THIS DAY'S PARLIAMENT.

Evening Post, Volume XL, Issue 8, 9 July 1890, Page 3

THIS DAY'S PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Speaker took tho chair at 2 30. The Hon. J. B. A. Aokland moved the third reading of the Church Property Trustees (Canterbury) Indemnity Bill, whioh waa agreed to, and the Bill passed. The Hon. R. Pbaraiyn moved that all oorrospondenoe between Sir James Heotor, Mr. Creighton, and the ftook Department relative to the " little silver foxes " imported from San Francisco and subsequently sent on to Sydney, be laid on the table. Agreed to. [Left sitting.] HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. On the House meeting this afternoon, Dr. Newman gave notice to ask the Minister for Publio Works— (l) If he is satisfied with the rato of progress made by the contractor for the. Palmers ton- As^urst Railway | (2) if ho will arrange that the plate-laying contraot be finished within three months bo %s tp hare the railway open at an early date. THE RETRENCHMENT AQITAT{ON. Mr. Seddgn asked whether the Government oould now give an answer to Mr. Guinness" question of yesterday as to the compact made with the retrenohers. The Postmaster • General (Hon. Mr. Mitchelson) said the Government would not bo justified in stating what negotiations wore entered into between thomselves and mombera of their own party. The Premier was pleased to receivo deputations from either side of tho Homo which could show him wfyere t fit re conld be economy in the publio service. (Laughter.) The Hon. Mr. Ballanoe asked whether it was truo that the Government agreed to accept Mr. Monk's motion to reduce the Estimates by £50,000. If so they should inform the House of it at the earliest possible moment. The Postmaster-General replied that the Government had not agreed to anything. When Mr. Monk's motion was moved in Committee of Supply, thoy would be prepared to state what aotion they proposed to take. Mr, Cadman asked the Speaker if it was in order to put Mr. Monk's resolution when in' Committee. For his own part, he agreed with the portion of it which proposed a reduction of the Estimates by £50,000, but could not endorse tho satisfaction oxpressed with the efforts of the Government towards retrenchment. The SPEAKER said tho powers of tho Committee of Supply appeared to be limited to making a grant of the several items or refuting them, or reducing them. So far as Mr. Monk's motion applied to reduotion of the Estimates, it was in order, but the reasons assigned in the notice could only be made use of by way of argument, and could not be passed by the committee. Mr. Seddon gave notice that when in Committee of Supply he would move the reduction of the first item of the Estimates by a small sum, as an intimation to the Government that, in the opinion of the Committee, Supply should only be granted to the end of September, with a view to an early dissolution.