HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5914, 28 April 1887, Page 4

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wednesday, April 27. j The House met at 2,30 p.m. I PETITION. f | Mr Monk presented a petition praying for compensation for the losb of the cutter Sovereign of the Seas. REPRESENTATION DILL. Sir R. Stout gave noticv to move for leave to introduce the Representation Bill. NKW BILLS. Sir J. VoQßii gave notice to introduce a Bill providing for female franchise, a BUI to amend the Government Loans to Local Bodies Act, and the Local Authorities Jubilee Expenses Bill. THK JUBILEE U>DaEBS. A. message waß received from the Governor, stating that he had received a despatch, conveying the thanks of Her Majesty for the loyal addresß presented by both Houßeß of Parliament on the fiftieth year of Her Majesty's ascension to the throne. QUESTION. Mr Bobs asked the Premier if it is the intention of the House to amend the Land Transfer Act, more particularly in ie3pect of section 96 of the said Act. Sir J. Vooel said a Bill had been prepared dealing with the matter, which was sow under consideration. FIRST READINGS. The following Billa were introduced :— To Amend Friendly Societies Act 1882, Employment of Females and Others Act 1831 Amendment Bill, High School Reserve Aot Amendment Bill, to provide for limitation of votes at any election of memberß of the House of Representatives, to regulate the admission of perßonß to practice in Courte of law, to repeal the Contagious Diseases Act, 1869, to authorise the purchase or other acquisition of private laada for sub-division for purposes of settlement. SESSIONAL COMMITTKKS. The usual sessional Committees were appointed. ADDRESS-IN- REPLT. Mr Fbaskr moved the Address-in-Reply to the Governor's speech. Be commenced by referring to the passage in the speech relating to thenumber of memberß removed by death since last session. Mr Macandre w ia particular was a gentleman who would be greatly missed by the House, for the large sympathy he possessed, and ft r many other estimable qualities. He also p&id a tribute to Air Bradahaw for the earnest efforts he had made to shorten the hours of labour. Referring to the celebration of the Queen's Jubilee, he said that closely allied with that event was the Imperial Conference now sitting in England on Colonial affairs. He thought the Colonies themselves should agree, before a final settlement was come to with the Mother Country, on the question of Federation. It was only right that New Zealand should have some naval protection on its ooai»t, and the fact of war vessels being sent to New Zealand would cause its inhabitants to feel a certain amount of protection in caße of war with foreign nations. At to the settlement of the land, he believed it was a question that would occupy the attention of the House shortly. He himself was tainted with land nationalisation, and he trusted New Zealand would stand foremost in giving to the people the unearned increment, which was their undoubted right. Referring to the Representation Bill, ho thought, on tae whole, they could not do better than adopt the population basis. He was not inclined to do away with the Legislative Council altogether, but ho thought that appointments to that Chamber should be limited to five or seven years. He deprecated treating the Natives with undue Harshness, and praised the action of the Government in regard to the Native race. Mr Jonkh seconded the Address. He considered the celebration of the Queen's Jubilee one of the most important events of the century, and thought they could not do too much to show their devotion to Her Majesty in carrying out this event. Regarding the finance question, he trusted the Government would see ita way to very largely effect retrenchment in the expenditure. He thought the deficit might be filled up by indirect or direct taxation. He thought the Colony was to be congratulated on the fact that Her Majesty's Government had decided on making New Zealand a separate naval Btation. He considered the legislation of the present Government during the last few sessions had been of the most important and liberal character, and instanced the Loans to Ijocal Bodies Act as the moot valuable measure. As to legislation on the subject I of special settlement, they had not had much experience of it, but he thought it would prove yery beneficial. He referred to several other matters contained in the Governor's speech, aud said that, from his own experience, he believed the depression which had hung over the Colony was now passing away. Major Atkinson congratulated the mover and seconder of the address, and said that, in all his experience, he had sever known honorable gentlemen hnve a more difficult task than to reply to the speech, which contained nothing. H * was about to inflict a great disappointment on the Government, inasmuch as he waa not going to debate the addresß. No doubt the Government wanted the Opposition to get up a long debate on tie Address, in order that they might put up their followers to reply to it, and then make it appear they were teady to go on with the business of the country. He wanted to get at the real business of the country, which waß to pass the Repreeenta- % tion Bill, and endeavour to adjust the finances, ao as to relieve the country from the depression under which it was suffering. He wanted to know if the finances of the country were in such a Btate as to necessitate an early session, whether the Government were ready to bring down their financial policy. He and the party with whom he worked were not going to debate the Address for four or five days ; but they would give the Government time to consult together, and ascertain each others' minds. The Opposition would be willing to go on with the Representation Bill ■at once, and also with finance. He contended taatij the Treasurer eWuld have been in a position to lay the Financial Statement before the House bt once. This waa not to be treated aB an ordinary session, but an extraordinary one, and he contended the House would not be doing ita duty if they did not insist on going on with the Representation Act and finance. He would strongly advise the House to do nothing else till those two matters were disposed of, and he would advise the Government to take the necesEary adjournment in order to enable this to be done. The Opposition were not prepared to debate the Address, but would wait till those other questions were disposed of. Sir R. Stout congratulated the mover and seconder of the Address for the line of policy advocated in their speeches, as they contained true democratic sentiments. He considered that if Major Atkinson had any chance of carrying an amendment on the address he would be quite prepared to debate it, but the fact was he (Major Atkinson) was not quite sure of the policy he should adopt this session. He thought the honorable gentleman should take example by the leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons, who always a retched oat a policy, but Major Atkinson kad abandoned hia position as leader. As to th& Government, the/ were prepared to go

on with the business of the session, just aa much prepared as they were last session. He deprecated the idea that no other questions uhould be considered this session bat Representation and Finance. The reason why Parliament was called together eo Boon was in fulfilment of a pledge made last year, that an early sitting would take place to give opportunity for the Representation Bill being passed. He hoped they would not pass any Representation Bill which would not possess the principle of true political science. As for the Government not being ready to go on with the measure, they were ready to-morrow if the Opposition desired, but they objected to this course last year. The Government thought it advisable that representation should be discussed before the finances were gone into, so that one great question might be taken at a time. He eoold not understand why the present session was called an extraordinary one, but he would say that Triennial Parliaments would break down if it were allowed that the last eeseion of a Parliament was not fit to transact the business of the country. Such a proposal would cause indignation throughout the Colony. He contended that if Major Atkinson had any serious indictment to bring against the Government, he would have done so, and the fact of his having failed to make any serious attack on their policy showed that ho had no ground for doing bo. He (Sir R. Stout) had no doubt the Address would pass. - The motion for the adoption of the Address was then put and carried on the voices. The House rose at 4 13 p.m. till tomorrow.