Parliamentary Notes.

Hastings Standard, Issue 139, 6 October 1896, Page 2

Parliamentary Notes.

IN HOUSE AND COUNCIL. (From our Sjirria! Correspondent.) Wellington', This day. The Council yesterday afternoon put the Lands for Settlements Act Amendment Bill and the Shipping and Seamen's Act Amendment Bill through the final stages. In consequence of Mr Speaker ruling that it was not competent for that chamber to add to the Government Loans to Local Bodies Act Amendment Bill a clause preventing the seizure of sinking funds of local bodies, that measure had to be recommitted and the clause added that last week, at the Hon Mr Macgregor's instance, was struck out. Major Kemp is petitioning that he be heard at the bar of the Council in connection with the Horowhenua Block Bill and the Hon Mr Macgregor is to move that his request be acceded to. The second reading of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill was affirmed 011 the voices in the House after a short debate. The Premier, in introducing the subject, said that if carried it would give effect to what had been contended for many years—one man one vote, one man one registration. To allow a dual qualification to continue an electors transfer from one district to another 011 the strength of their property qualification would be giving property an undue advantage over manhood. Sir Robert Stout said he would sooner have seen the law altered to allow a man to vote either where his property was or where he himself lived, provided that he was only allowed one vote, and that vote is not to be changed from one district to another during the three years. Provision ought also to be made against the removal of cooperative workmen from one district to another on the eve of an election. When the Tobacco Act Amendment Bill was taken in Committee Mr Duthie objected to the license-fee for a bonded manufactory, which under clause 6 was fixed at not less than £25 nor more than £l5O. He moved to make the maximum fee £lO, which w r as lost by 40 to 18. Among the votes of general interest in the Public Works Estimates are the following :—£23,000 for the purchase of Martini-Henri rifles; £B,OOO for Government Printing Office completion ; £50,000 for conservation of water races and development of goldfields ; £B,OOO for compensation arising out of proclamation of rivers and resumption of lands held as occupation licenses ; £4,000 towards the completion of the Porirua Asylum. At the evening sitting the Tobacco Bill was reported with amendments. Committees were appointed to draw up reasons for disagreement to the amendments of the Council in the Lands for Settlement Act Amendment Bill and the Shipping and Seamen's Act Amendment Bill. The remainder of the sitting was taken up with the consideration of the Public Works Statement and Estimates.