PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

Opunake Times, Volume I, Issue 27, 2 October 1894, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

Wellington, September 26

Sir P. A. Hack ley moved the second reading of the Lands Improvement and Native Land Acquisition Bill, originating in the House. The Hon J. D. Onnond, whilst not oppos'ng the Bill, considered it would have been better if the objects sought to be attained had been introduced in a se arate Bill. T ie Hon E. J. C. Stevens congratulated the Governmc-nt on thoir desire to acquire native land. If the purchase money was to be raised in New Zealand debenture holders would be liable to be taxed under the Laud and Income Tax Act. The second reading was agreed to ou the voices, and the Bill referred to the Waste Land and Native Affairs Committees. SCHOOL ATTENDANCE. The School Attendance Bill was committed. On the motion of the Hon Mr Bowen, a proviso was added to the clause, enabling persons dissatisfied •with a committee's refusal to grant exemption certificates, to appeal to the Education Boards. The Hon Mr MacGregor carried an amendment enabling members of committees, as well as truant officers, to pr -S'-cute parents who neglected to send their children to school. The Bill was reported as amended.' EATING ACT. The Rating Act Amendment Bill was read a second time. RATING UNIMPROVED VALUE. The Hon W. Montgomery moved the second reading of the Bating on Unimproved Value Bill. Tbe Hon Mr Pharazyn believed tho Bill was mischievous in principle, and calculated to injure the poor man at the expense of the rich land owner. He moved a hostile amendment to the effect that the Bill be read that day six months.

HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES

Wellington, September 25. ADVANCES TO SETTLERS BILL. The members went into Committee on the ." Government Advances to Settlers Bill." In clause 24, " leases under Land Act of 1892," and " Small grazing rims and mining leases" were included as securities upon which money can be raised. The clause as amended was added to the bill. -'. Clause 27, agents may raise not exceeding £1,500,000 in any year.—Mr Montgomery moved to reduce this amount by £soo,ooo.—Mr Ward opposed the amendment. He pointed out if only a million was authorised, a million only would be raised, and, he thought if the bill was a good one they should be authorised to borrow the nvl ft mount asked for by it. He held in his hands applications for advances from a large number of people, many of tbem with good securities. After a lengthy discussion, a division on Mr Montgomery's amendment resulted in a tie—ayes, 28; noes, 28. Mr Guiness gave the casting vote against the amendment, and declared it lost. Mr Montgomery then moved to strike out the words, " In any one vfear." Mr Ward opposed the amendment, and after a lengthy discussion, Mr Ward accepted a suggestion by Mr Carncross to limit the operation of the Act to two years, which would give the scheme a fair trial. Mr Montgomery accepted this compromise and asked leave to withdraw his amendment, but leave was refused, and on division the amendment wa3 lost by 28 to 27. Mr Ward moved a proviso to the clause to this effect that the bill should only have effect for two years and that the total amount be raised under the bill, in aggregate should not exceed * three million sterling. This was adopted and the clause as amended was agreed to. Clause 31, rate of interest on bond debentures, etc.—Sir R. Stout moved that the rate of interest on the debentures or bonds -be 8£ per cent, instead of four per cent, This was lost by 84 to 18, and the clause passed. Clause 39 (the Colonial Treasurer may raise money by land bonds) was discussed at great length. Several members condemned land bonds, and asserted that the Treasurer could not obtain money under the Bill at 3£ per cent. Mr Ward said the best answer to that argument was that if he could not obtain money at 8$ per cent., the Act would remain a dead letter. Mr G. W. Russell said he looked upon land bonds as merely duplications of debentures, and he moved an amendment to the clause to provide that land bonds should be wiped out of the Bill altogether, and that the Tieasurer should have power to issue debentures in New Zealand, as well as in Jjondon, to any person, in any sums.

Mr. Ward could not accept this amendment. He strongly supported a land bonds system, and said that it would be more largely availed of than the issue of debenture* or inscribed stock. After a discussion lasting the whole afternoon, Mr Bussell's amendment was put and lost by 84 to 25, and the clause passed without further alteration.

