PARLIAMENTARY. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. (FROM "STAR'S" SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.) Wellington, June 23. Wednesday's Sitting.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 158, 26 June 1886, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. (FROM "STAR'S" SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.) Wellington, June 23. Wednesday's Sitting.

Yesterday's Bitting of the House was de voted almoat entirely to the consideratior Of the Municipal Corporations Bill in Com mittee. The Premier moved to reduce the votes to one, but Sir George Grey went much further, and proposed that a resident over 21 years in each borough should have a vote. His proposal was, however, lost on division, by 72 to 11, and the Premier's amendment was also lost by 59 to 23. Clause 123, providing that the burgesses shall elect auditors, was struck out by 41 to 32. The disqualification clause was amended so that any councillor taking a contract becomes liable to pay the whole amount of the contract back to the Council. Clause 141, levying an ordinary rate up to Is 3d in the£, was retained after discussion, on a division by 35 to 34. It was agreed thatthe Auditor and Comptroller-General be the auditor under the Act. Last night's "Post" says:— "lf the question of redistribution were opened now, we do not think that, with such figures as the census presents before them, members would, in their votes, be much guided or restrained by religious respect for the principles on which the redistribution of ISSI was professedly based." The agitation for reduction of rente is increasing in thia colony. Householders on the West Coast settlement reserves have been representing that their rents are out of proportion to the products of the land, and the Waste Lands Commictee has referred the question to the Government. The Minister of Public Works has informed Mr McArthur that the £100,000 proposed to be given will not be suilicient to complete the Napier- Palmerston line from Tahoraite to Palmerston, and that more than two years wou'.d elapse before the East and West Coast line through the gorge would be finished. It appears that the areas available for settlement on the homestead syetem ate : — In Auckland, 43,106 acres ; Southland, 2.OSS acres ; Westland, <i,560 acres. Besides this, 0,000 acres are to be oponed at HawkeY Bay at an early date. The Po&tinaster-General has promised to extend the system of issuing postai notes at small ouMde post-olnces if the Government find it practicable. Otago members are still continuing a persistent agitation for the construction of the Otago < entral railway, and questions on the euhject appear on Order Paper daily. The Southerners now want tho Go- j vernment to consent to the line being completed by a syndicate on tho same piinciple as the East and Wost Coa&t railw,i\ The correspondence that has recent lj passed between Tawhiao and the Govern inent reative to tho propo-al of tho Maori King for a native Parliament and Committees has, been laid on the table of the House, but I have already tnaie your readers acquainted with the substanco of the request and tho reply. The Premier informed Mr Grace je&tovday that he had wired to the Mayor of Tduranga suggesting the appointment of a Committee to consider what w,t- best to be done for the relief of the dock in that district. Of the invnigiants introduced -moe ISS4, I find 540 were labourer, iH) faim labourer?, 40 ploughmen, ;V2 joiners, 30 miners, 2."> blacksmiths, 44 carpenteis, 10 farmers, 12 harness worker, lo rs, 15 bricklayers, 15 punters 11 p'ambeis 12 cletk-, 11 grooms, ],I.'} 2 general -3» vanf-, ISG housem uds, 79 nurse-, 46 hou-t-keopc-, 99 cooks 32 dairynriids, oS dre-~maki is, 23 shepherds 24 shoemakers., and 2:j tailors. Mr K. C. Jordan hat again been petitioning the Government for the lcfund ot 1223 paid by him as advance on tho purchase of Te Puke block. The Native A flair* Com mittee ha\ c had the matter u id. i con sideration, and report that th-ou<_'hout the tnn-iction Mr Jordan ua=> riuio^ i.U ' Utmost to ob-Miuct the ( o\emn,>>nt in_ negotiating a pureha-e, and the Committee consider he ha? no claim. Tine ie«ulat«on- made regarding the taking of protected fish do nor apply to Maon-, io lone a- the ii-h aie introduced for the conturption of them-ehe^, and families, so that their gii^vanceo on this subject rre witnout foundation Mr Mo-* yesterday ur^erl tho (Government to incre'ire the protection duty on iron mnuf.ictuies which can be pioduced in the co'ony. The Piuni r, however, said the^ Government hud fa'ieri in c ;it\ ing thtir tariff la -t -c-iion, and if Mi Mo =s v.aiTted to move in the matter lie mu-t do so by motion He accordingly gave notice of j motion th.it it i« desirable to impose such duties, e ire ben^ taken to leiluce coirespondiugly the duties on aiticlc- not manufactured in tho colony, in oidci that the total taxation miy not he ineitM-cJ. This last was the rock on which tho Ministers ran lasc year.

The Mcllhone Appointment. Mr Hobb- had moved that all piper 3 re- f lating to the appointment oi Mr Mcllhone as forest ranger bo laid on the table of the House This is a preliminary to proceedings which Mr Hobbs is understood to be commencing against an Auckland paper for scandal. It is stated here that Professor Kirk recommended Mr Mcllhone's dismissal gome time ago. Mr Cadman has presented a petition from John Holme?, praying the Government for compensation for services in raiding the steamer Hannah Mokau, when she"sank some time aero.

