HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Yesterday's Afternoon Sitting.

Evening Post, Volume XLVIII, Issue 52, 30 August 1894, Page 4

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Yesterday's Afternoon Sitting.

FIRST READINGS. The New Zealand Company's Land Claimants Act 1892 Amendment Bill, and the Lake Foray th Drainage Bill, were road a first time on the motion of the Hon. John M'Kenzio. Evening Sitting, the oamino bill. Mr. Bell, in tho absonco of Sir JRobert Stout, moved that the amendments made by the Council in the Gaming Bill ho agreed to. Mr. Lawry moved as an amendment that the amendments ho agreed to with the exception of new clause 7, providing that the President of the New Zealand Jookey Olnb may isßue totalisator licenses. Mr. Thompson supported the amendment, on the ground that tho clause would benefit metropolitan clnbs at the expense of country olnbs, Captain Roaßell said there was provision in the Bill to protect country olubs. The New Zealand Jookey Club would consist of all the olubs in New Zealand, and the country oluba would be in a large majority. The Premier objected to the clause as taking responsibility from the Colonial Secretary, and tending to make oertain clubs dominant. Mr. Bell said the clause had been approved by the Government, but he would accept the amendment. The amendment was oarriod, and Messrs. Bell, Lawry, and G. Hutchison were appointed a committee to draw np reasons for disagreeing with the new olanse. WELLINGTON TTNIVIBBI7 Y. The amendments of the Council in the Middle Distriot of Now Zealand University College Bill wore agreed to. BEFBRENDUM BILL. Mr. O'Regan moved tho second reading of the Referendum Bill. The author of the original Bill was Mr. Eugene O'Conor. It eiujodied great prinoiple of government of the people by tho people. It provided that ■whenever any measure had been twice passed by tho House and twice rejeoted by the Council, it might be referred direot to the vote of the electors. The colony had not Representative Government at all, and never would have it until they had Proportional Representation on the Hare Syatom combined with the Referendum. Mr. Saunderu thought the Bill did not go nearly far enough. It proposed to give the people rights which should bo possessed by them in evory Democratic country. Dr. Newman supported the Bill, and hoped it would some day become law, though not in its present shape. Mr. Allen spoke Btrongly against the Bill. Wo had now a Eeforendum as complete as that existing in Switzerland. The Hon. Mr. Reeveß said under some circumstances he might be found voting for this Bill, but those circumstances had not yet arisen. He believed himself to be a Demoorat, but he did not think he wonld forfeit his right to this title by opposing this Bill. They had sufficient oheoks, and it was not advisable to bnrdon themselves with another check in the shape of the Referendum If tho people of New Zealand had not oomplete control ovor their representatives, ho wonld Bupport a proposal of this kind, bnt aa they had such control already, the Bill was not requirod. In theory it was a backward stop, because it took from Parliament tho right of legislating, and gave it back to people who had not studied the measures in tho way Parliament had done. If the Upper House persisted in thwarting the will of tho people, and it was found necessary to' abolish that branch of the Legislature, some such check as a Referendum would be necessary, and he would support it, but as long as thoy had a revising Chamber he did not think the Bill at all necessary. Mr. G. W. Russell supported the Bill, but i preferred the Swiss system of Referendum to that of the present measure. The Premier opposed the Bill. It wouTd be very unwise to make any suoh ohange as that proposed in it. It was a Conservative measure, and he would not be surprised to Bee the majority of the Conservative press supporting it. This Chamber really refleoted toe opinion of the people, containing as it aid the people's representatives ; and if the measures passed this session wero referred to the poople, the vote of the House wonld be endorsed by largely-inoroased majorities. New Zealand had a peaceful and happy people, and in spite of adverse circumstances was m a fairly prosperous condition. Its people had every safeguard in a free Constitution. Mr. Krani supported the Bill, and objeoted to the Premier's assumption that this measure and the Elective Exeontive Bill were directed at himself and the Ministry. In thinking this the Premier was making mountain out of molehill. Mr. R. M'Kenzie supported the Bill. Messrs. Collins, Hogg, Wi Pere, and Stevans opposed the Bill. Mr. Hone Heke said he wonld support it v purely native matters were referred to tho natives themselves. Mr. O'Regan considered this reasonable Replying to various oritios, he said that the Referendum would ultimately make a second Chamber a superfluity. If the publio were ■uffioiently educated to seleot members to pass legislation, they were sufficiently educated to consider that legislation, and the Referendum wonld politically educate them. All Bills would not be referred to the eleotprates. but only snob. Bills as the House deoided should be so referred. Before the next eleotion the Referendum wonld be. the burning question of the day. » The second reading was lout by 24 to 10, tno division being as follows • — F0r.10.-BeU.Buick, Earnshaw, Graham, ri'iF' E ™ r ' Uug > M Nab > Meredith O P»ani. <*• W. Russell, Saunders G. J. Smith, Steward, Te Ao. Against, 24.-Cadman, Carnell, Carroll, Collins, Crowther, Flatman. Fraser, Guinl Maslin, M'Gowan, Milfs, Montgomery, Pere Parata, Pinkerton, Reeves, Seddon, Stevens! Ward. ' •n??"*: For tho Bill— Stout, M'Laohlan Button. Wilson, Mitchelson, T. Maokenzie M Gwre, Newman, and Green. Against-^ t M.£ enz ! e> Hon Bton, Larnach, Duncan .tosh!» K ndMas 8 e^ omPSOn ' AIIen ' Tho House rose at 12.40 p.m.