PARLIAMENTARY.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3194, 23 September 1881, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY.

; LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Thursday. The Council met at 10 a.m. CUSTOMS AND EXCISE DUTIES BILL The Customs and Excise Duties Bill was passed through all stages. Mr Waterhouse strongly condemned some of the provisions of the bill. Mr Whitaker said he also did not approve of some parts of the bill, but the Council was powerless to alter it. SPECIAL POWERS AUD CONTRACTS BILL. The Special Powers and Contracts Bill was passed through all its stages. PROCEDURE RELATING TO CONFERENCES. •The Council recommended that next session a joint committee of the two Houses should be appointed to consider the procedure relating to conferences between the two Chambers, privileges, &c. CONSTITUTION OF THE COUNCIL. The following motion by Mr Holmes was allowed to lapse owing to the lateness of the session :—" That in the opinion of this Council the time has arrived when a change in its constitution is required, and that steps should be taken by the Government during the first session of the next Parliament to provide for the establishment of an Upper Chamber on some other basis than that of life nomination." , APPROPRIATION BILLS. The Appropriation Bill and the Immigration and Public Works Appropriation Bill were passed through all stages. The Council adjourned at 4.30 till noon on Saturday. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Thursday. The House re-assembled at 4 p.m. BILLS PROM THE UPPER HOUSE. The Special Powers and Contracts Bill, the Appropriation Bill, and the Public "Works Appropriation Bill were reported from the Upper House without amendment. THE PROROGATION. Mr Hall intimated that the formal prorogation would take place on Saturday at noon, until which time it was agreed to adjourn on the House rising. THE GENERAL ELECTION. In reply to Mr De Lautour, Mr Hall said the House would scarcely expect him to state a definite time when the new elections would take place: The Grovernment, however, recognised the importance of getting them through as early as possible, and they would not be later than was absolutely necessary. THE CIVIL SERVICE. Mr Eeeves said as this was probably the last occasion upon which he would have an opportunity of addressing the present House he desired to make a few remarks upon a subject which required some explanation. The Government had gone to a great deal of trouble and expense with the view ;of remodelling the Civil Service. First f_rey had appointed a Eoyal Commission, and then they had appointed two highly paid civil servants, Messrs Batkin and Seed, to go about from place to place and report on the subject, yet the Grovernment had not had the courage to lay the report of these gentlemen before the House. Attention being called to the state of the House a count-out took place at 4.45, and the Speaker left the chair until Saturday a. 'noon.