THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7650, 29 May 1886, Page 6

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

BT TELEGRAPH.— FRKS3 ASSOCIATION.] ' HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Friday. The House met at 2.30 p.m. PARLIAMENTARY rAPKKS. The Maori census returns and the report of the Pacific Islands Committee were brought up. THE COS« OF GOVERNMENT. Mr. Brown asked the Government, with the view to economy in the Civil Service and departmental expenditure what steps they intend taking towards effecting substantial reductions in the cost of governing the colony ? , _ Sir R. Stout said he believed the Government would be able to effect a saving this vear, but he preferred that the matter iihould be discussed in Committee of Supply. or that the House should wait till the Civil Service Reform Bill was brought in. THE WAGKS OF GAOL WARDENS AND LUNATIC ASYLUM ATTENDANTS. Mr. Callaghan asked the Government whether they have taken into consideration the want of uniformity between the wages paid to gaol wardens and the wagesi paid to lunatic asylum attendants, and whether they intend to provide for more equality as to pay between these two classes of public emP sVk. Stout eaid the Government did not see their way to increase the salaries He pointed out that the lunatic.asylum attendants received rations in addition to their salaries. LOAN BILLS. Sir. J. Voqel gave notice to introduce Bills "to borrow one million and a half for the construction of railways ; to regulate borrowing by local bodies ; and to provide for Government loans to local bodies. CIVIL SERVICE REFORM. Sir R. Stout moved the introduction of the Civil' Service Reform Bill. IN COMMITTEE. The House went into committee on the Native Reserves Titles Grants Empowering Bill, which passed with verbal amendments. The House went into committee on the Justices of the Peace 'Act Amendment Bill. Mr HrjRSTHouSK objected to that portion of clause 2 which provided that tho chairmen of Road Boards were to be Justices ex offieio. . Mr Tole said that as far as his experience of chairmen of Road Boards went, no one could be fitter in his opinion to sit as Justices. •»€••». Mr Samuel was surprised at the Minister of Justice proposing that chairmen of Road Boards should sit as Justices. He moved that the words " chairmen of Road Boards be struck out. , Several members spoke against the proposal. . Mr. Rolleston said the Minister of Justice would be doing wisely by keeping the Justiceship to mayor* of boroughs and chairmen of town Beards. He thought it was a question whether the number of Justices was not being unduly increased. Mr. HoBBS supported the proposal. He thought it would raiee the tone of the chairmen of Road Boards if they were appointed Justices of the Peace. Mb. Fitzhkrbkrt pointed out that in Borne cases Justices were appointed who could not read or write, and instanced a case of this kind which happened in his own district. Sir R. Stout looked upon the appointment of chairmen of Road Boards as Justices as a means of raising the office. In many cases Road Boards were as large as counties. His view of the matter had always been that Justices of the Peace should be elected by the people. Sir G. Grey suggested that the consideration of this clause be postponed until the main question as to whether Justices •honld be elected was disposed of. Mr. Tole said if Sir G. Grey's clauses •were carried he would consent to re-consider the clause under discussion. After further debate, Mr. Tole said he had no objection to postpone the matter until the clauses were disposed of. Mr. Beetham suggested that the words " after the passing of this Act" be inserted after the words " chairmen of Road Boards," so as to provide that future chairmen of those Boards should only be appointed Justices under the Act. Mr. Tole accepted the suggestion. Mr. Trimble moved to report progress, which was lost on the voices. Mr. Samuel's amendment to strike out "chairmen of Road Boards " was then put. The words were retained on division by 42 to 34. Mr. Fulton moved to insert words "chairmen of school committees" after chairmen of Road Boards. Mr. Guinness moved that the chairmen of licensing committees be also Justices. Mr. Wakkkikld moved a further amendment that every elector of the colony should be a Justice of the Peace. Mr. O'Callagban protested against the subject being turned into ridicule. Mr. Wakefield denied that he had any idea of turning the matter into ridicule. He held that the electors of the colony were quite as much entitled to the Commission of the Peace as many who were appointed by the present Government to that position. After further discussion, Mr. Samuel moved that progress be reported, which was lost on the voices. Mr. Fulton's amendment for inserting the words, " chairmen of school committees," •was then put and lost by 47 to 24. The House rose at half-past five p.m. The House resumed at 7.30. Mr. Guinness' amendment providing for chairmen of licensing committees being appointed Justices, was put and lost by 45 to 20. Mr. Macartkur moved, "That every member of an Education Board be a Justice." Lost on the voices. Mr. SamueiSmoved, "That the Chairmen of River Protection Board, be also Justices." Lost on the voices. Mr. Seddon moved, " That the Chairmen of Charitable Aid Boards bo appointed Justices." Lost. Mr. Sedd >n moved, " That members of both branches of the Legislature should be Justices ex omeio.', The Chairman (Mr. Hamlin) hoped members would put a atop to the state of affairs into which they were drifting. The amendment was lost. Mr. Fergus moved, "That in conntiee where there were no Road Boards, all members of County Councils should be Justices." He hoped that Mirrors would agree to this reasonable proposal.