POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 4870, 26 September 1877, Page 4

POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.

[Bt Telegraph.]

(feqm ouu own cokuespondent.)

Wellington, September 25th,

Last night was a dull ons till the Settlements Works Advances Bill came on, and then there was some warm work. Mr Rees, forgetting his. prudent resolves; made a bitter speech again to-day. Speaking to the amendment, he broke out, and made a" violent personal onslaught," which did his own side more harm than it did the other. The concession made by the Hon. Mr Whitaker, in his speech just before,the division, saved the Government several votes. There was considerable excitement while the lists were being made up, as it was sure to be very close. The voting was very mixed, Messrs Reynolds, Stevens, Curtis, Tesehemaker, Ballance, and others voting against the Bill, and Messrs Joyce, de Lautour, aiid others for it. The first division of 36 each was oii the question tbat the word " now" stand part of the question as against the amendment. The second division rose on the question that the .Bill be nowread. Messrs Gisborne and Brandon, who were not in on the first division, entered the House before the second one/and the Oppositionthought they, were certain of a majority, but MrHurdthouse, who had voted with them on the first division, walked over to the Government: on the second one, and; the result-\vas again a tie- 37. each. The Speaker gave his casting vote for the Bill, but spoke against it. There will be a further

trial of strength on the question of when" th© Bill shall be committed. In the last division all the members who could do: so, except five* either voted or pah\jd. Four out of the five will probably be here tonight,; and the Opposition expect^ to get three out of the four, lhe following was the last division list-~-^-Ayes : Baigent, Beetham, Boweh, -Burna, Carrington, De Lautbur,; Dkglas/ Fitzroy* Fox, Gibbs, Harper, H,«iry, Hursthouse' Johnstons, Joyce, Kelly, Kennedy, Liiimdeii, Macfarlane. Manders, M'Lean, Morris, MurrayAynsley, Ormond, -Reid, > Richardson.'Mtichmond, Rowe, Russell, Seymour, Stafford, Sutton, Tawifci, "Wason, Whitaker, Williams, Woolcock. - '"".-"' •""-■: ■---•■,.»

•r pEl.' 37: ?allauce, Barff, Brandon:' Brown J. C, Bunny, Curtis, Fisher, Gisborne,"Grey, Hamlm, Hislop, Hodgkinson,.- Larnach,tusk, Macandrew, Montgomery, Murray, Nahe, O'Rorke, Rees, Reynolds, EoUeston, Seaton, Sheehan, Shrimski, Stevens, Stout; Swanston, Taiaroa, Takamoana,' Tesehemaker, Thoiiisori, Toll, Travers, Wakefield, Wallis;-Wood/^S3'!* On the'.-Hqpse resuming this evening; Mr Stout submitted,.that as.the Bill referrediio waste lands, yit must "stand referred toi&e Waste Lahds Committee; The Speaker agreed, the Bill clearly r affected the price 'of'* Waste lands, and must go before the Comnnt*eNk'J'X's Mrßryce is d»ngerou6ly?ill, andis scarcelyexpected to recover. .;; ,y: •, •.'".■;^'t.-,',•» When Mr Fisher took--his seat to-day after the Speaker had expressed his opinion that after the report; of the Disqualification Committee he was justified in doing so, the Opposfc tion cheered roundly, y Mr Kennedy is Stilt before.the.Committee.; -\- g-.P-. Pz -.iiTxpii Tsilx Larnach's intended motion is barred by Mr Rees's oh the same subject, behig';*on the Order, Paper. There is some talk of asting Government to accept it as a challenge^ 'and waive any technical objection.; pr ,rg-igi yi

Yesterday, on the= Education Bill,--the firsfc result of the division as to whether Cook County should be in Auckland or Hawkes Bay; was declared t0be29t628 infavoiirbf thelatferi There is a mistake in the list which was discovered, and the numbers.being equaVMhe chairman decided the County should remain part of Auckland, subsequently another misr take was found iri the "division list,»the original numbers being right. The result is; that Coot County is not in any education district 'now, having been struck out of Hawkes Bay, and not put into Auckland. The latter will get it in the end.' ;g. .-"■"." . .;."■ ';;/..' rPPPgPP-,"-.^ ■ .--■ The.'Drainage Bill introduced by!Mr|Eeid is a volurnraous measure,'giving Government --^^^ power on petitions of ratepayers to jiroblaim /^^ drainage; districts iui; which boards are Tto be elected, with .extensive borrowing and rating powers. ■"-".";.: . -."•■".V.-V" '•■■■.''