HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5701, 19 August 1886, Page 4

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

WEDNEBDAY, AUGUST 18. AFTERNOON SITTING. The House met at 4.30. • QUESTIONS. Dr Nbwman asked the Government whether they will call for tenders for a new printing office immediately, in order that the building may be finished before next session. The Hon. E. Bichardson said Government had not yet decided when tenders -would be called. Dr Nbwman moved the adjournment of the House. He said the Minister's reply was very unsatisfactory. Mr O'Conor said it would be a wrong proceeding to erect this building while the outlying districts of the Colony were so badly provided for. Messrs Bruce and Fibher supported Dr Newmans proposition, and thought a new printing office was urgently required. Mr Smith also supported it. The motion for adjournment was put and lost. Dr Newman asked the Minister of Defence if he will forthwith appoint a Commission to enquire into the claims of old soldiers for grants of land. The Hon J. Ballance replied that the Government intended to appoint a Commission for this purpose. _Mr Macandrew asked whether the provisions of the Property Assessment Amendment Act applied to manses and parsonageß. The Hon Sir R. Stout said it was not so intended. RETURN. Mr Moss moved— "That there be laid before the House, within a month after the beginning of the next session, a statement of the expenditure and liabilities for the ! financial year, -under the following votes : ' Harbour defences, purchase of Native lands and Thermal Springs, the statement to show the several amounts paid or due, the persons to whom paid or due, and services rendered respectively." Agreed, t"he' UNESIHofEBi Mr Macandre-jt regretted that he was unable to move the resolutions he had given notice of for some weeks past, respecting the granting of blocks of land for the relief of the unemployed. He thought if they spent "a whole session in endeavouring to solve this question, it would be time well spent, as it was one of the most important questions that could be brought forward. He a9ked what was the value of all their legislation compared with the nipping in the bud of the sapling of pauperism, which was now getting «o general in the Colony. Speaking for the Otago district, he asserted that if the homestead regulations had been put in . force some time ago they would not have half the number or unemployed they had at present. It was utterly impossible for one man to administer the whole of the land in the r Colony, and without at all reflecting on the present Minister, he felt convinced that they required a Minister for Lands for each Island. He again regretted that this important question had not been brought forward before the eve of prorogation, but he ■should move the resolutions in order to get them into Hansard. He then moved the resolutions. The Hon Sir R Stout entin ; v demurred to the statement that this C< I ny was exceptionally Bituated in resp<- • Co the unemployed. He also denied tt.ao the unemployed were more numerous than they were, some years ago. No settlement of people on land would even for one moment stop pauperism in the country. A message was here received desiring the attendance of the members in the Legislative Council Chamber, to hear the Commission of Prorogation read. The members then adjourned to the Legislative Council Chamber, where Parliament was formally prorogued by Commission. Business of the Session. The following is a schedule of the business of the Hou3e of Representatives, and oft' Bills passed and lapsed in both Houses during the session : — Select Committees. — On puLlic matters, 9 ; on private Bills, 4. Standing Committees, 11 ; ditto on priTate Bills, 3. Public Bills Originated in the House. — Received the Royal Assent, G5; dropped, or otherwise disposed of, 56. Brought from the Council. — Received Royal assent, 7 ; dropped or otherwise disposed of, 2. Local Bills. — Introduced, 24; passed House Representatives, 16; passed and assented to, 15. Bills other than local Bills. — Introduced by private members, 36 5 passed the House of Representatives, 7 ; passed and assented to, 5. Time devoted to consideration, 34£ hours. Private Bills originated in the House. — Received Royal assent, 3; dropped, 1. Brought from the Council. — Received Royal assent, 1. Petitions. — Presented from Europeans, 364; from Maoris, 96. Divisions. — In the whole House, 82 ; in Committee, 144. Sittings. — Days of meeting, 65; hours of sittings, 476 ; daily average, 7 hours 19 minutes. Votes and Proceedings. — Questions asked of Ministers, 545 ; entries in journals, 1213 ; daily average, 27. Orders for papers, 59. Papers laid upon the table and ordered to be printed, 183; not ordered to be printed, 59. Reports from Select Committees : — Public Petitions, 185 5 Native Affairs, 152 3 Waste laands, 47; Goldfields and Mines, 10; Local Bills, 24 ; Other Committees, 43. List of Acts passed both Houses :— PUBLIC ACTS. Administration Act Exten si on . ; AnimalH Protection Act, 1880, Amendment. Apportionment Appropriation, Beer Duty Act, 1880, Amendment. Charitable Trusts Extension. Civil Service Reform. Coal Mines. Companies Branch Registers. Counties. Deceased Persons' Estates Duties Actj 1881, Amendment. Deeds and Instruments Registration. Defence. Destitute Persons Act Amendment. District Railways Purchasing Act, 1885. Extension and Amendment. East and West Coast (Middle Island) and Nelson Bail way and Railways Con. - struction Act Amendment. First Offenders Piobation. Fish Auction. Friendly Societies Act, 1882, Amendment, Gisborne Public Prison. Government Life Insurance (No. 2). Government Loans to Lccal Bodies (No. 2). Harbours Act, 1878, Amendment. Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Act, 1885, Amendment. Imprest Supply. Imprest Supply (No. 2). Justices of the Peace Act, 1682, Amendment.

