Parliament Day by Day.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXIII, Issue 7331, 4 October 1898, Page 4

Parliament Day by Day.

NOTES FROM THE GALLERY. (BY TBLJEGBAPH.) (fboii our own correspondent. ) ' Wellington, October 3. Local Bills,'which have been long deferred, were given their innineß -in" the House to-nigbt. Eight Local Bills aud two adjourned de nates on petitions were eposed of without discussion. This

exemplary despatch was brought fco : a stop by the Wellington City Streets Bill. Among other provisions this measure provides that any private street or right-of-way, of whatever width, now existing in the city of Wellington, may be taken over by the City Council as a public street. Permission is also given to the City Council to lay out any street of less width than 65 feet, provided that such street be laid out; as an extension (of similar width) of some existing legally constituted street. The Bill,a short one of one or two clauses, was so keenly discussed and such little progress made with it, that it soon became apparent that a stonewall was in course of construction A motion thatthe Chairman leave the chair was made, and two motions to report progress were moved and negatived. A similar Bill has been defeated in previous sessions, but this year the measure has been much modified to neutralise the anticipated opposition, and the member in charge, Mr John Hutcheson, adopted a conciliatory attitude from the commencement. Messrs Morrison, R. Thompson and Millar lead the opposition to the Bill, making loud protestations against the principle of the Bill, and affirming that by its passage illegal actions would be" legalised and land owners would be the only persons benefited. The idea that the City Council were sincere as regards the widening of narrow streets was scouted, despite Mr J. Hutcheson's assertion that the Wellington civic fathers were sincere in their profession. The discussion continued its weary way in a very thin House till the supper adjournment. Oa resuming at 11 o'clock a quorum was not present, and no amount of electric bells sufficing to draw the requisite 20 members into the chamber a count-out took place and the House adjourned. The incident was, of course, a preconcerted plan to stay the luckless Wellington local Bills, and a new method of saving many honorable members from an awkward vote. A count out, it may be mentioned, is a Parliamentary rarity.