PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9144, 28 August 1888, Page 6

PARLIAMENT.

[BY TELEGRAPH.PRESS ASSOCIATION.] LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Monday. The Council met at 11 a.m. honorarium. Mr Mantell moved for leave to lay upon the table the draft of a Bill to amend the Parliamentary Honorarium and Privileges Act 1887, which he was precluded from doing by the ruling of the Speaker on July 26th. , .. The motion was negatived on the casting vote of Captain Baillie, Acting-Speaker. LOCAL BILLS. The Local Bills Committee reported on the Mount Eden Recreation and Gravel Pits Reserve Bill, and recommended that the Bill proceed no further. The Council adjourned at half-past one p.m. On resuming at half-past two the Local Bills Committee recommended the following Bills to proceed : —Whangarei DrillShed Bill, Otago Dock Land Bill, Nelson Hospital Bill. MISCELLANEOUS. The message from the House of Representatives, asking that the journals should be searched, with a view of ascertaining what position the District Railways Bill, and the Naval and Military and Volunteer Land Claims Bill were in, was agreed to. The amendments made by the House of Representatives in the Land Transfer Act Amendment Bill were agreed to, with the exception to those in clauses 2 and 3, and new clause 13. The Council adjourned at half-past three p.m. The Council resumed at 7.30 p.m. THE CHINESE QUESTION. A message was received from the House of Representatives asking the Council to agree to a conference on the Chinese Immigration Act Amendment Bill. On the motion of the Attorney-General it was agreed to meet the members of the House of Representatives to-morrow morning, the Council to be represented by the Attorney - General, Messrs. Waterhouse, Shrimski, and Pharazyn. The Council rose at 7.45 p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Monday. .The House met at eleven a.m. THE CHINESE QUESTION. Sir H. Atkinson moved that a message be sent to the Legislative Council asking for a second Conference on the Chinese question. Agreed to. THE DISTRICT RAILWAYS AND OLD SOLDIERS' CLAIMS. Sir H. Atkinson moved that a committee be appointed to inspect the journals of the Legislative Council with respect to laying aside of the District Railways Purchasing Bill, and Naval and Military Settlers' Bill. Agreed to. ROAD BOARDS. Mr. Hislop moved the second reading of the Road Boards Act Amendmeut Bill, to enable Road Boards to make by-laws, and levy rates for waterworks. Several members opposed the Bill. Mr. Kerr moved, "That it be road that day month." After a lengthy discussion, the motion for the second reading was carried by 29 to 26, and the amendment was lost. The House rose at one p.m. PUBLIC WORKS AMENDMENT BILL. On resuming at half-past two, Mr. Mitchelson moved, "That the Public Works Amendment Bill be discharged from the Order Paper." Agreed to. LOCAL BODIES BILL. The Local Bodies Amendment Bill was read a third time and passed. PROPERTY-TAX BILL. Sir H. Atkinson moved the second reading of the Property Tax Bill. Agreed to, and the Bill committed. Clause 2 ; Rate of property-tax Id in the pound. Sir G. Grey spoke it some length against the property tax, and urged the committee to make some change in the present system of taxation next session. He strongly advocated a land and income tax. Replying to Dr. Newman, The Premier said the Government could not see their way to deal with the property of absentees this session, but the whole question as to the desirability of taxing this class of property would be considered during the recess.' The Government did not think it desirable to make such a change without notice being given, and no doubt this statement would be taken as some indication in this direction.

