GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Evening Star, Issue 3569, 31 July 1874, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

[By Electric Telegraph.]

Wellington, July 30. In the House, on Wednesday, Mr Uarrington moved the second reading of the New Plymouth Exchanges Validation Bill. The debat: was adjourned. Mr Curtis moved the second reading of the Nelson Waste Laud Act Amendment Bill.—Referred to the Waste Lands Committee.

At the adjourned debate on tho question of unfulfilled promises to the Natives of the Middle Island, tho Premier could not entertain the motion for the appointment of a select committee to inquire into ths whole matter. If the Natives had a grievance, they had ample means of approaching the House, besides appointing a select committee. The Government must discountenance the motion.—Mr Macandrew thought this thing was getting too much of a joke. The claim was for 2,000,000 acres ; aud, as he knew the deed of cersion had been complied with, it was nob the place of a select committee to determine upon the case. It was rather for a court of equity. Besides carrying out the deed of cession, the Provincial Government had already paid Lo.OOl) as payment in full of all claims against the Province by T.iiaroa. —Mr W. Kelly said, as tho session was likely to end in a week or two, he would advise thehon. member (Mr Taiaroa) to refer the matter to the Public Petitions Committee.—Mr J, L. Gillies recommended the same course, though he considered the matter too serious to be treated cavalierly, because he recollected the Native Minister stating in the House that the Natives undoubtedly had certain claims against the Government.—Mr Sheehan said it was useless for hon. members to assert that the Na tives had no claim. It was upon the records of the House that they had. He hoped a

commission would be appointed to deal with the matter.—Mr Taiaroa said the laud bad not been properly purchased, because Col. Wakefield had agreed that one acre out of ten should belong to the Natives. He referred them to the 13th clausa of the Constitution Act given to the New Zealand Company. He was willing to refer the matter to the Public Petitions Committee, as it was the wish of the House.—The original motion was withdrawn.

The Hawke’s Bay Waste Lands Bill was read, and the Wellington Waterworks Loan Bill was read a second time. —The Premier asked chat the third reading be adj lurned for a week, because Bills relating to loans should not be dealt with hastily. - Ordered to be committed this day week. Mr Bunny moved the secoud reading of the Wellington Te Aro Reclamation Bill, and stated that the land proposed to be reclaimed was the solo security, and did not undervalue the responsibility of the Province or the Colony. All proceeds from lauds, as well as the land itself, were the security.—The Premier said that, as the Bill was for a very large sum (L.150,000). it should not be passed without due considera tion, especially as they had not been afforded any particulars regarding the operations proposed—nothing as to the probable coat of reclamation, or value after being reclaimed. He recommended that the matter be referred to a select committee.—Read a second time and referred to a select committee. * Mr Bunny moved the second reading of the Bill to provide for the election of a Mayor for Wellington by the ratepayers, Mr Sheehan moved that the Bill be so amended as to make it a general measure for the whole Colony, as it appeared to be the wish of many municipalities in the Colony that the Mayor should be elected direct by the burgesses, and not by the Councillors.— Mr Richardson thought that before such a radical change was made, a longer time should be given. It Was questionable wh sfcher the measure would be as acceptable iu every municipality as it was in Wellington. —Sir Cracroft Wilson thought the people of Christchurch did not desire the change. Mr Mr Wakefield said so important a city should meet with mere consideration than passing a

general measure of that kind Over their heads without consulting them.—Mr Macandrew hoped the Bill would be treated in its original form. Other municipalities might not have the same desire as Wellington. There was time enough to alter the law when the people made the demand.—Mr Fitzherbert opposed the alteration.—The Bill was read a second time as introduced. Mr Macaudrew moved the second reading of the South'and Waste Lands Act Amendment Bill. It required a Bill of this kind to prevent the bulk of the waste lands of Southland being sold in large blocks to speculators. rr-Read a second time, and referred to the Waste Lands Committee. 0® the motion for going into committee on the Nelson Waterworks Loan Bill, the Presaid this Bill showed the necessity of the Government carefully considering money Bills, because it appeared that originally the waterworks had been constructed by the Provincial Government out of borrowed money, and now the Corporation wanted the power to raise the amount apparently to pay the L’25,000 asked for over to the Provincial Government. He hoped the hon. member . n °k P reßS the committal until the schedule vas added to the Bill showing how the money was tq be applied.—Commital postponed for a- week.

Ihe House went into committee upon the Provincial Fencing Law Empowering Bill. The third reading was fixedfor Friday. After some discussion upon the motion for the committal of the Plans of Towns Begulation bill, the motion that the Obairinaa leave the chair was carried by 20 to 12. The Bill was shelved.

The Wellington Education Reserves Act Bill was read a second tame. Mr Macandrew moved the second reading of the Juries Act (I860) Amendment Bill, for the purpose qf relieving firemen from the duties of jurors.—Mr Sheehan opposed the tlie Bill, He thought the jury list should be revised altogether.—Messrs T. Kelly and Briggs considered there were too many exemptions at present.—Mr Wales supported the Bill, The Juries Act was a hardship on the community generally, because cases might very well be settled by making three or four do the work of a dozen. It ought to be unnecessary to call twenty-four men lor jury work.-Mr White opposed the Bill as not required by firemen generally.—Read a second time, The House went into committee on the Marlborough Waste Lands Bill, Mr T. Kelly acting as Chairman of Committee.—Reported with amendments. Goldfields Act (186G) Amendment Bill was reported without amendment and passed.

