GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2882, 17 October 1895, Page 4

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. on Monday. THE LIQUOR BILL. Consideration of the Alcoholic Liquors Bill was resumed in Committee. On clause 44, Mr Kerr moved to strike out the sub-section which disqualified Justices of the Peace from giving decisions under the Act. The amendment was lost by 17 to 12, and the clause passed. Mr Kerr moved to strike out clause 45, which made “ tied ” houses illegal. The amendment was lost by 15 to 12. Mr McGregor moved to strike out that part of the clause making void every bond, bill of exchange, or promissory note, given for securing the performance of any tied house covenant. The amendment was carried by 21 to 6. An amendment, moved by Mr W. C. Walker, to postpone tho commg into operation of Part 2 of the Act until after next licensing poll, was lost by 15 to 10. Cousqueuial amendments wore made in the schedules to briu ■ tnem into line with the decision that there shall be no national option vote. This finished the Committee stage of the Bill, which was reported with amendments, and the third reading set down for next day. NOTICE FOR RECOMMITAL. Mr Bigg gave notice to move for the recommittal of the Bill in order to provide that no poll shall be valid unless one-half of the electors on th' roll vote.

At 5 p.m, the Council adjourded till next day. The Council met at 3.30 p.m. on Tuesday. THE LIQUOR BILL. Sir Patrick Buckley moved the third reading of the Alcoholic Liquors Bill. He complained that owing to an error in the New Zealand Times report of his speech on the second reading it had been made to appear that he was only acting as a mouthpiece. He read a leading article from the Lyttelton Times, of October 12th, animadverting on his conduct in apologising for introducing the bill. No one could more sincerely have tried to pass it into law. In this statement several Councillors supported Sir Patrick Buckley. The Bill was recommitted, and, on the motion of Mr Bigg, a new clause aided, by 16 to 13, providing that no poll shall be valid in any district unless at least half the electors record their votes. Technical amendments in the Bellamy’s clause were made, but the Council declined to reconsider the reduction of voting on the proposals. Progress was reported. SEA FISHERIES BILL. The Sea Fisheries Act Amendment Bill was read a third time and passed. SUPPLY. An Imprest Supply Bill for £155,500 passed all its stages. SECOND READINGS. The Land and income Tax Assessment Bill, and the Land for Settlements Bill were read a second time. At 5 p.m. the Council adjourned till 7.30 p.m. The Council resumed at 7.30 p.m.

