HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume II, Issue 132, 20 July 1881, Page 3

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Tuesday, July 19. The House met at 2.30. NOTICES OF MOTION.

Mr. Reeves gave notice of motion, affirming the desirability of the Resident Magistrates and Wardens on gold-fields being removed every three years.

Mr. Murray gave notice that, in view of tbe plentiful supply of money in the market and the cheap rate of interest, it is desirable that railway works should be pushed on with all possible speed.

QUESTIONS.

Replying to questions put — It was stated that two lighthouse keepers were located at Napier— one employed only casually. The latter had been paid at a rate considered sufficient to cover the usual allow, ance made for house rent. — The Government had not yet considered the report of the Inspector of Prisons relative to the proposed abolition of prison schools, altering tbe dietary scale, and the punishment of prisoners without delaying for the Visiting Justices, and tbey could not say, as yet, what was likely to be done about the same. — The population of the southern ports on the West Coast of the Middle Island was too small to warrant a subsidy being paid for a mail service. The Government steamer visited tbe ports once a quarter, and if her engagements would permit, these visits wonld be more frequent. — The Government had received tbe Engineer's report upon the survey of the track between Lyell and Mohikonui townships. It proposed a track of twentythree miles, at a cost of Tbe Government could make no promise that the work would be provided for.

NEW BILLS.

The following Bills were introduced and read a first time : — The Maori Committee Empowering (Mr. Tomana) ; Land Act 1877 Amendment ; and East Coast Land District (Mr. EollestoD) ; Harbors Act 1878 Amendment, No. 2 (Mr. Wright.)

REPEAL OF ABOLITION OF PROVINCES.

Before moving for leave to introduce a Bill to repeal the Abolition of Provinces Act, 1875, Mr. Sheehan asked the Government to state what course it proposed to pursue in regard to the Bill. All manner of rumors had been s in circulation about the lobbies, and he desired them to state what they proposed doing. Mr. Hall said the motion was of such a nature that the Government felt called upon to accept ie in tbe light of a vote of no confidence, and to ask that as little business as possible be done until it was disposed of. He would not object to the introduction of the Bill, or to its first reading, but on the motion for fixing a date for its second reading, he would move that it be that day six months, and would ask tbem to proceed with the debate that evening. Mr. Sheehan said he had the couvenienee of others to consult, and if they were opposed to the course proposed, he would not be able to adopt it. Personally he did not object.

Mr. Macandrew demurred to Government accepting it as a vote of want of confidence. The Government was not responsible for abolition having been carried.

Mr. Brown proposed that the introduction of the Bill be postponed till that day six months.

Mr. Gisborne said the Government was simply trying to draw a red herring across tbe scent, and raise a false issue. The Bill should not be taken out of the ordinary course.

The Hon. Mr. Hall said that the arrangement he proposed had been assented to by the mover.

Mr. Sheehan said that he had been willing to assent to the arrangement on his own behalf, but he had to be guided by the opinions of those with whom he usually acted.

Mr. Montgomery denied that the motion was one of a party character, and professed his intention of voting against it. Such being the case, the Government had no right to deal with it as a party question.

Mr. Moss reminded Government that it had invited them to assist in devising a good scheme for local government, and blamed them for making this a party question, when they had simply responded to that invitation.

Mr. Sheehan said he would allow his motion for leave to introduce the Bill to lapse, but if an exhaustive debate on Sir George Grey's Local Government Bill was not allowed to take place, he would re-introduce the Bill under discussion to allow of such debate.

LICENSING BILL PASSED.

The Licensing Bill was reported, and on the motion for the third reading a division took place — ayes, 48 ; noes, 2G. The Bill was then read a third time, and passed.

PUBLIC WORKS BILL.

On the motion of the Hon. Mr. Hall, the Public Works Bill was read a second time. CROWN AND NATIVE LAND 3 RATING BILL.

Mr. Sutton resumed the debate on the second reading of the Crown and Native Lands Rating Bill, speaking for nearly an hour on the general question of local government, and the general proposals set out in the Government policy. The House adjourned at 5.30 p.m.