HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Timaru Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 6067, 28 September 1894, Page 3

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

The following ia the conclusion of the Q •eport o£ Wednesday's ettfcing on the Advance* s :o Settlers Bill :— V Sk B Stout'a amendment was lost by 26 to L 4. a Clauses 66 and 70 inelueive, having refer- B snce to tbo appointment*, duties, salaries and travelling allowances of district solicitora and t raluors, were Btruok out on the motion of the t Dolonial Treasurer, who said this matter would be dealt with by regulations. : Sir B Stout took strong objection to clause 78, which provides that the Bankruptcy Aot, B 1.892,ehaU not apply to t'aie Act. Hee&idit w&« entirely unfair that after a man has given up all his land he should still remain bound to the State. ( Mr Bell doubted whether the clause; bad any meaning at all- ' ' Mr Ward defended the clause as necessary bo safeguard the internets of the State; and said hon members must admit that if debtors were allowed to come m under the ordinary Baekruptoy Act m nine cases out of ten the Drown would get the worst of it. The clause was retained by 2-1 to 11. Sir B Stout moved that the chairman leave the chair m order to protest ogainst the retention of this clause m the Bill. The Drown was already perfeotly safeguarded under the Bill. The Premier said the clause was for the purpose of agitating the security and making it aafe. Sir B Stout said it did not make it safe. After further ditcnsiion Sir E Stout's motion wes lost on the voicos. A new olause was added to tho Bill, plaoing the appointment of valuers m the hands of the Governor-in Council. Mr Ward moved a new olause providing that every pers>n engaged m the advances to settlers office who takes any reward or fee from an applioant for a loan ehall be dismitsed from the office and be liable to two yaars' imprisonment, and this was agreed to. The Bill was then reported with amendments whioh were ordered to be considered at next flitting. PBBSOKAL. On the motion for the adjournment of the ( House, Mr G J Smith obtained leave to make a personal explanation. He said he was returned l , to the Houeo against the wishes of certain members of the Ministry, and since then he had been subjected to things he resented very ( much. He did not receive an invitation to £ the caucus of the Government party held this week, and as the fact was telegraphed all over the colony he wished to plaoe his position ' before the public. The Whips informed him ! that his exclusion from the caucus was inten- j tional, as his attitude towards the Government duriug the session was such an led them to j believe he was not a member fcriie to the j Liberal party. Jn reply to this he had to say that the only policy measure he did not vote ' for was the Consols Bill. It had been stated m the lobbies by Minieters that they con- ( sidered their party too large, and if they j oould foroe gome of thorn over into Opposition they would be only too glad. While ho oame ' here to support the Liberal polioy, he was not ! prepared to aink his individuality io any way. The Hon J McKonzie said he had never looked on Mr Smith as a member of the Liberal party, and never knew ho claimed to be a member of that patty until to night/ Sir B Stout said Mr Smith was something more than a Liberal, he wbb really a Badical, Mr Hall- Jones said he had always known Mr Smith to hold extreme Radical views. Mr Collins expressed regret that friction had occurred, and although opposed to Mr Smith on many questions he must s»y ho had always regarded him as a Radical. Mr G W Buseell said a larger question was at issue than affecting one man. The question was whether the leaden of the Liberal party should have a right of adjudging who were members of that party. Ec contended that the party had no right to shut Mr Smith out from the cauous, when othera like Mr Saundera, who had taken a strong stand against the Government, were invited to attend. The Premier said Mr Smith must have referred to the Minuter of Labour m stating he (Mr Smith) waß returned against the njsb.es of some members of the Ministry. lit Smith : 1 said some ministers ; but Ido not include the Colonial Treasurer m the Dumber. The Premier, eontinuiDg,B&jd Mr Smith had always been treated by him with every consideration ana courtesy, and if he Celt grieved his duty was to have spoken to him on fihe matter, and m pegleoting to do this he had , made a mistake. On eijty occasions up to 13th September Mr Smith bad voted against the Governmtnt — (Mr Smith— Was it on matters of principle or detail ?)— and how co#ld the Ministry under such circumstance} look npop him as a supporter? It was unreasonable te expect them to do so.- The Liberal pasty was never so tttoxg as at present and m the interests of the people it waj his .duty to keep it Btrong and not to try to drive into Opposition, as stated by Mr Smith Members should not be of the Liberal party aud 7«t oongtantly vote against the Government. It was now for tbo hon member by his works to show that be wat a true Liberal. The Houbo rose at 3.30 a.m. The House met »t 2,80 p.tu,