The following Bills were read a second time without much debate :—The Stock Act Amendment Bill, the Water Supply Act amendment Bill, the Foreign Insurance Companies Deposits Amendment Bill, and the Public School Teachers Incoporation and Court of Appeal Bill Mr Montgomery moved the second reading of the Rating on Unimproved Value Bill. Mr Bowen moved that the Bill b(f read a sec ,n d time that day six mou \hß. After Mr Pharazyu had spoken against' thd debate was adjourned. The Council rose at 9.40 p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, The House met at 2.30 p.m. on Monday. PUBLIC SECURITIES BILL. Mr Ward gave notice to introduce the Public Securities Bill, providing for the appointment of custodians in Loudon for colonial trust securities. BILLS INTRODUCED. The Stamp Act Amendment Bill and the Land and Income Tax Bill were introduced by Governor’s message. NOTICE TO INTRODUCE. The introduction of several other Bills was given notice of. Sir Robert Stout said that if all these Bills were discussed, the session could not close at the end of the mouth as was expected by the < iovernment. The Premier sail t'iat all the Bills brought down that night would take scarcely any time to dispose of. Most of them were of a technical character. BILLS PASSED. The Unclassified Societies Registration Bill was put through its final stages. THE TARIFF. The amendments to the Customs and Exciso Duties Act 1895 were brought down by Governor’s message. The amendment, are in >ho schedules of thft, B 1, and are us fellow;—ln Schedule A, Class 1 (foods and articles for human cmsumptimi), the item “ vinegar, table not exceeding 5 per cent, of acidity, 6d per gallon duty ” is altered to read “ uot exceeding 6.5 per cent of acidity.” In clause 12, manufactures of metals, il gas meters ” were added to the ID per cent, ad valorem list, along with gasometers and apparatus for p’-oduciug gas. At the end of the same class the following new item was added, “ steam e, lg 7ne» and parts thereof, including the boiler b'dlers therefor, imported specially "for fining and .dairying purpußL-d, £5 per ceu.‘ duty to come into force on , ao 1 1 September, 1895). In Schedule B, c...?’ tabling the free list, Clasi 5 (drugs, etc.), the item “concentrated extracts or essences in liquid form ” was amended by striking out “or e-sences in liquid form.” In Class 12 (metals) the word-.” for dairying purposes ” were inserted after “ separators and coolers.” In the same clause the following new item was added—“ Ma chiuery for gold-saving purposes aud processes” (this exemption to take effect on aud after the 27tli September, 1895.) The Premier said that ho prop sed that the House should take these amendments into cotniderdio i oext silting lay, iron, y i*ai;k Ho- I’oMi, ,>o;. lns Act. 18S1, Win-ioi moot Mil., --i to Hanley far. ■- 'iii islcijiircli, was out through its final stages. BILL TDK \VX OUT. The Hoti:,. w nt, into •'ommittee on I he Design .ti-ni ••£ Dt.-tricrs Act Amendment Bill. .Mr 1 ’itani imme.diately moved that the ch >inii;.n !■ ' v.i tho chair. I ho .imendiie iit was car ried with' ut discussion by 23 to 21, and the Bill thus killed. TECH \ I CAL I VSTRUC Tl< >N. Mr Reo.-e moved the second reading of iho .Manual ami Tm mical Elementary Instruction Bill for the promotion of elementary technical instruction. Ho said that thuo had boon a feeling throughout the colony for some time

that these branches of education should be taught in oar public schools, and the Bill provided that manual instruction should be part of the public schools course. The Bill had been asked for by a majority of the Education Boards in the colony, and he hoped that it would prove acceptable to the House. Mr Earushaw held that it was impossible for teacher? in our public schools to teach boys any of our technical industries, and it would, therefore, be a waste of time and money to initiate the system. Mr McLachlan did not consider the Bill at all called for.

Mr Saunders opposed the Bill. The Minister of Education had said that he had not sufficient money for educational purposes, and yet he wanted to create a now department. Sir B. Stout said that he would support the Bill, although he did not agree with all its provisions, because he felt it would be better if more attention were given to scientific education. He thought if anything that we had erred in the literary side in our education in the past Mr G. W. Bussell said that the Bill had his entire support and concurrence, and he commended Mr Beeves for its introduction.

Mr Hall, Mr Hogg, Dr Newman, Mr McGowan, and Mr Hall-Jones supported the Bill, and Mr Meredith and Mr Flatmau opposed it. Mr Beeves in reply said that the Bill provided simply for technical education and it was absurd to argue that it meant teaching trades in the schools. Nearly all the opposition to the Bill came from Canterbury members. Whether the Bill passed or not the grants for ordinary educational purposes would be exactly the same. He deprecated the attempt that had been made in this debate to raise tho cry of town v. country, by the contention that under the Bill the country schools would be robbed of their just dues.

The secand reading was carried by 32 to 5, and the committal of the Bill set down for next day. The House rose at 12.40 p.m. The House met at 7.30 p.m. on Tuesday. NEW BILLS. Eleven new Bills were introduced and read a first time. The Premier said these Bills for the greater part were simply of a technical character, the necessity for their introduction having arisen during the progress of business. Other of the Bills had been pressed on the Government by a large number of members, notably the Beetroot Sugar Bill. It was only courtsey that the Government should give an opportunity for the discussion of these Bills. The Beetroot Sugar Bill involved no new principle, but if members opposed it, it would have to be dropped. He did not think these Bills would prolong the session very much.

