PARLIAMENT.

Patea Mail, Volume IX, Issue 1058, 11 July 1883, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ■ V - Monday, July 9. The House met at 7.30 p.m. MrJ. McDonald took the oath and his seat for Brace. CONSTITUTION AOT AMENDMENT BILL. Sir George Grey moved the second reading of the Constitution Act Amendment Bill (No 2), which was the same measure he had introduced last session. He held it to be an inherent right of the people of such a colony as this to. choose the form of-Government under which they would live. This right was only partially secured by the present Constitution Act. No provision was therein made for any deadlock between the two Chambers. He held that tho Assembly had full power to make such provision on this subject as he now •proposed to do. . It would prevent all violent and ill considered constitutional changes by taking the deliberate opinion of the people of the colony on all such changes! fv. ..Major Atkinson said that nothing had been advanced to justify the enormous change in the habits, customs, and constitution of the colony, which this Bill proposed. ’ The only great change in the constitution which had taken place was the abolition of province's, and on that the deliberate opinion of the people was fairly taken. If it was worth the while of any Government to corrupt the electors, as had been a plebiscite would-afford a very-easy moans of doing it.. . The Bill directly abolished the power of the House to deal with constitutional changes. An ordinary dissolution was the proper modo of taking the opinion of the people. Sir George Grey replied, and the House divided on the second reading : Ayes, ,24; noes, 46. The Eight Hours Bill and the Law Practitioners Bill were both thrown out.

Tuesday, Judy 10. The House met at 2.30 p.m. NEW ZEALAND NATIVE LAND COMPANY’S BILL. Mr Bryce presented a petition from 350 natives against the bill. Mr Do Lautour moved that the Bill be introduced and referred to the proper committee. Agreed to and the Bill was read a first time. QUESTIONS. Replying to questions, Ministers said that it was intended, to consider the propriety of abolishing the postage charge on delayed telegrams. The question .of establishing a reformatory; as recommended by Captain Hume, would be considered; during the recess. If possible, Government would introduces Bill to obviate the necessity for local bodies obtaining conveyances of lands required for roads and bridges. THE UNEARNED INCREMENT. Sir George Grey gave notice to move the following on going into Supply : “ That this House regrets that the Government has expressed its intention not to make any proposals to deal with lands specially benefilled or advantaged by the construction of railways, in so far as such benefits or advantoges have accrued In the past, ns in the opinion of this House; the principle of taxing all property increased in value by the construction with the pnblic money of railways, roads, bridges, harbours, and other works, is just. T The House adjourned at 6.30. '

EVENING SITTING.

per ■ ~ r ANTI-CENTRALISATION. At the evening sitting, Mr Montgomery moved his anti-,centralisation resolutions. He contended that it. was impossible to govern the colony' from Wellington, and said, that the House was more than ever taken np with con- , eidering the demands for roads and bridges 11 instead of general subjects reserved to it in;the Constitution AcL He said no difficulty in re-forming colonial and provincial finance and saving £150,000 phr annum. Major replied at length arguing that there was no proof that the people desired to return to Provin- ' cialism, and thought that they were well satisfied with present local governing powers. Sir G. Grey said that there was no fair representation of the people in Parliament. Mr Turnbull had supported, abolition but now said it was a mistake. It had failed to realise wh at was expected,* and had. intensified the evils it was intended to Cure. Some change was absolutely necessary to avert a serious crisis arising. Mr J. W. Thompson moved the adjournment of=tbe debate tiirTbarsday. Major Atkinson objected, and raored Wednesday as the debate had really become one of no confidence. Mr Joyce said the discussion was quite useless. The result had been determined by the compact entered into with the Canterbury -members about the railway. He declined to even discuss the revival of provincialism but was prepared to support provincialism. Mr Levestam hoped the debate would bo carried on to get out the facts of the compact which had been made in defiance of what hdd been promised in the Public Works Statement. The debate was adjourned to Wednesday, and the. House rose at 12,