A Question of Privilege, Fully an hour was occupied yesterday afternoon in debating a question of privilege brought before the House by Sir Julius Vogc-1. It appears that although the hen. gentleman, in mentioning the matter, referred only to the Christchurch " Pross," the paragraph in question appeared also in the " Otago Daily Times." In the course of the debate such remarks as " scurrilous paragraph," " mendacious penny-a-liner," " scurrilous, absurd, and coarse writer," were applied to the writer. Eventually the debate was adjourned till Thursday, and although both sices of the House were of opinion that the paeagraph wes entirely unwarranted, the feeling seemed to be that a.3 no further action would be taken after the passing of the motidn that a breach of privilege had been committed, the House should content itself by an expression of the views of members on the subject. If no resolution is passed, the Treasurer will probably take proceedings on his own motion, he having indicated his intention of &o doing ifthe House did not interpose. Slandering Mr Hoobs.

On the 7th insfc. an Auckland newspaper published an article accusing the member for Bay of Elands of intriguing: with the Government and Professor Kirk, chief of the Forest Department, to ensure the tlismiesal of Ranger Mcllhone. Mr Hobbs has t since served a notice on the .proprietors of the newspaper that un-

leea an ample apology and retraction is published, he will at once institute legal proceedings for libel. It was in reference to this matter that Mr W. F. Buckland when apeaking to the Breach of Privilege Question yesterday afternoon said; "In a paper at Auckland had recently oppeared a most insulting and disgusting description of himself and the member for the Bay of Islands. He, was sure that if edifying extracts from that paper were read to the Houso it would occupy the entire day." Major Steward's bill, which eought to place the voting power for the election of Licensing Committee? in the hands of male and female adults resident in any district for six months, and which provided for triennial elections, was thrown out on the motion for second reading by 35 to 29 The principle of extending the franchiee to women met with a great deal of support ; but the Premier and other supporters of this reform were afraid to permit the Licensing Act to be tampered with at all, as it was working very well. Mr Seddon took the opportunity to denounce the tendency which he considered was shown in the direction of petticoat government. Tho Government have stated that they do not intend to amend the law in tho direction of providing for the administration of the estates of married women dying intestate between the corning into operation of tho Married Women 'b Property Act, ISS4, aud the Administration Act, 1885. The One Tree Hill Reserve Bill came up for consideration in committee yesterday, and gave rise to a diecuesion which wasted so long that the bill was talked out. Messrs Thomson, O'Rorke, Groy, Buckland, and Moss supported the bill, and Messrs Moat, Peacock, Thompson, and Dargaville opposed it. Tho last-named read a telegram from the Board of Education protesting against the alienation of the reserve for recreation purposes. Mr Moss won approbatory remarks from Mr Macandrew by asserting that the members who were so anxious to get an Education Reserve should gat back the Albert Park, which had been seized from the Education Trust in Auckland. There was loud applause in the .House when Sir George Grey's Limitation ot Votes Bill, which secures the "one man one vote," principle, was read a third time and passed, its fate in tho Legislative Council is somewhat doubtful Southern run-holders have been inter viewing Sir Robert Stout relative to the | reduction of rente, which they desire. I [ believe that the Premier's answer was to 1 the ellbct that ho would be prepared to meet thorn, if they, on the other hand, would reduce their mortgages. The bill which Mr Pyke drafted with the object of remedying defects in the working of the Land Act passed last session mot with opposition from the Govornment, and failed to pass tho second reading. It was shelved by 45 to 16 \ otes. Sir George Grey yesterday urged on the Government tho injustice under which workmen labour in being pi evented from bringing an action for damages for injuries sustained by thomsolves through default of their employers, unlo.-^ notice was given within six week-, tie urged various reasons for the extension of j this time, but tho Premier said ho could t not promi«o to deal with the matter by an j amendment of the Employers' Liability { Act this session, j Thu " Post considers that the passing of j the second reading of two policy bills ending with the Local Bodies Bill without even <i division was a great tiuimph for the Go\einment, and more especially to when tho measures were lauded by M.rjor Atkin ! son and other members of the Opposition. It , congratulates the Government on its pro- ', , miso to lelievo districts which aio already burdened with charges for interest under i the old Act, j

