Ballarat Star (Vic. : 1865 - 1924), Wednesday 8 November 1865, page 2


PARLIAMENTARY INTELLIGENCE.

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY. Tuesday, 7 th November.

The Minister of Mines laid upon tlie table reports

from the mining surveyora.

Mr Sands asked the Minister of Justice, whether it was the intention of tba Government to introduce at an early date an act to amend the present law relating to publicans ; and, if eo, whether it would contain a provision for reducing the fees now paid

by publicans residing outBide of cities and borough

towns.

Mr Michie, iu reply, stated that it was the intention of the Government to introduce a bill to amend the present law j but bo was not prepared to state

what'fees would be paid by publicans reBidmg out

side cities Bnd borough towns.

Oa the order ot the day for the message of the Legislative Council to be taken into consideration, the Chief Secretary rose and Btated that the

tivo Council proposed to have a conference. This House said that it could not appoint a committee, but if the Council would appoint a committee they could meet iu conference. In searching or precedents in reference to the Appropriation Bill, enough precedents were to be found. During the last nine months the Council had searched for precedents, and believed it had right on its aide, and the Government searched for precedents too. A learned gentle

man, a member of the bar, who for many years j was in the House, gave it as his opinion that this House has dona nothing but richt, and was legally and constitutionally entitled to deal with bills in such a manner. As regards the gold duty, that must have slipped in by mistake. It showed the loose manner in which the motion must have been made. It would be a waste of the time of the honorable members of that House to discuss the Appfopria tion Bill. It was Btated by the Council that the Appropriation Bill should be restored to the notice paper; it was now said that there was no such bill, therefore it could not confer with this House. The Assembly must therefore deal with this measure as a rejected bill that night. The Tarif Bill would be read that night, and a new bill would be proposed resembling the other except in one or two points, care being taken to secure to Her Majesty the customs dues. He proceeded to say that the tariff would be collected under the new bill if passed, even should it be rejected by the Council. He Baid that the Legislative Assembly acknowledges the intimation contained in the message of the Council, that it had determined to treat the lsying aside of the Supply and Appropriation Bill as a final disposition of that bill by the Council. The Legislative Assembly regretted, that the Legislative Council by this determination had precluded itself from fulfilling the intention of appointing a committee to confer with a committee of the Legislative Assembly, n appointed, on the subject generally of the differences which have arisen between the Houses on the Supply and Appropriation Bill, a9 expressed in the message of the Legislative Council of the 24th

October.

Mr Snodgrass said that he thought that it was begging the question. He would ask the Ministry if there was any chance of coming to understanding with the Upper House. The first Tariff Bill had been thrown out, and he thought it unwise to try and coerce the Upper House a second time. The dispute WBB begun in the Legislative Assembly.

Mr Dane said he would draw the Chief Secretary 8 attention to his speech of tho 27th July, when ho said the bill was rejected, and he now throws the blame ou the Upper House, when he saw that tho Government seemed inclined to do what is right. If the members of the Council were in that House Rnd heard what the Chief Secretary has just said, they would go into convulsions of laughter-and quite right too, the whole country would laugh at the

Chief Secretary.

MrL.L. Smith began by saying that the Ministry a supporters are great in tho Boo-lioo principle.

MrB. G.Davies called the honorable member to

order.

Air L. L.Smith continued-The Chief Secretary would be doing his duty if he would allow the House to be adjourned in order that members might Tead up the subject. The whole of that branch of the legislature was carried on in the Treasury buildings. Hon. members had no opportunity of expressing an opinion, because they were in ignorance of what was going to take place. On coming to tho House one of the supporters of the Ministry said, " Now you ate going to be stuck," and that he was 6tuck, but agreeably BO. He stated that the Chief Secretary was doing now what he ought to have done before. He would ask the Ministry to give them an opportunity of mastering the subject. He would ask the Chief Secretary to withdraw this motion or postpone it for a day.

Mr Carpenter-The Chief Secretary has, in my opinion, seen the error of liis ways. If the Ministry had taken the advice given on that side of the House it would have saved the country a great deal of trouble. He said that tho Ministry had been the cause of great mischief throughout the country. It had destroyed the customs revenue.

The Speaker asked the bon. member to confine

himself to his subject.

Mr Carpenter said that all he could say was that the dead-lock is broken up, and that they were about to have a constitutional Government.

Mr Higinbotham submitted that an hon. member had no right to assail his Excellency the Governor.

