WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXIII, Issue 2738, 1 October 1868, Page 3

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30.

The Speaker, took the ohair at 2 o'clock. PUBLIC RESERVE, DUNEDIN. The Hon. Mr MANTELL moved that there ho laid on the table copies of all correspondence and papers relative to the proposed appropriation of a public reserve in. the city of Dunedin, known a3 tho " Octagon," as a site for an Episcopal Church, and to the subsequent disposal of that reserve, by grant, to the Superintendent of Otago. Motion agreed to. LEAVE OP ABSENCE. On the motion of the Hon. Mi 1 Lee, leave of absence was granted to tho Hon. Mr Hawdon, on account of ill-health, for the remainder of the session. OTAGO SURVEYS BILL. On the motion of tho Hon. Mr Domett, this bill waa ordered to be considered in committee. Bellamy's. The Hon. Mr STOKES moved that it bean instruction to the House Committee, with the concurrence of that appointed by the House of Eepresentatives, before tho close of the current session, to make all necessary arrangements for the refreshment and convenience of members dui'ing the ensuing session. It was necessary that some distinct arrangement should bo arrived at to prevent occurrences like that which, they had this session to pay for, owing to the arrangoment made last year having been set aside. The Hon. Mr MANTELL : It might bo that the expiring House Committee might make an arrangement with an expiring publican. Provision Bhould be made for food for the mind a 8 well as food for the body. He referred to tho Library Committee, which was on the samo footing as tho House Committee. The Hon. Dr POLLEN did not think tho motion would altogether meet the object desired. Itwouldperbapsbebettortoleavetho arrangements in the hands of the Speakers. The Hon. Dr BUCHANAN supported tho motion. The Hon. Mr STOKES was afraid that if left to the discretion of tho Speakers, they would refuse to have anything to do witb it, and it would then be left to the indiscretion of the subordinate officers. The Hon. Mr DOMETT said tlmt if the matter was inquired into, Major Campbell would bo fully exonerated. The Hon. Mr STOKES said his remarks applied, not to the past, but to tho future. Motion agreed to. BAKERS AND MILLERS BILL. The House went into the consideration of tho reasons assigned by the House of Representatives in' insisting on their amendments. If the clauses which they had rejected were insisted on it would have the effect of unnecessarily interfering with the freedom of trade. The purchasers must be considered the best judges of the articles they purchased. The Hon. Dr POLLEN thought that tho bill as passed by the other House could not answer any practical purpose, it would be better that the bill be rejected. He would move that the consideration of tho amendment should bo postponed for a month. Motion put aud carried. WEIGHTS AND MEASURES BILL. The Hon. Dr POLLEN said that tho Houso of Representatives gavo reasons for insisting on their amendments to this bill which wore not in accordance with fact. The ton of flour was generally held to be 20001bs, in the South American States tho ton was something loss than 20001bs. The Hon. J. JOHNSTON said that tho ton of ilour in tho South American States was now 20001bs. Tho Hon. Mr HOLMES said that in the United States, in England, and in those colonies the ton of Ilour reproß6uted three separate and distinct quantities. In tho United States tho ton of flour was 10 barrels, which was less than 20001bs ; in England tho ton of Hour was eight bags, which was more than 20u01bs. Tho Council decided that they would not oppose tho amendments niado by tho other House. AWATERE SHEARING RESERVE BILL. On the motion for the third reading of this bill a long discussion ensuod relative to the interference by tho Gronoral Legislature in provincial provincial legislation. Bill read a third tiino and. passed. ADULTERATION OP POOD BILL. This bill was read a third time and passed. GEORGE GREEN'S LAND GRANTS CANCELLATION BILL. The Hon. Mr DOMETT moved the second reading of this bill, which after a long discussion was carried by tho votes of 8 against 7. : DISTILLATION BILL. 1 The Hon. Mr SCOTLAND moved that tho duty on distilled spirits made in tho colony should bo 8s per gallon. | The Hon. Mr HOLMES moved, as an amendment, that the duty be two-thirds of that on the imported article. The object of tho bill was to give an inducement for the distillation of spirits in the colony, which would be defeated if %he duty on imported and homo made spirits were alike. After some discussion, the duty of one-half was agreed to. . • - ■ The Westland Waste Lands Bill having been further considered, the House adjourned.-