PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9271, 5 August 1893, Page 6

PARLIAMENT.

[IT telegraph.—press ASSOCIATION.]

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Friday.

'The Council met at '2.30 p.m.

IS ILLS PASSED. The Cheviot County Bill and the Ward Conservation of Rights Bill were compiitted without amendment and put through \heir final stages.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Friday. The House met. at 2.30 p.m.

GOVERN M BPS IN ESS. The Premier gave notice to move that on Monday, the 14th inst., and for the remainder of the session, tho House meet on Mondays, at halt past two p.m., for the transaction of Government business; also that after Wednesday next Government business take precedence on Wednesdays. A QI'KSTION OK PRIVILEGE. Mr. Taylor brought up a question of privilege. Ho said he had received a tele pram from the secretary of the Licensed Victuallers' Association of Christchurch, as follows " Disgusted with your conduct and disregard of your pledges in voting for Sir R. Stout's Bill, and you have lost all chance of ever bring returned again. The Speaker said this was not a broach of privilege. It might have been so if the telegram were received prior to Mr. Taylor recording his vote on the Bill. THE commission ok the peace.

Replying to Mr. Kolleston, ! Mr. Reeves said the Government would

be glad to consider the advisablenes? of .■ providing by enactment that chairmen of County Councils should be ex-otlicio Just.ices of the Peace for their term of otlice in the lame way a* Mayors of Boroughs. THE MINIM; ACT.

Mr. Seddon moved the second reading of

the Mining Act Amendment Bill. Ho said the Bill was brought in to remedy certain defects in the existing law. Ho thought all would admit, that the time had arrived when more assistance should be given towards (the development and piospecting of the lower levels of the Thames, Keefton, and Otago. Under the present law there was no tower to do this, and they were six or seven years behind tho other colonies in this respect. All the Rill proposed to do. was, to advance one fourth of the total amount expended by a prospecting association or company, and the advance must be made out of money appropriated by Parliament for the purpose, It something were not done towards prospecting the lower levels of the Thames, a large number of the population would leave that district, and the mining industry would languish. Clause five was a matter of urgency, and provided that titles to any special claim or licensed holding should not be deemed invalid because of its being dissevered byroads, rivers, or water conr.-es, etc.

.Mr. Koi.lfston said this was the most extraordinary Bill that had come before them, and wa« one of a uiost objectionable character. It was evidently an electioneering trick, and must have been brought down to prevent the Electoral Bill being reached, He saw no reason whatever for passing a Bill of this kind, and he could not see where urg-mcv came in. The Government v ere simply going to make themselves a huge pawnshop for the benefit of certain goldtield constituencies. The Bill should go through a very careful scrutiny, not by the Guldfields Committee, but by the Hon-e. Messrs Wiight, Taylor, Buckland, C. If. Mills, J. McKenzie, Alien, Hogg, McLean, E. M. Smith, t'razer. Valentine, Richardeon, and (L Hutchison took part in the debate, and the second reading was agreed to on the voices.

Mr. kudos' then said he considered Clause 5 so urgent that he would be prepared in committee to strikeout the elans?* relating to advances and pass the hit ter portion of the Bill. The motion that the Bill be committed presently was carried on division by 27 to

The House rose at 5.30 p.m. The House resumed tit 7.30 in Com mittee on the Mining Act Amendment Bill.

Clauses 'J, 3, and 4, authorising advances for developing lower levels were struck out Oil Mr. Seddon'? motion.

Clause 5 : Claims not to be deemed invalid by reason of disseverance by river, etc, or by water-course, elicited a le:ij;!hy di«cus«ion but finally parsed with slight ametidmot.t. The remaining clauses were out, and the Bill was reported ami put through its final itages.

KLKCTnKAI, KIM,. The Electoral Hill was further considered in committee.

Clause IS: Claim for transfer to another district on change of re-idence. Mr. Mackenzie (Cluthaj moved, that, the term for which a person in-1 li-i'lo in a new district, before he can trm-fer his name to the electoral roll should bo three months instead of one month. The amendment, was lost by ol! to IS, and the clause passe I without alteration.

Clause 54 : roll to be open for inspection. Mr. Buchanan moved "That the electoral roll should be open for inspection every day during ollice hours instead of un two days only."

Agreed to. Clauses o'J: giving seamen and commercial travellers and elector'* right was dis caused at considerable length.

Mr. .3. W, Kelly moved to include shearers in the clause.

Mr. Si:i>iM>N opposed this amendment, which was lost by "JG 10 17.

Mr. Kelly then moved to strike out the words "commorcial travellers" from the clause.

Mr. Seddon warned the committee that they were endangering the passage of the Bill in the Council it they adopted Mr. Kelly's proposal. On division the amendment was rejected by 28 to -0, and the clause was added to the Bill.

Sir R. Stout called for » division on clause 75, which compels a candidate to make a deposit. of £11), and 'he clause was retained by 35 to 0. Clause s;{, relating to hours of polling, was under discussion when the Telegraph closed at a.m.