Jubilee Address to the Queen. The following address to Her Majesty ' Qucon Victoria has been adopted by both I Hciutct, andwiil bo cabled home at onco: — | '" Most Gracious Sovereign : We, tho ' merabors of both Houses of tho Lcgiglatme ! of *-cv Zoaiand, in Pail ; amcnt a—embled, I humbh de- ; re to be petmittcd to oonvej to ' Your Majesty our warmest and most , respectful congratulations on the oc-a-Mon of tho jubilee of Your M iie.-t\ ';? di-tin-guKhtxl and illustrious reign. We do &o I under a deca feeling of gratitude to Al- j mighty God for having c o loii^ i^nicrt Your j Maji>ty to bo tho in*tiurnetit of much good j to the va j t Empire o\^v which I'our j Majesty ha- been called upon to lcign. We bel.e\e in no pait of tho Etnphe i& there a w aimer feeling of le-vUty thin in this colony, and wo venture to hope that Your Majesty may be graciously pie ro 1 to accept the as-iuanro ot the devoted and dutiful attachment of the people of Xeu Zealand From a leturn laid before tho Hou>e I find that tho expe-ndituio on account or the Govornor and trustee-*' -salaries and expenses of both Jiou-o° of the Legislature was C9l, l.") 9in lSu'O, £101 Mid m 1870, €1,5(i0,-27J) in 18S0, and C'2,U!>o.}>r>3 in KSSS. Tho period between 187") and ISBO shows the astonishing increase of coiioidorably moie than a million. The \Ve«leyan Methodist Church of Now Zealand are petitioning the Hou-e through Mr Hobbs that measures bo taken for the better protection of women and young girls ; that the ago of consent be raised to eighteen ; and that the Contagious Diseases Act bo made to apply to both sexes or abolished altogether. An interesting report by Sergeant Gamble o.i the working of tho Employment of Females Act has just been juintcd. The Sergeant recommends that it should be a breach of the Act to remain in work-rooms after hours ; that the law should be more explicit respecting laundries, and more stiingent concerning sanitary arrangements. He thinks that where there is an unusual rush of orders permission to work overtime might be given in writing by tho KM., and that steps should be taken to prevent employers sending milliners behind the counter?, ostsneibly as saleswomen, after work on Saturdays, but really in order that they may bo available for effecti.-.g alterations in head gear and dresses if required. Be refers to complaints against employes being turned out of work rooms on wet days, and to avoid necessary trouble advi=ea that all persona of the female sex, whatever their ages, should be called females, and males fiom 12 to ]S years young persons, under tho Act. Mr Seddon brought under notice yesterday what ho alleged was gross neglect of a patient by Dr. Davy, of Kumara. Mr Tole denied that there had been neglect, and warm words ensued, Mr Soddon denouncing tho conduct of the doctor, and tho Premier, Mr Larnach, and Air Tole defending him. Sir George Grey has presented petitions from Chas. Dunloy, and also from George Taylor,and thirteen othernon-commissioned officers and soldiers of the 58th Regiment, praying for grants of land for military service.

Thursday's Sitting. The House met at 7.30, but tfae first hour was occupied with a question of privilege. The Clerk of the Legislature Council had received permission from that body to give evidence before a special committee of the

House appointed on the question of legislative expenditure, but when the official attended he refused to give evidence ac to the Council expenditure, on the ground that he had not been instructed by the Speaker of the Council as to what evidence he should give. The matter was brought before the House by Mr O'Connor, Chairman of the Committee, aa a question of privilege had been committed, and urged that the Standing Orders required that the specific matter on which witnesses wore summoned togive evidence should be stated. This was regarded by many hon. members as a splitting of haire, and in the course of the discussion, Mr Maoanjjukw gave his opinion that the Jrtouse should go to the root of the matter, and adjudge the clerk guilty of contempt Eventually the debate was adjourned till tomorrow, on Major Atkinßon'e motion. !

Mining BUI. The Minister of Mines moved the second reading of the Mining Bill, a measure to assimilate the mining law« of the colony in one law. It was proposed among other things by the bill to reduce tho miners' rights fee from €{ to .jd, and he himself did not see why they should be called upon to pay anything for following their occupation. The renuil peracie was also reduced to 10a for tho lirst three ycais, with an increaße of os afterwards. There was another important provision by which private lands, under certain restrictions, could be entered to test if they were auriferous. There were also rating powers whereby the local bodies could make up to some extent loss incurred by the abolition of gold duty Mr SfcDDON said that no more important bill had been brought before the Legislature than the preeent one, but he took exception to the measure on various grounds. The principal ground of his objection was that it upset the Act under which miners had long been working, and which they understood, and was far more stringent than that Act. Mr Bkvax supported the bill. Mr Monteith considered thatsofaras the Middle Island was concerned the bill was a nevy measure instead of a consolidating act, and he was not sure that it would not prove a curee instead of a blessing to minors of that island. On the whole, however, he considered the boons granted by the bill far greater than the detriments it would cause. Mr Guinness hailed the bill with satisfaction in so tar as it tended to lessen tho burdens on miners. He hoped such care would bo bestowed on it by the Goldfields Committee as to make it workable. The second reading was pa&sed, and the bill referred to tho Goldfielda Committee. The liou.se went inco Committee on the Mining Companies Bill. Several members protested against the insertion of a new clause prohibiting any person who deals in shares from becoming a legal manager. On a divieion, fcho clause was rejected by 28 to 20. Tho bill was passed with some slight amendments, and reported.