Thursday, August 2. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. BILLS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1916, 10 August 1888, Page 14

Thursday, August 2. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. BILLS.

The Contracts and Promises Bill was read a third time and passed.

The Mining Act 1886 Amo ndment Bil was further considered in committee. A long debate took place over clause 7, relating to compensation. Ultimately it waa passed after beiug amended. After olause 8 had been agreed to , The Hon. Mr SHRIMSKI moved that progress be reported with leave to sit again, intimating that the bill would never get through during the night, The Council divided — Ayes, 9 ; noes, 11. Afterpassing clause 11 progress was reported with leave to sit again. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. REPLIES TO QUESTIONS. Mr TAYLOR asked the Government whether they will bring in a bill this or next session altering the law in the direction of substituting death by electricity for hanging in executions for murder. The Hon. Sir H. A. ATKINSON said the subject was well worthy of careful consideration, and he should consider it during the recess. Mr FELD WIOK asked the Colouial Secretary if he will introduce legislation this session giving power to hospital and charitable aid boardß to bring refractory inmates of institutions under their control bi-fore the R M. Court for punish* ment for infractions of the rales of such institutions, instead of making expulsion almost the sole penalty for irregularities of conduct. The Hou. T. W. HISLOP said the matter would receive consideration. Mr PVKE asked the Minister for Public Works— (l) What are the " materials " for which it is necessary to send to England for the construction of the little bridges on the Middlemarch section of the Otago Central railway ? (2) Whether these bridges cannot be as well or better constructed in the colony by the firms that constructed the Beaumont bridge, Dunedin overbridge, and Mullocky Gully viaduct. The Hon. E. MITCHELSON said there were ho bridges in Middlemarch section. The whole of the work could be done in the colony, but the materials for the work would have to be imported. Mr PYKE asked the Premier if he will state what actionthe Government propose to take in connection with the Otago Central railway during the present year. The Hon. Sir" H. A. ATKINSON said it was not necessary to ask for tenders for bridges as tenders had already been called. He proposed during the recess to visit the district with the Minister for Public Works,' and the amount of money proposed to be spent on the works this year would be stated in the Public Works Statement, which would be brought down as soon as the Native bills were disposed of. > Mr PERCEVAL asked the Minister of Marine whether the Government will amend the regulations with regard to nee fishing so as to protect salmon from destruction, and will he take precautions to see such regulations enforced. The Hon. G. FISHER said ib was believed the regulations already in force were sufficiently stringent, but the. Government would devote some attention to. the matter. Dr FITCHETT asked the Government

