EVENING SITTING.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7542, 12 August 1886, Page 3

EVENING SITTING.

. - The House resumed at 7.30. RABBIT BILL. ■ ■The. Rabbit Act Amendment Bill was further considered in committee.— Clause -'-"30; giving the' Boards power to levy a rate '/■'. of three-sixteenths of a penny, evoked a sharp discussion. Mi' Hursthouse complained that members had not had time to consider the new clauses, and moved [ to report progress, which was lost on the voices. Mr Bryce protested against the . slipshod style of continually bringing | , down new , clauses to bills. Mr Hurst- ■• .'house said that the rating clauses in- ' volved fresh taxation of £60,000 to ] ■ £75,000 a year. Mr Hirst asked if town . districts would ho rated ? Mr Tole pro- j .• • -nrised that tliiv should be excepted. The clause was ivtained on the voices.-:- \ ■-Another, discussion arose over a clause proposed by Mr Scobie Mackenzie, givin? ' Btockowners the" right to vote by proxy. .One section of speakers held that it was j . encouraging absenteeism, while another section held that it was only right that ! managers of stations should represent their principals,- and the clause would only confer similar rights to those given j by .other Acts. The clause was negatived by 35. to 23. Mr J. C. Bucklarid said that this disfranchised . the men who would have to pay tho heaviest rate.— Tke bill was reported as amended. PROPERTY ASSESSMENT BILL. ■ The Property Assessment Bill was considered in committee. — Mr Macandrow, • said it was stealing a inarch -on church property, to .which it meant a loss of £3000 or £4000 a year, and protested against such a measure being forced on ', • at the fag end of the session. — The Pro- >.', mier'said the question was whether nearly ' ". a million of property, mostly State granted ' ; land, was to escape taxation.— Colonel ' Trimble supported and Mr Bruce opposed ' the bill. — Mrßolleston sympathised with ■ Mr Macandrew, brit thought that reason and argument were with Sir Robert Stout. . . —Mr Gafrick instanced' Christchurchas a case -where laTge church endowments escaped almost free, though vastly improved ' by extraneous expenditure. — Clause 2, on which the. debate had arisen, was carried by 3d to 17, and the remainder " of the bill passed with little opposition. ...,-'• ' BETTLED LAND BILL. .' ■ . The Settled Land Bill was committed. — The Premier said he had agreed to make " " ' certain amendments to meet the views ■of < speakers on the second reading. — In clause ' •7 Mr Garrick objected to trust f nnds being i invested in the purchase of land, 'as opon- ' ing a door to speculation on tho part of 'trustees. The clause was retained by '30 ; „ 'to 25. — Some amendments were made in j other clauses, and the bill was reported, ] and read a third time and passed. PROPERTY ASSESSMENT BILL. The Property Assessment Bill passed its ' . final stages. " - THE HOUSE AND THE COUNCIL. Managers were appointed for a confer- . ■ ence with the Council on the Harbors Bill, Counties Bill, and Municipal Corporations ';'/ DISTRICT RAILWAYS PURCHASING BILL. ; "" The Minister for Public "\Vorks moved the re-committal of the District .Railways i >■: Purchasing Bill in: order to. reconsider • '■ 'certain clauses. He ■ said that 'the cash ■ 'purchase money had been reduced in a . small House. ' .' Mr.Montgomery made a strong protest ' ... against the re-committal of the bill. He said the House was still smaller than when the clause was altered. The Government would bo doing wrong to try and force this upon the House. Mr Suttor reminded members that the same thing had been done with the Waimate railway last session, and . begged them to take warning by what had happened since then. Mr Bryce, Mr Buchanan, Mr Duncan, and Mr Kolleston also protested agaiust takingthe House by surprise. . ■ : Mr Peacock moved the adjournment of the debate. ... , - , • j..'. Mr Richardson .said the Government ■ ' had no wish to force the 'matter on, but', lie denied that there had been any sur- ' prise, as it had been known all night that tho Government would bring the question on. Theadjournment of tho debate till tho following day was agreed to on tho voices. ■• . The House rose at 12.45 a.m.