PARLIAMENTARY. Tuesday, 22nd August.

Evening Post, Volume XIV, Issue 46, 23 August 1876, Page 2

PARLI AM E N T AR Y. Tuesday, 22nd August.

The second reading of the Counties Bill was carried earlier and more easily than was expected. Only three members continued the debate — Messrs. Howe, Alacandrew, and W. Wood — :uid, without a division in either rase, Sir George Grey's amendment that the bill be read six months hence was negatived and the original motion for the second readingwas agreed to. Mr. Howe, in his speech, approved of the principles of the bill, but considered that it would require modification in committee to adapt it to the different parts of the colouy. Large counties would not suit Auckland, whore the centres of population would have the weight of representation, and would expend the county revenue to the disadvantage of the out districts. In the Thames district, it would be preferable to give the gold revenue to the municipalities and highway districts within the area in which it was raised, and where it would be expended on the maintenance of roads rendered necessary through miuiug operations. Mr. Macandrew made a more animated and intensely provincial speech than any of the few he has made duriug the session. The bill, he believed, when it came out of Committee, would be like Dean owift'.s stocking — the original would be unrecognisable because of the darning. And, if made permissive, it -would not be adopted in any part of Otago, where counties under preferable circumstances were already available. Having quoted statistics of population and representation as illustrating the injustice to be inflicted on Otago, he said : — Mr. Moorhouse had compared the colony to a stately oak. If the roots of Otago and Auckland were dissevered from the stem, and deprived it of the sap, where would then be the stately oak? as surely as the sun shines in the heavens, if the attempt were made to deprive Otago of her laud fund, that root would sprout into a separate tree. Don't suppose that 100,000 people were to be coerced iuto the adopiion of any system of government, or deprived of their hard earnings against their will. At this point Mr. P^ke, or some member in his vicinity, said, "Tall talk! ' It was not "tall talk," continued Mr. Macaudrew, but the words of truth and soberness. The introduction of this system of government would be the deathknell of the unity of the colony. Perlwps it was better that it should be so. Ha was a ' great believer in the survival of the fittest. At the conclusion of Mr. Macandrew's speech there was a pause and calls of "divide." Sir Julius Vogel rose, but was met with calls of "no reply," the amendment not haviug been disposed of. There was auother pause, and, then Mr. W. Wood got up to speak iv favor of the amendment. He condemned the bill on two main grounds — the proposal to have cumulative voting, and the facilities it offered for a system of rewards and punishments to counties, having for their object the retention of the Ministry in power. During Mr. Wood's speech, Sir Julius Vogel left the House, and was uot present when he concluded. There were again cries for the question to be put, aud, on the amendment being put — that the word •' now" stanil part of the question — there were a number of " Ayes," and a few feeble " Noes " Jt was declared that the " Ayes" had it. For the original motion — that the bill be read a .second time — there was clearly a majority, there being but one solitary " No" au'lible. iv both i-ases there seemed to be expectations of a call for a division, but none came. The House then proceeded with the consideration of the proposal to refer the bill to a rnjlect Committee for the adjustment of the schedules of boundaries, and the debate on this subject was continued for r-onie time during the evening tatting. Mr. Burns moved, as an amendment to the list of names proposed, that there should be a select committee for each proviuce, but his ameudmeut was ruled out of order. Mr. Seymour suggested the omission of any schedule to the bill, leaving districts to come in as counties, as their situation and circumstances

jasbfied. Mr. Sheehan moved a satirical amendment, to the effect that the responsibility of denning boundaries should rest with the Government, and Dr. Hodgkinson and Mr Rees enlarged upon that text. Mr. Pyke accepted the amendment as a touching vote of confidence in the Ministry by members of tlie Opposition. The Premiersaid the question was one upon which it was reasonable to obtain every information from members on all sides of the House, aud from all parts of the country. Mr. Ormond moved an adjournment of tlie debate on the appointment of Select Committees for the purpose specified. He -pre* ferred to see the bill passed, after which the boundaries could be adjusted, if at all required. Tho Premier adopted the ameudment, and the debate was adjourned till Friday. For the rest of the sitting the House was in committee, and in close discussion on three bills successively— the Municipal Corporations, Rating, and Building Societies Bills. In the last-mentioned, an amendment by Mr. Stout, that the registrar of .joint stock companies be also registrar of building societies, was carried on a division by 24 to 20. \ ernal alterations and minute particulars m each of the bilk occupied the attention of the committee till twenty minutes past one