EVENING SITTING.

Press, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4705, 31 August 1880, Page 2

EVENING SITTING.

The House resumed at 7.30. BBCOXD BEADING. Mr Spbiqht resumed the debate on the Bailway Construction Bill, which ho opposed. The Hon. B. Ohvbb said that if members would conient to read the Bill a second time and with a view of bringing the session at once to a olose, Government would not press it further this session. ' The motion for the second reading was . then put and carried, ayes, 25; noes, 17, and the Bill was read a second time. The Hon. B. Oiiteb said that in accordance with the promise he had made he did not intend proceeding with the Bill farther. : HisOßraANßOue. The Honee went'into committee on the Permanent Officers Salaries Bill. The Bill provides that there shall be. deducted from salaries fixed and payable under the Permanent Act of the Assembly 10 per cent, for each month, commencing with August, 1880, and ending with June, 1831. The Aot does not apply to salaries' fixed by the Governor's Salary and , Allowance Act, 1873, or the Civil List Amendment Apt, 1873, or to the salaries of Judges of the Supreme Court, or to officers of both Houses of the General Assembly. . V: ' ; " ; The Bill was read a second time. ; In Committee, ; The Hon. B. EiohAbdsok moved that the i Chairman leave the chair, which was lost on division of 9 to 29. Mr Maoakdbhw moved as an amendment that the clause be made to read without any exemption whatever. * '• ■ The motion was lost on a division of 18 to 19.

The Hob. W. Gisbobhb moved an amendment to make the redactions apply also to the Governor's salary.

The amendment was loet by 19 to 11. The Bill was reported, read a third time, and passed. : . The Public Works Appropriation Bill was introduced, read a firet and second time, ooneidered in committee, read a third time, and passed. : The Appropriation Bill was also passed through all its stages. Mr Johnston desired to place on record a statement of the amount of money spent by the. Soman Catholics of New Zealand on education, and ths number of children attending their schools. They represented oneseventh of the community, and" they, naturally, felt very sore at the way they were treated' under the existing law. ° "

Mr J. O. BbOwN complained that by the Bepreeentation Bill, two" Taranaki districts, which did not together contain as many eleotors as his district, were to be given double representation, . •Mr Macandbbw protested against the late hours to which the House had been forced to sit, and against money being voted at such houvs.

Mr Mohtcjohhby gave a number of reasons for considering the result of the session as exceedingly unsatisfactory. Messrs Babbon and Thomson criticised the work of the seeeion at some length, the former stating that barren as the results had been, they would have been much more bo but for the assistance given by the Opposition to pass the few measures that had gone through. : The Hon. J. Haioc replied that there never was a session when discussion for the sake of discussion was indulged m as the present. The secret of the time being spent; needlessly was that a more disorganised, and disorderly set than the Opposition had never been known in that. House. The Opposition itself repudiated everything like a leader, and each man appeared to lead himeelf. The, member for the Thames was one of those singular men who could not lead and would not follow. The Opposition had tried the member for the Thames, the member for Port Chalmers, and as a last resource they had tried the member for Akaroa. During the recess it would be the endeavor of the Government to remodel the Representation Bill, and base it on the soundest possible prinoiple that could be obtained. They had adjusted the finance of the country—-they had discussed the West Coast difficulty—and brought a number of other measures before the country, the effeofc of which would yet be felt iv the legislation of the country. At 1 a.m. the House was called, when no quorum was reported. There being no quorum, the Speaker left the chair, but will resume at 2.30 p.m. to-day.