PARLIAMENTARY.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 11317, 8 September 1898, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY Ol v NEW

ZEALAJSD.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Wednesday, September 7.— The Hon the Speaker took the chair at 2 3p p.m. On the committal of the Ranking Bill, i tbe Hon Mr Lee-Smith moved the [addition of new clauses providing that I the balance-sheet shall show tho working expenses; charges, etc , under separate headings : on the debit side profit and loss, and the gross profits on the credit side ; that in making provision for bad and doubtful debts, the bad shall be distinguished from doubtful debts, and should any recoveries of such be. madesubsequently the total amount shall be shown on the balauce->Bheet ; that no secret fund shall be established in the books of the Bank for any purpose wbafcr ever. After a short discussion, it was agreed kto postpone consideration in order thafc information might be secured on the> point of how fluch proceedings would! affect the Bauk in relation to other • institutions The Juries Act Anieiodment Bill was then committed, and, on the motion of the Hon. Downie Ste\va?t r Clause 3 (abolishing the distinction bwi ween special and common juries) was,Btruc'fe, out. . Progress was then reported, i«s»ve being; given to sit again. The Council rose at 4.30.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. < Wednesday, September 7— The House met at 230 p.m., when The Chairman resumed the chair in. Committee of Supply, and the discussion ' on the first item of the General Estimates was taken. t , N, • , - MrJS, McKenzie moved that progress be reported, in order-to take the Speaker's ruling on the action of the Chairman of Committees iv leaving the chair this .morning without , a motion having beem (pnt to the House, and while . a member i was speaking. I . In the debate which,, ensued, it was 1 . ' pointed out that the proceeding ,was unconstitutional, and that it would,' af permitted, allow sittings on the Estimates to be continued, for, a ?week,'and thus' ( p re-vent, amendments being moved fcoa motion to go into bupply. ' ' ' • .After over an hoof And a-half'a diaOOS- ! fion, the motion' was negatived by 20 to' 1 lift. - ..:

