumontu were offootod in Bnocoodin« clauses. In clatiHO 18.5, providing that application for roleaao shall bo sent to tho croditorH togothor with & copy of tho auditor's report, an amondincnt was oarriod providing that tho notice of application should bo udvertiscd. Tho remaining clauaos of the Bill paHsod without ohallongo. In tho nocond schodulo, rotating to feoH and costs, tho feo payable on filing potition by a dobtor or creditor was roduood from X's to jC2. Tho other schedules woro passod as printed, and tho Bill as amondod was roported, its recommittal being fixod for Friday next at tho dosiro of the Ministor in charge. Tho Houso roso at 12.25 a.m