PARLIAMENTARY.

Auckland Star, Volume VIII, Issue 4205, 5 December 1877, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

(From our own Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, this day. AUCKLAND GRAMMAR SCHOOL. In reply to Mr O'Rorke the Premier said the Government would endeavour to set apart a suitable site . for the Auckland Grammar School. MRS MKURANT'S CASE. In reply to Mr Swanson, the Native Minister said Mrs Meurant's case was to have been settled by the* late AttorneyGeneral, but had not been settled. The papers would be laid before a SolicitorGeneral.

Ministers asked the House to give the Government business procedence of private business which Avas agreed to. The following were the pairs in the division on the second reading of the Land Bill :—

Government : Messrs Bastings, Seaton, R. Wood, Lusk, Wallis, Hodgkinson, Reynolds, Wakefield, Pyke, Bunny. OPPOSITION : Messrs Kenny, Stafford, Cox, Button, Harper, Murray-Aynesly, Henry, Morris, Fitzroy, Moorhouse. Fitzroy broke his pair and voted. WAIKATO.

Mr Hamlin asked the Premier whether the Government intended to make any survey of Port Waikato. Sir George Grey replied that the Stella would as soon as possible be sent to Port Waikato, to survey the entrance and lay down buoys. WASTE LANDS BILL.

In Committee on the Waste Lands Bill the term "Waste lands" was changed to "Crown lands."

Mr Lumsden moved an amendment to excise the portion of the clause fixing the price of land by free selection at £2 per acre, and at £1 when sold by auction. The only Auckland member who supported this amendment wai Sir Robert Douglas. Mr Rees strenuously opposed it. Mr Rowe, and Captain Morris condemned the proposal to raise the price of land.

Mr Lurnsden's amendment was lost on a division by 34 votes to 26. FREE SELECTION AT £1 PER ACRE.

Mr Stout tlien carried an amendment providing that where land offered at auction at £1 per acre has not been sold, the Governor may proclaim it open for sale by free selection at £1 per acre. Clause 6 was struck out, and the remaining clauses were passed without amendment.

AUCKLAND HOMESTEAD SYSTEM

MAINTAINED,

Mr Montgomery, who has now become an ultrd-Canterburyite, moved an amendment to :abolish the Auckland Homestead system; but this was lost on a division by 30 to 6. The system was therefore maintained. IMPORTANT 'AMENDMENT IN RATING ACT. The Standing Orders were suspended last night to take business after half-past twelve. Very debatable matter was postponed till to-day. The Counties and Rating Amendment Bills is .to remedy technical defects in the working of the Ac t las^year. The important provision in the Rating Bill is to make a valuation of the district made only every three years, to be a county valuation, the cost to be borne by the County. Road Board valuation is necessary within Counties.

THE ALLOCATION OF THE LAND

EUND,

The Financial Arrangements Bill suffered considerable modification in committee with reference to the expenditure of the twenty per cent of Land Fuud according to the Bill, it was to be spent within Provincial districts. This Avas struck out, and county inserted instead, so that twenty per cent of the Land Fund, in any county returns to it. Capt. Morris'moved anew clause to exceed Volunteer scrip for twelve months further, because, on account of the increase in the price of land in Auckland, scrip would not have its proper value. There was a -strong feeling against the scrip altogether, but nevertheless the clause was carried. Thus the time has been extended twice this session, in all eighteen months.

Mr Macandrew moved that the clause preserving twenty per cent of the Land Fund should not be repealed except by an Act of the Imperial Parliament. The House did not seem to view this seriously. It wa3 laughed at, and in division lost by 33 to 9.

Messrs McLean, Reid, and other Opposi"] tionists were so exasperated, or pretended to be, that they spoke in favour of making the 20 per cent along with the other 80. They had not the courage to move it, but they Avould have liked some of the Government supporters from Otago to do so.

(PRESS AGENCY.)