HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XVIII, Issue 2854, 17 September 1875, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Sept. 16. Last evening's sitting was entirely, occupied with private business. The Bankruptcy Act Amendment Bill was; read a second time. A good deal of discussion took place on the Municipal Corporations Act Amendment Bill, especially on the eighth' clause, which provides that no byelaw shall come into force until submitted to the Governor This was regarded as an interference with the liberties of the people, who might safely be trusted to make their own bye-laws without the intervention of the Colonial Government. The clause was ultimately postponed. xMr Stout moved as an . amendment in the clause for the election -of Mayor^-That the burgesses have one. ..yp^te only, irrespective of whether the^^eicl property *n other wards or not. Tne amendment wa3 carried by 25 to 19.— Mr Ballance moved the second reading of the Municipal Corporations Loan Act. The Bill provides for giving borrowing powers to Municipal Corporations throughout the Colony, and protects the revenue of, the. Colony from any claims of creditors for Corporation loans. — Major Atkinson signified that the Government approved of the Bill, and thanks were due to the member for Rangitikei for bringiug forward so useful a. measure. It was time that greater freedom should be allowed to Municipal bodies throughout, the Colony, and if the hon. gentleman did not proceed beyond the second reading with his Bill, the Government would next session bring down a measure consolidating the various Acts, and also embodying the main principle of that Bill. As the opinion of the House was strongly in favour of the hbn. member proceeding with his Bill this session without trusting to Government, the Bill was read a second time and ordered to be committed on Wednesday next. . Tbe'House adjourned at 1.45. House met at 2.30. Tairoa presented a petition to amend the Maori Act by giving three more members to Maoris. In reply to Rolleston, the Hon. Mr Bowen said that ! the Government did not think the New Zealand .University had

y reached such a position as to* entitle it to be " considered a representative body and there--3 fore entitled to be represented in the As- ■ serhbly. When the proper time came; they 1 would consider the matter. The House went into Committee upon 1 the Abolition Bill. Stout moved that the ' title be altered to "The Two Provinces Act, 1875." — Wood strangly supported the motion, as he considered the real tendency of the Bill was separation, and it ought to show that on the face of it. The motion was negatived on the voices. Clause two was stiuck out, and slight amendments were made in the interpretation clause. The fourth, or abolishing clause, was amended so as to repeal the second section of the Constitution Act, and the abolishing of the different provinces of the Colony. Grey moved that the word " Auckland" be struck out, and announcedthat he reserved his right as Superintendent to test'at the proper time the legality of the present proceedings. The motion was negatived on the voices. — Stout then moved that Otago be left out, and demanded a division. The result was 53 to 11.— O'Conor : moved a long amendment, providing for creation of provincial districts on application of a certain number of electors, but' it was withdrawn at the request of several members. — Wood moved that the clause be expunged, and was strongly supported by Grey. The remainder of the afternoon was taken up with discussing an amendment by Cuthbertson, that Southland and the municipality of Queenstown be created a provincial district. It was chiefly Otago members who spoke, and the discussion was cut short by 5.30, the time for adjourning for dinner.