Mr Reynolds moved the second reading of the Merchant Shipping Act Adoption Bill. —Mr Reeves said it was impossible for those 'whom the Bill concerned to understand it without the help of their lawyers, or consuiting the Imperial Aots referred to. He hoped the hen, member would take the Bill

back And bring it d'twu iu a different form. After some discussion, the Bill was read a second time.

Resolutions in Supply were read a second time.

The Presbyterian Church of Otago Land Bill was committed, read a third time, and passed.

The House rose at midnight. Yesterday, on the motion for the reading of the Colonial Bank of .New Zealand Bill a third time, the Premier said the clauses appeared not to be drawn up in the usual way with limited liability companies, but as if the bank’s liabilities were unlimited. He thought there ought to be some limit to the charter. Mr box said the less the Governmeut interfered with the banking of the country the better for the people.-—The Bill was road a third time.

The select committee appointed to inquh*a into the election at Akaroa report that, owing to Mr Montgomery bring interested iu ths contract with the Government.at the time of his election, it boo.-une null and void, but add their opinion that he entered into tho contract inadvertently. The Speaker informed Mr Murray that the candidate could not be declared elected. He would take steps for getting a new election as soon as possible.

In x'eply to Mr W, Kelly, Mr Richardson was understood to say that the Government intended to construct a bridge across the Waimate River, near Gisborne, and another one;-cost of construction in part or whole to be chargeable against the revenue from the confiscated lauds.

In reply to Mr W, Kelly, the Premier said he would cause the post-oifije at Gisborne to be opened two hours on Sunday if the steamer calls on that day or Saturday night. Mr Thomson asked whether, in view of the system of storm signals, tha Government considered it desirable to extend telegraph communication to the Nugget lighthouse?— The Premier said the establishment of a system of storm signals would not induce the Government to alter the determination come to last session. There were more pressing public works.

Mr White asked whether any complaints had reached the Government that the truck system was in operation in the public works in Westland?—Mr'Richardsonsaid the complaints had been made by members, not by working men. The Engineer had reported that it was carried on ' to a considerable extent, but, although communications on the matter had passed between the Government and the contractors, they could not get sufficient information to justify them going into the matter. The Government had caused an extensive circulation of the clause in the Public Works Act prohibiting public contractors engaging in the truck system in avy shape. They would take action whenever the matter was fairly brought before them, Mr Richardson said, in reply to Mr Studholme, that the construction of the Waimate branch railway would be undertaken as soon as the line was tolerably advanced. Mr Stafford asked when the railway bridges between Young’s Creek and Temuka would be commenced ? —Mr Richardson explained that the delay was unavoidable, but he had the assurance of the contractor that it would be completed within the contract time, the 6fch May next. Mr Bradshaw moved that, considering the rapid extension of the manufactories in the Colony, it was expedient that the Government should bring in a Factory Bill, making regulations for the preservation of health for the young of both sexes. Tho hon. member gave a brief history of the various English factory Acts, some of which enabled private houses, where youths were employed, to be examined. The hon. gentleman read copious extracts to show that the conditions under which thousands of children had been employed at Home could not fail to induce mental, moral, and physical degeneracy and decay. Xf the Legislature did not inter-

fere, manufacturers would, in pursuit of gain, go to most unaccountable lengths in the way they worked youth, and unfortunately unfeeling and unscrupulous parents too of tin aiued and abetted them. In Duuedin, wher-j ihere were mauy factories, it was complained that if the parent refused to allow his child to work the hours required by the manufacturers, that child would not be employed at all. The intervention of the law was required to regulate the hours of labor regardtug youth. Now that potteries, ropeyards, and briektields were springing up everywhere, if they did not they would aoou have to contend with those factory difficulties which had caused so much trouble in Lnglaud. Mr Richardson admitted the existence to a great extent of the evils pointed out, and which were gradually increasing. The Government would be prepared to bring down next session a Bill to meet, not only the views of members of the House, but of employers and employe-?. He could remind the House that the Inspection of Machinery Bill now on the Order Paper went some way in the direction desired. The hon. member deserved the thanks of the House and the country for moving in the matter.—Mr Brown also bore testimony to the truth of the observation of the hon. mover, and the necessity for dealing with the matter before vested rights had grown up.—The motion was agreed to.

The first reading of the Napier Harbor Board Endowment Bill, Manawatu Laud Orders Bill, Christchurch Drainage Debeutures Bill, and Greymouth Harbor Endowment Bill took place, ‘Mr Wakefield; in a very long speech, moved that data be taken with the ultimate view constructing an alternative line for the Wellington and Masterton Railway, for the purpose of securing the cheap transit of heavy goods which could not be profitably earned on the steep gradients and sharp curves of the authorised line. The hon. member quoted voluminous extracts of an eminent engineer to show the superiority of easy gradients as compared with steep, with a view of arguing that it was to the interest of the whole Colony that an alternative line should be constructed at some future time;— A division was called for, and the motion rejected by 30 to 6,