GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6164, 19 August 1881, Page 6

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

[BY TELEGRAPH.—FRES3 ASSOCIATION.] LEGISLATIVE COUNGIL. ' Thursday. ' The Conncil met at 2.30 DECAMPING lIUSBASDS. Replying to Mr. Waterhocse, /. Mr. Whitaker said the colonial Parliameut could not legislate tc extraditing de.camping husbands, and bo a Bill for the puripose was now before the Imperial Parlia- . ment, but wa3 hardly likely to pass this session. PROPORTION OF MEMBERS OF CODKCIt- _• Mr. Revkolds moved, "That the members of .the Council should bear some relative proportion to the number of Representatives of the various districts of the colony." After, some debate, the motion was rejected by 15 to 14. DISTRESS FOR REST ABOLITION" BILL. jtlr, "Whitakes moved the second reading of the Distress for Kent Abolition Bill. There was a debate of some length, Mr.. "Wateriiouse moving an amendment that the present law should be amended, but not abolished. . The motion, "That the Bill be read a ' second timo now," was rejected by 20 to 8, but Mr. Waterhouse's amendment was then negatived by .15 to 10, and the question as to the second reading of the Bill will, therefore, " come up atpiin to-morrow. At 5 the Council adjourned till 7.30.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Thursday. . The House met at 2.30. practice of law. Sir George Grey gave notice of his intention to introduce a Bill authorising anyone - to practice law in Courts when duly authorised by either party to a suit. the bogus petition. Mr. Jones put a question without notice, relative to a bogus petition from the unemployed in Waitaki, in connection with which he and his colleague's names had been mentioned. .He denied knowing anything about it. . Mr. Shrimski did the same. The Premier said the petition in question came direct to himself, and neither Mr. Jones nor Mr. Shrimski had, so far as lie knew, any connection with it. j POSTAGE AND RECEIPT STAMPS. Replying to Mr. Bain, _ | Major Atkinson said a measure was in course of preparation providing that penny postage and receipt stamps be assimilated the same as in the United Kingdom. NEW GOLDFIELDS. Replying to Mr. Reid, Mr. Rolleston said that durine the last, two years no reward had been offered for the discovery of new goldfields, and the Government knew of no reason why the reward Bhould now be offered. The aid hitherto given for prospecting was found to be more effective when given for the opening up of tracks, so as to enable otherwise inaccessible country to be explored. Instead ot giving direct aid to prospectors the Government would propose to furnish aid in the shape of diamond drills and other appliances, and a vote for that purpose would be proposed in . the Supplementary Estimates. analysis of manures. i Replying to Mr. Hamlin, Mr. Dick said that instead of sending the agricultural and analytical chemist throughout the various district to analyse manures in use by agriculturists, the agriculturists were in the habit of sending samples of their manures to the chemist. This was found to be more convenient, as it was hardly possible .to expect that he could carry about with him all his laboratory appliances. During ' last year a large number of manures had been tested. The Government saw no necessity for altering the system. botanical cardens. Replying to Mr. Wakefield, . Mr. Rolleston said Government did intend making permanent provision for the maintenance by local V 'ies of botanical gardens in the four chief jntres. . Domains in the hands of county councils and municipalities were provided for by the Act under which the bodies operated. With respect to other domains, provision required to be made . for them, and in any future legislation on the subject that necessity would be attended to. JiEW BILLS. The; following Bills were introduced, and read a first time :—Public Health Act, 1876, Amendment ; Education. Reserves Act .Amendment (Mr. Dick). The following Bills were read a second time :—Kaikoura Harbour Reclamation, Geraldine Racecourse Reserve, and Southland Agricultural Association Reserve. onehungA grammar school. In committee, the Onehunga Grammar School Bill was considered. Mr. Hursthouse moved, " That the Chairman leave the chair," contending that the Bill was impolitic, inasmuch as the dis- • t.ict of Onehunga was accessible to Auckland by rail. He contended that the whole system of secondary education was bad, and that it should be borne by parents themselves. The House divided. Ayes, 20; noes, 29. The consideration of the Bill was inter-' rupted by the 5.30 adjournment. The House resumed at 7.30. . A JOCULAR MOTION. Mr. Pike gave notice that he would move, "That as the House had now been in session for a period of ten weekn, and as the business of the session is just 'jommencing, the House should prorogue for a sufficient interval as would enable the Governor to pay his projected visit to the Western Pacific, and also for enabling members to recruit'their wasted energies of body and mind." DR. WALLIS'S BILL. Dr. Wallis, on being called to move the second reading of the Annual Parliamentary Bill, said, he had now ascertained that the House was not yet sufficiently advanced in Liberalism to accept this measure, he would, : therefore, withdraw it. Mr. Brown . objected to the withdrawal, ; ; sad moved that it be read a second time. Mr. Swanson supported, annual Parliaments.'. ; Mr.'Andrews having spoken in favour of ha Bill, . , .. Dr. W-AHJS said he had understood that lao'.one would second his motion, .Finding .Ike was mistaken, it was incumbent on him to make some remarks on the Bill, the provisions, of which, he proceeded to; argue,' were in the direction of, that Liberal policy .which there could be little doubt was a tendency of theday. 1 • ' ■ I : ; The motion for the second reading was lost On a; division ofj4l to B.' The Bill was withdrawn. • ' : ; PROTECTION OS CROPS." Mr: Saunders moved the second reading : of the Protection of Crop 3 Bill Carried, - . oaths bill. . The House; went into committee on the Parliamentary Oaths Bill, which passed, and was reported with amendments. It was read a third time and passed.:: : i ; ' • | i: gold duty bill.;"<*: ' ; "<*: Mr. REBvEs moved the second reading of the Gold Duty Act Amendment Bill , .. i KAKANUI HARBOUR BORROWING. < The House; went'. into-committee on the "Kakanui Harbour Board. Borrowing BilL | Mr. Shrimski, who: wasin, charge of the : Bill, explained that the object was to enable the Board to borrow £8000.

