PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9145, 29 August 1888, Page 6

PARLIAMENT.

[BY TJSLBGRaBH.— PRBBB ASSOGIATIOK.J LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. ..fr ; ; ■•- • TUESDAY. ; . '".'( . The Council met at eleven a.m. NATIVE BILLS. A message was received from the House Of Representatives agreeing to amendments by the Council in the Native Land Bill and Maori Real Estate Management Bill. NEW PLYMOUTH HOSPITAL. Tae New Plymouth Hospital Bill was ordered to be read a second time this day three months. THE CHINESE QUESTION. • • ■ Mr. Waterhouse brought up the report of the conference of managers on the Chinese Immigration Bill as follows :—" That clause 2 as inserted by the Legislative Council be struck out, and that the following words be inserted : ' The term Chinese in the said Act and in this Act does not include Chinese naturalised in New Zealand ;' and further that the original olauses, 10, 11, 12, prohibiting Chinese voting, and the schedule, be struck out as proposed by the Legislative Council." The report was agreed to after a short discussion. NATIVE BILLS. A message was received from the House of Representatives disagreeing to the amendments made by the Council in the Native Land Court Act Amendment Bill and the Native Lands Frauds Prevention Bill. LOCAL BILL. The Epsom and Mount Eden Recreation Ground and Gravel Pit Reserve Bill was thrown out on a division by 17 to 5. The Council adjourned at 1 p.m. The Council resumed at 2.30 p.m. FIRST READINGS. The following Bills were read a first time :—Gisborne Harbour Act Amendment, Naval and Military Volunteer Land Claims aud Settlement, and Road Board Acfc Amendment. BILLS PASSED. The following Bills were committed, read a third time, and passed .—Whangarei Drill - shed, Wellington Corporation and College Land Exchange, Nelson Hospital and Asylum Reserve Bills. The Council rose at 3.45 till 11 o'clock tomorrow. HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES. Tuesday The House met at eleven a.m. THE CASE OF JOSHUA JONES. Replying to Dr. Hodgkinson, The Pkemtsr said he hoped to be able to bring in a Bill dealing with the Joshua Jones case, if an agreement could be come to with Jones' solicitors. GISBORNE HARBOUR BOARD BILL. The Gisborne Harbour Bill passed through committee with some additional clauses, was read a third time and passed. WELLINGTON SCHOOL OF DESIGN. The Wellington School of Design Bill was committed. Clause 3: The Board may borrow money. Mr. Fish moved that progress be reported. Hβ objected to giving power to borrow £4000 for the erection of a School of Design. After a lengthy discussion, the motion resulted in a tie; ayes 28, noes 28. The Chairman gave his casting vote with the noes. Mr. FiSHJBR said after the vote just given he should move that the Bill be withdrawn, on the understanding that it should be introduced early next session. Agreed to. THE CHINESE BILL. Mr. Fergus brought up the report of the conference on the Chinese Bill. One amendment in the Bill was that the clause should not include Chinese naturalised in New Zealand. Another was that the clause inserted by the Legislative Council preventing Chinese voting at municipal election be struck out. The report was agreed to. AUCKLAND GIRLS' HIGH SCHOOL. Mr. Fisher said he had promised the member for Timaru he should not proceed with the Auckland Girls' High School Bill in his absence. He therefore moved that the Bill be discharged from the paper. Agreed to. ROAD BOARDS ACT AMENDMENT BILL. Mr. Hislop said he should amend the Bill limiting its operation to certain Road Boards. # Clause 8: Power to levy additional general rate. Mr. Marchant moved that the rate shall not exceed three-eighths in the pound instead of three-farthings, in districts where the Counties Act has been suspended. The amendment was carried by 36 to 16, and the clause agreed to. Clause 9 : receiver may be appointed. Sir J. Hall moved to amend the clause, making it discretionary with the Judge of the Supreme Court to appoint a receiver instead of mandatory. Agreed to. Mr. Ward moved a new clause making it compulsory for every receiver to publish the balance-sheet of the road board. Agreed to, slightly amended. Captain Russell made a strong protest against the third reading of this Bill, which gave enormous power to road boards which was not understood by half the House. The Bill was read a third time by 23 to 4. OLD SOLDIERS , CLAIMS.