■Localißodies* /Finance -Powers Act, ' >1885, Amendment. Local Bodies' Loans.. j Lost Debentures. • I Mining Companies* MortgagajDebentureß Act, '1885, Amendment. ■ Municipal Corporations. ! Native Equitable Owners. Native Land Administration. Native Land Court. Native Reserves Titles Grants SJmpoweriner. New Zealand Loan. North Island Main Trunk Railway Loan Application. Owhaoko and Kaimanawa. Oruamatua Reinvestigation of Titte. Police Force. Po3t Office Act, 1881, Amendment. Property Assessment Act, 1885, Amendment. Property Ta^ (No. 2). Publio Bodies Leasehold. Public Revenues. Public Trust Office Act, 1872, Amend- : ment. Public Works Appropriation. Babbit Nuisance Act, 1882, Amendment. Railways Authorisation and Management. Railways Construction and Land Act, j 1881, Amendment. Settled Land. Sheep Act, 1878, Amendment. Special Powers and Contracts. Stamp Acts Amendment. Wellington and WanganuL Education Districts. PRIVATE ACTS. Cathedral Site (Parnell) Leasing. Hutt and Petone Gas Company. i New Zealand Bible, Tract and Book , Society. Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company's Additional Capital and Debentures Validation. LOCAL ACTS. Auckland Harbour Board Loan. Borough of Mornington Boundaries. City of Christchurch Municipal Offices. City of Dunedin Leasing. Hakateramea Racecourse Reserve. Newmarket Reserve Act 1878, Amendment. North Timaru Cemetery Sale or Exchange. Oamaru Harbour Board Loan. One Tree Hill Reserve. Ofcago Harbour Board Leasing Act, 1885, Amendment. Ofcago Harbour Bridge. Port Chalmers Fire Brigade Site. Waimate Racecourse Trustees Empowering. Wellington Harbour Board Leasing. Wyndham Show Ground Reserve. BILLS DROPPED OK OTHERWISE DISPOSED OP In the Legislative Council — | Employment of Females and others Act, 1881, Amendment. Gold Duty Reduction. Gold Export Duty Abolition. Government Loanß to Local Bodies (No. 1). Limitation of Votes. Salmon and Trout Act, 1667, A.meu<U ment. . Small Birds Nuisance Act, 1882, Extension. In the House of Representatives — Abolition of Provinces Act, 1875, Amendment. Alienation of Land. Artificial Fertilisers Warranty. Auctioneers Chattels Securities Act, 1880, Amendment. Codlin Moth Act, 1884, Amendment. Contagious Diseases Act, 1869, Repeal. Criminal Code. Disqualification- Act, 1878, Amendment. Dog Registration Act Amendment. Educational Franchise. Eight Hours. Employers Liability Act, 1882, Amendment. Fisheries Conservation Act, 1884, Amendment. Government Life Insurance, No. 1. Hawera Cemetery. Hawkers and Pedlars. Intoxicating Liquors Supply to Children. Introduction of Coloured Labourers.. Land Act Remedies. Land Association. Land Boards. Land for Settlements. Law Practitioners. Licensing Committees Election. Lives of Children Preservation. Magistrate's Courts. Miners' Rights Feeß Reduction. Napier Oddfellows' Lodge Site. Nelson Crown Tenants' Belief. Nelson Foreshore Reserve. New Plymouth Harbour Loan. New Plymouth Recreation Reserve. . New Zealand Note Currency. Opunake Harbour Board. Otago Central Railway Extension and Construction. Property Tax, No. 1. Public Advances on Land. Railways Authorisation. Rating Act, 1882, Amendment. Reduction of Gold Export Duty. Representation. South Island Native Reserves Act, 1883, Amendment. Stock Driving. Supreme Court Reporting. Taurapga Harbour Board. Unclaimed Deposits. Waimate Village Settlement. Wairoa Harbour. Wanganui Harbour. Workmen's Wages Act, 1884', Extension. PRIVATE BILL. Wairau Gas Company.

Most of the members of the Legislature have now left Wellington. Southern members went South in the Penguin this afternoon, the Hinemoa has gone North with the Taranaki and Auckland members, and the Stella takes those hailing from Marlborough. The weather still continues wet, with no signs of it clearing up.