TUESDAY, JULY 19. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2004, 21 July 1892, Page 17

TUESDAY, JULY 19. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

The Legislative Council to-day pabbed the Surveyor*.' Institute and tho New Zealand Land Claimants Bill. The Oyster Fisheries Bill and several measures dealing with Native laud titles wore read a second time. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. In the House of Representatives no real business was got through at the afternoon sitting. Mr Rhodes brought up aa a question of privilege a question which had been given notice of concerning land scrip, and made a lengthy explanation of the whole circumstances connected with the matter. Mr Fish, not getting what he considered a satisfactory reply to a question about Government advertising, moved the adjournment of the House, and a discussion followed, in which the scrip transactions previously dealt with and Government advertising were somewhat mixed up. In the evening Mr Allen resumed the debate, on the Financial Statement, and was followed by Messrs Tanner, Newman, Buick, and Moore, when it was adjourned. It presented no features calling for special note, and was on the whole somewhat dull. Dr Newman and Mr Buick made the best speeches of the evening. The debate is expected to last several more days. PETITIONS. Another huge batch of petitions in favour of the Otago Central railway was presented by various Otago members to-day, also many others in favour of Bible-reading in schools and of female franchise. Mr Pinkerton presented a petition from John Outram, of Dunedin, for compensation on account of injuries received in the public service. Mr W. Hutchison presented a petition from Dunedin ratepayers opposing the passing of the Sandhills Bill unless with a clause referring the matter to the consent of the citizens. A METHODIST BILL. The Wesleyau Methodist Church Property Trust Act Amendment Bill was before the Private Bills Committee to-day, when objections were heard against it. The committee, however, will not alter the principle of the bill, which will be reported early next week. Strong protests against it are pouring in from all parts of the colony, and it is considered extremely improbable that the bill will pass. THE MINING ACT. Colonel Fraser gave notice to-day to move the following amendment to the Mining Bill on going into committee : — "Notwithstanding anything contained in ' The Mining Act 1891,' the Governor-in-Council may from time to time, by proclamation, withdraw from a mining district any portion of land situated thereon below the surface soil, and, with the consent of the licensees or occupiers respectively thereof, may grant a loan to any persons, company, or syndicate for the purpose of mining upon the said laud, subject to such conditions, covenants, and restrictions, and for such period as the Governor-in-Council shall seem fitting. Every such proclamation shall clearly define the land withdrawn as aforesaid by distinguishing lines or measurements on the surface ground above." COMPENSATION. Notices of two motions bearing on the question of compensation were given to-ciay. They were as follows :—: — i „, #. « rt fh» Mr Duthie to move as an amendment to tne motion of Mr Lawry, No. 7 on this day's order

paper — "That all the words after 'house' be omitted, with a view to insert ' it is desirable that the Licensing Act should bo amended, and that (1) the members of licensing committees should be appointed by the Government to 6ecure a judicial performance of the duties devolving upon them. (2) That no compensation should be payable to any person having vested interests in any hotel when the license has been taken away pursuant to a decision on a poll duly taken by a majority of persons on the electoral roll for the district within which such hotel is situated ; provided that a poll of the electors shall not be taken so as to reduce the number of hotels iv municipalities to less than one hotel for every of the population, and in country districts to less than one hotel for every of the population."

Mr Meredith, when Mr Lawry's motion re compensation is before the House, to move — "That all the words after ' compensation ' be omitted, with a view of inserting the following words — namely, ' To any person, on account of the non-renewal of a publican's license would be subversive of the common rights of the people, and unwarrantably create a. valuable vested interest which does not now exist in a lucrative monopoly ; but both common and private rights would be conserved if a compensation enactment were passed providing that every husband, wife, child, parent, guardian, employer, or other person who shall be injured in person, or means of support hy any intoxicated person, or in consequence of the intoxication, habitual or otherwise, of any person shall have a right of action in his or her name against the person or persons who shall by selling or giving away intoxicating liquors have caused the intoxication.' " The Public P&titions Committee to-day considered the petition of John Aldridge who «halleuged the legality of a sentence of five years' penal servitude passed by Mr W. B. Edwards, as judge of the Supreme Court, on the ground that Mr Edwards had since then been declared by the Privy Council to have never been legally a judge at all. Rumour says that some commutation of sentence will probably be recommended by the committee. The object of Mr Rees' Onehunga Boundaries' Alteration Bill is to exclude the public cemetery from the borough council. MISCELLANEOUS. Mr Allen says the Government will not be able to face the country with the tax upon improvements and come back with a majority. Mr Rees is to introduce a bill abolishing the totalisator in New Zealand. Mr Sandford wants the Government to offer a bonus for tho manufacture of starch in the colony. %The report of Mr Lawry re the rabbit fence in the Hurunui rabbit district was laid on the table of the House to-day. Mr Lawry says he Is satisfied that in order to prevent rabbits taking possession of the range which forms che backbone of the Canterbury provincial district the Waiau fences should be erected without delay. Mr W. L. Rees declared in the House this afternoon that the Government had against them the great landowners, the great financial institutions, the great commercial organisations of the colony, and the great newspapers of the colony. They were opposed by 'the wealth, power, influence and the press of New Zealand. Sir John Hall accuses the Government of misapplication of public money to buy political support. Mr Bryce's petition will probi'bly be considered by the Public Petitions Committee on Thursday, when it is expected that a recommendation will be made in favour of Mr Bryce's prayer that he may be heard at the bar of the House , "If the hon. member for Sydenham will restrain himself and retire to Bellamy's, I shall be happy to proceed," said Mr T. Mackenzie during this afternoon's debate for adjournment. *' If such insinuations are made I may indicate a very uudesirable locality where the hon. member for Clutha may be found," retorted Mr Taylor,