N.Z. PARLIAMENT

Otago Witness, Issue 2167, 5 September 1895, Page 18

N.Z. PARLIAMENT

TUESDAY, AUGUST 27.

In the LegifOa'ive Council this afternoon the Servants' R-g's'ry Offio Bill w«s re id a Btcond time. It was decided to insist Oti Ihs amendments made in tho Duuediu Drainage and Sewerage Bill. A bill hmeudiug the llivtrs Act and sffcoting Kait*ugat& only was passed.

COUNTIES BILL.

The Couiitie3 Act Amendment Bill wrs committed, and a new clause, to alter the boundaries of adjoiuing county council 5 by agreement, was sgcted ta, Tho bill was requited hb amended.

In tho House of Representative stl is afternoon, questions having been replied to, the Wilton Land Bill and the Feuciug Bill were passed. The debate on the SIC nd reading of the Betterment Bill w&s postponed, as uaenilei'3 were evidently absent discursing the banking question.

HEPJ,IKS TO (JUKSriONS.

The Hon. J. M'KlfiNZlE siid as sjon &a the Government decided on their action whh respect to extending the time for payment of rents and the sheep tax due by Crown tenants where excessive loss of stock has been sustained through enow during the pasb winter he would inform the House of their decision.

Replying to Mr Buick, whether the Government will take steps to have a stamp duty of 2» 6d on strychnine aud arsenic removed in cases where these poidoni are used in the destruction of rabbits and smaU birds, The Hon. J. M'KENZIH said this matter w»b being inquired into, and a decision would shortly be come to in tho matter. Rfplv'ug to Mr Mfcslin, TheHou J M'KENZIE said the Fair Rent 8.1 l would shortly be introduced.

Replying to Mr Pirani, . The Hon. Mr RE&VES said he would consider the advisability of appointing a member of the legal profession in each district at an affixed scale of charges lo act on behalf of workmen seeking to recover their wa^ts under the Contractors' and Workman's L ; cn Act.

Replying to Mr Flatma-u, whether the Minister for Agriculture will talie sleps to prevent any further shipments of sheep or cattle from the Norih Islaud to the South Island until a clean certificate cau bo given to the North Inland to the effect that anthrax has been stamped out. The Hon. J. M'KENZIE said he could not agree to this wqui sS, as it would not be advisable; but every precaution was being takai to prevent the disease from spreading. Replying to Dr Newman, whether the Minister for Agriculture will t«.ke steps to prevent tbe importation of manures from any country inftcted with anthrax, The Hon. J. M'KENZIE said he should mnko full inquiries into the matter, and would take tvery precaution.

Replying to Mr G. Hutchison, whsther ono of two members of the civil service (Justice depaitc&eufc) to whom advances li*ve been made by Government out of public money is a stipendiary magistrhbp,

The Hon. Mr ItEEVES said it was true one xva.t a magintrate. The amount advanced was £100, and tho amount outstanding at the cud of tho year was £60. Replying to Mr Morrison,

The Hon. Mr CADMAN said that, outside the question of expense, he fouud it would be inexpedient to put foot-warmers into long railway carriages ; but he had nob yet fully considered the matter, although the Railway department had done so.

THK FENCING HILL,

The Fencing Bill was committed.

Clause 23, "gorse not to be plauted witLouk the consent of neighbours," elicited discussion, but was Dually patstd.

Clause 24, "swing gates across road?," also elicited discussion. — The cl&use was carried by 32 t0.28.

FENCING BIIX.

The Fencing Bill was further considered in Committee, and new clauses making the bill apply to Native land wore added to it. The bill was recommit fc"d for the purpose of conndoriog clause 18—' Bush may be cleared along a line of fence." Tbe Hon. J. M'KRNZIE moved— "That the clause be altered so as to make tbe cle-aiiug half a chain en each side of a fete, it stead of six feet."— After a very ltn^tby debate, this was agreed to by 38 to 19. The bill was reported with further amendment?, road a third time, and passed.

