EVENING SITTING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6596, 21 September 1899, Page 4

EVENING SITTING.

The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. BILLS. The Premier moved the second reading of the Volunteer and Militia Officers Parliamentary Privileges Bill, specially designed to remove th'; technical disqualification under which Lieutenant-Colonel Pitt' labours preventing him taking a seat in the Upper House, xhe anomaly was that, while an officer of volunteers or militia could resign one day and stand for the Lower House the next, he could not be appointed to the Council. Captain Russell, while believing that Colonel Pitt had done good service to the colony, and was worthy of a seat in the Council, said that he did net think that a special c__kj should be made, but that the measure should be made of general application. Mr G. Hutcliison thought that there was no hurry for the removal of the disqualifica-

tion in the particular case covered by the Bill. Mr M'Nab failed to see why military and volunteer officers should be debarred from being appointed to the Upper House. Mr Taylor opposed the Bill because he did not believe in the nominative principle with respect to the Upper House. The rnqtion for the second reading was carried. The Premier moved' the second reading of the Kauri Gum Industry Act Amendment Bill, providing that no person shall be entitled to dig on any kauri gum reserve unless he is the holder of a special license under the Act, nor unless he is a British subject by birth or naturalisation or a Native of the Maori race. The second reading was carried on the voices. .- The Government Accident Insurance Bill was further considered in committee. A new sub-clause was added that regulations made under the Act should be. reported to the House ten days after the House meets each session. The Bill was reported with amendments. . The House rose at 1 a.m.