PARLIAMENT.

Evening Post, Volume XLVII, Issue 146, 17 December 1897, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

« LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Yesterday's Afternoon Sittikq. new bills. The Cyanide Process Gold Extraction Bill and the Cheviot Estate Disposition Act Amendment Bill were received from the Lower House and read the first and secoud times pro forma. NATIVE LAND CLAIMS. The report of the Native Affairs Committee upon the Crown Suits Act Extension Bill was referred to the Government for favourable consideration, the motion that it be agreed to being lost by 19 to 15. THE DEFUNCT PENSIONS BILL. The Hon. T. Kelly's motion affirming the Council's right to amend all the clauses in the Old Age Pensions Bill except clause 54 was withdrawn, as there was now no Old Age Pensions Bill. THE TAX ON COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS. The Minister for Education moved the second reading of the Land and Income Assessment Acts Amendment Bill. He said that the Government had come to the opiuion that considering the amount of annoyance whioh the tux on co'wiercial travellers had caused our neighbours, the colony had better ba generous and abandon this tax. The second reading was agreed to without debate. THE SOMES ISLAND LIGHT*. The Harbours Act Amendment Bill was read a second time on the motion of the Minister for Education. 1 VICTORIA COLLEGE. ■ The Victoria College Bill was considered In Committee. At clause 5, providing that the Council of the College should consist of 16 members, a considerable discussion took place as to the advisability of reducing that number. Thirteen and even nine were suggested as a more suitable number. The Minister for Education said that the question was not one of number but of representation on the Council. A motion by the Hon. J. MacGregor to strike out 16 in order to insert 13 was negatived by 19 to 12. ' The Hon. J. MaoGregor moved to amend tbe clause so aa to allow six members of the Council to be elected by the graduates, instead of three as proposed by the Bill. This was lost on the voices, and the clause passed without amendment. At clause 16, the Hon. J. MacGregor moved to strike out the proviso that no person should hold office as Chairman for more than two terms iv succession. This was negatived on the voices. Evening Sitting. An animated debate arose on the clause providing that the approval of the Governor-m-Council was requisite before the Council could fix the fees. An amendment to strike out this provision was lost by 20 to 11. After much discussion over clause 36, establishing Queen's scholarships, The Hon. W. Montgomery moved to strike out the words " from the primary public schools (whether Government schools or not)," with a view to insert a provision that the examination should be open to all persons of either sex who are not over the age of 16 years. Meantime the Hon. J. MacGregor moved to substitute a clause suggested by the Statutes Revision Committee, providing for four annual scholarships as the result of an examination open to all persons not over the age of 18, the scholarships to be of the value of £25 if the holder lives with his or her parent^, and £50 if not, the term of the scholarship to be three years. Ultimately progress was" reported, and leave given to sit again. FINAL STAGES. The Leases* and Sales of Settled Estate* Act Amendment Bill, and the Lyttelton Harbour Board Loan Bill, passed final Stages. The Council adjourned at 9.20 p.m.