^w Mr. Tole said he ifculd accept the amendment, which was agreed to. Mr. Samuels moved, "That every such appointment shall be notified in the Gazette." Agreed to. Sir G. Grey moved, to add to the clause the words, " that Justices should be elected in the manner hereinafter provided." Mr. Fergus suggested that progress be reported, so that Sir G. Grey could prepare hiu elective clauses, of which he had given notice, and give the House full information regarding them. Mr. Hur&thouse said the Government ahouid have brought down an Elective Justice of the Peace Bill themselves, and not have waited for Sir G. Grey to do it. He was surprised that the Government should have adopted such a course. Sir K. Stout said it was the duty of a politician to take what he could get. He did not think it wise to attempt too much, or to try to get all at once what he could not obtain. After some further discussion, Mr. Fulton moved that progress be reported, so as to ascertain the feeling of the House on the clause. The motion was lost by 46 to 34. Sir G. Grky's amendment was then put and carried by 46 to 33. Mr. Wakefikld withdrew his amendment for appointing electors for members of the House of Representatives Justices of the Peace. Clause 2, as amended, was put and carried by 39 to 37Major Atkinson moved in clause 3, rota of Justices, that three miles shall be the distance to which a rota shall extend injstead of rive miles. Agreed to. In olause 5, Justices exempt from service, Major Atkinson moved an amendment, exempting members of Parliament from attendance. Agreed to. Mr. O'Conob moved an amendment not to exempt barristers and solicitors in actual practice from attendance. Lost by 46 to 7. A proviso exempting Civil servants was Agreed to en Majw Atkinson's motion, and the clause was passed m amended.

Mr. ToLB-moved, "That the chairman report progress, and that the Bill be reconsidered on Tuesday." Agreed to. MR. VAILE'S RAILWAY REORM SCHEME. Mr, Richardson moved, " That a committee be appointed, to consist of ten members, to report upon the petition of 700 residents of the Auckland district, and 5000 residents in other parts of the colony, presented last session, on the systom proposed by Mr. Samuel Vaile, of Auckland, for the future management of the New Zealand railways, the committee to consist of Major AtkinsoD. Messrs. Gore, Hatoh, Macandrew, Mitchelson, O'Conor, Ormond, Walker. J. B. Whyte, and the mover." Agreed to. * CHARITABLE TRUSTS EXTENSION BILL. Sir R. tout moved the second reading of the Charitable Trusts Extension Bill, and explained briefly its object, which was to empower trustees holding property for particular oharitable purposes to appropriate the same in certain cases to other charitable proposals. Agreed to. THE MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS BILL. The House went into committee on the Municipal Corporations Bill. In clause 25 the Governor may proclaim new boroughs, Mr. DoussN moved to strike out the sub-section, which provided that not less than 300 people must be in a district before it is proclaimed a borough. The motion was carried. In clause 71 (if a defaulter pay. rates he maybe put on burgess roll), Mr. GuiNNHSS moved, " That the clauso bo struck out." Motion lost. In clause 7S the mayor to be elected, Mr. Dodson moved, "That the councillors should vote for the election of mayor instead of the burgeasea." Motion lost. In clause SO disqualification of councillors, Mr. Holmes moved to strike out the words " or has served his sentence" in the sub seotion relating to the disqualification of a person convicted of felony, perjury, or any infamous crime, unless he has obtained a pardon. Motion lost by 37 to 14. Mr. Mac Arthur moved, "That there should be no disqualification of Councillors for performing contracts up to £5." Agreed to. Mr. Seddon moved, "That persons carrying on a newspaper, either as proprietor or editor, should bo exempt from disqualification by reason of holding a contract." Sir R. Stfct said this would prove dangerous in small boroughs; Besides, the House had just affirmed that contracts up to £5 would not lead to disqualification. Motion lost. Mr. Lkvkstam moved, " That the whole clause relating to disqualification bo struck out." Motion lost. Sir R. Stout moved to report progress. Agreed to. The House rose at twenty minutes to one a.m. WAIKATO DISTRICT NEWS. « [from our own correspondents.] Hamilton, Friday. A scrutiny of the poll for the election of three trustees to the Hamilton Highway Board has been demanded, fifteen ratepayers having offered to make affidavits that they voted for Mr. Riddler, to whom only