PARLIAMENTARY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXIII, Issue 7575, 13 June 1885, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY.

[Per Press Association.] LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Friday, June 12. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. The Colonial Secretary brought up the report of the Select Committee appointed to prepare the Address-in-Reply. The Hon R. Phabaztn gave notice that on Tuesday he would move that the Address be agreed to. On* the motion of the Colonial SecreTARr the various sessional Committees were appointed for the current session. The Hon J. Bathgate took the oath and his seat.

Captain Baillie was appointed Chairman of Committees for the session. The Colonial Secretary introduced the Municipal Corporations Bill, Legislative Council Bill, Disqualification Amendment Bill, and Criminal Code Bill, each of which was read a first time.

With regard to the Legislative Council Bill, the Hon G. M'Lean gave notice of his intention to move for a call of the Council to discuss the second reading. The Council adjourned at 2.55 p.m. till Tuesday next.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Friday, June 12. The House met at 2.30 p.m. NOTICES OF MOTION. " Mr Macandeew gave notice to move—- " That the House should meet during the session at half-past 10 a.m., and adjourn at half-past 5." Sir G. Grey gave notice to move—" That an address be presented to the Queen, congratulating Her Majesty upon the steps taken by New South Wales to renderassißtance to England in time of need." NEW SILLS. Hon J. Ballance gave notice of the following Bills:—Land Act, 1885 ; Kaitangata Reclamation Act, 1885; NStive Land Disposition Act, 1885 ; Native Lands Consolidation Act, 1885. The following Bills were introduced: — Wellington Public Street Closing Bill (Hon R. Stout), Canterbury and Otago Marriage Bill (Hon R. Stout), Administration Act, 1879, Amendment Bill (Hon R. Stout), Mercantile Law Act Amendment, 1880, Amendment Bill (Hon R. Stout), Patento Act, 1883, Amendment Bill (Sir J. Vogel) ; Bill to Amend Laws • Relating to Fire and Marine Insurance and Foreign Companies (Sir J. Vogel) ; Inventions Protection Bill (Sir J. Vogel) ; Bill to Abolish Plurality of Voting at Election of Members of House of Representatives (Sir G. Grey); Bill Relating to Eneouragement of Fisheries in New Zealand (Sir J. Vogel) ; Bill Relating to Establishment of State Forests in New Zealand (Sir J. Vogel) ; Bill Changing Trusts of the Christchureh Market Reserves (Mr Holmes); Bill to Validate Christchureh Municipal Council Public Works Loan (Mr Holmes); Bill to Regulate Admission of Persons to Practice in Courts of Law (Sir ix. Grey) ; Bill to Provide Facilities for Enforcement of Judgments Recovered in Courts of Inferior Jurisdiction (Sir G. Grey).

COMMITTEES. The usual sessional Committees were then appointed. ADDRESS-IN-REPLY. The Hon R. Stotjt said that it having been represented to Government by the member for Waitotara that it would be more convenient to the House generally if the Address-in-Reply were not considered till Tuesday, he desired to move that the motion be adjourned till Tuesday next. He understood that the mover of the Address (Mr Pearson) was quite willing that that course should be adopted. Mr Beycb said, as far as he was personally concerned., he should prefer that the motion would be allowed to proceed, but he thought, in justice to absent members, it would be hardly fair to consider the Address-in-Reply. After some further discussion, the House adjourned at 3 p.m. till Tuesday next.

[from our own correspondent.J WELLINGTON, June 12. The Speech has been pretty well received. In fact, no serious complaints have been brought against it. There is, of course, " Nothing in it," according to some people, but then that is easy to say, and saves time, thought, and eloquence; but having already been said a fair number of hundreds of times in similar cases, by people who did not know what else to say, it can hardly pass muster either as trenchant or original criticism. The New Zealand Times this morning dismissed the whole thing with a couple of contemptuous lines, and not a word of objection; a pretty sure sign that its editor, facile writer as he is, has not found much to take hold of. Instead of this, he raises a hubbub like a cyclone in a saucer about the Address in Reply being moved on the first day of the business. It is a political dodge £>f the deepest, blackest dye, and a most heinous offence, when more than half the members are still at home at ease, or supposed to be, to get rid of any opposition. It is true that Mr Pearson is here, and will move the Address in Reply, and that Mr Hialop will second it; and it is equally true that Major Atkinson is not here, and can't oppose it if he wishes, and that Mr Rolleston, who certainly would wish, is just as much put out of court by his absence. But the faithful Bryce, most critical and cool of all the leaders on the Opposition bench, is here, with " the brilliant young member for Selwyn " beside him ; and any reasonable protest of theirs will cause a postponement of the debate till Tuesday next.

The Government do not see why business should not move on, and it is really not their fault if members either will not or cannot be present at the opening of the session. As a matter of fact, about half the members of the Lower House have arrived, and the lobbies are full of familiar faces. The members of the Upper House are also gradually gathering. From Canterbury, Messrs Montgomery and Lance arrived this morning, and Messrs Fulton, Macandrew and Bradshaw from Otago ; but Messrs Harper, Holmes, M'Millan, Garrick, Turnbull, Sutter and Reese have not yet made their appearance. One very familiar face and figure is once more to be seen, their owner hobbling about on two stout sticks, "Willy" Swanson, now an Honorable, and as out-, spoken, direct and keen in his own rough style of humour as ever. La*eb. This afternoon's sitting collapsed in less than an hour. There were a few petitions presented, leave given to introduce a number of bills, and time given to Mr Macandrew to fire off his annual salute against late sittings, and to Sir George Grey to propose a piece of loyal courtesy; and then the Premier made a statement which had

the effect of putting the shutters up until Tuesday next, to the great dismay of the energetic, like Mr Macandrew, and without any great gratification, to the irreconcileables of the Opposition, to judge from the speeches of Messrs Bryce and Wakefield. The latter expressed great regret that Government had not had the courage to torn over a new leaf in this jnatter of postponing all business for two sitting days, and given up what he called the "(trumpery formality " of adjourning in the usual course. Mr Bryce thought Government exercised a wise discretion in giving way to a general desire, but, nevertheless, would have liked to see the debate proceed. Still Mr Macandrew's sturdy protest, and blunt reminder, that it was the duty of members to be present, gained him many a "hear," and I can but think that, had Government allowed the debate to go straight on, they would have pleased the majority of members. Manihera, a Wairarapa chief, who died lately, was buried at Greytown to-day with great honour, both Natives and Europeans attending the funeral in numbers. Altogether, - there were some 600 people present, which, for a little country town in the North Island, is a tremendous concourse. Manihera was an influential and much respected chief, and had done the settlers in the district many a good turn in the early times, while he was invaluable to Sir D. M'Lean, and gave him much assistance at the time when the latter was Native Minister. A representative of the Government attended *the funeral, and several of the oldest Wairarapa squatters were there also. Speeches of the most amicable nature were made by all concerned/The old chief left a portrait of himself in oils, painted by a German artist, tothe Government, for the people of the Colony. '