TIE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 7162, 30 October 1884, Page 6

TIE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

[BY TELEGBATH. —PEESS ASSOCIATION.] LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. . ■ Wednesday. .The Legislative Council met at half-past two. SCHOOL COMMITTEES ELECTION BILL. Mr. Babkicoat moved the second reading of the School Committees Election Bill. Dr. Polled moved '"That it be read a second time that day six months hence." After a short debate the second reading teas negatived by 22 to 7. The following -was the division list :—Ayes 7 : Baillie, Barnicoat, Acland, Kohere, Bonar, Mantell, Reynolds. Noes 22 : Williamson, McLean, Oliver, Waterhouse, Richmond, Pharazyn, TFraser, Scotland, Wilson. Peter, Peacock, Reevaa, G. Buckley, Henderson, Dignan, Wigley, G. R. Johnson, Grace, Brett, Hart, Pollen, J?. A. Buckley The Bill was then ordered to be read a second time that day bix months. VARIOUS BILLS. On the motion of Mr. McLean the False Notice o£ Births, Marriages, and Deaths Bill was read a second time. The Westport Harbour Empowering Bill was read a third time and passed. " Mr. B.ICHMOSD moved the second reading of the Muncipal Corporation Amendment "Rill Mr Waterhocse moved as an amendment "That any Bill amending the Municipai Corporation Act should be introduced on the responsibility of Government" The amendment was carried on the voices. The Bankruptcy Amendment Bill and the Police Offences Bill were read a second time without discussion. The New Zealand Government Insurance Association Bill was considered in ComAt five p.m. the Council adjourned till toalf-past seven. The Council resumed at half-past seven, when the Government Insurance Bill was further discussed in committee. On clause 22—the Colonial Treasurer to be Chairman —Mr. Watekhocse moved to amend this clause in the direction of providing that the Governor should appoint the Chairman of the proposed Board. After discussion the amendment was withdrawn. On clause 3S —what contracts Board may enter into Mr. McLeax moved to strike out the concluding words of the clause, giving the Board power to enter into contracts for the insurance of sums to be payable in the event of personal disablement, injury, or death resulting from accident only. The amendment was carried by 15 to 11. Mr. Oliver moved a further amendment-, "That nothing in this Act shall be deemed to authorise the Board to carry on the business of life insurance outside the colony of New Zealand." The amendment was agreed to. The. Bill was reported with amendments.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wed*tesday. The House met at half-past two p.m. 2TEW BILL. Mr. Richardsox gave notice of the introduction of the fioads and Bridges Act. QUESTIONS. Replying tc Mr. Ptke as to what course the Government will ■ pursue in reference to the recommendations of the Goldfields and Mines Committee in regard to the proposals of Professor Black and the utilising Of the services of Professor Ulrich, Mr. Ballance said the Government would place a sum on the supplementary estimates for the purpose required. Replying to Mr. McAkthcr, Mr. Richardson said the Government could not consent to modify the tariff as to logs. Replying to Mr. Seddox, Sir J. Vogel said the Government could not establish telephonic communication between Kumara and Goldsboro'. Replying to Mr. Bryce, Mr. Richabdsox- said the question of opening as a traffic road the line known as Field's Track, between the Makaririri Valley and the North Island Trunk Railway line at 95 miles from Marton would have to be carefully considered before any expenditure was authorised. Replying to Mr. O'Callaghan, Mr. Tole said Government had already received a large amount of information as to the working of the Contagions Diseases Act in those countries where it was in force. DISTRICT RAILYrAYS. On the motion with reference to the District Railways being called on, Sir J. Vogel made a shore statement to the effect that he was glad to be able to inform the House that the Government had agreed to alter the resolution in such a manner as he thought would not provoke any opposition. Mr. Bryce asked if the Treasurer intended the motion to be discussed at once. Sir J. Vogel said he proposed simply to move the motion, and to take the discussion on it the following day in committee. Sir G. Grey rose to a point of order, on the ground that the motion was altogether different from, the former one, and members should have time to consider it. The SPEiK<SR said that a reeolutipn of a financial nature should be considered in committee of the whole. Mr. Bryce said the substance of the resolution had been already discussed by the House, and he contended that the questicn having been determined in both Houses, it could not be brought up again. He thought according to Parliamentary practice, either a Bill or a resolution could not be debated again and again, as it would be establishing a dangerous precedent. The Houee having decided the question previously, he maintained it was not proper to put it again from the chair. He thought the matter very important as to future procedure.

The Speaker said he had given his beet consideration to the subject, and held that it was competent for the House to consider a resolution on a subject which bad beea ■previously debated as a Bill. ■ Mr. Stout said the late Government had introduced a Bill last year which was thrown out in the Legislative Council, but the same year a similar Bill was introduced by that Government with the objectionable clause embodied in it. Mr. Rolleston thought the principle was whether the House was trying to counteract the action of the other branch of the Legislature. It seemed to him the course they were entering into was an evasion of the general rule, that when a question had once been under consideration, it could not be re-opened. . He also held that the Government would not be justified in entering into a contest with the opinion of the Legislative Council. Sir J. Vogel briefly replied. He said it would have been better, after the Speaker's ruling, that there should be no further debate on the question. He wiehed to point out that the Council bad thrown out the Bill on the avowed ground that they could not amend it. The resolution, as amended, put the matter on an entirely different footing, inasmuch as it left it altogether for future consideration. Mr. Downie Stewart considered that the Speaker's ruling was in accordance with the established rule in the United States Legislature. Sir J. Vooel said he would merely ask at present that the House go into committee to-morrow to consider the amended resolution, as follows :—" That the difficulties surrounding the railways constructed under the District Railways Act, and the hardships to which the ratepayers are subjected in connection therewith, are such that the House considers that the Government should seize a favourable opportunity to •enter into agreements to acquire the said lines by lease or purchase, such agreements to be subject to the ratification of Parliament, and to contain a provision that until Parliament has had an opportunity of giving such ratification, all proceedings against ratepayers shall be stopped." BILLS FORWARDED. The West Coast Settlement Reserves Act Amendment Bill, the Road Boards Act Amendment Bill, and the Land Act, 1877, Amendment Bill, were reported, read a third time, and passed. The Life Assurance Policies Bill was further considered in committee. It was reported with a verbal amendment, read a third time, and passed. RIVERS BOARDS BILL. Mr. Stout moved the second reading of the River Boards .Bill. He said it was merely a Consolidation Bill which had passed the other House. Agreed to. ... BKAD SECOND TIME. . The Wellington College Reserves Confirmation BUI and the Timber Floatage Bill were read a second time.

