PARLIAMENT OF NEW ZEALAND.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume III, Issue 171, 22 July 1868, Page 2

PARLIAMENT OF NEW ZEALAND.

HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES. Thursday, July 8. The Speaker and members having taken part in the ceremonial in the Legislative Council Chamber, on the opening of Parliament. The Clerk read the list of resignations during the recess, and returns of new members, several of whom took the oaths and their seats. Mr Stafford moved the first reading of the Mete Kingi Paetahi Election Bill, to remedy a disqualification under which the Maori representative labors, under the provisions of the Disqualification Act. The bill was read a first, and second time without discussion, and ordered to be committed the next day. Friday, July 10. A statement of the Receipts and Expenditure of the public account of New Zealand for the quarters ending September 30, 1867, and December 31, 1867 respectively, and correspondence between the Government and the Hon. W. Fitzherbert were laid on the table. The Mete Kingi Paetahi Election Bill was read a third time and passed. Mr Stafford moved that after the 10th inst., the House should, unless otherwise ordered, meet on Wednesday and Friday,

at 3 o'clock, and on Thursday, at 7 o'clock, the House should proceed to the Orders of the Day, the early hour at which the House met last session interfering greatly with the sitting of the Select Committees and with the business which the Government is required to attend to. The motion, after some discussion, was agreed to. ° On the motion of Mr Stafford,, seconded by Mr Williamson, an addressjof sympathy to her Majesty on the late attempt upon the life of H.RH. the Duke of Edinburgh, was agreed to. * Several sessional committees were appointed, and Mr Ball moved the address in reply to the Governor's speech, which was seconded by Mr Reid; Messrs Travers, Reynolds, Borlase, Graham, and Brandon criticising the speech, Messrs' Stafford, Patterson, Bunny, Richmond, and Haughton defending it, the former stating that, in compliance with the custom in force in the colony for the last twelve years, the Ministry were entirely responsibly for every word in it. Mr Stafford also stated that the Government could not honestly advise his Excellency to congratulate Parliament on the progress of the colony, for its condition was not such as to warrant such an assertion. All that could possibly be thought was that the colony was holding its own, and if, as he firmly believed, it would only hoid its own for some time longer, there would be no doubt that the energy and indomitable perseverance of our race would cause it to resume thafc progressive state for which the country has been remarkable in previous years. But at the present time it could not be asserted that the country was in an active state of progress. Mr A. S. Collins wished before voting for the address to make it clear that it was only out of courtesy to his Excellency the Governor that he did so, and that his doing so did not pledge him to any course of action. With portion of it he cordially agreed, but on some points he was quite of the opposite opinion. The motion waa agreed to, and the House then adjourned.