Thank you for correcting the text in this article. Your corrections improve Papers Past searches for everyone. See the latest corrections.

This article contains searchable text which was automatically generated and may contain errors. Join the community and correct any errors you spot to help us improve Papers Past.

Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

♦- IN HOUSE AND COUNCIL. (By Tele&kaph.) ! From our Special Correspondent.) Wellington, this day. Mr G. W. Russell intends moving as an amendment to the Bank Committee—(l) The immediate circumstances leading to the two million guarantee to the Bank of New Zealand in 1894, and especially as . to the information upon which the Government urged Parliament to give that guarantee ; (2) All matters relating to the appointment of Mr Watson as President and Mr Mackenzie as General Manager of the Bank of New Zealand ; (3) All matters relating to the proposal of amalgamation in 1894 of the Colonial Bank with the Bank of New Zealand, and the purchase of the Colonial Bank in TBSJS ; and especially as to the correctness of the balancesheets of the Colonial Bank, the amount paid for that Bank as goodwill, and the basis on which such alleged goodwill was assessed ; (4) To deal with all such matters as the Committee deem necessary or expedient. Owing to the want of business in the Council, the Hon Sir G. Whitmore will move its adjournment from Friday, 2Gt'h inst., for a fortnight-. An important measure being introduced by Sir Robert Stout is the Limitation of Disposition by Will Bill, intended to limit the right of a man to dispose of only one-third of his property away from his widow and children. A wife who dies possessed of property is limited to a similar extent. The Criminal Code Amendment Bill, which Sir Robert Stout has charge of, is for the punishment of incest. The Opposition will support Riccarton Russell's amendment to the banking question, and as it will also have the assistance of some dozen or fifteen members of the Liberal Independents, including Messrs McNab, J. W. Kelly, W. Hutchison, Piraui, R. Thompson, and others, it is expected that the division will be a close one. The entire afternoon sitting of the House yesterday was occupied replying to questions. The Premier informed Mr McNab that the Government were fully con-

sidering the vexed question of old soldiers' claims. In dealing with the matter the Cabinet would most certainly debar one class which had hiiherto received the greatest amount of consideration—viz., those who had simply served in the army and navy and had settled in the colony without ever having taken part in Natives. The Speaker ruled* that matter neither spoken nor read in the House should not be published in Hansard. This was in answer to a question by Sir Robert Stout, who alleged that there was publication of punted matter in the ex-Treasurer's defence which was nob read by that honorable gentleman. In answer to Mr Joyce, who asked as to reciprocity with South Australia, the Premier said the Government bad decided to bring in a Bill giving power .to reciprocate with the Home Government and the British dependencies, and he hoped it would be passed into law this session. The Minister of Defence says it is intended to increase the number of commissioned officers in the permanent force. Marsden Thomson is pressing on the attention of the Government the need for encouragement of rifle clubs. He said the impression seemed to bo that the Government is doing all it could to discourage by every means possible the existence of rifle clubs. In his district some 80 youths on the weekly half-holiday went in for rifleshooting, providing their own rifles and ammunition. Asa matter of fact volunteering had ceased to exist outside the large centres and he thought that the Government should, in view of possible contingencies promote the formation and continuance of rifle clubs. The Defence Minister replied that experts were antagonistic to rifle clubs on the ground that they were opposed to the rifle movement. At the same time he knew that there were differences of opinion. He promised to make further enquiries. The Hon. Mr Bolt's Divorce Bill, which is practically the same measure as that introduced the last two sessions by the Hon. Ml- MacGregor, had a short shift in the Council yesterday afternoon, the second reading being refused by 16 to 18. The principal speakers in opposition to the Bill were the Hon Mr Kerr (who moved the usual six month's amendment) and the Hon Mr Arkwriglit (who urged that the measure was designed to weaken the marriage tie). In asking whether it was the intention of the Government to borrow in the English money market or the the colony for the completing of the main trunk lines, the Hon Mr Stevens said it was a physical impossibility for the Government to. carry on their public works policy with any degree of success without a loan, and he believed he was voicing the opinion of a large number of members of the House (cries of " No") when he advocated this means of advancing the construction of the main railway lines. The Premier, amid laughter, said ho hoped members would acquit him of having the question placed on the Order Paper as a feeler. It invited him to disclose the intentions of the Government, not only in regard to the Public Works' Statement but also to the Financial Statement. He believed that it was necessary for the colony to do works which were of a reproductive character. He believed in respect to land settlement, and more especially in regard to those settlors a long way back who were cut off from the means of communication, that money spent on road-making would be profitably employed. As to the suggestion to borrow a million a year for five years, he was in a position to answer emphatically in the negative (laughter). As to works that would prove reproductive, Parliament would be asked to make the necessary provisions. In the Council the names of the Hon. Mr Feldwick and the Hon. Mr Rigg have been added to the proposed Joint Committee on banking matters. The Minister of Lands stated to the House in reply to Mr Dutliie, that he had not altered his opinion since last session of Sir Walter Buller. By an oversight his name was recently added to the Commission of the Peace, and unless he resigned the probabilities were that his name would be removed by the Government. The Hon Mr Walker explained in the Council that the position of the Midland Railway was this :—Under section 128 of the Railways Construction and Land Act, 1881, the railway was seized. A sum of money was expended and notice of expenditure given to the company. It will be for the company to decide whether or not they will pay this money, and if not paid they will be dealt with as provided by the Act. A representative of Huddart-Parker is coming to the colony with a view of asking assistance for the Vancouver service, and after the Government have heard his proposals a resolution is to be submitted to the House asking for a subsidy for the mail service. After a short debate in the Council, the Hon Mr Shrimski's P< .. s v uueiKv-: Act (1881) Amendment • '*'.][. to pre vent the dehorning of : \ painful process, passed i ■ rr,;..l ing without division i' standing that it would !,er-;r'.- the Stock Committee. Mr J. W. Kelly is anxious to secure a weekly half-holiday for domestic servants, and the second reading of his Bill in that direction last evening was agreed to without division. Mr Waimea-Sounds Mills moved the second reading of the Criminal Code Amendment Bill giving power to allow any person convicted of crime to appeal for a new trial, and especially applying to 'the case of Louis Chemis convicted of the Kaiwarra murder. After discussion, the second reading was carried by 10 to 14. Mr Hone Ileke's Bill, to empower the aboriginal Natives of the colony to enact laws for their own government, met with little favor, and was thrown out on the second, reading by 38 to 7,

Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/HAST18960625.2.10

Bibliographic details

Hastings Standard, Issue 51, 25 June 1896, Page 2

Word Count
1,315

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES. Hastings Standard, Issue 51, 25 June 1896, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES. Hastings Standard, Issue 51, 25 June 1896, Page 2

Help

Log in or create a Papers Past website account

Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.

By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.

Log in with RealMe®

If you’ve used a RealMe login somewhere else, you can use it here too. If you don’t already have a username and password, just click Log in and you can choose to create one.


Log in again to continue your work

Your session has expired.

Log in again with RealMe®


Alert