PARLIAMENT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1132, 4 December 1879, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

Wet.lixctox, December 3. In the Legislative Council to-day, • A large number of small Bills were read a first time, and a lot more a third time. Mr. Whitaker's Indecent' Theatrical Performances Bill was read a first time. Captain Fraser's motion for a return of all mines in the Colony now worked, also the number of those worked with a single press, and which may be considered dangerous, was carried. Sir F. D. Bell had tabled a motion that Sir J. Yogel was right in assuming he had the approval of the late Ministry to join the Agricultural Company, but after a short discussion, ill which Col. Whitmore denied the allegation in the motion, and asserted that Government prompted their supporters to raise questions damaging to the late Government, the motion was shelved by previous question being carried by 30 to !). Captain,- leaser's motion, that the Government ought to introduce the American atmospheric brake on railways, was withdrawn on the advice of Mr. Whitaker, who said the Council were not competent to decide on the merits of the different railway brakes, which the Government Engineers would deal with. Tiie Council adjourned till next day at 5.30 In the House of Representatives toclay, Mr. Johnston asked the-Minister of Justice why the Government had arranged that the foundation stone of the Supreme Courthouse should be laid by a secret society, and what was tlie meaning of the inscription 011 the scroll deposited with the stone that " it was laid in the year of light 5883." Mr. Ivolleston replied that the Government had made 110 such arrangement. The way in which the thing was done was what was ordinarily' the case under similar circumstances. The contractors for tlie building were in possession of the ground, and were entiiied to do what they pleased inside the ground. The Government as a Government had nothing whatever to do with the arrangements. With regard to the second part of the question, lie had already stated that as a Government they had nothing whatever to do with the ceremony, and as Minister of Justice he had no information to give on the point. Mr. Johnston said it was a great pity that contractors in the Colony had power to do what had been done on this occasion. Mr. Sutton asked the Minister of Native Affairs—First, whether Government have purchased the block of land known as Pakari in Kaipara district, and if so, what was the date of the purchase ; second, whether the whole of the purchase money has been paid by Government, and if so to whom ; third, whether Government have a complete title to .the land in question ? Mr. Bryce replied in the affirmative. An agreement was entered into in the year 1875 for the purchase of 20,000 acres. Tli a sum to be paid was LISOO, and' of that L 1450 had been paid to the natives. Government had not yet a complete title to the land. Replying to Mr. Hamlin, Mr. Holleston said a Commission had been appointed to report on claims under The Land Claims Act, 187 S. Mr. Shanks asked Government if they will arrange that rents of deferred payment settlers due within the next twelve mouths shall remain unpaid during that period, so that the said year's rent shall become payable one year later than the end of the present lease ; in other words', extend the payment to 11 years instead of 10 as at present, without an additional rent. Mr. Rolleston replied that the Government were auxious to make this system a success, and to do so engagements en-

tered into on both sides would have to be carried out. Mr. de Lautour asked to move, That the House doth concur in the report from the Reporting Debates Committee, sitting in conference with a similar Committee of the Legislative Council, that the debates published in Hansard shall be condensed next session." After some discussion, the House I divided on the motion —ayes, 29 ; noes,! 37. The motion was therefore lost. Mr.' Reeves moved " That in the opinion of this House it is desirable to impose a duty 011 all coal imported into the Colony." The import of coal into the Colony at present represented 250,000 tons per year, and if anything could be done to keep that trade in the place a vast amount of good would be done towards protecting local industry. A protective duty of this kind was more important than the duty 011 hops and grain. Mr. M ! Lean opposed the motion, expressing an opinion that it would be unfair to tax foreign coal, which in many cases could not be replaced by coal produced ill New Zealand. ' Mr. Hall also opposed the motion. The consumption of New Zealand coal was increasing rapidly, and the proposal to tax imported coal was quite unnecessary. The debate was interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment. The House resumed at 7.30. The following Bills were reported from the Legislative Council with amendments : —Wairarapa Racecourse Bill and Waitara Harbor Board Bill. The amendments were agreed to. Mr. Shrimski asked a question in connection with a paragraph which had appeared in that evening's paper to the effect that a block of land in Auckland thrown open.for sale had been claimed at the last moment by Mr. Thomas Russell. Mr. Rulleston replied that he knew nothing whatever about the matter. The following Bills were reported, read a third time, and passed :—Rating Act, 187G, Amendment Bill, Awatere Reserves Mining Compauys Act, 1576, Amendment Bill. The adjourned debfite on the question " that this House will to-morrow resolve itself into Committee of the whole to consider a respectful address to be presented to his Excellency the Governor, praying that he will cause the sum of L 200,000 to be placed upon the Estimates as a grant to'the Provincial District of Auckland for the formation of roads and bridges. 11 On being thp m,otion was lost on the voces. ' A motion was made to the effect that the House goes into Committee of the whole House to consider an address to be presented to his Excellency the Governor praying that the sum of L 500,000 be placed upon the Estimates as a grant for the Provincial District of Otago for roads and bridges. Mr. Rolleston advised that the motion , should b£ withdrawn,. The motion was put and lost on the voices. Mr. Finn moved the second reading of the Married Woman's Property Bill. He explained that it .was a Bill designed to protect the property of the poorer classes. The rich generally protected themselves by means of marriage settlements, and this was a measure designed to secure similar immunities to the poorer classes. Mr. Hall said the subject was one of great importance, and it was quite impossible, at this iato period of the session, that it could pass. The Bill was read a second time, on the understanding that it would not be pressed through thisi session. Mr. Acton Adams withdrew the Licensing Act Amendment Bill. Sir George Grey moved the second reading of the New Zealand Constitution Act Amendment Bill. A long and animated discussion ensued, in which a number of members took part. The House then divided on a motion for adjournment with the following result ; Ayes, 43 —Adams, Atkinson, Bain, Beef ham, Bo wen. Bryce, Colbeck, Dick, Fulton, Gibbs, Hall, Hirst, Hurst, Hursthouse, Kelly, Kenny, Levin, Masters, M'Caughan, M'Lean, Moorhouse, Murray (teller), Oliver, Ormond, Pitt, Pyke (teller), Richmond, Richardson, Rolleston, Russell, Saunders, Seymour, Shanks, Shepherd, Studholme, Sutton, Swauson, Trimble, Wakefield, Whitaker, Wood, Wright. Noes, 29—Andrews, Ballance, Barron 5 Brown, de Lautour, Fisher, J. B. Fisher, .J. T. George, Gisborne, Grey, Harris, Hutchison, Ireland, Lundon, Macandrew, Montgomery, Moss, Reeves, Reid, Sheelum, Shrimski, Speight, Stewart, Tainui, Tawhia, Te VYheoro, Tole, Turnbull, Wal'lis.