PARLIAMENT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume III, Issue 769, 28 September 1878, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

vVkilin"i.tox, -Se|.itember 20.

In ihe Le;4i.s ! arive Council to-day, tin* • U-.hafo <m the Counties Act Amendment >vtis lvs'imod liy Captain Fraser. Mr. Wilson .stated that it '.va3 not intended to proceed witk» the Bill in its present form in C>immittee. They would stop at the ;;roai:ibie, and then substitute new clauses.

A short debate on the general question ■>t the working of tlie County system followed. Messrs. M'lW and 11-o-rmes having spoken, .Mr. Ha!* cai<« he consiJtirea there f.li'HiM Ist', an intermediary body between ! >i..V'-r:init'iit mid the Road Boards. ' itrid h<- prnwd the working of the system In his own district. S;r D. Bell said tho county sj-steic had i u a conspicuous failure, r,uu trush-d . iho stupid arraugouiurJ-. of allowing i-oniiti.-s tin' <>pH<-u ic-ectiiiC; tho Coim- ; ies Act sv.-'-.Ut i,e i.ione away with. \ir. Wat-vhonsn thought hotter provision should he made for the luailltellof fcSto main roads, Messrs. C nil!!, Bonar, and Grac-e )s raised t'io working of iheO»unty system :U t:;>- districts with which vhey were ;i i. ■iii, i i f('(I. ji r. Nurse inweased borrowing : shci.Jd hi! given. ('oL.iioi Yv !ii;;:nore replied, saying that ~.-.o was by im means prepared to sav that ■.]>•; Act was a, failure. Tho Bill was t h'-u rc-id ... second time. It is not intended iiu-j, it shall become; iaw this Si-jKiiL.ii, in the House of Representatives today. Mr. ('-Jisborne asked for a return showing tho nun'sber of children from five to i ivclvo y >arf. old in each education dis»r:tt ; also the number of children attending !Sv;.*e or private schools. Mr, B I'knoo replied that it would take :,t k-.ist tarca to five months to furnish the return asked for, which would b.e ord: rod to be prepared. Mr. Bastings asked for i; aiua of money to tie placed on the Estimates to pay for > !ic railway fayea of New Zealand tire briixadtv;.

Ivir. Airteandroiv replied that prevision would he made to grant free passes, in volunteers, and fire brigades we.uid be inc'uded. The Maori Representation Amendment Bill, Timarn Post and Telegraph Office •Site and Silo Bill, and the Oamaru Market Reserve Bill, were read a first time. Oil the report of the Committee oil the Electoral Bill being brought up, .Mr Whitaker proposed an alteration ill rcsoi-ef to miners' r.^ii^s. Major Atkinson n.ovc.u that the Bill be re-oonimirit-l i'-<v the consideration of o, i?, Ift. and 2-1. jTi'. Si-iiu opposed the re-committal, !>i'cau.%e ra-'iciicaliy, the miner's right was done away with, unless his name happened fo be noon the county roil. A long debate took place, during which a large number of members spoki, but eventually the report was. adopted, and, the Bill ordered to b& read a third time io-morrow.