GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10176, 10 October 1894, Page 4

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNOIL. TUESDAY, OCTOBER .9. Tha Council met at 2.30 p.m, . foreign insurance companies. The Foreign Insurance Companies' Deposits Bill passed its final stages. PUBLIC WORKS BILL. The Hou. Sir P. BUCKLEY moved the second rending of the Public Works Bill, and at some length explained its previsions.

The Hon. W. D. STEWART considered that clause 76, awards to be final, was rather arbitrary, because courts could not review'their decisions. He thought all parties to a suit, especially relating to mortgagees, should be allowed the privilege of appearing before the courts. He admitted be had not studied the provisions of the bill in all its phases, and therefore could not speak as fully as he could have desired. The second reading was agreed to on the voices. CHBAP MONEY. The Government Advances to Settlers Bill waa further considered in Committee. ; Oa clause 42, subsection 4; relative to the -_.axi.nu_u amount to be advanced, the-Hou. Mr Kerb . moved that the amount be £3000 — The Hon. Mr Feldwick said tbe amount bad been carved and hacked until the limit- would ba of, no s u?e to the borrower.—The Hou. Mr Moanis said anyone who had good security to offer beyond £500 had obtained all money he could get on his property. He was not wedded to the maximum being £500, but he certainly thought £1000 quite large enough.—The amendment was lost by 1* to 13.—The Hen. Mr Bolt moved that the words "two thousand " be i-iserted. —Tbis was lost by 16 to 15. —The Hon. G. M'Lean moved that "one" be inserted. — The Hon. Mr M'Cullouqs hoped the amendment would not be agreed to. He E,hould prefer that the proposed amendmeet limiting the maximum to £500 be agreed to in order that the-bill might be wiecked, which would be far preferj able to making it ridiculous, as it was being made in its present form.—-The Hon. Mr Mobbis bad no idea to wreck the bill. In the interests of small settlers he desired to say he believed, £500 as. advances, would prove quite sufficient Tor aU practical purposes.—The Hon. Sir G. S. Whitmokb thought it would be better to report progress, ns there was little chance of the bill becoming law.—The Hon. Mr KJellv, believing that half a lgaf was better than no bread, would vote for £1000.—The.Hon. G. M'Lean's amendment for £1009 was agreed to on the voices. ' ~ . .

On clause 4-3, conditions subject to which advances will be made—The Hon. Mr Morris moved that "two-thirds" bo struck out, in order to insert "orierhalf," the effect beiug that advances would be made up to only onehalf the value.—The Hon. Sir P. Bcckley said tha ameadmeut, if carried, would simply destroy the bill. The amendment,to strike out " two-thirds " was agreed to by 18 to 10. j -The following.is the divisiou list:— ■Ayes (18).—Messrs Reynolds, Bonar, Pharazyn,' Morris, Bowen, Whyte, Stewart, Swanson, Bolt, Williams, Acland, M'Lean, Holme 3, Richardson, MucGregor, Oliver, Stevens?, Peacock. Noes (10).—Messrs Barnicoit, Rigg, Taiaroa, Buckley, Kerr, Jenkinson; DignaJto, Montgomery, Kelly, Feldwick.

The Hon. Mr Peacock moved that "'threefifths" be inserted.—This was lost by 16 to 12, and the words "one-half" agreed to on Jthe voices;—ln the same clause the Hon. rMr , Oliver moved that advances should be confined to agricultural land.—This was agreed to by 16 tO 12. ; , -"" :

The clause as amended was agreed to. Progress was reported on Clause 59 —" Superintendent to prepare annual balance sheet." CONFERENCES. A conference was agreed to oh the Factories Bill, aud the Hons. Oliver, MacGregor, and Stewart were appointed managers.' Hons. Stewart, MacGregor, Stevens, and Bowen .were appointed managers for the Couucil on the Consols Bill.

On tbe question o£ the adjournment of tbe Council to the following day, the Hou. Mr RIGG moved that the Council adjouru to Tuur&day, as Wednesday was Eight Hours Demonstration Day and a, public holiday.—The Council decided with the result that the ameud-nenb waa defeated by £6 to 4-, its supporters being Meisra Rigg, Jennings, Kerr, and Jenkinson. The Council adjourned to nest day.

HOUSE OF EEPSESENTATIVES,

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9. The House met at 2.30 p.m. BELL-Wn'S. Mr G. HUTCHISON brought up the report of the Joint Hou-re Committee te the elfect that the licensing law be amended so as to prevent the friction that occurred ao frequently respecting Bellamy's, and.thatthe usual order for supplies by sent Home. Ho moved that the report lie on the table.

Sir R. STOUT moved an amendment that the report be referred back to ; the committee for further inquiry.

The Hon. Mr SEDDON said he hoped this debate would bs adjourned, and he would agree before the prorogation to set apart a day for consideration of the whole question respecting the continuance or otherwise of Bellamy's.

Sir B. STOUT said that if the Premier would agree to that course he should withdraw his amendment. ' THE AUDIT DEPARTMENT. '""'-. The HonJ J. G. WARD moved—" That the House regrets that the Controller and Auditorgeneral should under the circumstances which he has related have regarded himself as justified in suspending the performance of any duties imposed upon him by statute." He explained that bis motion had reference to the letter received by the Speaker from tbe Controller and Auditor-general re the audit of the Public Trust Office accounts. He Vegretted that; the Auditorgeneral Bhould have taken the course he had done over the matter, and bore high testimony to the efficiency and integrity of both the Public Trustee and Auditor-general.- It was not de.irable in his opinion that the Audit, department, which was a business departmeut, I should be subject to continual fault-finding of this kind. '.-.-■■

. Sir RJ STOUT understood that Mr Ward intended to refer this matter to tbe Public Accounts Committee for inquiry.—(Mr Ward : "No.") Then the House was placed in a very unfortunate position in being asked to pass a; vote of censure ou the Aiiditor-geiiftral without inquiry of any kind. He protested against this action of the Treasurer, and. moved that the matter .be referred to the Public Accounts Committee.

