THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Mataura Ensign, Volume 7, Issue 369, 27 June 1884, Page 5

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

ri " jtb'UßE "oFIiIiPRBSENTATIVBS.,; '.'

.■■;-:, U^ uM c\S- ■■ ■ : :' ; .-l.r • -' ftr.fT' " '■ "1 '- tn. £ i .reply, ... to Mr. I'eldwick, Mr ( f€?otaoily said that no. warder had ever r the Atickl^nd ji^^Fyic^ for hia refusal tb^ogja prisoner.., Warders were required: : to •dtninidter such punishment, but as 1 to J WMt%ouW be done in the event of "ihejr refuJßa,l to do so he was, not prepared tp_ say. '...;■: . -...' .si!;-iMtcMdBB protested against warders b.eing compelled to do this wOrk. If l lt J Va^-luecessary to administer such ,■ djAßtiaemeni, , he , would . suggest that

the Judge, Magistrate, or even ibe Minister for Justice r was tlie proper ■ jjr&£on to do "itf." ' lt was topnstrous . to ■„ B^,; t hat'f a . should' chastise a rvperflonin tjaafc way and. afterwards be with the cha-rg6'of him! J : ■'• u ' : kr- ; Fel{iwick and Mr Daniel t dpnounced the infliction of such punish--CQQQtiu u> -'.--tnilinLl j:• ■ '.;..< -j . v. Mr Conolly said that this was hot ristsiw^sbion'Wrliiether'or'iiofe such punishmentßhouW be ;. the only qu^tronwaßfislo who' should inflict it. In England, and in this cclony too, the £uni9b,ruent,,was invariably adminis* iterjedi.-by iwar.ders. .The alternative proposition was as* to the propriety; 'of ff fttopdintihg v . r a f public flagellatqr, ' and he that; a proppsitip^ of that kind had" ridyer entered bwbiead. The npunishmeritf was only inflicted ; in the I 'cJ4iie^ i of .' brutal dlsgns'tiing. offences, did not' see' hia way to nave it «,sbQysbMaltoge£he.r >:: .«„ f „ , i a

-•iffiSifi'GeorgetiGnejD inveighed against the injustice done to.wai;ders in this M^NW*^ heigbt t t & injustice, ( i (It, v^aja qnlyoreasonftble nt6/aeki;that ahpierson; should be got tfpoff W&oinditnisW^&lW other duties might devolve. , r . . * r ,' „ ■ , odvr *&ft'P o Hse.jsens;^o Committee on Supply, when: hthe.:' [resolution toiap: propriaietii^BjiQQOj o^k :fif 4he consolitwfl^iai^M^; M\. !^Wum. was J ipOlfti* J»iii( f ;-i;ii ;■.>' -cot, „!/. ■]:•-...■;.•■! -taooJdif^Holffiea toothed that the atn6tifat argued oIIBWd Sl^Pl^fonflfivißoiwrftiiiunj:, j „ seeing nrthftfetbfeir.aaessioiaJMd ■• not ! exceeded 11 M^ )ijl rate ''teotidM and sup-ported-^i^^9ig£f<!meni. J He argued A f^mtotfeßrltoHora^iUmJ 'should > not 1 be "^ for dervicee^'but ; sf^pifas, a Refund Tfoi 1 ; the> necessary i .lOt^lay.;, jjfj-,., j.;,.;-; -,-.;, .„.-,..; ..ural j bonuffihe amendment)' was negatived bn anftjtf Voices/"' '•• - : - : ' --'• " / "' 'V l ' - ' c ,< be reduced sojaa'tp /make tnehoaora^ !. TJUm LIOO. : : <: n^' ijn-..U' i ■.; > ;.;■..•::.;: • - r -Mr'Seddon said that;-lhis : gr6ti6sal men. He had never known .it&ejse I 'fitberiflefcvferthe ' surplus amount in the '' n niHd§ ofthe Treeisurer, or even give it ?%^M ! M U 'iiist^utioiiß. ; ' 'It wSs-" a .t.cCentjapi-jiVitnif members that they should be paid . L2l O per session;* and should be paid. He , <»Ujti9ped, jjjbe. supporters of the res J auction that they would not catch mfive.votes more by this sham proposal theirs.'" r ''■' " • " : ' • ;■ '.'['jCjaJb^^yrirable , jsppfce in favor of r^ymentr.ojE,; ;m«mber»,. but.uuder the .*>civcuniatances : heir thought LIOO suffi-

