PARLIAMENTARY SUMMARY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9859, 3 October 1893, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY SUMMARY.

. Hard work in both Chambers, long sittings in the House of Representatives, and a massacre or mutilation of Government- policy bills in the Legislative Council constitute the parliamentary record for the past month. A large number of measures, including the Public Revenues Bill, the Alcoholic Liquors Bill (introduced by the Government, and practically acsepted in both Houses as a satisfactory solution of a difficult question), the Land Act Amendment Bill, the Infant Life Protection Bill, and a number of local bills have passed both Houses, and so also has the Electoral Bill, containing the momentous clause which extends the franchise to women. The fate of this provision was doubtful a month ago as there was a strong party in the Upper House opposed to the " political woman," but after a few close divisions and after'the introduction for the first time of the stonewall into the nominated Chamber the- clause was passed, ari amendment providing that women might record their votes by means* of electoral righbs being rejected by a majoriby of one vote only. It was this proposal to grant electoral rights upon which the bill was wrecked last year, and it may be_ assumed that had the amendment been carried the measure would have been dropped—and gladly dropped, say the opponents of the Premier, whose sincerity on the question of female suffrage, though repeatedly protesbed, has always been doubted. The bill passed bhe final stage in the Council by a majority of liwo, and received bhe Governor's assent oa the 19bh ult. The Alcoholic Liquors Bill, to which reference has been made, meb with a good deal of opposition in the Legislative Council on the second reading, which was carried by a majority of three,andiriCommibteeibwas amended by the insertion of a provision that resident magistrates shall be' bhe chairmen of licensing committees. The Opposition in the Lower House probesbed as-sbrongly as they could against the Public Revenues Bill, the objecb of which is to regulate the issue.of Treasury Bills, but bhe Governmenb majoriby in that Chamber, though less subservient than it was, is still so large as toi enable them to carry their measures withoub serious difficulty. In the case, however, of the Government Railways Bill, providing for a Minister having a seat on the Board of Com-' miesioners managing the railways, it was only by extraordinary " whippirg ". thab bhe Minisbry were able bo command the slender majority of four, by which the third reading was carried. When the measure reached the Upper House ib was reduced bo one operative clause, giving the present commissioners another year in office. The Lower House have not yet considered the amendments made by the Legislative Council but it is suggesbed that the Government will decline to accept bhem and thab bhe bill will bs dropped; in which case, bhe berm of office of the commissioners expiring shortly, the railways would.pass into.the.control.of. the Ministry—a consummation devoutly to be wished for by Mr Seddon. The Land and income Tax Bill providing for the exemptiou of improvements and for an increase of bhe graduation tax on the highe&b scale, has passed the Lower House as have also the Sbock Bill and the Eating Acb Amendment Bill. ■

Two of the Government's policy bills were absolutely rejected by the Legislative Council 2?}? °* these, tho Shops and Shop Assistants Bill, which sought to make a half-holiday compulsory on Saturdays, was stoutly opposed in the. popular Chamber, but its third reading was passed by 30 to 19. la the Upper House, the memoets of which have no need to solicit the votes of the army of shop.; assistants at the elections, the second reading was lost by'2s to 11, one of the "twelve apostles" called to the Council by the Government some months ago being found in the majority. The Land for Settlement Bill, providiug for the acquisition by the Government.of.land for the purposes of settlement, is the other'measure that was viewed with disfavour by the Legislative Council, it being bhrown out by 17 votes to U The Conciliation and Arbitration Bill—thß pet " Labour" measure of the Government—was ruthlessly mangled iv the Upper House. The compulsory clause in the bill was first" of all struck out, and bhen Mr Dpwnie Stewart took in hand tho task of knocking tho bill into shape.

In the Lower House the Government forced the General Estimates through in one sitting which lasted for 32 hours, with the necessary adjournments for refreshments. The lonij-lobked-for Public Works Statement was laid on the table on the 21st ult., and after it had been shortly debated, the Opposition insisting that the Government; had increased the expendibure, which was almost wholly made up of borrowed money, tho Esbimates accompanying the Statement were passed in the space of 50 minutes. The facb that Mr Cadman. after the whitewashing process he underwent ab the hands of the Auckland electors, has rejoined the Cabinet with the portfolios of Mines and— mosb remarkable of all—of Justice, Mr Seddon who is a veritable Pooh-Bah, assuming charge of.Native Affairs, led to another debate on the Cadman-Rees embroglio ; and Colonei Fox's report on the volunteer system of the colony has been warmly discussed, without, however, any resolution being arrived at on the subject The proposals of the Midland Railway Company have also been under discussion, and the House of- Representatives have obediently declared in favour of the Government having the control of the offices of the Legislature instead of the Speaker as at present.