In clause 41 (how advances are to made) Mr J. G. Smith moved an amendment in the clause providing thai the limit to be borrowed by the Bill should be £IOOO instead of £SOOO. The Bill was meant to assist small settlers, and it would fail altogether in in this object if they were allowed to borrow up to £SOOO. Mr Ward pointed out that the average of loans lent by the Government Insurance Department was £7OO, whilst the maximum was £SOOO. The Public Trust Office also accepted a similar maximum. If this amendment was carried, it would mean that tLis depaitinent would

carry on a weak class of business. He would not object to an amendment to tbe effect that applications for loans up to £SOO should receive preference over applications for larger sums. It was lot the desire of the Government to lend large sums of money under this Bill. He f und that there were not twenty Joans in tbe colos y up to £SOOO in the Government Insurance Department. That department was limited to a certain class of loans, and they were asking for a change in that system, which the Government proposed to d< al with this session by legislation. He hoped that the £SOOO limit would be agreed to in this Bill. Mr Thompson thought the Bill was brought in to assist loan companies and not to assist email settlers in any way. Mr T. Mackenzie said this Bill would be a regular Ctolgardie for some of the loan compauies of the colony. Mr G. W. Russell said the necessity for the Bill arose from the fact of so many small small settlers paying a heavy rate of interest. Sir Robert Stout thought the proposed limit of £IOOO was too high, and he should have preferred £750. After a very long discussion, Mr Smith's amendment was lost by HO to 20.

Mr Ward proposed a new subsection, that applications for loans not exceeding £SOO shall have priority over applications for larger sums. Agreed to. Mr Thompson moved a proviso to the clause to the effect that not more than £25,000 be ieut in any one electorate until all applications made for other electorates be considered by the Board. Lost by 32 to 15. Little alteration was made in the remaining clauses of tho Bill, which was reported with amendments. RAILWAYS BILL. Mr Seddon moved that the amendments made in the Railways Bill by the Legislative Council be agreed to. He said that the amendments were of an unimportant character, but improved the Bill. The Hon. E. Mitchelson asked whether it was proposed to appoint a Minister for Railways.

Sir Robert Stout asked whether the Railway Commissioners were entitled to compensation. The Premier said they were, but he would enquire as to whether Messrs Maxwell and Hannay were paid full time for their services. In reply to Mr Mitchelson's question, he said that the Government had not yet decided whether or not they would appoint another Minister. He favored au adjustment of portfolios, but the qjuesto consider was whether the present Minister could carry on from January next (when the Government would take over control of the railways) until the next session of Parliament. For himself, he was prepared to make any sacrifice so long as the efficency of the railways was not interfered with. The House would be informed when any decision was arrived at. He was very pleased that the people of the colony had now resumed control of property which should never have, beeu taken from them. The motion for adopting the amendments made by the Legislative Council was agreed to. DISAGREED WITH. The Hon. W. P. Reeves moved that certain amendments made by the Council in the Shops and Shop Assistants Bill be disagreed with. The principal amendment which he would ask the House to disagree with was the one which provided that the Bill should not apply to shops which employed no hired labor. Mr Thompson thought that if the Bill included small shops it would ruin a large number of struggling shopkeepers. Sir Robert Stout held that it was entirely unfair that barmaids should be put in a different position from shop girls. Mr Reeves said that if the Council thought publichouse3 should be closed on balf-holidays, and were not content to wait for the Licensing Bill, then the proper place for that amendment was the Factories Act. Mr Reeves' motion was agreed to by 43 to 13, and the amendment of the Council respecting small shops disagreed with. Mr Reeves moved that the amendment of the Council in striking out hotel bars from the Bill be agreed with. Sir Robert Stout moved that the amendment be disagreed with. After a very lengthy discussion, MiReeves' motion was carried by 84 to 80. -

Exemption of hairdressers was also disagreed with. A new clause (IGa), providing for the closing of offices, was objected to by Mr Reeves and disagreed with. A conference was set up to confer with the other Chamber on the amendments that were disagreed with.