thirteen votes were credited, and who lost the election by one vote. Tauwhare. Friday. The public are not generally aware that the Waikato Laud Association have already — two years past or more — meditated some such scheme as that of Mr. Firth's, and have sold a quantity of improved laud on wholly deferred payments, and have put up a cheese factory, where they purchase the milk from thoue who have purchased their land at a halfpenny a gallon above the price paid to outsiders. The factory, which is under the management of Mr. Alien, one of the best cheese-makers in aikato, is running, even so late in the season as this, 300 gallons daily. Mr. Diprose has just disposed of fifty acres of his 220-acre farm, purchased from the Waikato Land Association about three years a:*o, to s Mr. Drinkwater, for the* sum of £7 10s per acre. The purchase must be a satisfactory one to the buyer, as the land is of excellent quality, and possesses the advantage of the company's cheese and butter factory being in full work close at hand. No wonder the country is ripe for railway reform. This week Mr. Sandes, surveyor, with his assistant, wanting to proceed to Waierangi and take their horses with them, told the latter to book the horses for the Waierangi station, but the man by mistake booked them to Rangiriri, a station two miles short of Waierangi. Finding the mistake out too late at the starting point to alter it, Mr. Sandea informed the guard that he wished his horee taken the two miles further on to Waierangi, and would pay the excess of fare. This, however, could not be allowed. The horses being booked to Rangiriri must be landed there and re-booked to Waierangi, at a cost of 9s each for the two miles. They had paid 13-> Sd for the first and 9s 2d for the second from Fraukton. Mr. Sandes elected to ride them six miles round by road to Waierangi, and the horse trucks proceeded empty on the journey to his and to the railway's loss ; but the dignity of redtape was upheld. OxroßD, Friday. On the Queen's Birthday, Mr. Gelling, the clerk of the Hamilton Domain Board, and another gentleman, arrived here by rail, and proceeded with a box of young trout, the tish beiDg very fine ones, varying from five to seven inches in length, fordistributior. in the streams higher up. Batches of thirty-five were placed in the Waimakariri and the Waiho streams, which are admirably suited for trout, and not ono was lost ou the journey. I understand that Mr. Gelling has now not more than 200 young fi«h left in the breeding establishment at Hamilton, batchee of the young fry having been distributed during the autumn in most of the tributary streams of the Waikato, on both the east and west sides of the river, above and below Hamilton. A meeting of the Cambridge Domain Board was held at their office, Lake-street, on Thursday afternoon, Messrs. Wells (chair man), Fieher, and Kirkwood being present. It was reported that the rents were being paid in a satisfactory manner. An application from Major Wilson for the transfer of his interest in sections Nos. 93 and 94, to Mr. W. Tucke was granted. The secretary was instructed to demand from Mr. McVeagh the sum of £6 ss, being amounts paid to the poundkeeper for cattle trespassing on the Domain. The chairman reported that the Domain improvements were progressing fairly. It was resolved that applications be made to the Auckland City Council for shrubs, &3., and the Acclimatisation Society for fish for the lake. Tne following accounts were passed for payment: —J. Bridgoman, £11 5a ; Waipa County Council, £1 63 3d; J. R. Lamb. £28; Cooperative Association, £1 Is 4d ; Waikato Times, £1 4s ; J. Ferguson, £1 43: T. Brown, £11 ; W. Russell, £2 9a 6d; A. Isaacs, £2 ss; W. B. Souter, £7 13s ; Young and Nixon, £20 6s. This was all the business, [by telegraph.—own correspondents.] Cambridge, Friday. A special meeting of the Cambridge Town Board was held this afternoon. Present : Messrs. Houghton, Hughes, Hewitt, and Asher, to take into consideration a report from Mr. Thomas Wells, drawn up by that gentleman at the Board's request, on the Municipal Corporations Ac? Amendment Bill to be introduced during the present session of Parliament. Mr. Wells submitted his report in writing, which entered fully into the provisions of the proposed Bill, and the defects thereon were pointed out, and various amendments were suggested. In a postcript Mr. Wells recommended that as Cambridge was left out of the list of town districts which were proposed i to be formed into boroughs under the Act, and that as a large number of ratepayers were in favour of Mr. Russell's petition for the formation of the township into a borough, the formation should be proceeded with. It was resolved that a copy of Mr. Wells' letter be forwarded to Mr. J. E. Why to take action upon it. On ihe motion of Mr. Hughes, seconded by Mr. Asher, the thanks of the Board were tendered to Mr. Wells for the trouble he had taken in the matter. The clerk estimated the receipts for the current year at £813 10s, and the expenditure £713 63, leaving £100 to reduce overdraft. It was decided to keep the run open during the month of June. A few matters of minor importance having been 1 01, *he Board row.