HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 213, 7 September 1900, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

PRIVATE BILLS

A great deal of the afternoon was wasted in a discussion on the question of referring back to the Local Bills Committee their report on the Greytown Waterworks Bill. The Premier, with a view to preventing similar waste of time on other Bills, said if good progress was made with the Government measures he would set aside a whole day for dealing with local Bills. On a division the motion that the report be referred back to the committee for reconsideration was negatived by 45 to 13, and the report was ordered to lie on the table. GOVERNMENT BUSINESS. The Premier Hioved that on and after Wednesday next Government business take precedence over all other business on Wednesdays for the remainder of the session. The effect of this is to deprive members of that day for private business. - Mr Pirani made an appeal on behalf of private T3ills that have passed through committee, and only require to be passed through their final stages. Mr Fowlds hoped the. Government would see their way to take charge of the Cycle Boards Bill, for which there is a general- demand throughout the colony. This led to a number of pathetic appeals from all sides of the House for mercy to "various private Bills, but the Premier was obdurate, justifying his action by pointing 1 to the wilful waste of time that had taken place on previous private members' days, so Wednesdays will now be taken for Government business.