7 l '" r fe'^isHcotittended' that the sum as yirtu'ai^ 'tlie . foirce of law. LiTheyjbaji framed; a bill last session which waß' ! thrown out in; the other * I JIWs6y i he beii^Ved/j because 1 it ;jm>j. posed to lower sum payable ''tp memb^'^f^i^'b^nch'. He thought «°tlM'«tffii' BB^al.d h ;b'e 'eitibodied 1 ih. ai} jinWW^K 1 $*& ' ' '^o «ira fixed at >;W iidballeiigeivxaad' ; .sajr'. that those wh o -voted" for tfie ! ! }a r rgef sum shonld got • 7 i& !; 'Hnd ; 'thbse ti wh.b yote'd fo> the f^m^fer 'sum: Should gefi. the lesser

li.qplQVaity\ ilk A-l- >'.-■> r'l'.', ' , Mr Moss said the object of the honorarium riwasr to maintain the inde> lrjpm<tetnC6'<o£ ths member,, and. .that ' H&uld'orily be by making the Suitable for such a pnrrio^e. fiitkip bjlSjiiibey I jvraiftt.t«:pTOpeT.ty qit.-ji; ia ; their .members? If il»at '■"±t^iVf : tti l b^ affirmed,, then tl»*jf "s%' into " tne ihonejed classeß, and they I^^^ what fchataneaiit; t-Look at th 6 disqua -.uHfejatieo umder whiohi members Tested. 'ius}hey'XsOuli r en,ter into no contract with '-'■ d Gb^e I tfiiKf,tffc f 'for'tlipir; pwii pecuaiary :J^j^ilSw'VvW^ I'vo'1 'vo'! B i?* 1 °^ v 3OO pa^^ ,{-ine»t: aa/scoipmisßion, and in. many .•"otber^wayfi they were at* disadvantage as, compared with .other periong, ''.against, was' -fct^e flonorariumi.blit. that swas a question which affected' the next Par--mnamenti fI He : Jikd all along yoted ag^in^t J; tfiq r^duption of ; ;the» amount, and bft d stie'i.Q.w£r > Sand' he had voted <: ♦gainst its increase.; > ti>u > * :) JIH& Hofti Major Atkinspn admitted '■"Inat'fiTienib'eils "'bf Parliament lo^t peculu^iarilyi^^ad,of gaining by being members. He thought that the "iiiiotinfc Should be kept at the lowest " ffi&l'&vM-,>W9» -$$*■ gainst, the lowest scalp,^^ poorest man might be puf jto, no inconvenience,---l> ^ ;ded.agliinßfc' any loss i they: might sus"iad^i 7/ It ; had always appeared to him f was eiioughfdr that'pur.'••i'ip^eJl'T^P '^an^B 1 .pjf .argument was iVagainst Spaying anything for these a»rvices. He thought it was most under airable t0..d0/SQ, oor -they might induce • a ; mopt ; undesirable, [ class to come i Jforwar,d. r Had the bill of last session !if! fee'en'tiarried, thry : w'oiild only have •* 'itbV -Hptis'ftjhag ineyey,! q,cknowieoged %ithe 'psy'inent of members definitely. 3*-->-Tggl differed s 'from members in that ■iv ' [ ifejtfnect: •? ' AH ; that had been affirmed JJJ iSymfmemfe - shouJii;^ ye^uped their ac.t^ e^ R enses, : r 'ln that case, having p^iy -been a few weeks, instead ;" j: :-oJF, J) ■mqnihsi/'ln/.'; 'Msipri/, it was only ld .^epS:the

He; did ftot with the preTiou#%p^lceip:- Jjn-

stead of a loss, members of Parliament made a great gain. It opened up to members the highest political honors and rewards. Viewed in that light, the doors of Parliament should be opened to ali'blasses, lich and poor. That could only be done by • miking reasonable provision for those who, entered Parliament. It was most desirable to tempt men ,sq. enter Parliament by the prospect of these great prizes. Between New Zealand arid the other colonies there was. no similarity. In Melbourne, Sydney, and such-like places there were great facilities fortaeinber» going to and from the country. Here, however, the case was different. No man could personally benefit himself by coining to Wellington. He therefore concluded that the L2lO was small tnough for any man. Again, there was the contract view of the question. The bill of last session having, been passed, they were bound to act upon the principle of that bill. Had they been kept here five or six months, no nidre would have b«en paid; and as members were bound to make their arrangements accordingly, it would therefore be a breach, of contract if the amount were reduced. Again, they had to<lbok/to the; fact that a great contest was about/ to be entered upon — a contest against wealth— and it was therefore ■ ecessary they should be prepared for the cpntest. . , - ,

