TO-DAY'S PARLIAMENT. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Evening Post, Volume LXVI, Issue 55, 2 September 1903, Page 6

TO-DAY'S PARLIAMENT. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

The State Fire Insurance Bill was received from the House and read a first time. The second reading was set down for Friday. The Council decided to suspend the Standing Orders so as to enable the Arbitration Court Emergency and the Supreme Court Judges Bills, received from the House, to be passed through all their stages. The Bills were read a second time, and their further progress was de« ferred till later in the day to give members an opportunity of studyirig the Bills. (Left sitting.) HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Mr. Duthie gave notice to ask the Minister for Railways whether, in view of the increased traffic at the Lower Hutt Station, it is his intention to provide (1) a separate road approach for goods traffic; (2) a siding at some distance from the passenger platform for the discharge of "manure; and (3) a bank suitable for tipping drays when loading gravel into trucks. Notice was given by Mr. Field to move that the correspondence between the various Labour organisations and the Minister for Labour as to the working of the Labour Department be laid on the table. A petition was presented by Mr. Davey in favour of^-a "universal Saturday halfholiday. The Premier gave notice to move that after to-day Government bu&iness take precedence on Wednesdays. Sir W. J. Steward gave notice to ask the Native) Minister if he will take steps to acquire the Maori collection owned oy the late Mr. Butberworth, of New Plymouth. Mr. Duthie gave notice to move for a return showing the number of visits paid during the year 1901-2 by each of the Official Visitors and Visiting Justices to the Mount View and Porirua Lunatic Asylums. The Wellington Corporation Leasing Bill was introduced by Mr. Aitken, read a first time, and referred to the Local Bills- Committee. The Defence Act Amendment Bill was introduced by the Premier and read a first time. The Local Bills Committee reported on the petition of the Wellington Harbour Board against the Petone Foreshore Vesting Bill. It found that the weight cf evidence is opposed to the foreshore being vested in the Petone Borough Council, and recommended that the prayer of the petitioners be acceded to. .The Committee also reported adversely on the Bill. (Left sitting.)