LEAVE OF ABBBNOE. ) ' Mr Firani was granted leave of absence for { one week on account of family bereavement. | THE BANK OV NEW ZEALAND. ) Mr Larnach tabled a question, asking whether, consirienng that the colony b»B guaranteed the Bank of New Zealand to the i extent of £2,000,000, it i« the intention to > continue tho risk" of tho bank carrying on business m Australia and other places outride New Zealand and not subject to the oontrol of this colony ; also whether any steps will be taken m the interests of the oolony to insist on the separation of the Estates Company from the Bank of New Zealand ; and further, will steps be taken immediately to asosrtain to what extent any New Zealand loan and moroantilo company, cither old or new company, is conoerned m its financial relations with the Bank of New Zealand, acd if eitter is indebted to the other, and to what extents G3VBBKMBNT BAILWAIS Bill. The Premier moved that the amendments mado m the Bailways Bill by (ha Legislative Council be agreed to, He said that the amendments were of an unimportant oharacter, but improved the Bill. Mr MHchelson asked whether it was pro* posed to aopoint a Miniiter for Bail ways. Sir Rooert Stout asked whether the Hailway Commissioners were entitled to compensation. The Premier said that they were, but he would enquire aa to whether Mr Maxwell and Mr Hannay were paid full time for their services. In reply to Mr Mitoheleon'a question the Premier said that the Government had not yet decided whether or not they would appoint another Minister. He favoured a readjustment of Portfolios, but the question to oonsider was whether the present Ministers could carry on from January next (when the Government would take over the control of the railways) until next session of Parliament. For himself he was prepared to make any sacrifice so long as the efficiency of the railways was not interfered with The House would be informed when any decision was arrived at. He was very pleated that the people of the colony had now resumed oontrol of a property wbioh should never have been taken from them. lhe motion was agreed to BHOP ASSISTANTS BUT,. Mr Beeves moved that certain amendments made by the Council m the Shops and Shop Assistants Bill he disagreed with. The principal amendment which ho should ask the House to disagree with was one whioh provided that the Bill should not apply to shops which employed no hired labour. Mr Thompson thought thab if the Bill inoluded email ehopß it would ruin a large number of struggling ehop-keeparf . fe'ir Bobert btout held that it waa entirely unfair that barmaids should be put on a different position from shop girls. He also thought that if a man were not allowed to sell tugar on Saturday afternoons he should not be allowed to sell whitky. Mr Heeveß said that if the Council thought that publiohouees shonld be cloaed on the half holiday and were not content to wait for the Licensing Bill, thon the proper plane for that amendment was m the Faotories Bill. Mr Guinneis said that Mr Beeves by his radioal and hasty labour legislation was doing hia beet to wreck the Liberal party. Many of these Labour Bills should be oalled" Bills for the suppression of the Liberty of the Subject." The Premier eaid that if the Counoil's amendments were agreed to all the Chinese shops oould remain open when other shops were closed. Mr Beeves' motion was carried by 43 to 13, and the amendment of the Council respecting email shops disagreed with. Mr Beeves moved that tho amendment of the Council m striking out hot<?l barß from the Bill be agreed with. Eir It Stout moved that the amendment be disagreed with. After a very lengthy disouseion Mr Beeves' motion was carried by 34 to 30. lhe following is the division list :— A*KS— 34. Buchanan Lawry Cartioroes Macintosh Carroll Mackenzie, J Collies MoKeczie, B Orowther McLachlan Duncan Mills Duthia O'fiegan Fraser Parata Graham Pere Green Pinkerton Hall Beeves Harris Seddon Hogg Smith, S M Houston Stevens Kelly, JW Steward Kelly, W Ward Lang Willis Hobb-30. Allen McQowan Buddo Massey Buiok MoNab Button Meredith Carnell Mitohelson Earnshaw Montgomery Flatman Morrison Guinneis Newman Hall-Jones Bussell, Q W Heke Bussell, W B Hutchison, G- Saunders Hutchison, W Smith, G J Joyce Stout McKenzie, T Thompson Maslin Wilson The exemption of hairdressers was also disagreed with. The new clause (16) providing for the