PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Grey River Argus, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5557, 27 July 1886, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

[prom our correspondent.] Wellington, July 26. Scobie M'Kenzie intends moving, on going into committee on the Loan Bill, that during the present financial year only L 750,000 be raised, leaving a balance of the million and a half loan to be used next year. Pyke has been confined to his bed for a week from an attack of gout. Dr Cahill is attending him. In the event of M'Kenzie's motion for the reduction of the number of members to 71 being negatived, Major Atkinson or some prominent Oppositionist will move that the number be 80. Volunteers from Canterbury district intending to take part in the next annual meeting of the New Zealand Rifle Association, will be pleased'to learn that Government have secured 20 acres of land near the Sandhills for the purposes of a rifle range site. It is about two miles from Christchurch, and the tromway runs alongside of it. At a meeting of the Opposition body it was resolved to move during the discussion on the Loan Bill to the effect that before the bill is read a second time Governmenb should amend the schedule, so as to exclude the proposed provision for new lines of railway,- and provide for carrying on more vigorously the main lines now in course of construction. It is qnite on the ' cards tha', this may be carried ; and, if so, it will mean the striking out of votes of the Tophouse, Blenheim, and Westport-Inan-gahua lines, and supplying in their place funds for the extension of the Otago Central, North of Auckland, and Napier to Palmerston lines. The amendment will probably be proposed by Mr G. F. Richardson (Mataura). The Legislative Council by 21 votes to 13 this afternoon passed the second reading of the Civil Service Reform Bill. The Premier intends introducing a Rabbit Amendment Act to give effect to the legislation recommended by the Joint Committee to consider the question of the rabbit pest.