Parliamentary Notes.

Hastings Standard, Issue 110, 2 September 1896, Page 2

Parliamentary Notes.

— IN HOUSE AND COUNCIL. [By TliLKttßAl'U.j /From i ntr S/n-rial ( 'nrtrsfiotiiicut, / Watixcwx. This day. The following Bills passed their final stages in the Council yesterday afternoon :—Married Persons tiirmmary Separation Act, Dunedjtff Garrison Hall Trustees Impo\4ering Act Amendment Act, and the Infkim' Life Protection Act. » • The'second reading of Photographic Copyright Bill (which was introduced into the Lower Home by the Member for Patea) was agreed to after an expiv-v-inn of opinion by the Hon Downie Stewart that the measure did not give the same protection as the Fine Arts Copyright Act, 1H77, and was an objectionable piece of legislation. The Asiatic Restriction Bill was considered in Committee in the Council yesterday afternoon. The Hon Mr Williams moved a proviso to clause 166, which prohibits : the naturalisation of Chinese, by which ministers, and teachers of Christian religion would be exempt, which was agreed to. The Hon Mi' Bowen then brought up the question of granting letters of naturalisation' to those at present entitled to them, and moved a new proviso that the clause shall not apply to those who have prior to September I, 1896, communicated to the Colonial Secretary their desire to be natural--*-ised. This Mas agreed to, and thfc clause as amended carried. On clause 22 dealing with exemptions, the Hon Mr Williams moved a new sub-section exempting from the poll-tax and the operation of the Act ministers and teachers of Christian religion, which was also agreed to. The Hon Mr Shrimski succeeded by 16 to If) in getting struck out the provision which required photographs to be placed on the naturalisation papers. After a heated discussion, in which the Minister of Education played a prominent part, The Speaker's ruling was taken at the Hon Mr Shnmski's instance as to whether clause f> was a money clause. The Hon Mr Millar ruled' that as the clause provided for raising of money through the Customs to be p;iid into the Consolidated Fund the Council could not amend it. The Bill was reported with amend-ments,-and the third reading iixed for next day. ! The Banking Committee of the House found it necessary to instruct their Chairman to apply to the House yesterday for. a third extension of three weeks in which to furnish their report. The whole of the members of the Committee 1 , with the exception of Maslm, who ridiculed the idea, of report being presented in the tim« while the Committee only sat in the forenoon, supported the motion, to which Mr George Hutchison moved to add, "and that leave be given to sit during the sitting of the House." The Premier said the Committee would be able to report within the time stated as material witnesses-r only two have yet been called, viz., Messrs Booth and Watson—had now been called. Messrs G. .T. Smith, Crowther, and McLachlan thought the Committee should be dissolved, as it could not possibly bring down a satisfactory report within the time stated. Mr Hutchison's amendment was negatived by 16 to 25, and the extension of time applied for granted bv 56 to 5. The Premier says the Government cannot interfere with a view of putting a, stop to the Bank of New Zealand suing those shareholders who have not the means of paying their calls. In the matter of details of management the less the Government interfere the better, not only for the Bank but for the colony. At the same time he hoped that even though judgment was obtained it would not he enforced in the eases of real hardship. Another side of the question was this: Supposing the Bank had been allowed to go into liquidation, what mercy would the liquidators have shown ? The Bill for the Classification of Railway Employes is now drafted, and the Hon Mr Cadmau hopes to bring it down shortly. According to the Minister of Lands, not an acre of land purchased under the Lands for Improvement and Native Lands Aquisition Act, 1801, lias been sold for cash. The Hon.) Mclvenzie informed Mr Dubbo that legislation for the compulsory marking of meat intended for export would bo brought down next session, At the evening sitting the House was in Supply on the Estimates. The progress made was slow, and amendments were, the order of the day. The Education vote, £107,755, was passed througji without- alteration. Government will probably, before the session closes, bring down legislation to make proper provision for the payment to the colony of interest on the half-million inscribed stock, and to increase the Board of Directors by two members, as it is believed at-;#esent that the Board is tqq. mucljFof a Wellington affair. Further consideration of the Loan Bill will be the business before the House this evening.