GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8959, 17 August 1892, Page 6

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.) LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Tuesday. The Council met at ball-past two p.m. BILL PAJSSED. >. The Friendly Societies Act Amendment Bill was read a third time and passed. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Tuesday. . The House met at half-past two. CORRUPT PRACTICES. " Mr. Scobie Mackenzie gave notice of a Bill to amend the Corrupt Practices Act, and to limit the cost of Parliamentary elections. newspaper CRITICISM. Mr. Fisher called the Speaker's attention to a statement in the New Zealand Times that morning, to the effect that some of the notices on the Order Paper this session were a disgrace to the House. He considered that that was a serious reflection on the Speaker, but he merely wished to say now that he should deal with that flippant young person, the Ministerial managing editor of that journal, when the Libel Bill was before the House. THE SPEAKERS RULING. => The Speaker made reference to a notice that appeared on the order paper, moved by j the Minister for Lands as member for Wai- J taki. He understood that Mr. McKenzie did not question the correctness of his (the 1 Speaker's) ruling on Friday night, but that the hon. gentleman considered the ruling was somewhat different from that given in the case of the member for Hawke's Bay on a similar question. He admitted that the Minister for Lands might possibly have some reason lor regarding the matter in this light, but he (the Speaker) wished distinctly to state that nothing was further from his thoughts than to show any partiality in the matter, or to show any difference between member and member. The Hon. J. McKenzie said he had much pleasure in accepting the Speaker's explanation. He said he had not objected to the Speaker's ruling as such, but be had considered different treatment had been accorded to him from that accorded to the member for Hawke's Bay. He, however, now fully accepted the Speaker's explanation, and would ask leave to •withdraw the motion.

the GOVERNMENT and THE governor. Replying to Sir George Grey—whether the Premier would inform the House what was the present state of negotiations between the Governor and Ministers in relation to calling additional members to the Legislative Council, and what steps Ministers intended to take in relation thereto ?— Mr. Ballance said the negotiations between the Governor and Ministers on the subject were at an end for the present. Some correspondence had been referred by the Governor to the Secretary of State, ana the whole of the papers referring to the matter would be laid on the table tomorrow. ALLEGED BREACH OF PRIVILEGE. Mr. Rollestos called the Speaker's attention to what he considered a breach of the privileges of the House, that appeared in a paragraph in the New Zealand Times that morning, with respect to the Land and Income Tax Amendment Bill. He had on several occasions asked Ministers what they proposed to do with respect to the income tax, but could not get any information, yet they had seen in the newspaper named by him information which was refused to the House. Conduct of this kind was an indignity to Parliament, and should not be tolerated by the House. He moved, " That the paragraph be read by the clerk." Mr. Ballance denied that the question raised by Mr. Rolleston was a breach of the privileges of the House. The same course as had been pursued with regard to the Taxation Bill had frequently been taken by bis predecessors in office, and the contents of Bills about to be submitted to House had frequently been given to newspapers by previous Ministers. The motion was lost.