BETTERMENT.

The Hon. Mr CADMAN moved tho second reading of The Bitteinients Bill, to impose on lands traversed by railways cocstructed at the public erpento a charge in aid of such construction. He said tke bill gave efftcfc to the tkeory that the unearned increment of the land bboutd go to the State. The bill, however, proposed that only halt the increase thould go to the Stat*. They would all admit that the State should receive tome shire of tte benefits derived by ow&ers of land by the canst ruction of railways through thf-ir land. It would ODly apply to r*ilw»js made in the fntura— not to tboie a\te*dy cwstwaetod. After expLining the provisions of tbe bilL in detail, be said that he should be quite prepared to receive any suggestions from members to improve the bill.

The Hon. Mr MITCHELSON moved tbe adjournment of th* debate, as several members who waDted to speak ou tbe bill w«e not present. — The motion foe adjournment wa3 carried on tho voices.

THE FAIR RENT BILL

The fcY-ir Rent Bill promised early in the sea-

sion by th« Minister for Lands not having yefc made its appearance, ifcfl advocates *re becoming anxious as to the intentions of the Government* seeing the vast amount of business for this flea* sion yet uutouched. This afternoon Mr Collins gave noMs c of a question as to when the bill 'frill aittka its appoarauco. Some of tho more prom i >.cat supporters of the principle of f*ic rent only desire that tho propesed legi*l»tioni should apply to village settlers and Crown tenants generally, aud they few that the expressed intention of the Minuter for Lands to tn«ko tbe measure apply to private property as! well will introduco a very debatable element* into the matter, and almost certainly ensure the rejection of the bill bj tho Legislative 1 Counoil. It is even stated that tbe Government secretly desire that this should be the hte of the bill, as its adoption would mean a considerable reduction in the territorial revenue. However, it 10 asserted by the friend? of tho measure khaft owing to the unexampled losses in tho south through the severity of tho winter it will be found quita impoes bio to collect! the present rents, aid wholesale evictions are out of the question. Moreover, owing to the high rents, many of th.c village settlers have to pay rents fixed when wheat was 3s a bushel. The market v»lue o£ the leasehold has been so reduced as to preclude the Eettlurs from taking advantage of tha \ Advances to Settlers Act, the security not being in accordance with the regulations. Tha Minister to-day informed the Haute that tha bill will be chculated with as little delay as possible. THE ANTHRAX OUTBREAK. With regard to the suggestion that, in view of the outbreak of cattle disease in the north* further shipments of cattle or sheep from the North to the South Itlatd should, for the presunt, be prohibited, the Minister for Agriculture declared that tuch a proceeding would be quite absurd. The absurdity became evident when i 6 was proposed, simply because the disease had appeared in one or two farms in the Waikato, that tho provinces of H&wke's Bay&ud Wellington should bo prevented from shipp ; ng stock to the south. However, every precaution wan being taken to preveut the spread of the disease. With reference to the suggestion by Dr Newman that the impo-tittion of manures from any country infected with anthrax should be prohibited, the Minit-tur said that pome tima ago he had thought I of moving in the direction indicated, but he had received protests from various parts of tho colony. It was poiutsd out that tho iiroposed i ro&tiictions as to importation would con-idsr-ubly laise the price of manure. Affcer takiug export advice Uc allowed the maM.Gr to drop, and now he found that the disease had been impirt.d with bonedust. — (A Member: "Is there any evidence in support of that ?") The Miuister said the only proof was that it was found that the bonoduit had como from an infected country. He would make fall inquiries into the matter. Mr Maseey taid the stemming of the bonoduat was suflident to kill the bacilli of anthrax.

DOMESTIC SERVANTS BILL.

