GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10589, 5 September 1896, Page 6

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

ERIDAY, SEPTEMBER'-l, Tho Council met at 2.30 p.m. horowhenua again.

The report-of the Native Affairs Committee on the petition of Major Kemp was read. The committeo stated that the petition contained grave charges against the Horowhenua Commissioa and the Minister for Land*. It appeared to the committee that Major Kemp's grievance was chiefly against the report of tho; ' Horowhenua Commission, which charged' hisi j ■with perjury on the ground that he gave hear- j gay evidence which he believed to be true. Ho j was also dissatisfied that the case was not tried J before the Supreme Court, because such a trial [ would in his opinion be more satisfactory to 5 Everyone concerned. The committee make no j comment, but say that it can only recommend that the petition be referred to .the Government. FIRST BEADING.' ; The Government Advances to Settlers Act Amendment Bill, Private Benefit Societies Act Amendment Bill, and Shipping and Seamen's Act Amendment Bill were received from the Lower House, and read a first time. BILLS PASSED. The Gisborne Harbour Board Empowering Bill passed its final stages. The Female Law Practitioners Bill was read -third time on the voices after a short-discus-lion. THE LOAN BILL.

The Hon. W. 0. WALKER, in mOving lhe second reading .of the Aid to Public Works and Land Settlement: Bill, said that the measure was practically a machinery one, and that its most important provisions were contained in tbe schedules. When the Government took office in 1891 the public works fund nominally amounted to £700,000, against which there were engagements amounting to £300,000. Since then the public works had been kept goiug under exceptionally embarrassing circumstances, chief amonget which he mentioned a falling Market. Since 1891 this colony had been,at - disadvantage, and had many difficulties to encounter. - It was necessary, to raise money in order to keep the public works in the colony going. The Government believed that if the loan could ba raised in the colony, , even afc a.slightly higher rate, ifc would be of benefit to the country. No appropriation of money nnder tke bill could be made without the lanction of ' Parliament. The Minister then dealt with the allocations in the schedules, in coarse of which he spoke with approval oE the proposal to open up roads in order that our scenery might be rendered accessible to all. The Hon. Sir G. S. WHITMORE said that DP till late years tbe Government had succeeded in doing its own public works, bufc now the strain nf the" power behind the throne had rendered it necessary to deviate from that path. He objected to, the vagueness of the purposes for which the allocations were made. He gave the Government great credit for^ its courage'iu "bringing down this bill, after its many professions tbat it was done with tha London market for ever. '

The Hon. Mr KELLY said that as long as there were waste lands in the colony it was the duty of the Government to develop them, aud this could not be dona by local bodies. He deprecated so much expenditure for railways, baton the whole tha bill was a moderate one as compared with bills of the past, and one well deserving support. The second reading was carried on the voices. BILL PASSED. ,On the motion that the Law Practitioners of New Zealand Law Society Acts Amendment Bill be read a third tiiae, The Hon. G. M'LEAN moved to discharge the measure from the Order Paper, as one bill" giving,the female sex the right to enter the legal profession had already, been passed by the Council. —Lost by 17 to 15. ■'. The third reading was declared carried. ; Ihe Hon. Mr BONAR thereupon desired to amend the bill by striking out the clause which throws open the legal profession to women, as that clause had already been passed iu Mr Bolt's bill; Considerable diocussion took place ns to whether it was possible to amend a bill at so late a stage, and authorities were looked up by the Speaker with baii little satisfactory result. On the question that thebill "do now pass" a division was called for, and thebill passed by 16 to 14. the tame majority as at the third reading. At 4'P."_..th&C_uncil adjourned.