LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Timaru Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 6066, 27 September 1894, Page 3

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

[The Council met at 2,30 p.m. BIIiIS CABSBD. , The Government Railways Bill, Shopß and Shop AsiisSantg Bill, Weattand and Nelson Oo'alfielde Administration Bill, and the New Zealand Land Company's Claimants Sill, passed theif final stages. lA.KD FOB SBITLEMENTS BILL. On the motion for the committal of the Land for Settlements Bill, Mr Stevens com' plained that the Bill oamo from the House m guoh an unfinished alato as to be utterly ijQ^^rlcßblf, and at the hands of the Council .wajjld"rioi b^ roqognisabls by the drafters. $pJ'.sjTaßU tangs Oomi^jtoo of the Council ih'ati clone the boat they ooufa with jc, fylili h§ had never seen a more crude or imperfect i measure submitted to Parliament. Mr Ormond severely critioieod the Bill, as $ejng ill-difteated and calculated to destroy 'the jsred^fc or the eoii)ny. In fact he knew that iinoe the Bill had been intvodueed \b had had tho effect of enuring capital to be withdrawn from the colony. Ha felt sure that the Bill would prove a failure Bill. He believed that it would not meet the wide* spread misery prevailing, and it was impracticable. The Government/ without pur phasing the Cheviot and Poraahake Drppefties, ,9ouid have bought land anywhere ia ths colony pn sjoye adyant^gsoue terme. Sir George Whi'tmore, Mr ShrtmsM, jjnd Dr Grace <pokp against the Bill. " Mr Macgregor said that Ijad the Bill been pasted as sent to the Oounell not a single Aore of land could hbve been taken oompul.' sorily by the Governirent. Mr Bowen said that colonisation, as understood m the early times, w»b at an end if the measure were agreed to, and within a frri^f ppriod aeleotora would hive to sell to oapitßliits, Hp pritioised the Government's purchase of Cheviot, »nd guot|ng Government returns said that the settlement of every settler on the estate cost the country £820) and the settling of the Pomahuka estate had proved as costly. Mr Montgomery, ia replying, dol'euded the

> aotion of the Ministry m acquiring th ) Cheviot aDd Pomahaka estates for settlement , but admitted that had Cheviot been vSertu 3 to tbe Government under the provisions o the Bill possibly they would not have pur . ohaaed it. It was unfair of Mr Uowen tc I say that every settlor on the Cheviot estati - oiat the country £800, as that sum reprosanted the cost of roads and bridges. H< i was m a position to deolare that no previous • Government had endeavoured to do es much i for the settlement of people on the lands ol the colony as the present ono had done. Tho Council then took the dinner adjourn- , ment. The Ooucoil resumed at 7.30 p.m. Mr Montgomery referred to tho statement of Mr Bowen that Mr Grey, of Canterbury, had offered his property to the Government under favourable circumstances. He ex< plained that the Land Board reported unfavourably on the land and therefore if would have been foolish for the Government to aocopt the offer. 'ihe motion for the committal of the Bill was agreed to on the voiceß. In Committee the amendments of the Waste Lands Committee were agreed to without discussion. Several amendments were given notice of on the recommittal of the Bill. The Bill was reported with amendments. FAOIOBIBS BILL. The Factories Bill was committed. In olause 23— Compelling printed labels to be affixed to garments made up m private dwellings, it was deoidod to exempt houses 11 previously sanctioned by tho inspectors." Mr Macgregor moved to strike out olause 64 which provided that adults should have a half-holiday once a week. He conßidored it absurd that the olause had been inserted m the Bill considering it professedly dealt only with the work hours of women and children. The amendment was agreed to by 16 to 7. Iho Bill was then reported. MT COMMITTBB. The Inspection of Machinery Act Amendment Bill passed through Committee without material amendment. Xhe Council rose at 9.45 p.m.