Parliamentary Notes.

Hastings Standard, Issue 130, 25 September 1896, Page 2

Parliamentary Notes.

IN HOUSE AND COUNCIL. (From■ our Special Correspondent.) Wellington, This day. The Hon. Mr Shrimski has given notice in the Council to ask whether the wives and children of naturalised Chinamen joining their relations here are liable to the poll-tax and also whether Chinamen leaving the colony and returning will have to pay the poll-tax a second time. The Council yesterday passed the Ngatitoa Trust Bill and the Poverty Bay Lands and Deeds Registration Districts Bill through their final stages. Speaking of the Lands for Settlement Amendment Bill, the Hon. Mr Stevens drew attention to a clause providing for taking land for workmen's cottages which did away with the requirements of clause 9 of the principal act compelling Government to take the whole of a man's land if they wanted any. He argued that it was a dangerous power to give the Government the right to come down on a man's property and take which portions they pleased. The Hon Mr Bolt contended that section 8 of the principal conserved all an owners rights. The second reading was agreed to on the voices, and the Bill was referred to the Waste Lands Committee. The Council passed the second reading of the Shops and Shop Assistants Bill and put the Public Revenue Act Amendment Bill through Committee without amendment except that on the Minister of Education's motion it was resolved to strike out the application to cemeteries which had been inserted in the House of Representatives. On the Hon Mr Maslin's motion the Trades Union Act Amendment Bill, which the Hon Downie Stewart has charge of, and which enacts that young people may become members of Trades Unions at fourteen instead of sixteen, which is the present age,'passed its final stages. In the House the Premier said he hoped to bring down the Public Works Statement at the beginning of next week. It was decided to sit on Mondays at half-past two for the remainder of the session. The Premier hoped to bring the session to a close in about a fortnight. The motion for committal of the Uriwera District Native Reserves Bill was agreed to after a short debate. The evening sitting was occupied with the Eight Hours Bill in Committee. After a lengthy discussion an amendment by Mr Riccarton Russell, that the Government printing office employees be included in the provisions of the measure, was carried by by 37 to 27. Later. The Premier announced to the House this afternoon that he would bring dowh the Public Works Statement on Monday, take the Liquor Bill on Tuesday evening, and the Mining Bill on Monday night.