HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXIII, Issue 9464, 29 July 1881, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Afternoon Sitting. The House met at 2.30 o'clock. Mr "Weston presented a petition iroin the legal practitioners at Christchurch against the Legal Practitioners Bill introduced by Sir George Grey. — Eeplying to questions put, it was stated that Government would take steps to prevent Chinese working in goldfields without miner's rights, as provided for by the Mines Act, 1877. — Government was not aware that Chas. Rynald Sylden, of Auckland Provincial District, had been bound over to keep the peace for 12 months when they appointed him to the Commission of the Peace. They had every reason for believing that he was a very suitable person for the office. — Mr Reeves gave notice that lie would repeat the above question with the addition " That if Government found he had been bound over to keep the peace, what action would they take luider the circumstances? Messrs Seed and Batkin's report had only recently been received, and Government had not yet considered it. In all probability it would be of a nature which would render it inadvisable to place it on the table of the House. With a view of better protecting seal fisheries Government had under consideration a proposal to lease sealing rights at the Snares and other islands where these fisheries were expected to be abused. Government had no interest in the question of the Hon. Captain Baillie's alleged disqualification, It was a matter for action on the part of the Legislative Council itself, aad the law cotxld be put into operation by that | body if it thought fit. Government woultj not consent to remove further : restrictions provided for by section 5 of the Anns Act as to the sale and purchase '

af firearms, gunpowder, caps, etc., in 30 far as it applied to the Middle Island, rhe following Bills were introduced and read a first time : — Westport Coalfield md Harbour Administration (J. B. Fisher) ; To amend the Gold Duty Act ; Fo amend Mines Act (Reeves); To iinend the Contractors Debt Act, 1871, 'Fisher) ; The Waimate Racecourse Reserves (Studholme) ; Fencing (Bryce).