LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Timaru Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 2772, 11 August 1883, Page 3

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Wellington, Aug. 10.

SECOND BEABISQS. In the Legislative Council, the Taiaroa Land Bill was read a second time. FIBST EEADINQ3. The , Wai male High School Bill and the Mataura Reserves Vesting and Empowering Bills were received from the lower Houso, and read a first time. THB IBISH IITFORMBBS. Tbe Hon. Mr Whitaker read a memo from the Governor, announcing the reoeipt of a ' telegram stating that the Irish informers were to bo returned to Eogland by the Pathan, and that full explanations would be forwarded shortly. HONOBABIUH3. Mr Pbarazyn moved — That m the opinion of this Council tbe honorarium to members should coase at the expiry of the present Parliament, and that m the event of the Chamber becoming an elective body, and a Bill being introduced for payment of members, the honorarium should not exceed £1 per diem for a period of three months only, and that members resident m or near Wellington should not receive any honorarium for their attendance during the Bession. Mr Pharazyn said he considered be had been grossly insulted by hon. members when ho had moved his motion last week, and he read a leader m the ifeio Zealand Herald condemning the action of the Council on that occasion. He thought if some effort were not made to reduce the honorarium, the country would soon be called on to pay £300 a year to members. The state of the country would not warrant the payment of honorariums for the next five years at any rate. Mr Pharazyn repeated his previous arguments. Mr Oampbsll seconded the motion pro forma. Sir G. S. Whitmora said Mr Pbarazyn was the last man who should .bring such a motion forwarJ, and it was most ill-timed, inasmuch a? the time was rapidly arriving when tho Council should be elected. Dr Grace spoke m deprecatory terms of the motion. Mr Robinson spoke against the motion, and quoted Mr Pbarßzyn's previous history, showing how he had been twice removed from the J.P. roll. ; Mr Hart opposed the motion. Mr Scotland expressed the deepest disgust at the ribald personal tone of the debate, and ssid the motion was an ad miseracordium appeal for popularity when the constitution of the Council was threatened. He was not ashamed to take bis honorarium, seeing thofca number of the eminent public men m America took it. Mr Mantell would be willing to discuss the question of abolishing the honorarium when there was a limit fixed to the number of members the Council should contain. Colonel Brett, Mr Acland, and Mr Reynolds spoke against tbe motion. Mr J. C. Richmond moved as an amendment—"That all the words of the motion after the first word ' that ' be struok out, and the following words inserted : ' This Council defers a discussion on tho question of honorariums to its members until the proposals of tbe Government with regard to the Council are under consideration.' " On the question that the wards propoied to be omitted stand part of tbe question, the votes were : — Ayes, 4 : Barniooat, Lahmann , Mantell, and Scotland. Noes, 24: Acland, Baillie, Bonar, Brett, P. A. Buckley, Campbell, Chamberlin, Hart, Kohere, Menzies, Millar, Ngatata, Nurse, Oliver, Peter, Pharazyn, Pollen, Reynolds, Richmond, Robinson, Whitaker, Whitmoro, Wigley, Williams, Wilson. Tke words were therefore struck out, and the proposal that the other words should be inserted was agreed to on tho voices. SCHOOL COMMITTEES ELECTION BILL. Mr Menzies moved the second reading of the School Committees Election Bill. The Hon. Mr Oliver, Sir G. S. Wbitmore Dr. Pollen, and Captain Baillie opposed tht Bill, as it would be doing away with cumulative voting, and prevent tho representation ol minorities on Bchool Committees. Mr Lahmann eaid cumulative voting led t< small cliques putting their men on Com' mittees. The debate was then adjourned, and Ihi Council rose at 5 p.m.