Mr. Rollkston then moved that the publication of the paragraph in question ■was a breach of the privileges of the House, and opposed to constitutional propriety and practice. After a long discussion this motion also was lost by 33 to 22. BILLS PASSED. The Mere Taka Land Grant Bill, the Auckland University College Bill, the 1 Napier Native Hostelry Bill, the Kaipo Reserve Bill were committed, read a third j time, and parsed. LAND FOR SETTLEMENT. The Hon. Sir. McKenzie moved the second reading of the J.and for Settlement Bill, to authorise the acquisition of private land for the purposes of settlement. He said the subject of this Bill hail been thoroughly gone into by the House last session, but it was not proposed to deal with land coinpulsorily by this measure. He had already received several offers of land, and he thought there would be no j trouble in securing it. The Bill provided i for the appointment of Land Purchase Commissioners, to consist of the SurveyorGeneral, the Commissioner of Taxes, the j Commissioner of Crown Lands, and District Land Registrars of the district in which the land was situated. Mr. Rollkstox would not oppose the Bill, as he thought there were a few places in the colony where it might be taken advantage of, in the South Island in particular. The Minister of Lands would have to be very careful in the matter, as he would probably be besieged by people with second-class land to dispose of. Mr. Kees, Dr. Newman, Mr. J. Mills, Captain Russell, Mr. .Taylor, Sir John Hall, and Messrs. Meredith, Wilson, and Bareness spoke generally in support of the principle of the measure, and Messrs. Bucklakd, Fish, T. Mackenzie, McGuip.e, and Lake against it. The debate was interrupted by the halfpast five adjournment. The House resumed at half-past seven. Mr. McKenzie having replied, the second reading of the Land for Settlement Bill was carried by 45 to 8. THE STOCK BILL. The Hon. Mr. McKenzie moved the second reading of the Stock Bill, to regulate the importation, removal, and branding of stock, and to provide against the introduction and spread of disease affecting stock. The motion was agreed to. THE arms ACT. Mr. Seddon moved the second reading of the Arms Act, 1880, Repeal Bill. He said the Bill proposed to repeal the Act that provided that no arms or ammunition should be sold to natives. For some time past this Act had been a dead letter, and he thought now that our relations with the native race were so friendly that the Act could safely be repealed. The motion was agreed to. DAIRY INDUSTRY BILL. The Hon. Mr. McKenzie moved the second reading of the Dairy Industry Bill, to regulate the manufacture of butter and cheesa for export, and to provide for the purity of the milk used in such manufacture. He thought the House would at once recognise the necessity for such a Bill as this, and that the cheese and butter exported from this colony should have a brand on it in the interests of the people who exported it. Sir John Hall, while approving of the principle of the measure, pointed out that some of the provisions appeared to be of an irksome character. Mr. Rolleston also called attention to what he considered too stringent provisions, although he recognised the Minister's efforts to assist this important industry. Messrs. Buchanan, Taylor, Carncross, McGuire, and La wry, congratulated Mr. McKenzie on bringing in the Bill. The second reading was agreed to. SERVANTS' registry bill. . ' Mr. Seddon moved the second reading of the Servants' Registry Offices Bill, for the licensing and registration of servants' registry offices. He said by this Bill the control of registry offices was vested in the local authorities. It also provided that before a license was issued for any registry office a certificate of character would have to be received, signed by two justices of the peace, by two clergymen, or by six respectable ratepayers of the district. Mr. Rolleston objected to this constant interference of the State aft every turn, and he failed to see that the Bill was required at all. >> • After a short discussion the debate was adjourned for a week, as, the . measure had only just been circulated. boarding and lodging houses. Mr. Seddon moved the second reading of the Boarding and Lodging Houses Bill, for the well ordering of boarding and lodging

houses. He considered the Bill was absolutely necessary in the interests of health. Among the provisions jof the measure was one to the effect that if any person in a boarding-house suffered from any disease it would have to be reported' to" the local ' Health Officer. The second reading was agreed to after a short debate. ; •,« "• oamaru HARBOUR. Mr. Ward moved the second reading of the Oamaru Harbour Board Advance Repayment Bill, to provide for the repayment of certain moneys by the Oamaru Harbour Board. * The motion was agreed to. criminal code bill. Mr. Seddon moved the second reading of the Criminal Code Bill. He explained that it was not wholly a codification, but it contained provisions for the punishment of certain offences, and its passing would be hailed with delight by magistrates and justices of the peace who had to admioister the law. He intended submitting the Bill to the Statutes Revision Committee, and he should consult the leader of the Opposition as to the constitution of that committee. Mr. Jackson Palmer said all innovations in the Bill were very bad ones. Mr. Hutch (Waitotara) said the Bill j was a most desirable codification of the law, and he hoped the House would pass the second reading. The motion was agreed to. SHOP. HOURS. Mr. Reeves moved the second reading of the Shops and Shop Assistants Bill, for limiting the hours of business in shops. He said it was a similar Bill to that of last year, and provided that all shops should bo closed one day in the week at one o'clock. Last year's measure passed- the House, but was summarily rejected by the Council, and it had been represented to him by those concerned that they were willing to agree to this Bill on the principle of half a loaf being better than no bread. The motion was agreed to. FISHERIES. The Fisheries Encouragement Act Amendment Bill was read a second time. factories BILL. Mr. Reeves moved the second reading of the Factories Act Amendment Bill, to amend certain portions of the Factories Act of last year. The motion was agreed to. workmen's lien bill. The House then went into committee on the Workmen's Lien Bill, which was reported with verbal amendments, read a third time, and passed. The House rose at twenty minutes to twelve.