HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 57, 4 September 1885, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

The discussion on the question of adjournment on the Premier's notico of motion re the Federal Council Aot, was oontinned by Mr. Hatoh after we went to press yesterday. He pointed out that if the Houoe sat on Saturday members would lose the opportunity of witnessing the band contest at the Exhibition. Major Atkinson referred to the faot that most members had been sitting all the week up till 2 a.m. eaoh morning, and wanted a day to refresh themselves. For weal or for woe, this was one of the greatest questions ever brought before the Legislature, and it was desirable to have a full and attentive House. Mr. Leveatam said the question might as well be disoussed on Saturday as any other day, as it was now too late in the session to deal conclusively with the matter. Sir George Grey appealed to silent witnesses in the House (Bound asleep) to prove the assertion relative to the exhausted state of members. Ho had, he said, oounnted four membors slumberins on their benches. Only yesterday he himself had voted on the wrong side owing to fatigue, and members shoulanot be placed in that position. The- "whole thing was an unfair attempt to burk disousßion of other great matters. Tho Premier said he would take till next day to consider whether the disonssion on the Federal Council resolution Bhould take place on Saturday, and then tho matter dropped. Replying to Mr. Beetham, who asked if it is true that representations have been made to the Department of Lands that the land available in the Mangahao Valley for the purposes of speoial settlement has proved insufficient for the Masterton and Woodville Speoial Settlement Associations, Mr. Ballanoe said he had received a letter from the Masterton Association stating that portion of the land not being suitable for settlement, they wished their boundary oxtended across the river. It was not, however, a question for the Lands Department to deal with, but for the Association. The Government did not intend to set apart any other portion of laud, as desired by the Association. The remedy for these Associations was, when they found portion of their land nnauitable for settlement, to reduoe their number pro ratio. The Auckland Harbour Board Bill was talked out. In the eve> ing the House went into committee to further consider the Property Assessment Bill. In the interpretation clause, whioh defined property, tbe words, " Interest whioh is or may be the subject of contraot, or is capable of beug valued or estimated for any purpose whatever," were omitted, and the following substituted— " Anything whioh appears to be valued or estimated as an asset of any company." On olauselS.Mr. Sutter moved to reduoe the exemption from .£SOO to .£2OO. The Chairman said he oould not put the amendment (as it would, if carried, be increasing taxation) unless tho mover had the oonsent of the Government. Mr. Sutter then moved that the claußO be atruok out, but as Mr. Trimble moved that the clause be postponed, he withdrew the motion for striking ont the olause. Major Atkinson wished to know whether the Premier would be prepared to reconsider the matter, and take an inßtruotion from the committee if the clause were postponed, as otherwise it would be wasting time to postpone it. Mr. Stout said he was not prepared to state off-hand what he would do. fair Julius Yogel said it would be most unconstitutional of the Committee to take the prerogative of taxation out of the hands of the Crown. The Chairman, in reply to Mr. Fulton, said if the Committee desired to effeot an alteration in the clause jt would be better to negative ib altogether, and leave it to the Government to introduoe another one in the proper way. Tho Premier Baid he would be willing to postpone consideration of tho olause till others had been dealt with, and this was agreed to. On olause 18, " Property exempt from taxation," Major Atkinson moved that subsection 2, exempting all agricultural improvements to .£3OOO, be struck out. Mr. Keid moved to reduoo the .£3OOO to wfilOOO. Sir Julias Vogel urged that the proposals of the Bill wore very fair, and he hoped so alteration would be made. The Bill, he might state, already did away with a very large amount of exemptions. A third amendment was to strike out the word "all" before the words " agricultural improvements " in the same subsection. This was put first, and upon a division tho word was struok ont by 29 to 20. The Premier then moved that subsections 2 and 3, exempting agricultural improvements and maohinery, eaoh to the extent of .£3OOO, be struok out. This was agreed to. Clauso 27, providing that 'partios to any mortgage may agree as to payment of tax on mortgage, was struck out. Tho Committee then returned to tho olanse exempting property to the value of £500, whioh was oarriod without further disonssion. The remainder of the adjonrned clauses wore oarried without alteration. The Counties Aot Amendment Bill was further considered in committee. A number of amendments were made without discussion, and a new clause proposed by Mr. Guinness, providing for the elootion of deputy chairmen of County Connoila, was negatived by 27 to 22. Mr. Guinnens next moved another new olanee providing that the clerks of Licensing Committees should be paid out of oonnty funds. The motion was lost by 31 to 16, and the Bill was reported, read a third time, and passed. The Property Asßetsment Bill was also read a third time and passed. The Gold Export Duty Abolition Bill was read a second time, and the House rose.