closing of offices was objected to by Mr Beeves, and disagreed with. A conference was set up to confer with the other branch of the legislature on the amendments that were disagreed with, OLD AGB PENSIONS. Mr W Hutchison brought down the report of the Old Age Pension Committee. They had bad several speoiSo schemes before them for consideration! and had arrived at the following resolution :— (1) That a system of old age pensions for both sexes should be established by the State, if the necessary funds can be providsd. (2) That it would not be wjtbin the soope of practicable finanoe to fix the age for fho commencement of pen* dions below sixty-five years. (3.) That a.ll applicants for pensions mußt have resided m the colony for at least twenty years immediately previous to their application. (4) That so pension be granted to anyone who has been convioted of an indictable offsnoo or of drunkenness three times during the previous seven years. ($) That ever; pensioner be entitled to 8a per week, and m the case of husband and wife to a joint allowanco of 15s per week. The Committee state that the aubjeot is so large and hai to many ramifications, that they have not had time to formulate any particular scheme, and they suggest that the Government should appoint a R;yal Oommisaion during the recess to inquire fully into tha question. : Mr G W Bußsell asked whether the House would be given an opportunity of debating the question this seision. The Premier said that he would like to see the subject discussed, but he was afraid that time would not allow of this being done during the present session, unless it was after the Appropriation Bill had been passed. The House adjourned at 5.30 p.m. , The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. ' KBW ZKAtAND COtrSOIiS BIH/. The New Zealand Consols Bill was con>mitted. Clause 3 — Deposits not exceeding £1,000,000 may be received. Mr Buchanan moved an amendment, that only £500,000 be raised under the Bill. Mr Fraser asked what was to be done with the money. . Mr Ward said he might as well be asked how the Post Qffioe Bavjngs Bank deposits w^e ty he uepd. ' Th,e mojjejTfajsjpa' sis poSsblg would be used exactly In th« swnj war mthe Post Office funds. • Sir Bobert Btout contended that the Bill was practically a looal loan for forty years. He supported Mr Buchanan's amendment, and submitted that £500,000 was quite enough fpr this year. Mr Ward said f;hat N Bfr Bobert Stout was misleading the House, for clause 14 provided that this money oould be repaid, and deposits were, receivable for not more then forty ygars. It was not a legitimate thipg to say that this was a borrowing proposal, and ij; was nqt to be used for public workii Sir B Stout ridiculed this argument, and contended that consols could not be paid till the term of forty years had expired. After a lengthy discussion Mr Buohaoan'i amendment wai los,t by 37 to 83,

I Mr Mackenzie (Olutha) moved a further I amendment providing that the rate of interest | for deposits should be 3} per cent instead of 1 4 per cent. Lest by 33 to 22. Sir B btout and Mr Bussell referred to tho extraordinary decision just come to to allow the Treasurer to issue these ooneols at any price he might think fib. Mr Ward again repeated that this money was not to bo used for the ordinary finanoe of the colony. The clause finally passed on tho voioer. Clause 44— Date of repayment and interest to be fixed. Mr G J Smith moved to strike out the words " forty years" from the clause with a view to insert a shorter term. The amendment was lost by 31 to 22. Clause 7— Deposits to bo paid into the Publio Account. Dr Newman moved an amendment to seoure that this money should not be at the disposal of the Colonial Treasurer. Mr Ward said that he had already agreed to strike out this clause, and Dr Newman would not agree to that The amendment was lost on the voices. Clause 7 was finally struok out. Clause 35— Contois may be converted into stock was also struok out, Ihs other olauaes passed without alteration. Mr Ward moved a new olaune instead of olause 7, providing that all deposit! received under this Bill shall bo paid into a separate account. Agreed to. Sir B Stout moved a new clause to prohibit consols being converted m London. Mr Ward aaid that the olause was not necessary aa there was no possiblo authority for converting these consols now that clause 85 was struok out. Sir B Stout said that his clause could not possibly harm the Bill. After considerable discussion Mr Ward said that.he should agree to consult the law officers and if the amendment wore neoesaary he should recommit tha Bill. Captain Russell said that all along he had baen of opinion that they chould have the Attorney>General sitting m the House to advise the Government. (Left sitting at 2 a.m.) "