PARLIAMENTARY.

Timaru Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 6061, 21 September 1894, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY.

(By Telbgbaph.) WELLINGTON, Sbptbhbbb 20. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Jbe Counoil met at 2.80 p.m. JN OOMUITTBB. The Tramways Bill was committed. Clause 12 was amended to as to conserve existing contraots. Mr Jenkinson't amendment to place eowr catchers on trams was rejeoted by 23 to 8. SECOND BEADING. The Hastings Borough Loaa Validation Bill »M read a second time, PJLES ?A6OBB. The Lake Forsytb. BiU and Ngajjro N»tire Claims Adjustment Bill passed their final stages. BHOP9 AND BBOP ASSISTANTS Bit!/. On the motion to go into Committee on the Shops and Shop Assistants Bill Mr Reynolds considering that the people did not desiro the measure, intimated his intention of opposing it till publto opinion was more pronounced. The Bill'was committed. On the interpretation clause Mr Beynoldt moved an amendment, its effeot being to exempt shops m whioh no outside labour was employed, from holiday closing, his argument being that oompulsory dosing would entail great hardship upon foeble people, widows, etc Mr Bigg aad Mr Jenkincon hoped that the fate $ the Bjll would be deoided at onoe. Mr Shrimskj support/sd amendment, as also did Sir George Whitmore. }fp MoOullough m supporting the Bill eald that it woifld bit diepourteous to tho House. and to the Labour Bills Committee of the Council to reject the Bill bafore diioasting the latter'a amendments. Mr Jennings pointed out that many small shops were kept by women whoio husbands were m constant billet?. Mr Swanson supported Mr Beyoolds' amendment, urging that great hardship would be entailed on many deserving persons and the publio if Bmall shops were closed. Mr Jenniogs stated tbat it was the wish of the shopkeepers of Auokland that the Saturday half'holiday should be observed. Eventually Mr Beynolde' amendment was carried by 17 to 18 ■ % F Puokley said that as the ameadsttnt struck at the yitaj pr|noiples of the Bill, he thought it better that progress should be reported to albw him to ooniult frig qol leagues. This was aooordingly done. BILL HELD OVBB. The Local Bills Committee reported on Mr McKenzia's County Bill that ib would be as well if tbe Bill were held over till the parties interested had been further oommunioated with. The Council then adjourned.J HOPSB OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2 30 p.m. t DEPOTS TO QVBBIIOKS. Id reply io Mr B McKeczie, the Premier

