PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Hastings Standard, Issue 94, 14 August 1896, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

IN HOUSE AND COUNCIL,

13y Telegraph

/ Fr<m our Spn-iol ('urrfsjuniilfnt.)

Wellington, This day

The Stock Committee has started on an exhaustive enquiry into questions of freights on frozen meats, the insulation of trucks, and other matters affecting the frozen meat industry.

To-day Parliament enters on the tenth week of the present session.

For the second time the Council has refused to pass Mr Lawry's Deceased Husband's brother Rill. The Hon Mr Feldwiek, who had charge of it, argued that- the measure was the natural sequence to the Deceased Wife's Sisters Marriage Dill. The Council, however, by 17 to 10 refused to read it a second •time.

The Council yesterday afternoon put the Pharmacy and Westport- Harbor Board Bills through their final stages; passed the Dunedin City Borrowing Bill through committee, and read it a third time ; and reported progress on the inspection of the Machinery Act Amendment Bill, after striking out a proviso that in cases of dairying or threshing machinery not worked for more than six months in the year a certificate shall remain m force two years instead of one. In the House yesterday afternoon The Asiatic Restriction Bill (No 2) was put through Committee.

Mr T. Mackenzie moved to reduce the poll-tax from £IOO to £-30, which was negatived by 45 to 5. On the third reading the member for Clut-ha took exception to a new clause making it compulsory for a Chinese to pay the poll-tax every time he returned to the colony after a visit from its shores.

Mr Duthie also protested against the passage of so extreme a measure which the influx of Chinese did not warrant. The new clauses were so foreign to British freedom as to lead to the impression that they were put into the bill with a view of having it wrecked in " another place." Mr E. Thompson also was of opinion that the bill had been rendered so objectionable as to invite its rejection in the Council, besides which the colony was lowering itself in the eyes of the civilised world.

The Contagious Diseases Act Amendment Bill was read a third time, and passed. The hawkers and pedlars are brought under the provisions of the Shops and Shop Assistants Act Amendment Bill (which passed its second reading i»r> forma yesterday afternoon, and was referred to-the Labor Bills Committee), and will require to observe a statutory half-holiday. At the evening sitting the Minister of Lands moved the second reading of the Crc-hards and Garden Pests Bill jiff funna, and it was remitted to the Agric ill t ural Coinmi t tee. The second reading of the Juvenile Depravity Suppression Bill was moved by Mr Seddon, who regretted that the necessity existed for the introduction of such a measure.

After a length discussion, in which the opinion was voiced that too much power was given to constables, the second reading was agreed to without division.

The second reading of the Rating Act (1894) Amendment Bill was, on the motion of Mr Seddon, carried and referred to the Native Affairs Committee. The Minister of Lands moved the second reading of the Advances to Settlers Act Amendment Bill. One amendment was that advances might be made on freehold land for a term of ten years. Settlers would only have to pay 5 per cent: interest and would have the option of paying off the mortgage at any time. Another amendment was that suburban land could be included in securities on which money might be borrowed. Mr M'Kenzie said that the sum of £700,000 was now earning interest at the rate of 5 per cent, and 1 per cent, sinking fund, «nd he estimated that at the end of the year the department would show a credit balance of £4IOO.

A lengthy discussion ensued' in which Sir Robert fctout and Messrs G. W. Russell, MUJs, T, M'Kenzie and Ward took pari.