AUCKLAND BILLS IN PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Issue XVI, 3 December 1879, Page 5

AUCKLAND BILLS IN PARLIAMENT.

The local bills in Parliament aro from 000 cause or another not likely to fare well this session. Some hope may be entertained for the Auckland LoaDS Consolidation Bill, which has emerged from the I ower House, and got into the calmer region of the Legislative Council. This bill provides for the consolidation of the present loans amounting to £195,000, gives leave to borrow £35,000 to take over the liabilities of the Improvement Commissioners, the balance to be devoted to the erection of a town hall, free public library, &c. The bill to transfer the Mechanics Institute library and property to the city as the uncleus of a free public library ia iu danger of being slaughtered amongst the innocents. Towards the end of the session the order paper becomes quite crowded, and when a bill is lost amongst "the ruck" the chances are that it never comes up. and gets smothered. The Improvement Commissioners Bill has met with considerable opposition, although the Education Board had made an arrangement which was satisfactory to them. The Auckland Grammar School Bill is not likely to come to the surface again, and if it docs it will probably be only to receive its death blow. The object of the bill was to change the constitution, and to define the objects of the trust. Formerly the school was under the charge of the Board of Education, but a few years ago the notion took possession of some persons that a special board should be constituted. This was done, and a unique mode of election was hit upon. Three members were to bo elected by the members of Parliament for the Auckland district, and three by the Board of Education, while the Mayor of Auckland was to be a member ex officio. The board so elected has not been found to act harmoniously, but the remedy was not by any means the right one, being to have the whole of the board elected by the Auckland members. This plan of election must have been hit upon to have the bill passed, because the mode has nothing to recommend it. An objection wa3 taken to the bill by the Minister of Education, .Mr. Rollestou, that it provided for doing away with the overlapping which he considered necessjry between the lower classes of the grammar school and the upper classes of the common schools, and Mr. Frnton, who had drawn the bill, sent down clauses to obviate this objection. But these clauses did not give satisfaction to those opposed to the bill. It is unlikely that any change will be made till a general bill can be passed on the subject of secondary education. Upon this point the Commissioners to inquire into the higher education of the colony have not- yet reported, but when th-y do so a bill will probably be passed by which the mode of government of the Auckland Grammar School will be determined.