Mr. Hall stated that he had received a statement of probable income and receipts of the harbour, which were palpably so fallacious, that he was bound to oppose the Bill. Mr, Hurst moved, with the view ot throwing out the Bill, that progress be reWakefield spoke in favour of the work, which he said, for the outlay asked for, would make a good serviceable harbour Mr. Pitt argued that they would not get the money unless the security were ample. Mr Hall asserted that the iiouse was bound to exercise vigilance over these applications, and in this case the security was not sufficient. Sir G. Grey said they should either give these struggling districts local government, or else receive their applications for borrowing powers with more consideration. Mr. Hurst and Mr. Weston urged that the colony would really be liable. After further discussion the Bill passed and was reported with amendments, and on thl motion for reading a third time, Mr. Hall objected. He characterised the P r 9* posal as an improvident one, and hoped it would not be sanctioned. The House divided. Ayes, 31; noes, 24. The Bill was read a third time and passed. DRAINAGE BILL. Mr. Murray moved that the amendments made by the Legislative Council on the Drainage Bill be agreed to. Mr. DeLautour pointed out imperfections in the measure that would render it inoperative. To remedy these he moved, " That the consideration of amendments be delayed for a week." Adjournment agreed to. TENSIONS BILL. Mr. Shrimski moved, " That the Pensions Bill be read a third time." Mr. Hall- said the Bill would throw great obstacles in the way of Government carrying it retrenchment by amalgamation of offices, . ; ho retirement on pensions could be made during the recess. _ . Mr. Stevens objected, as pensioners entering the House would by the Bill be debarred from receiving honorarium. This would be unfair, and might deprive the country of the services of men whose experience would be valuable.

Mr. Rolleston did not think that the Bill as it stood was satisfactory, and he believed that it would have to be amended at an early date. Mr. Shefjian pointed out that, under the Railway Contractors Act, companies would have to wait over the recess until Parliament met before their claims could be finally agreed to. He did not see how a civil servant could delay its claims in a similar way. It was no more a hardship in the public servants than the other case would be to the public. Mr. .Wakefield moved, " That the Bill be re-committed to re-consider clause 6."

Major Atkinson said that he had good legal authority for saying that the Bill was informal, and would not accomplish its object. . Sir Geokge Grey complained that it was a most improper thing to make a statement of that kind and not show wherein it was, as alleged informal. The motion for re-committal was carried. In committee, Mr. Wiiitaker moved an addition, exempting the honorarium from being deemed salary 'within the meaning of the Bill.

The committee divided—ayes, 36 ; noes, 16. The Bill was reported as amended, read a third time, and passed.