Replying to Mr. Monk, The Premier said ha had intended bringing in a Property Assessment Bill this session exempting certain classes of machinery from taxation, but timi" had not permitted. There was no doubt the whole question of taxation would have to be discussed next session. The clause passed, and the Bill was reported. LABOUR SETTLEMENTS. On the motion for the re-consideration of the vote of £10, for the promotion of agricultural labour settlements, Mr. Levestam protested against a vote of this kind being passed in the manner proposed, and pointed out that the other Chamber would have no opportunity of considering it. Messrs. Fish, Samuel, Fitchett, and Peacock also opposed the vote. Messrs. Verrall and Hodgkinson supported it. Mr. Menteath strongly condemned a proposal of this kind being made merely because a handful of Major Steward's constituents at Waimate desired it. He objected to conferring benefits on the few at the expense of the many. The whole proposal was monstrous. Mr. Kerr thought there was more under the surface of this proposal than the House was aware of. He protested against the whole thing. Mr. Thompson (Marsden) looked upon the whole thing as simply an attempt to purchase land in the Waimate district, and if it were carried it would result in a great scandal. He could not imagine why the Premier had consented to put this vote on the Estimates at the request of the member for Waimate, and it was simply the result of skilful lobbying on that gentleman's part. Mr. Scobie Mackenzie said he endorsed the opinions of those members who were opposed to the vote. He looked on it as an attempt on the part of certain individuals to sell land to the Government which they could not use profitably in any other way. Sir G. Grey was absolutely opposed to the proposal, as it would not benefit the working men, but owners of large estates, and would enrich foreign companies. Mr. Buxton warmly supported the vote. Mr. Monk approved of all that had been said against it. t He hoped this £10,000 would be disallowed by the House. Sir H. Atkinson said the reason the vote appeared on the Estimates was, because a large deputation of practical men from both sides of the House had represented to the Government that this was a crying evil, and he admitted he had been convinced by their arguments. He hoped the House would pass the vote. If not, the Government would feel they had done their duty. The motion was then put and lost by 32 to 30. The vote was therefore struck off. The House adjourned at half-past five. The House resumed at half-past seven. miscellaneous. The Appropriation Bill was read a firsttime. The Premier moved that the House agree with the Council's amendments in the Native Land Bill. Mr. Ballance thought it would be better to consider the amendments in the other Maori Bills first. Mr. Samuel, while not agreeing with all the amendments, approved of them on the whole. Mr. Taiwhanga protested once more against legislation this session at all. Mr. Carroll thought ( the language of some of the amendments very ambiguous, and felt rather uneasy as to their effect. He was glad to see some check had been imposed on the wholesale sweeping away of restrictions upon alienations. Sir G. Grey also made a final protest, believing the Bills equally injurious to the European and native. Messrs. ' Pratt and Taipua expressed themselves as more or less satisfied. A.

Mr. Reeves asked for delay. < • Mr. Hobbs opposed any postponement, and said if the Bills did not emerge from the House in the form the Government considered advantageous to the country, he hoped the Governor would disallow them. This would dispose of the necessity of taking the Land Court/ Sill first).

The amendments were then agreed to without divir'on. . . The amendments made by Council in Native Land Court Bill were then considered seriatim. It was resolved to disagree with those in section 12 making partition of land in parcels representing twenty natives' share discretionary with the Court, and with several other amendments. The amendments made in other two Native Bills were also in some instances disagreed with. GOVERNMENT INSURANCE BILL. The Premier moved the second reading of the Government Life Assurance Bill, which was to enable the Association to hold landed property and enable women to apportion their policies. Agreed to. PUBLIC WORKS APPROPRIATION. Upon the motion for the second reading of the Public Works Appropriation Bill, Mr. Moss drew attention to the fact that there was appropriated some £250,000 more than had been voted. The Premier explained it was merely a margin to enable contracts to be let, but the extra money was not to be spent during the year. This practice had been found more convenient than the old one. Mr. E. Richardson commented upon the impossibility of properly discussing the Public Works Statement if brought down so late, and hoped in future it would be ready much earlier in the session. The Premier said this would be so. The Bill was read a second time. GENERAL. The Premier moved the second reading of the Appropriation Bill. Agreed to. The Property Tax Bill was read a third time and passed. The Government Life Assurance and two Appropriation Bills were passed through committee, and the former passed. The House rose at midnight till eleven a.m.