' . 'Mr Moore resumed discussion on the first item of the Estimates, and argued, that;, in view of tbß cable communicatipn which exisWwith England, the expeUdi I *' -' tureonthe Frisco and Vancouver ipail services was money entirely thrown awky. Oiher members having spoken, 'Mir ' < Thompson, referring to the 6tatejfarm< at Levin, said the condition iaio which* > the farm had drifted was co discreditable, that he did not care to bring it up in. the House. „ , The Houae adjourned at 5.30 p.m., and. ' resumed at 7.30, wh-m the discussion, was resumed. ■ , ' ■•, , After several members had spoken/Mr Taylor said the Ron c ought not to allow a single item of supply to p&sS' until the) i rights of the House had been respected. ' If it involved stopping for a month on' tbe> Estimates they ought to stop.' ' If. the. ' public could have the whole v picture of " the proceedings" of the past t\rtntj*Tour' hour* placed before .''them,' they 1 •Would know that the "censure for those proceed^ ' ings should, fall on th'e'men VrfiQ, 1 as. 11 trustees of the public accounts/ refuse" tbi ' give an account' of their 'stewardship.' ' The supporters of the Government, he ; contended, had been frightened x into> supporting the Premier's attitude', by-'* threats of a dissolution, * but nothing would afford him (Mr {Taylor) greater satisfaction than that the House should . be dissolved, though; he considered- the, , Premier could not get a dissolution. , • Mi Wason strongly condemned /the 'Frisco " mail service ; <andY referring to , '■ the fact that there was no provision on the Estimates in the direction of giving relief to tbo shareholders' of the Midland Bailway Company, Baid the position was tbat "the Company was nothing more nor ' losVtban a cr> ing scandal to the, colony. ■ Rollest6n> asked, what thop (House 'was coming to i when tlje Premier, eyen 'though it ware soiiO;«;ocfl; /threatened 'the * > House 1 that.they were nearer a 1 dissolution ' ■ than they; thought ?u \ .» „„ , '"-:/ v 1 '" r Mr Beddon said he had :appliad. the , remark to MriTayloryand had qualified, it by saying : that if business was to be ' blocked he -(Mra-Taylor), was nearer a dissolution than •' he i. thought. If, the business of the.' country was to proceed, ■he asked/ who- was to . control it -the , I 'niSjorityof the country,- as represented in the Hoihp, or an irresponsible minority ? In his opinion, members hsd losfc -all self-respect, and-had -got in,to the ■position of caring rio.t, what * they did. The Opposition were asking him to' do what was absolutely, impossible, as he could not brfrig dowriUhe Public Works Estimates on the 20th jnac. -• There were : only eight sitting i days.' 'between ■. tho •present dace and that date, and he had promised four days to'dk-al with other subjects; therefore i the General 'Estimates could not bn disposed of in the time mentioned. In reply to an interjection, he said he had fixed a date oh which it was possible he could bring down the Public Works Estimates, September 28, but it would only be possible if members of the Opposition assisted iD^tt ad of blocking. The Opposition were attempting to drive the Premier, bub they would find it a difficult matter. Captain Russell pointed out that the Premier apparently y considered that it was essential that the General Estimates should be dia-iosed of before the Public Works Estimates were introduced. This was neither necessary nor bad it been the practice, and he quoted a tab'e showing tbat in the past the Public Works Estimates had been brought down prior to the General Estimates being agreed to. Thursday, September B.— After the Telegraph Office closed discussion on the first item of the estimates was continued, and at 12 35 a.m., on the motion of Mr Wilson, all tbe galleries with the exception of the ladies' gallery, were cleared. Shortly after one o clock the Premier asked permission to movo that the Press be admitted. This was objected to by Messrs Taylor, Kelly, and Li. McKenzie, , and as unanimous consent is necessary the motion was not allowed to be moved. J he Premier iutinuted to the Press that a similir request would not be made till 9 o'clock oil Thursday morning. After Ihu !»alleries were cleared and further dolme had taken place, Mr Hunter at 4 MO moved to reduce the first item of tbo General Estimates by £1,700. Mr Joyc-\ Muting Chairman of Committees, intio.ated that discussion must be confined ro the item affected and not to tba Est'mates generally. . ■- Objection was tak4n to this, and it was contended that the whole of .the Estimates could be discussed. ' ■ Mr Joyce suggested that the .opinion of the Deputy-Speaker be takeu on the subject. At 4.45 a.m. Mr Herries moved to report proeress in order that this could be done. The motion was under consideration at 8 o'clock when the Chairman, left the cbair for an hour for breakfast. On resumiug at 9 o'clock Mr R. McKenzie moved . tbat strangers be admitted, bus this was negatived by 27 to 10. Mr Pirani drew attention to the fact that there were strangers in the House, referring to the presence af ladies in the ladies' gal cry. ' The Chairman of Committees said he saw no etraugers, and intimated that the ladies' gallery was not considered part of the House. Discussion on the motion to report progress was contiuued. ' >' • Me Soobie Mackenzie pointed out that it had been .previously ruled, that the discussion on, the first item ofiho EstU 'flatus whoqld rauge over, the whole until tup item was'pissed. .Ho Ov>at«ndod that moving an amendment did not affect that decision. , . , i

At 10 15 a.m. Mr Pirani moved that strangers be admitted. Neea'ived by 28 to 13. *

In the course of the discussion, Mr Seddon said the Opposition were attemptang to dictate to ihe Government what Ibusinesa should be introduced, when introduced, and how conducted, The principle was a most illiberal and unconstitHtional one. Neither the Government, Dorhis party, nor himself, wsb responsible for the present situation. The Opposition vere attempting to take away the rights of a majority in the House, who representfed the people of the colony. It was unnecessary and improper to ask the Speaker to review the decision of the Chairman of Committees, and it would only waste time. Ib was f utirely opposed to good Government that any member of the House should threaten to become disorderly for the purpose of having his conduct reported to the Speaker, and the only member who would utter such a threat was the member for Patea.

Mr Rolleston claimed that minorities had rights, aad the Premier was attempting to deprive the minority in the House of their rights. After further discussion the Chairman left the chair st l o'clock till 2 30 p.m.