A bill has been introduced by Mr Kelly to provide a weekly half-holiddy for domeittic, servants, including housemaid", parlourmaid*^ kitchenmaidc, laundresses, cooks, general strvantu, waitresses, nurse girls, and house assistants in cities, borough?, and town district?. In a hou>o whore only one servant is kept she shall rectiva the weekly half-holiday ; where there nre nv>re than one servant tho employer shall iix on tho half-holiday for each, provided that one of them shall bo entitled to tho *tatutorj half-holiday. For breaking this law tho employer is liable to & fi<:e of £5.

MORTGAGES.

The Hon. W. J. Steward thinks that it is expedient that mortgages thould be effected without the cost of expensive deeds. In order to make this possible he hat * prepared a bill to authome the Colon Ul Treasurer to c&uae forms to be printed and kept for ffale at all money order offices. Any mortgage effected upon such forms shall imply all the usual coveuants and condition*, and the& ate set forth in the schedule to the bill. The stamp duty shall be 5s for •very £100 of the amount of the moitgage. Major Steward thinks these provisions if agreed to would being in a considerable) amount of revenue.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28.

The Banking Committee's report was laid before both Houses of Parliament this afternoon, aud in the House of Representatives a bill was introduced by miss Age from the Governor to g\v«Kn"ect to the proposals contained therein. After au adjournment till the evening the Government proposed to move the second reading of the bill to enable the Colonial Treasurer to make a full explanation of the propotaln and of the position of tho Bank of New Zealand. A protractrfd discussion ensued, duriug which tie Treasurer gave repeated assurances that the bank was in a solvent position and able to pay its liabilities, a statement which Sir R. Stout, who had bten a member of the couamittee, unhesitatingly supported. Strong aud ptrtissent opponitim was evinced to this course, md a loDg sitting was the result.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 29.

The business in the Legislative Council yeeterdav was of no public interest. An Imprest Supply Bill was passed, and a couple of local b ; ll< were advanced a stage.

MISCELLANEOUS.

The Hob. J. D. OttMOND presented a petition from Huwke's Bay in favour of Bible reading in the State schools.

The Invercarg'll Corporation Reserve Exchange Bill p.vstcl through Committee without amendment.

In the House of Rc-prefentative< the Margarine Bill aud the Siie of Goods Bill were each read a sectnd time in the afternoon, but the banking business occupied tbe attention of members almost to the exclusion of anything else.

When the Houge met the Premier moved the •uspecsion of the Standing Orders in order to permit of the Banking Bill to give effect to tho proposals in tho report of tho select committee being pushed en. Although ho declared there was no intention of pauiog the measure at one sitting, the House re-fused to give tho necesjary leave. Oa the Hoasa reassembling in the evening, the Colonial Treasurer moved the seen! reading of tha Tho debate was proceeding *t 3.30 a.m.

A new clause to the Bunking B>U was brought dowu by meftsage in the Hoiwe of Representatives this afturnooD, which propo.tea to re-euac!j the provision) of the Bank Note Bill, which ex.* pires on the 2nd September.

MARGARINE MILL

The Hon. J. M'KENZIE moved the second reading of the Margarine Bill, to regulate the manufacture acd sale of margarine. He did not anticipate any opposition to the bill, and if. tho second reading were agreed lo be should refer the bill to tbe Stock Committee. The reason why the bill htd to be introduced was because people interested in the matter had

called fcbe attention of the Government to tho Aecesstty of introducing a bill of this nature, "The second reading Was agreed to.

SATURDAY; AUGUST 31.

Th<s H u«e of Represent* fcfvaa concluded its week's work by passing the Bank of New Zealand aud Ban Hog Bill a few minutes after midnight on Saturday. The bill was reported from Committee at 8.30 on Saturday morning, the clause giving power to purchase the easiness of another institution being carried by 34 to 24, but a proviso wasadded by which parliamentary sane' ion is neceisery. Tho House resumed at 2.30, and the bill, as stated, Wasfinally passed abjut midnight.