MrL. L.Smith asked tho Speaker if tho hon. member was out of order?

The Speaker replied that any member was out of order who did not confine himself to the question.

Mr Carpenter went on to say that the Chief Secretary threatened to coerce the Upper House, but it was not in his power to do BO.

Mr Verdon said that the resolutions which had already been read must be read again.

Mr L. L. Smith here rose to a point of order, and asked the Speaker if Mr Yerdon were in order in bringing forward a motion without giving notice of

motion.

Tho Speaker ruled that Mr Verdon was not out of

order.

Mr Dane rose to a point of order, and said that in bringing forward these motions a second time in tho same session ,was clearly out of order.

The Speaker ruled that Mr Yerdon was not out of 0tMt Verdon. continued - The Government was obliged to take this course as it had received a communication that the Upper House looked upon the bill as finally set aside. It was resolved to cease collecting or to go on collecting the duties accordingly as the resolutions then about to he proposed should be received. Some members may say that these resolutions ought to be tacked to the Appropriation Bill. If they thought that course right they are at liberty to move to that effect. But it is but right that the Council should have a chance of passing the tariff, as it said that it wa3 rejected because tacked to the Appropriation Bill. The right of taxation must be preserved to the Assembly. It was a matter of form that the two bills be united. The Assembly would now have an opportunity of determining if the one hundred and fifty thousand pounds received' into the Treasury from the public should be paid to a few importing firms with its sanction. He then begged the clerk to read the resolutions passed in this House iu January last.

Mr Graham Berry said, although it had beon ruled that the Treasurer was in order in bringing forward these resolutions, still it was a matter of too great importance to be done without a motion. It would be better for the Government to adjourn tho debate uutil the following night.

Mr Higinbotham said, that if the honorable members wished it, the Government would adjourn the debate until to morrow-considering that the other business of tho HOUBB has been delayed by these discussions, an adjournment ought not to bo granted unless for very sufficient reasons.

Mr Levi said he thought that tho hon member for Collingwood had given sufficient reasons. He Btated that far from wishing to taunt the Government, he would rather congratulato it upon having made up I its miods to take a course, which he had, himself,

some time ago advised, but. which was not listened i to. Let the Government send up'the bills separately

upon their merits, and then, if necessary, let an appeal to the country be made. This course would save tho country much confusion and

; anarchy.

Mr Brown made a few remarks.

Mr Gillies said that he had not had time to consider the subject, and he would like to do BO. HO taxed the Treasurer with making some remarkablo statements. He said the Government waB in an awkward position, and would, perhaps, bo in a more awkward position. He would ask the Goveftiment to explain to the House what it intended to do.

[Left sitting.]

JUSTLY INDIGNANT.-It would seem as though Victoria, admitted to be anomalous in many things natural, can even adduce examples in matters social which go to disprove that time-honored adage as to honesty being the best policy. This moral little bulwark of ours received a shock under the following circumstances. Not long ago, and at an hotel not far from this, two shearers entered the bar and took up their abode there, determined to have a spree, in the enjoyment of which they were of course to be lambed down in the usual manner. The money was duly lodged with the landlord, who is justly regarded as being a scrupulously honest man in his dealings, and the "enjoyment" commenced. Swags were pitched on one side, shears and sheds were forgotten in the luxury of drinking and shouting, and so the time passed in the alternate enjoyment of cementing sudden friendships in the flowing bowl, or in sleep-ing when not in a mood favorable to that lively in-tercourse which the flowing bowl begets. At the close of a number of days the two revellers awoko from the keen pleasures they had been experiencing, and and conferring together they concluded that they were clean lambed down, and Bhould make another start to earn enough to commence a similar indulgence elsewhere. They waited for the appearance of tho landlord in tho bar, and addressed him-" Well, old un, our tin's all gone, but if you'll just give us a nip to start us on the road we'll hook it at once." Tho landlord gave them the required "nip," but informed the two worthies at the same time that he had eleven pounds of theirs in his hands which was not yet spent, and ho would be happy to return tho money to them. "What, and you mean to tell us we haven't been able to drink all our money all tho timo we've spent here, giva us it. You're a pretty

landlord to lamb a man down." With great indignation they took tho balance and adjourned to an adjoining public-house, where thoy had tho satisfaction of hearing that they had been " polished off" by the landlord before four o'olock tho same day. That night they wore allowod as a favor to sleep on the floor of a shed, and the next morning, seedy, penniless, and content, they departed for fresh fieldB anil pastures nm.-Ararat