PARLIAMENTARY.

Thames Advertiser, Volume XX, Issue 6156, 25 July 1888, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

[BY TELEGRAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION. ( Wellington, last night. The House met at 2.30 p.m. QUESTIONS.

BUILDING SOCIETIES' ACT;

Replying to questions it was Btated that the auestion of amending the Building Societies' Act in the direction of curtailing the right of inflicting what are now conconfiscatory fines upon overdue payments would be carefully looked into. BOUNDARIES OF ELECTORAL DISTRICTS. That the question of ascertaining the boundaries of the new electoral districts was under consideration.

VOGEL DOBS NOT REPRESENT NEW ZEALAND,

That Vogel does not represent the New Zealand Government in England in making enquiries as to the treatment of refractory ores. DUTY ON WOOL. That Government had received no information from America to the effectthat the duty on wool had been removed, and [he information so far at the disposal of the Government was that the duty had not boon removed. PARIS EXHIBITION. That the Government did not intend exhibiting at the Paris Eidiibition, but they would be represented by Commissioners, HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID. That it wbb not proposed to deal with Hospital and Charitable Aid questions this session, but a Bill would bo brought down uoxt Bessiou dealing with the whole question. GOVERNMENT BUSINESS. Sir HI. Atkinaou gave notice that lie would move next day that the meat business tako precedonco on days for the remainder of the sesaiou.

MR WITHY'S AMENDMENT. Mr Sedrlon resumed the debato on the motion for going into Committee of Supply on Mr Withy's amendment. He strongly opposed the amendment, and said it was not right that the House should in crease the laxatiou paid by working men, and at the same time take aw.iy their earn, ing power, which the amendment proposed to do. He spoke on this question at conI eiderable length. Mr Turnbull said the only remedy for the present state of tilings whs the scheme of progressive taxation. He should have supported the amendment if it proposed to reduce the expenditure by £25,000, but £100,000 was altogether too much to ask for. Mr Beetham would vote for the amendment, as he thought a saving of £100,000 could easily be made by abolishing the San Francisco mail service, and by making reductions in the Education vote, and in other directions. Mr MaeKenzio (Clotlia) also believed large reductions could be made in several departments and in the Education vote but he should not support any amendment that would be taken as a vote of no* confidence in the Government. Mr Buchanan felt convinced that large reductions could still be made in the recasa and he should therefore vote for the amend® ment. The motion was then put and carried by 59 to 10, and Mr Withy's amendment was lost. The House went into Committee of Supply for the consideration of the estimates. THE ESTIMATES. Sir H. Atkinwn moved that the Legislative Estimates bo withdrawn in order to bring down fresh ones which had been prepared by (he Speakers of both Houses. Agreed to. Education Deportment, head office, £2025. Mr Thompson (Mavsden) moved that the item Secretary and Inspector-General, £600 be reduced by £100. The Hon Mr Fisher hoped the amendment would not be pressed as the position was a very responsible one. He pointed out that the gentleman who now hold office was induced to do it by a promißG of £700 a year. | Dr Hodgkinsoit moved that the item.be . reduced to £550.

■'After some discussion Mr Thompson asked leave to withdraw his amendment, but leave was refused, and the amendment was lost on the voices. '

Dr Hoilgkinson's amendment to reduce the item to £550 caused considerable discussion.

Mr Russell pointed out that it was not the duty of the House to cut down any particular salary, but he should support the rednction as a whole.

The debate was interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment. The House resumod at 7.30. . Dr Hodgkinsou's amendment to rediico the Inspector-General's salary by £50 was lost by 34 to 18. Mr Thompson (Mareden) moved that the item Clerk and Assistant Native School Inspector, £275 be struck out. A general discussion followed, both up* on the general question of retrenchment and the propriety of retaining this in« spectorship. Mr Ormond and Sir George Grey advocated putting the Native Schools under the Education Boards, the latter adding that an enquiry ought to be made into the application of endowment funds. Mr I'ish begged the member to defer the question until the vote for these schools was reached. He reminded them he hao already, with certain reservations, made a similar proposal to Mr Ormond, but time had not allowed the necessary enquiries to be set on foot. Mr Russell thought it would be a very good thing i£ the native schools were merged into the general education system, except perhaps in one or two outlying districts. He had in fact thought of pro* posing to reduce the vote for these schools by one half, as means towards that end, • Mr Thompson's amendment waß lost by 62 to 16.

Mr Seddou with the object of eliciting an expression of opinion from the Committee as to the desirability of placing the schools under ordinary Educational Boards moved the reduction of the vote by £1;

The Hon Mr Fisher promised to give the question full consideration, and the amendment was agreed to. The item clerical assistance £100. Mr Guinness moved to strike it out. • Lost by 17 to 30. THE VOTE FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

Item public schools £315,025, Mr Ormond moved .to reduce it by £20,000 in order to test the question whether the school age should be raised to six. The Premier pointed out that four months of the year had already gone; Ho felt sure no snch sum could be saved in this way as was anticipated. The Government did not wish to have the Education vote reduced at all this session, but would give further attention to it during the recess.

Mr Ormond said he only wanted to test the feeling of members, and substituted £10,000 for £20,000. ' A long discussion followed on the lines of the previous debates. Mr Allen claimed there was a certain revulsion of feeling in favor of raising the school age.

Mr Reeves (St. Albans) said that last seßsion the reductions had pressed cruelly on the teachers, and if the vote were re« duced again tlioy would suffer still more. Hon. Mr Fisher opposed the amend- £ ment, but repeated that during the recess the Government would give further con* Bideration to the whole question.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Council met at 2.30. FIRST READING. The Nelson Foreshore Bill was read a first time. CUTTING KAURI TIMBER. Hon. I'harazyn gave notice that he would move on Thursday that no fresh licensei be granted for cutting kauri tiin ber unless fresh legislation is made. A HOLIDAY GRANTED. Loave of absence until the end of the session was grauted to Mr Joiinst jd. SECOND READING. The Westland and Nelson Natives Re« serves Act, 1888, Amendment was read a second time. BILLS PASSED. The "Regulation of Local Industries Bill." " l'uhoi Settlers Bill,'' and " Wellington Asylum, Home, Hospital, and Orphanage Reserve Bill," were read a third time and paseed. Progress was reported on the "Yolan® teer Drill Shed and Laud Bill" with leave to sit again. The Council ioso at 3.80,