Major Harris said that during the next two months Ministers would be busily employed promoting their own elections, and yet they would take th«, full amount of their salaries. If they Would reduce , their salaries he would be prepared to vote for the proposed: reduction of honorarium. :

Mr Stevens supported the amendment, contending that LI 50 per session j was quite sufficient tareeoup members! their outlay, whereas the sum was cal-i culatedtci introduce the prbfeaßionalj politician among them. • I,t. had. been argued that they had to enter upon con* tested elections. Tb?9Be who would "Oppose them had 'to do the same thing and it was only fair ; that they should enter upon the contest on equal terms iso.far aj» public money was concerned. Mr SWanson looked upon the honorarium as a mistake. As they were to have payment of members, he advised them to levy a special tax for the pur. pose. That would be the best way to test the question. The question, was put that the amount be reduceel, and the committee aiyided.— -Ajes, 25; noes, 35. Tbe following is the division list : — ! Ayes": .Messrs Atkinson, Beetham, Brycel W.-. C\ Buchanan, "Gadman, Dick, Driver! Fulton. Hobbs, Holmes, Hursthouse, W. Wl ■Johnston, Levestarn, Locke, Mitchelsonl Newman, Peacock, Pearson, Postlewaitei Bollescon, Shephard, 'Stevens, W. .White, Wilaon.' ■■■-■■■' Noes : Messrs Bathj^ate, Bracken, J. E. Brown, Daniel, De Lautour, Dodson, Feld* wick.Fish, Fitzgerald, George, J. Green, Grey, Harris, Hutchison, Joj-ce, Kelly,' Larnach, Macandrew, F. W. 'Mackenziej Montgomery^ J. M'Eenzie, Moss,_Munro, O'Callaghani Petrie, Pyke. Seddon, Shaw, i Sheehan] Steward, Tawhai, H. Thomson, J. W. Thoml son, Turnbull, Watt. \ The remainder of the votes were pnt and passed. t , %n Committee of Ways and Meansj the Revenues Bill was introduced and passed through Committee, and reported,. ' ; The' Hon. Major- Atkinson, in moving : the < third reading, said they would prorogue to-morrow. T^he dissolution Would take place, 'i$ possible, on. Tfcurs: day, but perhaps it would be Saturday | a* they had not gotallthepollirig [ places fixed. Immediately that was donelne 1 dissolution would take place. The nomination day ; vested with the returning officers to fix, but it wouid be fiied-about July 16. The fixing of the polling day rested with the Government, and they had decided upon July 22. The writs would be made returnable on the 28th, arid the new Parliament would be convened on August 7. With regard to appointments to the TXpper House, Government recognised that inits position no such appointments should be made, nor iwbtUd that view be departed from unless it was fqund on the assembling of the new House that an appointment of the kind was necessary for the purpose of carrying on the Government business in the Council. That was the conw

stittitional practice, and it was also the condition imposed on the Government at the dissolution granted in 1877. With regaVd to the appointment of the T General prior to the recent vote ■effecting the position of Goverument, the present AgentGeneral had been offered the reappointment for a period of two years from ths Ist January next, the date on which his present appointment expired. They were induced to do so from the able manner in which the Agent-general had dischargedhis duties more especially those connected with the inscription of stock. They had not yet received any answer from the Agent-General,butstill they had no reason to believe that he would not accept their offer. This offer would not have be^en made could *he Government have foreseen the position in which they were now placed, Regarding officers and messengers, Government had determined to pay them half salary during the recess, as was done on the last occasion. ; . THE PROROGATION* Both Houses of Parliament were prorogued shortly after two p.m. on Tuesday by commission, the Commissioners being Sir, Wra. Fitzherbept (Speaker of the Legislative Council), Sir a Wbitmore, the Hon. R. Oliver, and Dr Gra^e, The formal prorogation is until July 24th,