PARLIAMENTARY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 7890, 4 June 1887, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL,

(Peb United Pbess Association!) Friday, June 3. Afternoon Sitting. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. QUESTION. In answer to a question, it was'stated that the Local Bills Committee had not had time to con- ? detJ^ Welhl ?gton Harbour Board Reclamation Bill properly. .i,TA e l Hon- Mr JoHNS°Ngave notice to move that the committee should bring up a report on Wednesday next.

SECOND HEADING. The Phoenix Assurance Company Bill was read a second time. MOTIONS. The Hon. Colonel BAILLIB moved a resolution to the effect that private bills should be taken up m the succeeding session at the stage to which they had reached in the previous session.

The debate was adjourned till 7 30 The Hon. Mr JOHNSTON moved that the btandmg Orders on private bills be suspended in order to allow the Phoenix Assurance Company Bill to pass all its stages at one sitting The Hon. Dr POLLEN thought it unwise to interfere with the Standing Orders. He looked on the treatment of private bills as of judicial importance, requiring the utmost caution. The Hon. Colonel BAILLIE moved an amendment in the direction of facilitating the passage of all unopposed bills now*before the Council, which was agreed to on the voices. The Hon. Mr HOLMES moved that a return relative to the total expenditure on education for the year ending December 31st be printed. He spoke in deprecation of the heavy cost, which amounted to over half a million, and favoured Bible-reading in schools. A long debate followed till 5 p m., when The motion was carried. SYDENHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL ESIFOWEBING BIIX. This bill was committed

The Hon. G.M'LE^N moved to report progress, and was supported by the Hon. R. OLIVER, who said the committee to which the bill had been referred had dealt with it under obsolete Standing Orders. The CHAIRMAN said the point should have been referred to the Speaker before he left the chair.

The motion was lost; and the . bill • passed through all its remaining stages. The Council rose at 5.30 till the evening.

Evening Sitting. The Council resumed at 7 30." BEPRESENTATION BILL. A message was received from his Excellency the Governor as follows :—"Pursuant to section 56 of the Constitution Act, the Government returns to the Legislative Council the bill intituled 'An Act to provide for the periodical readjustment of the representation of the people of New Zealand in the House of Representatives thereof,' with the following amendments for the consideration of the Council. That is to say: In clause 3, after the word ' within' in the first hue, strike out the words ' three months' and insert the words 'one month'; add to clause 4,* provided this clause shall not come int» operation until after the first report of the commissioners, as provided in clause s'" The Hon. COLONIAL SECRETARY moved that the Standing Orders be suspended, so that the memorandum might be taken into consideration at once.

The motion was agreed to, and the amendments were adopted without discussion. It was decidt-d to draft a message to the House of Representatives that the amendments were agreed to.

ADJOURNMENT.

On the motion of the COLONIAL SECRETARY it was decided that the Council, at rising, adjourn till 2.30 p.m. on Monday, and that for the remainder of the session Government business have precedence.

PRIVATE BILLS,

On the motion of the Hon. Colonel BAILLIE the following report of the Committee on Standing Orders on Private Bills was agreed to:— (1) That the promoters of every private bill introduced into this Council, or brought from the House of Representatives, in the present session of Parliament have leave to suspend any further proceeedings thereupon in order to proceed with the same bill in the next session of Parliament. (2) That the promoters of every such bill shall give notice in the Private Bills Office not later than seven days after the close of the present session of their intention to suspend any further proceedings thereon, and of their intention to proceed with the same bill in the next session from the stage at which proceedings thereon were suspended.

The Church Property Trust (Canterbury' Dill was committed. ; '

The Hon. Mr REEVES moved in clause 2 that 42 years' lease be struck out, with the view of inserting 99 years. After a brief discussion the amendment was lost by 14 to 10. ■

The clause oassed and the bill was reported without amendment. The third reading was fixed for Monday. • ~ > , The Council adjourned at 8.40 p.m.