Mr. Fergus moved the second reading of the Naval and Military Settlers and Volunteers Land Bill, explaining the result of the conference with the Council. A clause was excised, providing for a commission to inquire into the claims of soldiers and volunteers. Major Jackson* asked whether the Bill would provide for a number of Forest Rangers and Defence Force claims ? Captain Russell thought they should accept this Bill as an instalment. The motion was agreed to after some discussion, and the Bill was committed, read a third time and passed. The House adjourned at fifty minutes past one p.m. till half-past seven p.m. The House resumed at half-past seven. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. Mr. Seddon drew attention to the spiral staircases at the new printing office, which were highly unsafe and unsuitable, and also unht to be used by the females employed in the building. Mr. MiTCHBLsoN said be would have the matter enquired into and remedied if necessary. DISTRICT RAILWAYS. In answer to a question, The Premier said the Government intended to abandon the District Railways Bill,, but they would introduce a similar Bill next session, and in the meantime hold the ratepayers responsible for arrears. PETITIONS. It was decided, after some discussion, to consider to-morrow the petition by John Lundon, Carmichael and Sons, and others, in which the Petitions Committee had recommended the payment of money to the applicants. LAND TRANSFER. The amendments in the Land Transfer Act Amendment Bill, to which the Council objected, were not insisted on, with one exception. TREATMENT OF REFRACTORY ORES. Mr. Seddon asked permission to lay on the table some letters from the AgentGeneral relative to the treatment of refractory ores, but the Minister of Mines objected, as the papers belonged to the Government, and had only been lent to the Goldfields Co mmittee. Mr. Seddon persisted, but the motion was lost on the voices. JOSHUA JONES. The Premier said Joshua Jones had submitted a Bill to the Government dealing with his case, which the Government could not accept, but they had drawn up a Bill which the House could deal with, and amend if it thought fit. The Bill was introduced by special loave, and read a first time. APPROPRIATION BILL. On the motion for the third reading of the Appropriation Bill, Sir G. Grky moved an amendment, -• That the property tax should be amended early next session, with a view to establishing a land and income tax, exempting improvements." The Speaker ruled that the amendment must be moved in lieu of the third reading, and if carried would postpone the Bill till another day. Later on Mr. Scobie Maokknzik argued that the amendment was not relevant, and quoted a case in point. i The Speaker said that, pointing outs as it did another way of raising funds, it must be held applicable to the occasion. A long discussion took place, on the linee of the previous day's debate, until the Pkkmler pointed out that the Jones Bi

was being blocked, upon what was merely a boguß vote, whereupon the amendment was lost by 35 to 14, and the Bill was read ; a third time. Mr. Hislop moved the second reading of the Mokau Mohakahao Bill, dealing with Joshua Jones' claims. It provided that the Native Land Court shall issue a title to the block known ae the above, and partition the land as soon as possible, and Jones lease should be registered without further stamp duty. The rights conferred on Jones by the Special Powers and Contracts Act, 1885, were re-established and made good for two years, and restrictions w«re imposed on the power of any one else to deal with the land. He was aware Jones thought he ought to get something more in consideration of the vexation to whioh he had been subjected, bufe the Government thoughb the Bill fairly met the case. Mr. Ballanoe was of opinion that Mr. Hislop had impartially stated the case. He wished, however, to see that the rights of native owners were properly conserved. Mr. Taipua thought the Bill unjusfc to the Maoris interested, and wished to have it postponed, so that it might be translated^ along with any amendments. The Speaker said he was clearly entitled, under the Standing Orders, to have the Bill translated, and the debate was adjourned bill to-morrow. PUBLIC WOBKS. The Prkmixr moved the third reading of the Public Works Appropriation Bill. Mr. Walker made a few remarks on behalf of the Opposition. He deplored the fact that the Government led the House, not on principle but on expediency. They were always ready to promise that any question should be discussed next session, and were not prepared to take a stand on anything. They would never get good government until the business of the House was conducted on clear party lines ; and he could not compliment the Premier on the way he had managed the work of the session, except that he had passed the Tariff 1 Bill. He would especially like to know what the real nnancis.l position of the colony was at the present moment ? The Premier had anticipated a surplus of £27,000; but since then supplementary estimates, amounting to £108,000, had been passed, and in other respects the revenue had been trenched on. Mr. Bbetham hoped the tariff would not result in squeezing the orange dry ; bub he looked for great results, especially to the North Island, from the native legislation. Mr. Ballanck said the Opposition had helped to pass the tariff because the measure agreed with their views, and they did not feel called on to resist proposals for the good of the country simply because they were brought in by the Government. With regard to the native lands he ventured to say if they were to be settled it would have to be done by the Government acquiring them. He did not think the legislation of this session would have any effect upon the colonisation of the North Island. He thought it necessary also to warn the Government that there was a strong party, representing the majority of the colony, who would resist any interference with the education system such as had been shadowed more than once in their proposals. After a smart passage of arms between Mr. Mbntkath and Mr. Fergus, Dγ. Nkwmak urged that some sort of closure rules should be introduced to prevent such waste of time as they had seen this session. Mr. Bruce gave the Government credit for sincerity, and so long as they tried to adjust the finances, he had no reason to wish them off the benches. Sir H. Atkinson said there could be no government on defined party lines when there were no clear issues to fight out. There h»d not really been definite parties since the abolition of the provinces. It had always been a question of men not principles. In answer to Mr. Walker, he said, providing the Estimates were correct, there would still be a surplus of £9000 after allowing for the Supplementary Estimates. The revenue might not come up to expectations, but there was good reason to believe the expenditure would be less than anticipated. He denied that the Government had any intention of breaking , up the education system, but those who would not listen to any alterations at all were no true friends to it. To set up a system as a sort of fetish which must not be touched was to mistake the necessities of the country. Speaking generally he contended that the tariff itself was sufficient to redeem the session from barrenness, and he was proud of the attitude of independence the Government had assumed with regard to it ; but, besides that, there were the native Bills, which were a great work in themselves. The Government would not allow the session to finish tiil they became law. The Bill was then read a third time and passed. The House at twenty minutes past one adjourned till eleven a.m.