THE CO»LIS MOTH BILL. Mr. Stout briefly moved the second reading of the Codlin Moth Bill, and asked that the Bill might be committed at once. Agreed to. The House went into committee on the Bill, which passed, with the addition of a new clause, moved by the Pbemieb, giving power to prohibit the importation of affected fruit or trees. - The Bill was reported, read a third time, and passed. I BLECTRIC USES SILL. The House v?ent into committee on the Electric Lines Bill. -The House adjourned at half-past five. The House resumed at half-past seven. ELF.CTKIC LIGHTS BILL. The Electric Lights -Bill was passed through committee without material Amendment. The Bill was reported, read a third time, and passed. IMPOUJTDINC BILL. The House went into committee on the Impounding Bill. In clause five, no damages in respect of unfenced freehold lands, Mr. MoKenzie (Moeraki) moved to insert the word " fenced," before land. After some discussion, Mr. Stout suggested that progress should be reported, with the view of proposing a clause which would apply to the different parts of the colony. Mr. Macandbew hoped the motion would be put, and the Chairman leave the chair, as it was evident that the House could not pass an Impounding Bill which would satisfy all districts. The motion for reporting progress was put after a lengthy discussion, and carried on the voices.

BEETROOT SUGAR. Sir J. Vogel moved the second reading of the Beetroot Sugar Bill. He said that the amount received from the importation of sugar to New Zealand was £500,000. During the year ISS3 it amounted to £600,000. Besides keeping in tbecolony tbelargeamount that now went out of it for this purpose, they had to consider the importance of the industry in other ways by the employment of labonr that would be required. He read a large number of extracts in connection with the beetroot sugar industry. He pointed out that the beetroot industry in Prance, especially in the southern portion, was carried-on to a very large extent. Dr; Hector in a report on the subject did not speak favouraoJy as to the production of the root, although he reported that the cultivation had been carried on under exceptional circumstances. As far as he could ascertain, beetroot would crow where barley grew. He had heard from Dr. Carroll that the beetroot grew remarkably well in tile Rangitikei district, and other competent authorities had spoken of it much more favourably than Dr. Hector. He had shown that in the Waikato district the root throve well, the average being 12*29 per cent. He read a letter from Thomas Tanner, of Hawke's Bay, to the effect that the root had been tried in that district, and grew to perfection, all that was wanted being the requisite capital to develop it. He thought he had proved to the House that the beetroot would grow in Hawke's Bay, Waikato, and Rangitikei, but he thought it would be found to grow equally well in other portions of the colony. The Bill provided that for the first thousand tons of sugar produced in the colony a bonus would be given cf one halfpenny per pound. It also provided that for fifteen years there should be no Excise duty to the extent of one halfpenny in the pound". He thought they would make no sacrifice in passing the Bill. On the contrary, they would be establishing a very important industry in the colony. Enormous quantities of beet sugar were at present consumed in the United Kingdom. He trusted the measure would not come under the ban of those who thought it was one of the schemes brought down for the benefit of different parts of the colony. It bad merely been submitted by the Government with the view of developing a very important industry.

Colonel Thimble said he could not share in the glowing language adopted by the Treasurer when speaking on the Bill. He differed altogether from the mover as to the great result to be derived from the Bill. He could see no advantage at all in the measure. The production of the article would, in his opinion, become greater than the consumption, and prices would come down in consequence. The article would not be able to be produced at the same price at which i. , : could be imported. He intended to oppose the Bill to the utmost of his power. Mr. J. C. Brown- said Colonel Trimble's opinion evidently was that it would be better for people to remain idle than to establish an industry of this kind. He was determined to encourage to the best of his ability all local products of every kind. Mr. Gillies felt that every member in the House should welcome the Bill proposed by the Treasurer. He could not understand Colonel Trimble's opposition to the encouragement of an industry of this eharacter. The eugar beet industry could not possibly be started unless some help were given from the Government. The Bill merely provided that the duty on sugar at present should not be taken off. The only special advantage given by the Bill was that a halfpenny per ponnd bonus was to be given for the first 1000 tons of sugar. He thought it was exactly the case of a Bill that should be brought before the House, although many members considered it was out of place in Parliament. He did cot think the only way to benefit the country was by spending a large amountof money inpublicworks. Thedevelopment of industries of this kind was also calculated tr> benefit the colony very considerably. He thought this was an opportune time for entering on this industry. Mr. Grigg regretted that he could not support the Bill. He believed ic would be altogether a misapplication of capital and labour. He thought in a country like New Zealand it would be a great folly to induce capitalists to embark in an enterprise of the description. [Our report was here interrupted by the breakage of the linesj.