GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NEW ZEALAND.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 8861, 21 August 1890, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NEW ZEALAND.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Wednesday, August 20. — The Speaker took the chair at 2.30 p.m. Several bills were read a second time, and others committed, reported, and road a third time. The Council rose at 5.10 p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Wednesday, August 20. — The Speaker took the chair at 2.30 p.m. In reply to Mr Brown, Captain Russell said he had given notice of a hill to facilitate the holding of the general elections speedily, and they would be held as early as it was possible to do so. THE HUTCHISON CHARGES. Hr Hislop desired to make a statement as to the intentions of the Government with respect to the charges made against them by the member for Waitotara. The Government had given the matter full consideration, and had now come to a decision. The House would'reeollect the nature of those charges, which were both of a public character and also of a personal nature. As to the charges against the Government respecting the public accounts, he asked permission to lay on the table a memo, fiom the Colonial Treasurer, dealing fully with the state of the public accounts since the present Government took office, and quoting the daily average kept at the Bank, ect., during that period, and going fully into the whole question. The Government had also considered the personal aspect of the questions, and the result was that the Attorney-General would bring an action in the Supreme Court so as to give Mr Hutchison a chance of proving the charges he had made against him. Mr Hutchison, in reply, said the Government had apparently decided that the public charges shoula be fought out in the House, and he thought properly so. He was perfectly ready to meet those charges, but he had not yet had'an opportunity of doing so. The three courses referred to by Mr Hislop had at last been explained. The first course was a voyage of discovery to the printing office. The second was a volume of statistics, which was now laid on the table, and the third was an action in the Supreme Court. He was not at all disconcerted at those courses, nor was he dismayed at the prospect of an action in the Supreme Court. Ho had never sought to set up a question of privilege, except in so far as it was proper that the dignity of the House should be maintained.

Mr Hislop saidj as to the question who would pay Sir F. Whitaker's legal expenses, the action would be simply as man against man — viz., Whitaker against Hutchison — and the Government would take no advantage of their position over the action in any way. The action would have been laid independent of any action that might bo taken by the Reporting Delates Committee. The Treasurer's memo, was then allowed to lie on the table.

Mr Hislop moved the second reading of the Electoral Acts Amendment Bill, and said it provided for the written nominations at elections for the House of Representatives in the same way as in local bodies, and dealt with seamen franchise. The motion was agreed to. • The House adjourned at 5.30 p.m. On resuming again at 9.30 p.m., In Committee on the Employers' Liability Act Amendment Bill, which paaael without amendment, new clauses were inserted providing that the illegitimacy of workmen should not be a bar to compensation, on behalf of. his father or pother; that worktyw uil^bt pbtoja

satisfaction for injury, even though he had been awaie of the danger of the machinery with which he had been working- that workmen shall not be entitled to any compensation against their employer for injury in a case where the employer was ignoranf of the defect which caused the injury ; that repre.antatives of deceaseds employer may be sued for injury received The Shipping and Seamen's Act Amendment Bill was commjtteed, and passed with verbal amendm- its. A new clause was added to the effect that injured or sick seamen may require the owner, master, or agent of the ship in which he' is employed to provido him with a free passage to any port in New Zealand, where lie would bo entitled to be discharged, and if such passage ia provided the seaman shall on his arrival at that port be deemed to be discharged from the ship. • The Educational Reserves Leasing Bill was committed and passed with slight amendments. The Todman Land Grant Bill was committed and passed without amendment. The Sheep Bill, as amended by the Joint Live Stock Committee was committed. The principal amendments made by the btock Committee were that all sheep should be wool-branded tortnwith atter shearing, prohibiting the use of any other ips.£jtnent than a punch m ear marking. Clause 46 provides for croosbred or long wool sheops to be dipped once a year was struck out. In clause 75 "Offences prosecuted summarily," Mr Marchant protested against the power to imprison without °P. ti< ? 1 .,, of a fine for offences under this bill being placed in the hands of two Justices df the Peace. -He moved that tho words « Resident Magistrate" be insarted instead of " two Justices." This was loßt by 38 to 15. Mr Marchant then appealed to the Minister of Lands to re-cast the clause, in order that the more sorious offences might be dealt with by the Resident Magistrate, and the lighter ones by Justices of the Peace. Mr Richardson said if the Bill came back from the Legislative Council amended in that way he should ask the House to accept such an amendment. A new clause, preventing the driving of sheep by night, was struck out, and a new clause added, providing that sheep should be wool branded forthwith after shearing. The further consideration of the bill was deferred. The Employers Liability, Shipping, and beamens Act Amendment, Educational Koserves Leasing, and/Todmaii Land Grant Bills wore read a third time and passed. The House rose at 2 a.m.