N.Z Parliament.

Otago Witness, Issue 1461, 15 November 1879, Page 10

N.Z Parliament.

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVE&

Thursday, 6th November. The House met at 2.30 p.m. BEPLIES TO QUESTIONS. In reply to questions, it was Btated that the. • Government would inquire into the expediency • of a sitting of the District Court at Riverton. A portion of the first instalment of the land > tax only had been collected, and as th c time had expired, fresh legislation would be necessary for enabling the collection of the remainder. The Government would consider means for - providing townships, with les9 householders than required by the Municipal Act, with governing bodies. The Government did not intend to give effect - to the recommendations made by the AgentGen&ral for altering his designation to that of Resident Minister. The Government did not propose to appoint . a Minister of Mines with an independent portfolio.

Fbiday, 7th Novembeb. The House met at 2.30 p.m. NATIVE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE.

The SPEAKER reported that arrangements had been completed for bringing tbe prisoner Worgan from Warganui to be examined by the Native Affairs Committee. -

BEPLIES TO QUESTIONS.

Replyiug to questions,"^ waa stated tbat tha Government desired further information before introducing a bill dealing with habitual drunkards.

Tenders were being prepared for erecting railway workshops at Dunedin similar to those - at Addington, and additions to the railway station were in progress. ' ' Tbe Government had .under consideration a recommendation to impose a duty on all coal i imported into the Colony; The Government had under oose iteration the propriety of complying with the pnyerof a petition from the hop-growers in Nelson, tliat tha duty on imported hops be inert asßd,

HEW BILLS.. ' The following bills, were introduced :—: — A Bill to authorise ' governors of HigH Schools to realise on reserves and endowments, and provide h r the investment of the proceeds ; Sheriffd Act, 1858/ Amendment Bill.; a Bill to facilitate and .encourage' th«" improvfmpnt of land by drainage, &c. j Southland High School Bill, ' ■' •' ' ' ~\" ' ' \ ' " TRIENNIAL PARLIAMENTS 'BILL. } I"' The Triennial Parliaments Bill was read* third time and passed. , ' \ " '' ":•■/ QUALIFICATION OF ELBOTORB BILL, "'" ; The Qualification of Elector* Bill wag fur, ther considoaed in Committee. ' ' '-' Mr MONTGOMERY moved tbat c'ausei be made to read that "Some persons B)i<nld : be entitled to exercise more than one' vote." ,' '' Mr MOSS moved a further' amendnnehVr- " That every man of 21 years, being a British subject, residing one year in the Colony or orii mouth in a district, should be enticed' to' regiai tration ; and that in the event of an ' elector leaving home on pleasure or business with tho intention of returning again, his qualification ■ should remain good." The debate was interrupted by, the 5.30 ad« journment. ' . i • ■ • Evening Sitting. r QUALIFICATION OF ELECTORS BILli Immediately on resuming, progress ■ was reported on thn Qualification of Electors Bill. . ELECTIONS VALIDATION BILL. ' The Hon. Mr HALL moved the second reading of the Elections "Validation Bill. It sought to' validate < the elections of Messrs Colbeck and Tawhai, doubts having arisen thereon; A motion was carried that the bill be considered in Committee.

COMMITTEE.

The bill was reported with the addition that Major Te Wheoro's name was added to the schedule. . ■ * The bill was read a third time and passed. QUALIFICATION OP ELECTORS BILL. This bill wa3 further considered in Committee.

Air Montgomery's motion — to cocfine eaefe i elector to ope vote in the Colony— was negatived on a division by 30 to 25.

The followiog is the division list : —

. Ayes — Ballance, Barron, DeLautonr, Dick, J. T. Fisher (Heathcote), Grey, Harria, Hutcirison, Lundon, Macandrew, Mac Donald, Montgomery, Mrgg, Roid, Seddon, Shnnks, Sheeuan, Shuphard, Speight, Tainui, Tawhai, Te Wheoro, Tole, Trimble, Turnbull Noes. — Adama, Atkinsoa, Biin, Brandon, Bryce, Colbeck, Driver, Gibba, Hall, Ifemlin, Hursthouse, Johnston, Kelly, Levin, M'Lean, Murray, Oliver, Ormond, Pifct, Richardson, Eolleston, Saunders, Stevens, Sutton, Swanson, Tomoana, Wallis, Whyto- Willis. Wiight.

