Parliamentary Notes.

Hastings Standard, Issue 145, 14 October 1896, Page 3

Parliamentary Notes.

IN HOUSE AND COUNCIL. '"I»Y Tkle-;?:\PH. i

t I'li'ni "trr Sj t rid! ('cyrffij I'tuhiit. / W'erj.ivon-x, This (lay. A pe'i.iou from Mr C. B. .Mornson askii.g to bo hoard at the bar of the Council on behalf of certain clients affected by the Horowhenua BlockBill was presented to the Council by the Hon Mr MacGregor, who subsequently* gave notice that on Wednesday he would move that the prayer of the petitioner be granted. The replies of Commissioners Booth and McKerrow to the statements made by Sir Walter Buller in respect of the Ilorowhenua Block were laid on the table. Roth gentlemen saw no reason to alter their opinion as expressed in the report of the Royal Commission. In the Council the following measures were put through their iinal stages:—The Land and Income Tax Bil?. the Tobacco Excise Duties Bill, The Public Revenues Act Amendment Bill (No 2), and the River Boards Act Amendment Bill. In connection with the Ilorowhenua Block Bill, the Hon. Mr McGregor's motion to alter the constitution of the Court was lost on the Chairman's casting vote, and the interpretation clause was agreed to unamended. The schedules were passed with amendments proposed hy the Native Affairs Committee, and the Bill was reported as amended. Before the Ministerial caucus on the Ban king Bil I separated yesterday morning the following further " slaughter of the innocents" was agreed to:--The Fair Kent, Juries Act Amendment, Medical Practitioners, Local Bodies Constitution Reform, Country Franchise Extension, Government I* ire Insurance, Local Government, and Native Lands (Mr W'i Pore's) Bills. The Premier wished an opportunity of making a second-reading speech in the Fire Insurance Bill, but the party declined to entertain the proposal. The Naval and Military Claims Settlement and Extinguishment Hill proposes the appointment of a Commissioner to finally determine outstanding claims on the following grounds:- (1) The claims which are established according to law and category under which they are claimed ; (2) the claims which are rejected on the ground of claimants' character not being technically good, but which would bo established if the expression ■' good character " were read with the Queen's regulation for the army ls.1!) to lNfiN; and (3) the claims which were rejected on technical grounds, stating in each case the nature of the technical objection. The Council met at II this morning. The Hon. Mr M'Grcgor's motion that Mr C. B. Morrison be heard at the bar of the Council re Ilorowhenua affairs was lost on the voices. The Public Bodies rowers Amendment Bill was read a third time. The Horowhemu Block Bill was recommitted and the Court finally made the Native Appellate Court, after which the third reading was passed. The Hawkers Bill was shelved by the debate being adjourned for a week.