PARLIAMENT.

Opunake Times, Volume III, Issue 134, 15 October 1895, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. LICENSING bill. The Legislative Council went into Committee on the Alcoholic Liquors Sale Control Act Amendment Bill. In clause 3—providing that a grant of liceuses shall be subject to the vote of the electors—the Hon Mr Bowen moved to strike out sub-section 4, which made national prohibition one of the issues to be put before the electors. After a long discussion the sub-sec-tion was struck out by 24 to 6. Hon Mr Bowen moved to strike out clause 4, which provides for the licen* sing polls being taken on the same day as the general election. After a short discussion the clause was retained by 16 to 11. In clause 6, which allowed three proposals to be voted on, Mr Kerr moved to reduce this to one. The amendment was carried by 20 to 7. THE CHINESE. The Hon Mr Rigg again brought on his motion, that the Chinese are undesirable immigrants, and as he was proceeding to read the evidence taken before the Petitions Committee, the galleries were for the third time cleared, and the motion again talked out. NELSON RESERVES BILL. The Westland and Nelson Native Reserves Bill passed its final stage. LICENSING BILL. The Alcoholic Liquors Bill was further considered in Committee, Clause 6 was altered to read each voter shall be entitled to vote on any one of the proposals, and no more, and" consequential amendments were made in clause 7 to bring it in conformity with this provision. In clause 8, which provided that in the event of reduction being carried, licenses should be reduced by not less than ten per cent, andj by not more than twenty-five per cent of the total number in the district, a motion by the Hon Mr McLean to strike out the minimum altogether, was carried by 21 to 9. Several other amendments proposed in the clause were rejected. In clause 10, providing that the day of the licensing election be a pubho half-holiday, and further that from mid-day till 7 p.m. is to be deemed to be Sunday within the meaning of the Licensing Act, the Hon Mr Richardson moved to strike out the provision, that election day is to be deemed to be Sunday. The amendment was carried by 22 to 4, and the clause as amended was added to the Bill by 17 to 9. Clauses 12 to 20, relating to national option, were struck out by 22 to 8.

HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES. Wellington, Thursday. DISAGREED WITH. The amendments made by the Legislative Council in the Chattels Transfer Act Amendment Bill were disagreed with. SCHOOL TEACHERS ACT. Mr Reeves moved the second reading of the Public School Teachers' Incorporation and Court of Appeal Bill he explained the provisions of the Bill at some length, and said if it were passed into law it would do a good deal to allay the feelings of anxiety that at present were disturbing the minds of some of the best men in the teaching profession. The first portion of the Bill provided machinery for registering Teacher's Institutes as cooperate bodies. In case of appeal the teacher must obtain the assent of the Teacher's Institute in his district. The institute would be held responsible for any costs that may be given against the appellant. The appeal Board would consist of three arbitrators, one to be appointed by the Education Board, and one by the teachers' institute concerned, the third member to be one of the Stipendiary Magistrates for the district, the selection to be made by the Minister. The second reading was agreed to on the voices. STOCK ACT. The Stock Act Amendment Bill, the principal provision of which was to prevent people from driving stock after a certain hour of the night, was read a second time on the voices. IMPOUNDING ACT. The Hon Mr McKenzie moved the second reading of the Impounding Act Amendment Bill, to allow impounding of cattle from unfenced land. The second reading was carried by 41 to 18. WATER SUPPLY. The Water Supply Act Amendment Bill, which is of a local character, was read a second time. FAIR RENT BILL. The Hon Mr McKenzie moved the second reading of the Fair Rent Bill, to provide means for fixing fair rent for land. The Bill proposed to appoint for each district a Fair Rent Board, to consist of three members to be appointed by the Governor-in-Council; the Stipendiary Magistrate to be a member and president of the Board. After heariug all parties, the Board shall determine what is a fair rent of the land affected by the application, and from what date the fair rent is to commence. Mr McKenzie said he could never agree to make the Bill apply only to crown tenants, and leaving out private tenants. He would drop the Bill altogether, rather thau agree to an amendment such as this. He said there was no hope that the Bill would pass the third readiug this session, but still he thought the discussion that had taken place would do good. The second reading was carried by 30 to 7.