whether they will favourably consider the expediency of protecting local labour b'jr imposing an export duty on rough or linsawn kauri timber. . The Hon. Sir H. A. ATKINSON said nb'thihg was shown at present to justify tho Government m moving in the matter* but it would be iiarefully watched during the recess. PROTECTING SALMON. A lengthy discussion ensued on a motion for Ihe adjournment of the House with respect to a question pub by Mr Perceval as to protecting salmon from destruction by enforcing the regulations as to net fishing. Sir JOHN HALL pointed out that if Lake Ellesmere were protected as had been urged it .would be to the injury of other places ; and it was scarcely worth while doing "this, as there was little likelihood of salmon being successfully, pcclimatised in the colony. Mr u'CALLAGHAN, hoped the Government-, would not be guided by the remarks of ihe> member for Solwyn, but would take precautions , to sun that tbe regulations wtre strictly enlarged. Sir John Hall was evidently speaking for fcjs-own^ district in the statements he had made. After further debate, , ' Mr PERCEVAL said the fact tfeab salmon,, had been acclimatised was now sufficiently/ proved. He thought the House should not.bof led away by. Sir John Hall's remarks as therewere ouly about 20 fishermen iv the hon. gentlemau's district^ whereas over 200 people werei dependent on the efforts of fishermen at Lakei Ellesmere. Tho Hon. G. FISHER pointed out that abill! had been introduced by the Government for the^ protection of idigenous and non-indigenous* fish of the colony, but he had been requested! by several acclimatisation societies not to proceed with it at present. The bill would be discussed by those societies and also. local bodies during the coming recess. He held, however, that the Government had taken every necessary step in the matter, and but for the fact that the House had been engaged on large questions the whole subject would have been discussed this session. The motion for the adjournment was lost. A NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION. A surprise no-confidence motion occupied the attention .of the House of Representatives yesterday. As soon as questions were disposed of, Mr Walker intercepted the motion to go intoSupply by moving that it is inadvisable that the Representation Act of last session should com* • into operation until a census, has been taken. The Premier took this up as a motion of no- • confidence, and intimated that if it were carried^ it might mean a dissolution. The debate was kept up with vigour for some time, but when it. became evident that some of the Opposition: members were indignant at not being consultep iv the matter, no division was called for. Mr M'Gregor, the Government whip, demanded one, however, with tho result that the motioa was defeated by two to one, the figures being 41 to 20. COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY. The House went into Committee of Supply for consideration of the Estimates. Vote, Department of Justice, £900. — Carried. Crown Law Officer, £2135.— Carried. Supreme Court; £8018. Alter some discussion, Mr Thompson (Marsden) moved that thevote be reduced by £100 merely as a direotion from the committee that a reduction is neces--sary.—Mr Goldie moved that the vote be reduced by £26.0 to indicate the desire of the committee for reduction in some of the deputy--registrars' salaries — Lost by 39 to 17.— Mr • Thompson's amendment was put, and lost by 34 • to 19,— Mr O'Callaghan then moved a reduction of the whole vote by £10.— The Hob... Sir H. A. Atkinson pointed out that this was - merely wasting time, as the Government had*', promised to make every reasonable reduction. . He hoped the hon. gentlemen would see ifc in •-. that light.— Mr O'Callaghan said he simply - moved it as a protest against any increase. He • withdrew his amendment, and the vote was • passed. Item, Bankruptcy, £6886.— Mr Thompson • (Marsden) moved to reduce this by £320, with a • view to reducing the official assignees' salaries ■ to £400 each.— The Hon. T. Fergus strongly ■ opposed it on the grounds that these officers were not too highly paid now, and if their salaries were reduced they would probably leave the service. — Mr Samuel suggested that assignees be paid by commission as deputies were. — Mr Ward considered the duties mightbe performed by the registrars of the Supreme Court. — The amendment was lost on the voices, aud the vote passed. Item, Resident Magistrates' and Wardens' Courts, £42,726.— A lengthy discussion followed ! on this vote, Mr Levestam and other members / contending that the officers in their districts : had been reduced, while others had not been i interfered with.— Mr Levestam moved that ; item Resident Magistrate, Auckland, £550, be-j reduced by £50.— Lost on the voices. After the telegraph office closed, considerately; of the Estimates was continued. Item :• Prisons, £29,080.— A motion by< Mtv Goldie to reduce the vote by £600, witk.a.view,to reducing some of the biggest salaries, wag , lost by 23 to 12. — Mr Hutchison moved • to> strike out an item of £150 as subsidy towards, publication of the New Zealand law reports^ Lost by 26 to 10. The wholo vote of £105,84«* was then'passedV unaltered. , Class 13.— Defence, Department. Volunteers, £23,926.— hji answer to Mr Hutchison, the Hon. Mr Fekgus said that although i capitation had had to be cut down, Government*, would do all they could for the volunteers. — Several members thought the vote might be-i further reduced.— Sir John Hall hoped nothing of the kind would be.done. — The Hon.. Mr Fergus pointed out tbat the vote hadi already been cat down, one-half. Police, £IS,CO,O^rJM^ Goldie moved to strike^ out the item for "extra, pay for long, service." Ayes> 9; noes, 2:1.— -Mr R. Thorn son moved; to redu.ee it £8000. Ayes, 6 noes, 21.

The total vote, £158,666, then passed un altered.

Class 10. — Lands, £46,183, passed withoutalteration.