Friday, 7th November, qualification op electohs beui. '

In Committee ontho Qualification of Elector* . Bill, after Mr Montgomery's siagle vote amendment had been rejected,

Mr BALLANCE moved to strike out tha word "man," with a view, to insert the word "person," the effect being to allow wemon tobecome electors. The Committee divided on the question that^ the word •' man " be .retained. Ayes . (29). — Messrs Andrews, AHwright, Barron, Bmndon, Colbeck, Dick, Driyer, J. T. Msher, Gibba, Gißborne, Hamlin, Kelly, LeviD, . McDonald, M'Lean, Moorhouse, Ormond, Pvko, Richardson, Kolleston, Seddon, Shanks, Sheehan, Shephard, SteveDS, Sutton,. Tole, Whyte, Wood. ■ Noes (34).— Messrs Adama,' Atkicßon, Ballance, Bain, Brown, Do Lautotur, Firm,. George, Hall, Harris, Hursthousc, Ireland, Johnston, Kenny, Maoandrew, Montgomery, Mohi, Murray, Oliver, Pitt, Beeves, .Reid, Saunders, Speight, Swanson, Tamui,'Tawh»i, Te Wheoro, Tomoana, Trimble, TurnbolL Wallis, Willis, and WrJghfc. The result was received with cheers, and the word " person " was inserted in the clause. Mr MOSS then moved the t following Amendment—"Every person being'a British subject, not less than 21 years of age, who shall have resided in New Zealand for one year, and in the electoral district for which he or she claims to vote not less thau one month immediately preceding the registration of - his or her vote, is entitled to be registered as an elector of such district, and to vote at the election for each district of membera of the House of Representatives," Subsequently, after discussion, he asked leave to withdraw thi3, buS it was refused, and progress was reported, and leare granted to sit again. The House rose at midnight.

Wellington' November 11th. The House met at 2.30 p.m. THE FINANCIAL STATEMENT.

The Hon. Mr HALL announced that in tha event of the work before the House progressing satisfactorily, the Treasurer would fee prepared to bring down his Financial Statement on Monday.

REPLIES TO QUESTIONS.

A sum of money would be proposed in the Estimates for the construction of roads through and opening up Crown lands in districts in which counties have not sufficient funds.

A report forwarded to the Commissioner of Kail ways, re island and other native coal, had b9en gicen effect to. The coal was largely used, and with the view of encouraging its use the Government had offered a boaus to firemen for its effective employment. The Government would bring down a bill dealing with the establishment of small farm settlements on the deferred-pay me it system by settlers to whom employment will for a time be afforded upon public works. NEW BILLS. , Bills were introduced and read a first time to amend the Otago University Site Exchange Act, 1875 (Mr Macandrew) ; Land Tax Collection Bill (Hon. Major Atkinson) ; Kumara Educational Reserve Bill (Hon. Mr Oliver). THE QUALIFICATION OF ELECTORS. The Qualification of Electors Bill was further considered ia Committee. The amendments carried wera unimportant. One, to Rive a residential franchise to females, wa3 negatived by 37 to 29. The debate was interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment. # Bvenino Sitting. TThe Qualification of Electors Bill was further considered in Committee.

Amendments wera moved by Mr SBDDON and Mr MURRAY re the Maori qualification.

Mr MOSS moved as a further amendment on the same clause — " That aboriginals, including half-castes and the male de&cendents of halfcastes, shall not acquire any new right under this Act, nor shall they be deprived of any rights they held at, the beginning of the present session of Parliament." The Government bad said they did not intend to deprive the Native race of any rights they presently enjoyed. Mr Seddon's amendment was withdrawn, and the other amendment was being discussed.

Wednesday, 12th November. The House met at 2 30 p.m. REPLIES TO QUESTIONS.

