EVENING SITTING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6240, 17 May 1888, Page 4

EVENING SITTING.

The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. LOAN ACT BEPEAL BILL. A Bill to repeal the Loan Act -w&3 received by message from His Excellency the Governor, and read a first time. Sir 11. Atkinson said lie should ask the Houae to pass the Bill through, all its stageß neifc claj-. MILLION LOAN BILL. A Bill to authorise tha borrowing of one million for immigration, public works, and other purposes, w&3 &130 received by I message, and read a first time. EDUCATIONAL FRANCHISE BILL. Major Steward moved the second reading of the Educational Franchise Bill, to define and rsguiaie tha exercise o£ the educational franchise. He explained the provisions of the Bill, and said ib was no now measure to the House, having been before it on several previous occasions. Dr I'itchett seconded the motion, and said he considered the Bill was so drawn aa to meet with the approval oE tha House. Tiie Eon G. Fishbb said Ma]or Steward was to be commended for the amount; of attention he had given to this question, but the objection to the Eill was that it sought to amend the Education Act of 1877. Ho questioned whether it was wise to provide that every person whose name appears upon an electoral roll should bo entitled to vote aa a householder for School Committees. He should, however, support the Bill with a good deal of pleasure, and he hoped it would become law. Mr Lance supported the Bill, and was surprised it had not became law long since. Ho supported the abolition of the cumulative vote. 3lr Reeves (St Albaus) also supported the Bill, if only for one thm<*, that it dealt a blow to cumulative voting. He hoped the Minister for Education would always oppose minority cl representation. c Mr Levestaji strongly approved of the measure. Mr Maechant supported it, but would do his utmost in Committee to retain the cumulative vote. Sir John Hall said there was one clause in the Bill which induced him to vote for ifc, the clause referring to a better system of nomination. He also thought parents residing outside a school district should have a voice in. the election of the School Committee, providing they did not reside in another school district. Be should, however, oppose the clause which proposed to abolish the cumulative vote. Mr Allen was in favour of the Bill. He thought all would agree that the prosent system of nominating School Committees wa.3 most disgraceful, and should be altered. He supported the abolition of the cumulative vote. Mr Babbon was very jealous of any interference with the Education Act, and if any alteration were required ib should be made by the Minister for Education. He objected to the proposal to abolish the cumulative vote. As 'he saw nothing in the Bill to meet his approval, he should vote against ifc. Mr Walker had hoped that the reasonable nature of the proposals of the member for Waimate would have rendered his Bill acceptable to all the elements in the House. Hetrustedthe Bill would pass, as on the whole it wa3 one that might ba said to he demanded in the best interests of the Education Act. Mr Moss 'objected to the Bill for two reasons j firat, because it was one the Government should have brought in. He objected mora strongly still to regulate the proceedings of public meetings, as was proposed by the l?iU. I Mr Geimmond did not think the Bill I w?.s necaesary. Major Steward replied to the arguments brought forward, lie said ha thought the reforms asked for were desirable ones. The motion for the second reading was agreed to on the voices. HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE INSTITUTION BILL. Mr Hutchison moved the second reading of tho Hospital and Charitable Institutions Bill. He said the object of the Bill was to separate Patea from the Wanganui District in the matter of charitable aid. Mr Taylor moved that the Bill be read j a eeeond tim9 that day six months. If I this Bill were agreed to, several others would be brought in to the same effect. Mr Fulton seconded the amendment, and said if a Bill of this sort were brought in at all, it should be introduced by the ■ Government. Mr Jones felb bound to support the amendment, and he hoped the House would not allow those institutions to be interfered with. Sir H. Atkinson said there w&3 no doubt tho Act required amending, but It had been found impossible to prepare a Bill during tho recess. He thought the House should consider the localities interested, and if it were found thai; both parties to the separation of districts were agreeable to sueii separation, ib seemed hard for the House to sfcep in and say no separation should take place. The position the Government in.teo.ded to take up was that they would not support any Bill of this nature, unless both parties were agreed as to the separation of the districts. Mr Samuels thought the House would be wise to refuse its assent to the Bill until they had more information upon ifc. Mr Bebtham would support the Bill, or any Bill that would divide districts that roquirecl division, but ho held that it was the duty oi" the Government to bring down an amending Bill, which, could be considered fairly on its merits. Dr Newman thought town niember3 should unite and throw out this Bill, aa if country dlLstricts were allowed to separate themselves from towng, it would throw a large share of the maintenance of the poor on the towns. Sir John Hall would .oppose any inter-, fereuce with, theAct^which should betaken.

j in hand by those who alone were in a poßition to deal with the question. Ho should support the amendment. . Mr O'Caiocaghan held^ that it was unfortunate for the member for Waitara-that he should have to bear the JJDrunt o£ an \ attack on the existing Act. Bills oi this kind should be first brought in by petition, i so that the names of those who were desirous of separating should be known. He was sorry to oppose the Bill, but he had made up his mind to oppose any measure of the kind till the Government bfought j down a Bill dealing with the question. j Mr Bettce would voto for the Bill, as he i thought it would go in the direction of ' the Government bringing in an amending ; Act. j Mr Osmond said the question was one J which demanded very grave, consideration. j ThoEO who had charge of the administraj tion of Charitable Aid iu different districts, ['knew that if the districts were allowed to be separated ir tho manner proposed it would mean tho .astruetion of the whole system. He hoped the House would not allow any further interference with the Act until Government came <iown with a ! comprehensive measure. No doubt the ) Act required amending, but he deprecated j any feeling between town and country in j connection with the question. ! Mr Sbi-moub said that in order to give Ministers an opportunity to consider thia question, ha would move that tho debate be adjourned for a fortnight. The motion for adjournment was carried by 46 to SO^