GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 8595, 10 September 1889, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Monday, Septembeb 9. The House met at 2.30 p.m. THE LIDHAEY. A report was brought up from the Joint Library Committee embodying the recommendations from the Legislative Council that all persons be excluded from the library during recess except the Governor and members of Parliament. The Hon. Sir H. A. ATKINSON moved that tho report be referred bad: to the Legislative Council for reconsideration. He entirely dissented from the resolutions passed by tho Council on tho subject, and he thought the fullest discretion should be placed in the hands of the Library Committse with respect to the admission of persons to the library during the recess. The Hon. Mr BALLANCE endorsed the Premier's remarks, but at the same time he thought the library should not be allowed to interfere with private enterprise. Mr REEVES (St. Albans) said if it was to be a public library they had better be informed of the fact, but if it were to be a Parliamentary library he objected to books from it being lent to wealthy people all over Wellington as was at present done. Such a practico undoubtedly interfered with public enterprise in Wellington and it was in the interest of the mass of the people that ho contended it should be out a stop to. r Sir G. GREY advocated the report being sent back to tho Library Committee, and he hoped the House would agree to make tho library a public ouo in tho fullest sense durine the recess. : After further discussion the Premier's motion • for referring the report back to the committee i NEW BILL. 1 The Hon. T. FERGUS introduced the Dis- 1 filiation Act Amendment Bill. t THE MAIL SERVICES. The Hon. Sir H. A. ATKINSON moved that this House will to-morrow resolve itself into i committee of the whole to consider resolutions a on the subject of the ocean mail services. He I proposed to-morrow, he said, to give reasons why he wiebed the House to go into committee. ME UISLOP's DESIGNATION. I s Replying to Mr Reeves (St. Albnns), ! c The Hon. Sir H. A. ATKINSON caid Sir i Hislop's resignation as Colonial Secretary would i c ba accepted that day. ] 0 FIR?: AND HAIiINF. INSURANCE HILL. jf ( Thfi report of the Free Conference on the ;tl Fire and Marine Insurance Companies Bill was '

agreed to on tho motion of tho Minister for Lauds. NATAI, AND MIUTAUY SSTTLEBS The Hon. T. FERGUS moved the' second reading of tho Naval and Military Settlers and Volunteers Land Claims Bill, to give effect to the report of the Select Committee appointed to consider this question. He explained that the bill gave power to commissioners of Crown lauds to investigate claims in their districts and to deal with those they considered entitled to receive laud. The Hon. Mr Ballance, Mr Fisher, Captain Russell, Mr Stewart, and Sir G. Grey supported the bill, tho Utter suggesting that resident magistrates and justices of the peace should also be entitled to hear claims as well as commissioners of Crown lands. The motion was agreed to. XOMABA StCDOB CHANNEL. The Hon. G. F. RICHARDSON moved Kumara Sludge Channel Bill to give effect to an agreement entered into between the Government and miners. The Hon. Mr BALLANCE suggested that the bill be deferred till the. Public Accounts Committee had considered it thoroughly, as he bolieved the Government were about to commit an illegal act in the bill as at present introduced. Sir JOHN HALL said there was no occasion for referring the bill to thi; Public Accounts Committee, and it had been thoroughly threshed out in tho Goldfields Comraitteo. The motion wan agreed to. SECOND READINGS, The Hon. G. F. RICHARDSON movod the second reading of the Educational Endowments Bill, to declare trusts affecting land acquired out of the proceeds of sales of educational endowments.—The motion was agreed to. The Hon. E. MITCHELSON moved the second reading of the Karamu Reserve Bill for quieting the title to lands in Hawke's Bay county, and for making provision for an unalienabler reserve for certain aboriginal Natives. The motion was agreed to. The Hon. E. MITCHELSON moved the second reading of the Poututu Jurisdiction Bill. —Agreed to. IN COMMITTEE. Tha Kumara Sludge Channel Bill, Educational Endowments Bill, Karamu Reserve Bill, Orimakatea Title Empowering Bill were passed through committee without amendment.

The Ngarara and Waipiro Further Investigation Bill was considered in committee. The House rose at 5.30 p.m.