PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXIII, Issue 272, 21 December 1887, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

■ -v. » (rSOH OUB OWSI COBBHBPONDBNT.) Wellington, Dec. 20. In view of the disquieting cables from Home as to the European politics, there is a general feeling amongst members that if possible tba Naval Defence Bill aboilld be pashed through this session to get the thing 15 red up before the House rises. I bear on excellent authority that his Excellency the Governor is very anxious to have the bill pashed through, and is urging this on the Government. EDUCATION QUESTION, Tha whola of last night's sitting, till about two this morning, was ocouoied over the debate on the education question, and m ambers appeared to have uiada up their minds to speak ad lib., eomo of tueia having addressed thu Chair about a dozen times. The matter was eventually settled by Me Reaves' amendment being carried by 85 to 29, and the House thus expressed its opinion that the minimum school a2e should not be raised to Bix year?. Tha other proposals of Government, however, were all adopted. 7 p.m. PDJIPED OUT. After an all night sitting, members and reporters leaving Parliament i Bnildiaus on hour after the ru lls had ijoue found 6hia tnoruing, no one foala muoh inclined for work to-day, and there ; 3 a certain limpness m tha lfgisla'iva atmosphere that is perfectly distressing and dispiriting. Ona ani all are completely "pumoed ou-,"if you will p«doo the uea of the -colloquialism, and no one will be sorry when the presence of the Speaker and members is requested m tha Council Chamber, and bis Excellenoy's Commissioners proceed to read tha commission proroguing Parliament, THE LAND BILL. At the frae conference of membera of both houae3 on the clause m Land Bill dealing with Land Boards, it was arranged : as a compromise between the elective system desired by the House and too appointmenfc of Oommissionera advocated by the Government, that tho Land Boardj shonld continue m office until the end of. next session and no longer, so that before that time it wiil be necessary to efltoot new legislation on the subject. The travelling allowances to members of the Boards will, however, be reduced, and legislators who are members of such bodies will sot be exempted from the provision* of the Disqualification Act governing their allowances m such respects. Toe report of the conference was also brought up m the House by the Minister for Public Works agreed to, and laid on the table. CROWS AND NATIVE L4ND3 RATING*. After all : the Gavernmaut have Leen compelled to abandon their intention of repealing the drown and Native Land* Rating Act. The West Coast member*, particularly, were adverse to the measure, and had threatened to stonewall if the Government adhered to their intention of introducing trc measure this seaoicn. The Premier announced m tbe House this afternoon that the measure would be abandoned, and moved tbat it ba discharged from the Order Paper, This was willingly accede 1 to, the feeling being tbat a disagreeable subject was thus got rid of for this session. Business would certainly not have been concluded by tomorrow night bad this innocent not been slaughtered. OTHEK BILLS. The only bills now requiring any very serions consideration ate the Loau Bill whioh is to be committed to-night if possible, and the Australian .Naval Defences Bill. In committee on the former bill, and with the view of definitely limiting the borrowing polioy, Mr Macarthur proposes to move that after the floating of the million loau, and the North Island railway loan a guwautee should be given that no further borrowing m the English money market shall take place for H?e years, and that an intimation to that effect be inserted m any advertisement or notice inviting applications for those loans, so as to make it an absolute contract. There is likely to ba a good deal of diseu sion on the last bill, which has been purposely delayed till theend of the session, as likely to give the only chance of its passing. Members will not sfick at their posts to obstruct the measure, but many are v.r,y much opposed to the co!ony committing itself to the expenditure of hundreds of thousands of pounds for naval defence, which they regard as a toy. TO-MORROW. The questions weio postponed to-day until to- morrow morning m the hops that the work would ba got through to-day, and the Council would thua have something to do m the ruornimj. '1 lie Government announced that thy hoped to get all the :;usisess through to morrow night and prorogue ou Thursday. Most of the southern members will leave by the lakapuna to-morrow evening, if the Loan Biil is disposed of, .December 21. TO-DAY'S JJUSIXJ2SB. Almcst the only business to be trans* ictcil to-day is m connection with the Losn kill and Naval Defenoes Bill, It ja generally believed that both will pasg, ilthoughitis anticipated that considerable opposition will Le made to the Naval Deences Bill, end that a good deal of Icb3ting will take place over Mr Msc.rluai'Vi amendment m the Loau Fill to ircTtnt fuxl-h9f borroTfiug till lSty'j,