GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1766, 21 July 1888, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. On Wednesday The Council concurred in the amend* meets made in the Customs and Excise Duties Bill. The Industrial Schools Act 1882'Amendment Bill was committed, reported, read a third time and passed. On Thursday, Mr Miller moved that Government be requested to give effect to the report of the Tota’isator Committee. The AttorneyGeneral moved as an amendment that, in the opinion of this Council, it is desirable with a view of limiting the number of rac» meetings, a charge should be made for the uso of the totalisalor, as follows:—For the first day £IOO, and for subsequent days of the same meeting £2OO. The debate was adjourn* I. The Mining Act Amendment Bill aid the Wellington Asylum, Home, Hospital, and Orphanage Be erve Bill was read a second lime. The Invercargill Corporation Empowering Bill was read a third time and passed. Mr Barnicote resumed the debate upon the previous question “ that in the opinion of this Council it is not advisable, in view of the financial condition and obligationa of this colony, that any portion of the public reveoce derived from Customs duties should be appropriated or set apart permanen'ly or for a definite period to provide subsidies for local bodiee,” Ttie oiiginal motion was carried by 12 to 11.

HOUSE OE REPRESENTATIVES. On Wednesday The Premier gave notice to move on an early day that in the opinion of the House Government should be responsible for the legislative estimates of Parliament. Replying to questions it was stated that Government regretted they could not put any money on the estimates for publishing the list issues of the Korimiko, Maori newspaper, and that the Maoris themselves should contribute towards it; that the question of reducing the annual cost of telephones to subscribers would be considered during the recess; that a substantial bonus would be paid to any-, one who would introduce into the colony a system which would succssfuily treat refractory ores ou goldfields; that there was a precedent for the Governor absenting himself from the colony while Parliatnent was sitting, Sir Arthur Gordon having left for Fiji during the term of office of the late Government while Parliament was in session ; that a communication had taken place between the Government and other colonies as to the advisability of laying a cable between New Zealand and Vancouver. The Premier moved that the Hoose agree with the amendment made by the Deputy Governor in the Customs and Excise Duties Bill, namely, that “ electric appliances and machinery,” be added to the free list.—Agreed to. The Public Reserves Sale Bill was read;; a second time. The House went into committee on the Middle Island Halfcastes Grants Bill, which passed with slight amendment. The House went into committee on the Slaughterhouse Amendment Bill which was reported wit i amendments. The Westland and Grey Education Boards Bill was passed through Committee with slight amendments. In Commi'tee the chairman announced that the Minister in charge did n>t intend to move any of the amendments made by the Waste Lands Committee.- : 1 ' In clause 3 Sir George Grey moved to strike out the words “of the Crown,” thus making the application of the Bill general, instead of limiting it to Crown lands.

Mr Hislop said Government could not accept this. After some further discussion, the amendment was lost by 39 to 15. Mr Whyte moved that the first amendment made by the Waste Lands Committee, be agreed to. Its effect was to restrict the operations of the measure to Grown lands held on lease,—Lost. On Thursday, Replying to questions it was stated that Mr C. Y. U'Oonaor had been paid £4OO as a bonus by authority of the late Government, ond was in receipt ef £BOO per annum at the time, but the Minister for Public Works did not consider the bonus unwarranted as Mr O’Connor was one of the hardest worked officers. . As far as the Minister knew he had been offered an appointment by the Westport Harbour Board at £IOOO per annum; that.the police were on the track of the Wairau wife murderer, and that it was hoped that he would be delivered up to justice; that Government bad not yet decided what steps to take in regard to the question of immigration ; that the inspector of mines would be sent to Makakapawa (Marlborough) to report on the new goldfields in that locality. The Otago Harbour Board Indemnity »nd Land Vesting Bill, the Oamaru Municipal and Education Reserve Exchange Bill, the Timaru Harbour Board Act Amendment Bill, and the Mount Somers Road Board Empowering lill were committed, read a third time, and passed. The Hgaruawhahia Cemetery Leasing Bill, the Kaiapoi Urillshed Bill, and the Waikato Modal Farm Bill, the Christchurch Rifle Range Bill and the Epsom and Mount Eden Recreation Reserve Bill were read a second time without debate.

The debate on the second reading of the Auckland Girls High School Bill was interrupted by the 5.50 adjournment. At 7.30 Mr Macarthur moved that the house go into Committee on theHoapitale and Charitable Institutions Bill. Me Rhodes and Mr Perceval took exception to the measure as being really a Local Bill. The Speaker said that, in his opinion, the Bill, affecting more than one locality, should be regarded as a general Bill. Mr Perceval moved as an amendment that the Bill be referred to the Local Bill* Committee in order to ascertain their opinion. .' i Considerable discussion in course of which it was plainly intimated that the Bill would : bo : stonewalled. Attention was several limes called to the state of the House, and the bell had to be rang to obtain a quorum. On one occasion Mr J. McKenzie carried Dr Fitchett bodily into the chamber and held ’him there till the requisite number was declared to be present. At ths supper adjournment Mr Jones, who had been speaking for a hour and a quarter, was still in possession of *he floor. On resuming, Aiv Jones finished his speech and Mr O’Connor at 11 p,m. called attention to the presence

of strangers in the House, saying that as members were making an exhibition of themselves he thought they should not punish the servants of the House and keep the Hansard reporters at work taking down a debate which no one wanted to see published. On a division the motion waa carried by 27 to 18, and the galleries were cleared.