PARLIAMENTARY.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume IX, Issue 910, 13 July 1880, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY.

HOUSE of REPRESENT AIIVES [Pi:it UNITED PKESS ASSOCIATION.] j Wellington, Monday. The Honso met at 2.30. Mr Dick presented a petition from Otago, praying that bottle licenses be not retained. Mr Allan McDonald gave notice of his intention to move that a duty of one shilling per bushel be imposed on maize imported into the colony, so as to encourage maize cultivation here. Mr Jones gave notice that he would ask Government had it any objection to call for tenders in the colony for the srqyply of telegraphic forms for a period of five year 3. Mr Hall moved that the sessional order restricting the sittings to a certain time be rescinded. He said if not rescinded the session would be prolonged beyond its ordinary duration, or else important measures would have to be abandoned. Government desired to bring the session to a close as soon as possible, consistent with the despatch of the important measures on hand. The 12.30 restriction had had a fair trial, and had not proved a success. Mr Macandrew said that the order had worked successfully ; at all events it had not been abused. It was to the interests of the country that they should not carry on the business, as had been done last session, to all hours of the morning. It was ascertained that the late hours had exercised a prejudicial effect on the health of the members. Besides ! tlint business was done in a loosu manner. j Mr Montgomery would rather give up one j of the private members' days for Government ■ unships.-; than soc the motion carried. 1 Sir Cieorge Grey opposed the motion, and moved a3 an amendment an addition thereto of the words " ifc is undesirable any public money sliuold be voted any sitting day after 12.30."

The amendment was an extraordinary one, and meant that while they were not fit to , deal with money matfceri after 12.30 they : were still competent to undertake all the I more important branches of legislation. Sir George Grey's amendment was put i with the following resvJt — Ayes, 29 ; noes, 35. It was accordingly lost. \ Mr Reader Wood moved a further amend- ; merit as follows — That Wednesday, at present devoted to private members' business, be in future devoted to Government busi- : ness. ■ : It was lost on a division of by 3G to 2S. The original motion was put and carried. Several members expressed the opinion that the Civil Service Commissioners' report ' could not be considered, as certain papers had not been distributed among members. I Mr Bunny complained that the evidence < had been abstracted from the tables, and < members thereby prevented perusing it. i Mr Saunders said the evidence had not i been taken out of the buildings — i But it was found that tho evidence of the witness named White, whose case had been before the House, had been abstracted, and - c mid not be traced. The (Speaker said the evidence was in the custody of the Clerk of Parliament, and w:i3 •ypea for the inspection of members, but he had ascertained that Mr White's evidence had disappeared before the evidence as a whole had got into the custod}' of tha Clerk. It was then agreed that the consideration of the reports should proceed at the evening sitting. The House rose at 5.30.