PARLIAMENT.

Opunake Times, Volume V, Issue 193, 10 July 1896, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF EEPBESENTATIVES

Owing to the difficulty in adjusting a satisfactory hour for the rising of the House, the proposal for the day sittings will probably be abandoned till towards the end of the session.

The Makohine viaduct of the North Island Trunk Line will probably be constructed on the co-operative system.

The Bepresentation Act Amendment Bill just circulated provides for the appointment of a permanent Commission for each island for the formation and adjustment of electoral districts in place of one Commission for the whole colonv a 3 provided by the Act of 1887. Commissioners are to be appointed within 21 days of the passing of the measure. The Sur-veyor-General and the Commissioner of Crown Lands of Taranaki and Auckland districts are to be the three official members of the North Island Commission, and the Commissioners of Crown Lands of-Westland, Canterbury, Otago for the South Island. The remaining two unofficial members of each Commission are to be nominated by the House of Bepresentatives. The Commissioners are to sit jointly for determining the electorates as prescribed by the Bepresentation Act of 1887, but shall subsequently sit separately and determine the boundaries of new electorates for each Island.

After a lengthy sitting in committee the Eating on Unimproved Value Bill was reported practically unamended. The Criminal Code Act Amendment Bill and Bepresentation Act Amendment Bill passed their final stages.

The Premier's Old Age Pensions Bill provides that after the passing of the measure every person attaining the age of 65 shall be entitled to not less than five nor more than ten shillings a week for the rest of his life, provided he has resided not less than twenty years in the colony, of which the last three must have been continuous, and has not been absent from the colony more than eighteen months. Several means of raising the wind for payment of these pensions are provided, any one of whioh of the following modes Parliament may adopt:—Primage duty on imports, wages tax on all wages and salaries between 80s a week and income tax exemption, reductions in income tax exemption, a graduated land and income tax, an increase of graduation, and by removing exemption as between husband and wife, or increase of stamp duties by graduation. /*■

HANSARD STAFF. The Premier announced that four additional reporters had been appointed to the Hansard staff on probation. They had all had newspaper experience, and were first-clas* men. The Government desired to make the reporting as perfect as possible, and it was intended in future that each reporter should mark on his proofs the work performed by him, and the members could then see the competency displayed by each reporter. QUESTIONS. In reply to questions it was stated that the Government intended in a few days to move that a Select Committee be appointed to enquire into the whole management of the Press Associatian and its dealings with the general public ; that the term of appointment of the new Commandant of the New Zealand forces was for 5 years. FINANCIAL STATEMENT. In reply to Captain Russell, the Premier said the Financial Statement was well under weigh, and he hoped to bring it down on Tuesday next. OLD AGE PENSIONS. The Old Age Pensions Bill was introduced by a message from the Governor, and read a second time. REPRESENTATION ACT. Mr Seddon moved the second reading of the Representation Act Amendment Bill, to facilitate the formation and adjustment of electoral districts, by providing for the appointment of two commissioners instead of one. He said the Bill was for the purpose of arranging details of representation necessitated by the late census returns. The result of the late census showed the quota for each member would be 11,793, which practically meant that 2| members would be taken from the South Island. He did not like to see one Island robbing the other of its proportion, and he would rather see the people in the Colony settling down as in the old Country. He thought it was not desirable to change the boundaries too and he hoped the House would express its opinion on that point.

Mr Buchanan regretted the Bill provided for three official members of the Commission. He thought it was desirable that a matter of this bind should be removed as much as possible from Government influence.

Mr T. McKenzie said it was impossible to get a fair system of representation under this Bill, and if area and population were to be rightly considered justice would not be done under it.

Mr Newman thought some alteration was necessary in the city boundaries. The Hon Mr McKenzie said if the Commission went into the question of boundaries there would be no chance of getting a readjustment in time for the next election. The whole intention of the Government was to get the Commissioners to work at once, so that- they might fix the quota of members for each Island, and that the districts might be reconstructed. He resented the imputation made by Mr Buchanan on the Civil Servants on the Board, and complimented the Government on the Bill, but supported the contention of the member for Clutha as to the evil of allowing the people living in cities to have three rotes. He thought voting at the

.' elections should be on the residenticil qualfication only. Sir B. Stout did not see much to object to in the Bill, and should support it. He hoped the Premier would agree to reappoint the present nonofficial members of the Board, as they were thoroughly qualified men for the work.

Messrs Massey, G. Hutchison, Mills, Earnshaw, Pirani, Saunders, and Buick also spoke, the general opinion being in favor of the Bill. Mr Seddon, in replying, said he could not give an assurance that the non-official members of the Board would be re-appointed, as it might be necessary to obtain the services of younger men. As to the date of the general election, they would be held about the same time as last election. As to objections to plural voting, he agreed with them, and said a Bill would be brought down to totally abolish plural voting. The second reading was agreed to on the voices, and with the unanimous consent of the House it was decided as a matter of urgency, that the Bill should be committed forthwith.

The Bepresentation Act Amendment Bill passed through committee without amendment. The Hon Mr McKenzie made another violent attack on Sir Walter Buller in the House, and being twitted with sheltering himself behind the privileges of the House, said he would repeat the same statements outside the House. Mr McGuire ridiculed the minister's boasted braveiy, who then cautioned Mr MoGuire to be more careful of the statements he was making about him outside the House.