PARLIAMENT. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL Yesterday's Afternoon Sitting.

Evening Post, Volume XLIV, Issue 74, 24 September 1892, Page 4

PARLIAMENT. LEGISL ATI VE COUNC IL Yesterday's Afternoon Sitting.

FJKBT READINGS. The following Billa woro road the first time :— Nelson and Wcstland Coalfield Administration Amondmont Bill, Government Loans to Local Bodies Act Amondmont Bill, Dairy Industry Bill, Factories Act Amendment Bill, Nativo Land Purchases Bill, Mining CompanioH Amondmont Bill, and Water Supply Act Amendment Bill. The Bills were ordorod to be read a second timo on Tuesday. ELECTORAL 1)11,1.. This Bill was further considered in Committee. The now clause providing that womon might apply for electoral rights wa3 considorod. Tho Hon. L. Walker Haid tho country had no vor boon asked todccidotho question of Womanhood Suffrage Womon did not dosiro it. Tho Hon. W. D. Stowart donied both assertions Both tho country and tho womon woro favourable The Hon. Sir G. S. Wbitmoro said a woman's place was at hor firoaiclo. Sovoral Trado Unions had pledged themselves to oppose candidates supporting Woman Suffrage, and it therefore Roomed tho country was not in favour of it. Tho Hon. Dr. Grace said tho clause won more machinery. Ho favoured it. Tho oiauso was agreed to by 13 to 8. Division— Ayea: Hona. Stewart, Williams, Keynolds, Pharazyn, Stovonn. Wahawaha, White, Oliver, Orraoiid, Johnson, Grace, Holmos, Pollon. Noes: Walkor, Wliitmorc, SwanRon, Taiaroa, Dignan, Morris, Mantell, Buckley. Clause 08, " Issue of womon's elector's right," was agreed to, tutalso woro clause C!t, " Womon to produce electoral right when voting," and clauso 71, enabling womon to voto in any district. Tho Hon. K. Oliver moved to divido tho city electorates. The clause was agreed to by 12 to 7. Ayes— Hons. Stewart, Williams, Reynolds, Swanson, Pharazyn, Stevens, Wahawaha, Oliver, Ormond, Pollon, Holmes, and Mantell. Noes— Hons. Walkor, Whitmoro, Baruicoat, Dignan, Johnston, Graco, and Buokloy. Tho Bill as amonded was reported, and rocoramitted to afford a direct tost upon the Womanhood Franchise. Tho interpretation clauso was^ altorod, on tho motion of tho Hon. Mr. Taiaroa, to allow Maori womon a vote. Tho Hon. Sir G. S. Wliitmoro moved that tho word " porson " should not include "womon." This was lost by 13 to 0. Ayes — Hons. Walker, Wliitmoro, Morris, Pollon, Swanson, and Man toll. Noos— Hons. Reynolds, Stewart, Pharnzyn, Stevens, Wahawaha, Taiaroa, Dignan, Why to, Olivor, Ormond, Johnston, Holmos, and Bnukloy. Tho Hon. G. M'Loan and tho Hon. H. Williams pnirod for and against tho amondmont, rospoctivoly. TUB LAND DILI,. Tho Waste Lands Committee rooommondod • that tho Land Bill he allowed to proceed as amended. This was agreed to, and tho Bill was ordorod to bo committed on Tuesday noxt, by whioh day tho Colonial Seorotary promised tho amendments would be printed In tho Bill. LOCAL BODIES' LOANS ACT AMENDMENT BILL. Tho COLONIAL SECRETAR? moved the second reading of this Bill. Tho Hon. Dr. POLLEN pointed ont that tho colony had already lent local bodios halt a million of money, and ho foarod that in not a few instances tho State would havo to make good tho monoy. The second reading was agroed to. LAND FOR SETTLEMENTS BILL. Tho COLONIAL SECRETARY moved the second roading of this Bill, which was agreed to. Tho Council adjonrnod at 5 p.m. for dinner. Evening Sitting. The Conncil resumed at 7.30. BECOND READINGS. Tho Oamaru Harbour Board Advance Repayment Bill, the Otngo School Commissioners Empowering Bill, and the Auckland Harbour Board Empowering Bill, were read a second timo, and ordorrd to bo committed on Tuosday noit. IN COMMITTEE. The Kaitangata Relief Fund Transfor Bill was commit tod, reported with amendments, and tho third reading was fixed for Tuesday. Tho Mount Ida Wator Raco Bill passed through its final stages. Tho Council, at 8.35 p.m., adjourned to Tuesday. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Evening Sittino. th* bjverton harbour bill. Mr. MACINTOSH moved that tho Standing Orders be responded to allow of his proceeding with the Biverton Harbour Board Empowering Bill. After considerable protest on the part of members, who held that the Bill was off tho Order Paper and that its revival in this manner was an extraordinary proceeding, the permission asked was given by 31 to 17. Mr. MACINTOSH then moved that hia Bill be sot down as an order of the day for the 6th proximo, and after a disquisition of an hour from Messrs. Fish and Buchanan, tho motion was negatived. SUNDRY BILLS. •Tho second reading of tho Taiina Land Bill (Hon. Mr. Cadman) was moved by the Hon. Mr. Carroll and carried. The Bill doals with certain kauri timber leases. It was referred to the Waste Lands Committee. The Customs Law Consolidation Act Amendment Bill (Hon. Mr. Ballauce) was Toad a second time. The Bill is to give the Customs authorities powers omitted from previous Aots. BERVANTB* BBOISTKY OFFICE BILL. The adjourned debate on the second reading of this Bill was resumed. Mr. BUCKLAND strongly condemned tho Bill, which Mr. T. THOMPSON supported. Mr. GUINNESS agreed with Mr. Buokland that tho Government was endeavouring to pass too many Bills this session which made altogether unwarrantable interference with the liberty of the