HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXIII, Issue LXVIII, 22 October 1914, Page 4

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

In the House the Statutes Revision Committee reported that the Cook Islands Bill be allowed to proceed. Hon. Mr. Herdman said that no material changes had been made in the Bill, which it was proposed to send to the Native Affairs Committee, after which -he would be pleased to fully explain the alterations made.

The Premier made a statement as tc the business to be put through this session, at the conclusion of which he stated that he saw no reason why the session should not conclude by Saturday week.

The Premier then proposed to go into committee on the Legislative Council Bill, but, at the request of Sir Joseph Ward, deferred it till 7.30 p.m.

The Workers' Dwellings Amendment Bill was passed without amendment.

The .Land Laws Amendment Bill was taken in committee.

A new clause, 9a, providing that lessees in perpetuity or Ordinary Crown Land may acquire the fee simple of the whole area-, notwithstanding provisions as to limitation of area, was challenged by the Opposition, but was carried by 33 to 21.

Clause 9b, giving similar concessions to lessees of settlement lands was also challenged, and carried by 36 to 18.

The right of lessees of small grazing runs to acquire the freehold under clauses 12 was also contested, but the Government slightly increased its majority.

The committee was considering new clauses moved by Mr McCallum when the Premier moved to report progress at the dinner adjournment.

When the House resumed the Legislative Council Bill was taken in com-

mittee

Sir Joseph Ward moved that progress be reported upon the Bill, so that the electors at the coming elections should have an opportunity of expressing an opinion on th© Bill. The electors had the right to an opportunity of considering such important changes. As a precedent for this claim he quoted the procedure in Australia, aud instanced the case of the rejection by the people of suggested changes in the constitution He could see no necessity for putting the Bill through this session, when the measure Mas not to become operative until 1916. No member, however experienced, couid say what the people would do at the polls. If the Opposition! were returned to power, it would be stopped by the personnel of the Council, and.tho only course open would be to make fresh appointments to swamp the appointments recently.

made

Mr Massey said the principle of the Bill was to make the Council representative, and this principle had. been discussed upon every platform of New Zealand. The) party in power was returned pledged to bring about a change in the constitution of the Council. He also pointed out that the House had passed resolutions affirming the principle of the present Bill. The country and the Legislative Council had agreed that a change .was necessary, and that the Council should be democratised. No one could say that the present method was satisfactory.

Up to the supper adjournment, the discussion was to a great extent a repetition of the second reading debate, centring round the question of proportional representation as ah electoral system. The Opposition contended that it ought first to be applied to the representative chamber.

At 11 o'clock the division on Sir J. Ward's motion was taken, when the proposal to report progress was rejected by 35 to 28.

The division list, was'as follows: —

. Ayes: Brown, Buddo, Buxton, Carroll, Colvin, Craigie, Dickie, Ell, Glover, Hanan, Hindmarsh, Isitt, McCallum, Myers, Pai-ata, Poland, Robertson, Russell, Sidey, R. W. Smith, J. C. Thomson, Veitch, Ward, Wilford, Witty. Tellers: .Forbes and

Payne

- Noes: Allen, Anderson, J. Bollard, Bollard, Br^dney, ißuchanan, Buick, Campbell, Coates, Davey, Dickson, Escott, Fisher, Fraser, Harris, Herries, Hine, Lee, Man'der/ Massey, Newman, Dr. Newman, Nosworthy, Okey, Heed, Rhodes, Rhodes, Scott, Statham, Sykes, G. M. Thomson, Wilkinson, and Young. Tellers: Guthrie and McCombs.

Pairs. —Ayes: Ngata and R. McKenzie, Rangihiroa and Millar, Noes: Wilson and Herdman, Pomare and F. H. Smith.

The clauses then passed rapidly until clause 7 was reached, when Mr. Veitch moved an- amendment.

The Premier stated he . could not accept the proposal of the member for Wanganui, but was impressed with the fact that the clause as it stood might be improved, and he would have the matter looked into before the Bill passed its final stage. The clause was then passed.

At clause 13, Sir Joseph Ward moved to increase tho -electoral divisions from four to eight, but this was negatived by 31 to 26.

. At clause 15 Sir Joseph Ward moved an amendment, the effect of which, if carried, would be that the full Council be elected in 1917. This was lost by 30 to 28.

At clause 18, Dr. Newman moved that women be eligible for election to the Council. '

The Premier "said he was prepared to accept the amendment and vote for it, and the amendment was carried amidst cheers, by. 39. to 12.

Mr. Veitch moved an amendment providing that vacancies which occur in the Council prior to the first election

j be filled by members of the House, not tby members'of. the Council. The amendment was lost by 27 to 25. At clausa 22 Sir Joseph Ward moved that Maori members be elected. The amendment was lost, on the cast^ mg vote of the chairman Sir Joseph Ward further moved that all councillors (except life members) should retire in 1917. The Premier characterised the amendment as a gross breach of faith with the members appointed for seven years. The amendment was lost by 26 to 24.

The remaining twenty clauses were passed in a few minutes without amendment. Mr. McCombs moved a new clause, the effect of which is that the Council be fully elective in 1920. The Premier accepted the amendment, which was carried. Tlie Bill was reported at 1.19 a.m.

LOAN BILL.

A Loan Bill, authorising the raising of £3,000,000, in aid of public works and land settlement, was introduced by Governor's Message and read a first time. The House rose at 1.24 a.m.