STATE OF THE BUSINESS. In reply to Captain Russell, the Premier said that he had been working night and day in order to get the work into a forward state, but members would not go on with the business expeditiously. It all depended on members themselves when they would get away. He thought the session ought to close at the latest about that day fortnight. The Public Works Statement would be brought down on Friday night, and the debate would take place on Tuesday. BEETROOT SUGAR BILL. On the motion for the introduction of the Beetroot Sugar Bill, Captain Russell and several other members opposed this course, and objected to succceeding Governments being bound down for fifteen years to pay a bonus of Jd per lb on locally grown sugar. The Premier and others defended the Bill.

Mr Ward ssid there was every reason J.o believe that beet could be successfully growh in New Zealand, aud the sugar industry would open up a large avenue of emplc , y men l'' The" introduction of the Bill was agreed to by 38 to 25, aud the Bill was read a first time. IMPREST SUPPLY SILL. An Imprest Supply Bill for £155,500 was introduced aud read a first time. On the motion for the second reading Dr Newman asked asked whether any of the money was to be expended on the Midland Railway. He contended that the seizure of the line by the Government was illegal. The Premier objected to a review of this matter iu the face of the arbitration proceedings. Ho referred to a published statement that the Agent-General had taken legal advice at Home, aud that ft had been adverse to the action of the Government. This statement, he said, was absolutely and wholly incorrect, and was probably a device of the enemy. The proof of the security of the position of the Government lay in the fact that the company dared uot face the Supreme Court. The £SOOO authorised by the House for expenditure on the line was in course of being expended, aud the work was going on.

Sir Robert Stout said that, in view of the arbitration proceedings, it was not desirable that the matter should be discussed now. He contended, however, tha‘ a resolution of the House was uot sufficient authority for the expenditure of money on the line. A special Act was necessary.

Considerable discussion took place in Committee on the Bill in regard to the treatment of sinking funds. Another debate on the tame subject took place on the third reading of the Bill. Eventually the Bill passed its final stages. The House r se at 5 30 p.m. The House resumed at 7 30 p.m. THE TARIFF TILL. Mp Ward moved that the amendments made by the Governor’s Message in the ‘'"stoma and Excise Duties Bill be agreed /" ~ —-laiuod that these amendments to. tie ox„ - ■ i • i i j i 3 "ns which had occurred were simply oinissx., • , i i r *u Bui through during the passage ot the _ ° the House. Sir Robert Stout moved to strike out the purtiou of the clause fixing a 5 pur cent, duty on dairying and mining machinery. Such machinery, he said, could bo made in the colony, and the old tariff of 20 per cent, on this class of machinery should bo adhered *o. After considerable disuss'on Sir Robert Stout’s motion was lost by 42 to 12, and Vlr War ’s amendments were agreed to. In schedule B, comprising the free lin : , M ;■ Ward moved several u needments, in eluding a new Tom, machinery for gold saving purposes and processes.” I'be.so amendments woro agreed to by 47 to 5. LAND AND INCOME TAX. Mr Ward moved the second reading of the La d Tax and Income l ax Bill to impose the land and income tax for tile year. o said tii.it tho Bill was the nsn d one, and there was no variation in the rate. The mo ion was agreed to and tho Bill committed. I lie Bill was reported without amend moats and put through its final stages. LOANS CONVERSION. Mr Ward moved tho second reading of the Local Authorities Louis Conversion Bill, which ho explained would enable local

bodies to make better arrangements for carrying on their finance. At present a large number of local bodies were paying higher rates of interest than they could afford, and by converting their loans under the Bill they would be afforded considerable relief. He should propose in Committee to bring all harbor boards in the colony under this Bill, which would make a great difference to their financial position by enabling them to take advantage of a lower rate of interest.—Mr Bell, Mr Montgomery, and Sir Robert Stout thought the Bill might be a useful one, but differed with tho Treasurer’s proposals re the released sinking funds. The second reading was agreed to. The House rose at 2 a.m.