PARLIAMENT.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXXVII, Issue 11738, 16 September 1902, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

HOU.SE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Septamber 15. The House met at - .30. MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS BILL. . Sir J. G. Ward gave notice to move to set up a Select Committee of 21 members to which shall be referred the Municipal Corporations Bill. It was agreed that the consideration of the report of the Public Accounts Committee on the corresnondence between the Audit Office and the Treasury . relative ta payment of pension to the widow of the late Lieutenant-Colonel Francis be made an order of the day for 2.30 to-morrow. . NELSON HARBOUR BOARD. The Nelson Harbour Board Act Amendment Bill ipassed through committee without amendment!. MOTOR CARS REGULATION. In committee cm tihe Motor Cars Regulation Bill, at" clause 2, diefiningl motor car, an amendment was moved' by Mr. Barclay with the object of excluding motor cycles from the operations of' the Bill, negatived 30 to 19. At clause 8, prescribing 10 railed an hour as the maximum; rate of speed, considerable discussion took place, there being a great diversity of opinion as.to what restrictions should be placed on the speed of motor car?). Several members urged that no limit of ■speed should be .fixed, pointing out that the civil and criminal law" woudl be sufficient to prevent a man driving at too fasfc a rate. Eventually Sir Joseph Ward moved to amend the clause by providing that speed should not be greater than is "reasonable," and this was agreed to on the voices. On the motion of Sir Josietph Ward, a, new clause was added) providing that every motor car over 100 lbs. in weight shall be subject to 'inspection under the Inspection of Machinery Act, but that on private motor cars a certificated driver need nc« De employed:. NEW ZEALAND UNIVERSITY. The New Zealand University Act Amendment Bijl was committed. At clause 4, prescribing the constitution of the Court of Convoteation, Mr. Barclay moved to strike out the provision that ad eundem graduates should! be entitled to be enrolled on the register of a District Court. • After lengthy discussion, Mr. Barclay's motion was carried by; 26 to 24. The clause was further amended, on the motion of- Mr. Sidey, so' as to provide that no person should be entitled to have his name enrolled oin more tJhan> one register at the same time. At clause 5, Mr. Fisher proposed that the Senate shefuid' include a member, being a solocitor elected by law students, who had sat for general knowledge or law examinations as barrister or solicitor. This was lost by 35 to 9. mxb addition was made to clause 6, on tha motion of .Sir Joseph Ward, to provide that members appointed to the Senate at the annual election) shall take office on 3Qth June. Clause 15 was amended so as to allow the holder of an ad eundem, degree to become a member of the District Court of Convocation, oa consent of. the said Court being obtained. THE COOK ISLANDS. The Cook and btiher Islands Government Act Amendment Bill was committed. At clause 2, which validates appointments in respect of the islands, several members urged that the fullest information should be given regarding these appointments. Mr. Fisher thought the New Zealand civil servants should have had an opportunity of filling these ipositions. Some of them might for health reasons have appreciated a temporary charge. Mr. Mills said far more business was being done in the islands than was 'generally supposed, and there were indications that next year there would be a decided improvement! in the volume of business between New Zealand and,the islands. Rtecent correspondence showed that tilings were going on .much more satisfactorily at the islands. Mi. Napier said what tos wanted for the islands was some simple form, of Government which one man could administer in a 1 its b'rasches. _ The islands should be specially represented in the New" Zealand House, or should! be included in the j Bay of Islands electorate. Mr. Mills said! the total cost of Government of the islands was- about £2000 per annum, which, it must be admitted, was a reasonable expenditure.