Mr BUCHANAN took.a similar view,'and strongly protested against Mr Ward's action over the matter, saying that if he hald done his duty as Treasurer he would never have brought it before the House as he had done. He hoped the House would agree to Sir R. Stout's amendment, as he held it would be highly discreditable for the House to pass a vote of censure on the Auditor-general without any evidence, as they were asked to do by the Treasurer.

The Hon Mr SEDDON said the motion and amendment differed altogether in effect. Could it be allowed that a most important public department Bhould remain without its accounts being audited for an indefinite period? He held that the Auditor-general was not justifisd in tbe action he had taken, and he thought the House was called on to do its duty, and to say they did not approve of the course he had taken, in refusing to audit the accounts of the Public Trust Office.

Me-isrs DUTHIE and BELL also spoke on the matiou. ' . i

The Hon. Mr WARD disclaimed any intention of casting censure on the Auditor-general or any other valued public officar who had done his duty. He would suggest that this debate be adjourned, and he would undertake to bring down another resolution which would remove any impression of casting a reflection on the Auditor-general. Mr MILLS moved the adjournment of the debate. •

Mr G. W. RUSSELL objected.. He thought it would be far better for the Treasurer to withdraw his motion altogether, and not to re-fleet in this way on such a high public officer. The motion for adjournment was agreed to on the voices. MANAGERS. The Hon. W. P. REEVES moved—" That the House disagree with ths Council's amendments to the Factories Bill, and that a conference be appointed."—Agreed to. The Hon. Mr WARD moved—" That the amendments made by the Council in the New : Zealand Consols Bill be disagreed with, and I that msingers be appointed, consisting of the Hon. Mr Seddou, Sir R. Stout, Mr Bell, and the mover, to confer with the Council." Ho said the amendments made interfered, in his opinion, with the privileges of the House, and they were of such importance that they would bave to receive very careful consideration.— Agreed to. NATIVE LAND COURTS. The Hon. Mr SEDDON moved—" That the Native Land Court Bill be recemmittcd for cousideration of certain amendments." —Agreed to and several technical amendments made. Mr HEKE moved that a new clause be added te the bill.—Lost by 39 to 12. On the motion for the third reading, Mr HEKE protested against its passing on the ground that some of its clauses did not do justice to the natives, and ignored their rights. He spoke at some length on it. The bill was read a third time aud passed. GOVERNMENT RAILWAYS.

A message was received from the Governor forwarding an amendment in the Government Railways Bill. The effect of the amendment was that tho service of railway employees should not count as in the case of civil servants whilst under the employment of jthe commissionere.

The Hon.' Mr SEDDON moved that the amendment bs agreed to. '

Dr NEWMAN protested against a large body of men being deprived of their rights in this way. He hoped the Premier would withdraw the amendment.

Mr J. W. KELLY thought the State should keep faith with these men and maintain their status as civil servants. He also protested against the amendment.

Sir R. STOUT also theiight this amendment should not be agreed to.; He held it was not fair that men who were; civil servants before the commissioners were appointed ihoiild now be placed in such an anomalous position.

The debate was interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment.

EVENING SITTING.

The House resumed at 7.30, FOREIGN INSURANCE COMPANIES' BETOSITS. The Foreign Insurance Companies' Deposit Bill Was received from the Legislative Council with some* technical amendments which were agreed to. , . RAILWAY BILL. The Hon. B. MITCHELSON resumed the debate on the Government Railways Bill. He said the Premier was not doing justice to tbe railway servants by the course he now proposed, and be saw no reason why all servants -wha served under the cotamissioners should not be regarded as civil servants of the colony. If. BELL also opposed the amendment, and hoped-the House would reject it.

Captain RUSSELL failed to see why railway servants should be placed in a different positien from post effice employees and other civil m rvants, and pointed out that' this was a specimen of what would happen under Government control, wheu even before this bill passed there wa. a grievance of this kind under discussion by the House.

The Hon. Mr SEDDON defended theameud-B-enlr, aad said it placed railway servants exactly in the same positian as they held under the. Railway Commissioners. He was. glad the opposition to the amendment came from the opposite side of the House', as it clearly showed that the Government were acting wisely in resuming control of tho railways. The amendment was agreed to by 4-1 to 22. . r SECOND READINGS. Hon. Mr SEDDON moved the second reading of tbe Offensive Publications Act Amendment Bill—brought in to meet cases that had occurred in the colony, the latest of which had occurred afc Napier.—Agreed to. Hon.; Mr. SEDDON moved the second readying of the Indictable Offenc-S Summary Jurisdiction. Bill., He said the bill," which had alrcpJdy passed the Legislative Council, was a 'similar one to the Criminal Code Bill passed -] last session; and was a very necessary measure. The bill had been carefully considered by tne Statutes Revision Committee, —Agreed to. '-•."-'•■ J' ':.BILLS PASSED. ' '.' 'The Offensive Publications Act Amendment Bill was committed and passed without amendlnHli.."' '''':' '"■ " "'."''' :.,;'.,

Tha Indictable Offences Sutu__,ary Jurisdiction Bill was committed, and progress reported on clause __1.

The Mining Companies Bill was committed aad passed with verbal amendments, read a third time and passed.