Replying to Mr Gisborne, The Hon. Mr OLIVER said that this summer it was intended that the Engineer-in-Chief should make a flying exploration of the South-west Coast country between Hokitika and Jackson's Bay, and by way of Haast Pass to the settled districts of Otago, with a view of ascertaining, its availability for a line of railway, and the extent and description of Crown lands which would be opened up for settlement, and its general mineral resources. Mr GEORGE asked if the promissory notes due at the beginning of this month by various persons as part payment for the purchase of sections of the Thorndon reclamation have been paid, and if not, why not ? The Hon. Major ATKINSON said that in consequence of the depressed state of trade, and on the application of some of the purchasers, the Government had agreed to an extension of time for payment.^ Two-fifths of the purchase price had been paid, and -for tho payment of the balance some months had been allowed. Mr IRELAND asked if Government will cause a sufficient sum of money to be placed on the Estimates for the construction of a bridge for traffic across the Mataura River at some point between Waikaia and Gore. The Hon. Mr OLIVER replied that a bridge of the kind would cost at least LIO.OOO, and as the railway would in all probability be taken to Waikaia, the necessity for such outlay would be obviated. PROPOSED NEW COUNTY OF TIMARU.

Mr WAKEFIELD moved that the proposed new county of Timaru be not constituted. Mr SHRIMSKI moved the adjournment of the debate till this day .week. . .This was put and carried. TAPANUI BRANCH RAILWAY.

Mr IRELAND moved—" That with a view of giviog effect to the petition recently presented to the Government by settlers in the Tapanui and Waikaia districts, and of enabling them to get their produce to market, the Government be requested to take the necessary action to have their branch railway line from Waipahi to Pomahaka bridge opened for traffic with the least possible delay." Mr KELLY opposed tha motion, and said that in the North Island there were districts with equal claims, where the inhabitants could not take themselves to market, far less their produce. Mr M'LEAN hoped the motion would be withdrawn. This was the celebrated Tapanui

job. The contract was taken under altogether exceptional circumstac ces. The contractor was to have no payment until the work was done. The work had not. been gone on with with proper despatch, and now they were asked to give the contractor exceptional conditions which were nevsr bargained for. The law should be allowed to take its course. If the contractor had been guilty of a breach of contract, he ought to be made responsible. He (Mr M'Lean) had no doubt but that terms could be made with tha contractor, so as to enable him to open part of the line. - Mr PYKE argued that the contractor should be made togo on with the contract, or else the Government should take over the contract at

the risk of the contractor. It was a pitiable think to see the interests of the country sacriX ficed simply because a misunderstanding existed between the Government and contractor. He would say "enforce the terms of the contract, however hard." The time had arrived when contractors should be made to fulfil their engagements with the Government, the same as if they were contracting for private individuals. These contractors were actually fattening upon indulgences and weakness shown to them by the Government in the past. Mr RICHARDSON understood that all that was asked for was that the contract that was entered into should be carried out. That view rendered the proposal reasonable enough. Mr MURRAY said that in all probability this agitation on the part of the settlers had been got up by the contractors for their own special purposes. He would move as an amendment that the words "by enforcing the contraot against contractors " be added to the motion. That would achieve what was aimed at by the motion; at the same time it would avoid establishing the dangerous precedent of breaking contracts with'impunity. Replying to Mr Gibbs, The Hon. Mr OLIVER said that with the exception of the terms of payment, the contract was, as regards penalties and otherwise, in all respects framed in the usual way. Golonel TRIMBLE expressed an opinion that as the Government had given an assurance that the matter would be carefully dealt with, he thought they might wisely leave the whole matter in its hands, and in that case he thought the more prudent courae would be to withdraw the motion, leaving the Government untrammelled in the matter. Mr MACANDREW contended that the terms upon which this contract had been taken op were in all respects advantagpous to the Colony. But for the depreision in monetary matters thiß contract would have beau corn. pleted months ago. He hoped the motion would not be withdrawn. All that was wanted i

was that the line should be made available to the Fomahaka bridge, the portion which was nearly completed. Mr M'LEAN said no matter what side of the House the proposal came from he would have opposed it. This contractor was a man who was notorious for the trouble he had made to every Government with whom ho had had anything to do. It was high time chafe the Government came to a firm stand with him.

The Hon. Mr OLIVER said that in effect the motion called upon the Government to break the contract. It would then be Heen that tli^y each aimed at quite different results. _ That was not^ what the mover of the motion professed to aim at. He would therefore ask him to withdraw the motion.

The motion and amendment were then withdrawn.