subject. Instead of wasting their time with such a Bill, Government should apply themselves to useful measuros, auoh as dealing with the vital question of local self-government. Mr. T. MACKENZIE utterly condemned ilio Bill, and moved that it be road that day sLt months. Mi. REES considered that as the Order Papdf was overloaded, and Committees were overworked, such Bills should be withdrawn. Mr. VALENTINE agreed. Dr. NEWMAN said tho Bill was wanted, though it might be made more simple. It was a fact that hero and in Australia needy persons pnt up a sign and took tho feos of persons seeking employment, without any idea of finding thorn employment. It was timo that Registry Offices were nnder State supervision. The amendment was lost. The MINISTER /or PUBLIC WORKS said that the Bill was urgently needed. Many facts had come under his notice as to the conduct of some registry offices which did not hesitate to take fees and send unfortunato peoplo away t6 supposed situations. One oase had just come undor his notice where a girl had been sent from Wellington to Napier, there to find that the alleged situation was a myth, and that she was stranded in a strange town with difficulty in obtaining a return train faro. Some of the offices simply entrapped respectable girls into immorality, and it was dne to the mothers of the country that thoy should bo protected. The matter had becomo a scandal in othor colonies. Rospoetablo servants' registry ofiico keepers would welcome the measure, and the supervision of the local authorities would go towards discovering the others. He would accept any reasonable amendments in Committee. Tho second reading was carried by 42 to 16, Mr. Rolloston, Sir George Grey, and most of the Opposition voting for it, and Messrs. Dawson and Guinness against. NAVAL AND MILITARY SETTLERS AND VOLUNTEERS LAND OBANT BILLS. The MINISTER for DEFENCE moved the second reading of this Bill. Mr. G. HUTCHISON and Dr. NEWMAN considered that there wero some further claims that should be considered by the committee, and that cortain of the claims rejeoteci should have been moro genorously treated. Mr. VALENTINE maintained that there must be some finality. Mr. REES instanced tho cnie of Major Lusk, of Auckland, who had rendored exceptionally distinguished services, yec whoso claim was thrown out on a technical objection. Mr. BRUCE and Sir GEORGE GREY protested against any finality until full justice had been done all claimants'. Mr. HAMLIN urgod that a now clauwj be inserted in the Bill to moot the case of Major Lusk, who had been specially asked by the then Governor, Sir George Grey, to join the 2nd Waikato Regiment, but had not been gazetted to it. Mr. RICHARDSON having explained the position of the Committee, Captain RUSSELL said that the admission of Major Lusk's case would involve the admission of a vast number of other casos. Major Lusk was a monber of the militia chosen to take charge of a commissariat corps. Nearly every man in some districts — Hawkos Bay, for instance — was called out, and saw active service in the militia. i On the motion of Mr. BUCKLAND, tho j debate was postponod until Monday. . ASSISTED EMIGRATION. On the notion to go into Committee of Supply, Mr. Guinness moved that a sufficient sum be placed on the Supplementary Estimates to provide assisted passages for relatives of persons already in the colony. The Premier said this would open up the whole question of assisted emigration, and the country was not prepared to adopt such a policy. The beat way to seourc s«iiloment was to make the country attractive. Mr. Valentine supported tho amendment, , which Mr. T. Maokenzie opposed as nn- ■ called for. The amendment was lost by 35 to 13. THE ESTIMATES. The* following votes were passed without reduction ; — Labour Department, .£2615 ; Rotorua gatfttorium, .£1231 ; Mines Department, £4045 ; geological and Meteorological Department, MiO I miscellaneous (Mines Department), £8781. On the Customs votes th^te was a division taken npon a motion by Mr '^•ichardson to strike out the £500 bonus for exported fish. The item was retained. Thor <> *** a long stand made over the itenr £3000 in connection with tho dredging of NewPlymonthHarbour. Mr. Mooroproposed to reduce this by .£542 spent last year, so as to keep the total expenditure within .£3OOO. The proposal was lobt by 19 to 13. Mr. Shera moved to reduce the item by £1, as an indication that no more money was to bo spent. The reduction was carried by 16 to 14. Tho total Customs and Marine vote, .£697,426, was then passed. At the vote of .£714,000 for working railways, Mr. Sandford moved to rodnco it by £l to indioate that the House should have some control over these estimates, and because of a considerable increase in the estimates, whioh, Mr. Riohardson pointed out, was caused by the big slips in the Manawatu

Oorgo. A long discussion followed, during which htrong languago was used by Mr. Karn u liaw and the Minister for Lands, tho hitter a -verting that tho Commissioners kept up the recent strike in order to keep thomsel voh in offico. This rftatoment was received with criei of " Oh," and strongly condemned by Messrs. Rolleston, Valentine, Buckland and Brnce. At 4.20 a.m. Mr. Sandford withdrew his motion, and the vote was passed, tho Houf c rising at 4.25 a.m.