said that the Mines Department reported that 220 men were under notice tp leave the Denniston coal mines, but th&t 130 of these would again be taken on, loavicg 90 cut of employment ; the reaion was want of trade at Mokihinui ; the people were very necessitous ; that as to those m want 800 to 430 was nearer the estimate than 500. The out* put condition! of tbe leaseß of the mines m the Wostport district had not been complied with, and the Government had given notioe to each of the three companieo — the Westport, Cardiff and Mokihinui- that unless those conditions were adhered to the leases would be determined. In reply to Mr Mills, the Premier said that it was the intention of the Government to introduce ft Representation Act Amendment Bill, which would provide for tho setting up of a special commission to adjußt tho whole of the eleotoral boundaries of tho colony. This adjustment would stand until there was an increase m the population of the various eleotoral distrioti. Ihe Government recognised that frequent changes of boundaries by persons who had do knowledge of the districts was undesirable. Ihe Bill would be introduced this seiston. The Government, bowever, did not expect to get it through this year, but hoped to pats it before the next census was taken. THE CONSOLS BILL. Mr Montgomery resumed the debate on the seoond reading of the New Zealand Consols Bill. He said that the Bill as at present framed was simply a loan Bill, and as he was returned to support a con borrowing polioy, he would vote againtt the third reading of the Bill unleis it were altered m Committee. Mr Hall-Jones could not see any necesaity for the Bill m the abienoe of any definite information as to what the money was to' I^' used for. He oould only surmise that it was' to be devoted to the construction of publirj works, and that beiDg the case he should vote againot tho Bill. Mr Hogg said that the BL'l meant borrowing, whioh, however, was a necessity* and as he was absolutely unpledged on the question he would vote for the Bill. Mr Smith (Ohristchuroh) regarded this Bill sb Ibe most dangerous of all the polioy Bill* introduced by the Government this session. It would not encourage thrift m any way ; on the contrary it would be prejudicial to the best interests of the ooiony. £Lo would vote against it. Mr Thompson likened tho measure to the; plunging polioy of a reckless gambler, But was prepared to support it provided >the Treasurer oould satisfy him as to what was to be done with the money. Mr Wilson referred to tho extraordinary speotacle thoy had seen of threa Ministers makisg three different statements on this Bill. Mr Collins s&id that the Opposition opposed the Bill because they feared tho financial polioy of the present Government; would result m lasting benefit to the country, and that the present occupants would continue on the Minieterial benohes. Mr Bornshaw denied that the opposition to this Bill was levelled at the Government and said that the bulk of the members of the Liberal party were returned to support a self reliant polioy and do borrowing. He refuted to support the Qorornment m such a large borrowing polioy without consulting his constituents, Mr B M Smith supported the Bill because it was a polioy Bill, and because it was only right that New Zealand should have a system of consols the same as other countries. Mr Morrison defended the motion of the Government m treating last nighl'a amend, ment to the Bill as a no-confidence motion, and denied that any pressure had been brought to bear upon tho Government supporters. Mr Massoy claimed, as representatives of the people, that they had a right to know what was to be done with this money. He was etronly opposed to the Bill. The debate was interrupted by the 5.30 p.m. adjournment. The House resumed at 7 30 p.m. Mr Millar said that he bad pledged himself against borrowing m the London market. Altnough this Bill did not propose to go to tbe London market it was still burrowing. He would endeavour iv committee to tie the money down to some specific purpose. Mr MoLaohlan came to the. House to support the Government and their polioy, and would vote for the seoond reading of the Bill. Mr Duthie said that tbe proposals before the House at present involved the borrowisg of some twelve millions of money, and he appealed to tho Labour members not to consent to suoh a wholesale borrowing polioy, which must increase tbe taxation on the working classes. Mr Saundere strongly denounced the borrowine proposals ot the Government, and said that he must vote against the Bill. Messrs Frazar, MoGuire, Buick, Tanner, Steward and Lang spoke against the Bill. In replying, Mr Ward reminded tbe House that thsre was almost an unanimous opinion during the election that something of this kind should be done to put a stop to capital leaving the colony as it had been doing for sometime past, He denied that the Government oould benefit by this money, and the House evidently forgo!; that appropriation would havjs to be taken before votes were spent on publjo works, as had been alleged. He disagreed altogether with Sir Bobert Stout that this proposal would convert the floating debt into a permanent debt. It bad been said over and over again that tbe present Government were departing from the polioy of the Ballanoe Government, but he would refer them to the late Mr Ballanoe's Budget of 1891, m which it vas clearly hinted that a loan would be neoaasary. Every member of the Government knew that m all probability he would have to borrow, and were it not for the successful manner m whioh the conversion operations were carried on tbe late Treasurer knew he would have to come to the House with borrowing proposals. He was prepared to have tbe Bill amended to the effeot that j^ay money that may be deposited under the Bill shall be tntpred m a separate account and laid on the table of the House every year m the same way as the Post Office Savings Bank accounts. That should remove any impression which tho House slight have as to" the Goyetnaient fisin^ this as they pleased, 'He was also prepared to strike out clause 7 providing that the money should be paid into the consolidated fund, and clause 35 with referenoe to converting the money into stocks. This should remove many of the | objeotiogß raffled ggaiosf the Bill, The motion for the geooad reading W a » carried by 39 to S3. Tno following is the division list :— A¥BB— B9, Buddo McLachlsn Carncroti MoNab Carroll Meredith Carnell Millar Collins Mills Duncan Montgomery Flatman Morrison GuinneßS Parata Hall Finkorton Hogg Pirani gousfcoij Beeves HutpbiioD, W Bueseli, 9 W Joyce Severn Kelly, W Bmith, B M larnaoh Stevens Lawry Steward Maslin Thompson MoGowan Ward MoKenzie, J Willis MoKeozie, B . • ' Noßfi-88. . ■' Bell Lang ', ' Buchanan Masscy „ Buiok MoGuire Crowther Mitohelion Duthie Newman Barnshaw Sussell, W A JTraset Saunders, Green Smith, GJ Hall- Jones Stout Heke Tanner Hutqbison, ft, Ifflf^ Kelly, JW PAIB9. Ayes Noes. Cadman Allen Wi Pere Button Mackintosh Mackenzie, X INSffBANCB COHPANIBS DBPOSIT BILL. Mr Ward moved the second reading of the Foreign Insurance Companies Deposits Bill which he stated was to eeoure safety for iusurers, The Bill had been inadvertently made to apply to some of the large life offices

doing business m the ooiony, which by theii articles of association would be exoluded from tbe colony as limited liability compamejj This would be altered m Committee. There had been offices m the colony, whioh bad not treated their insurers well, and one fire office had got into seriouß difficulties. This Bill oould not be twisted into an attempt on the part of tbe Government to obtain monoy. . Sir Bobert Stout pointed out that if the foreign fire companies were kept out of the colony Uje four fire offices m the ooiony oould cot undertake a ohance of the risk incurred, and they would have to charge such a premium at, Mould ; prevent the people ,m» suring their property 'at all. i : Mr Duthie. thaught I , that the Bill would almost certainly tend to retaliatory legislation m the other poloufes. The deposit of? £50,000 was simply prohibitory, nni there should be sliding scales, ' ; Mr MoSotran said that the object of the Bill was' to* prevent muskroom competition m New Zealand, and thUu afford protection againit undue competition. Mr Pirani took a similar view, and strongly supported the Bill. Mr Buohanansaid that the Bill was another speoimen of the eternal meddling of tbe present Government with matters which they did not understand. Ihe effeot of the Bill would be to increase theiprice of insurance. . Mr G J Smith feßred tbat the Bill would drive foreign companies out: of the colony. Mr Bell opposed the Bill. Mr Ward. briefly replied, and the second reading was carried on tbe voices. : ; IN COMMITTBB. A motion 'to commit the Licensing Bill (along with several others), was carried by 33 to 22.: ■■•■■• The Inspection of Machinery Bill passed through Committee without amendment. The Sohool Attendance Bill was oommitted. Clause 5, referring to compulsory attend* ance, Was altered io that a sohool committee should oompel the attendance of a ohild at school instead of the Education Board. The Bill was under discussion when the Telegraph Office closed at 2 a.m.