The General Assembly.

Otago Witness, Issue 1355, 17 November 1877, Page 9

The General Assembly.

(BTrTItLEGBAPH).

Wellington, November Bth. In the Legislative Council a^number of Bills were received from tbe House of Representatives, and read a first time. Ten days' leave of absence was granted Mr Edwards.

Several Bills were read a third time. On the motion of Colonel WHITMORE, the Council agreed at its rising to adjourn till Monday next.

BILLS BEAD.

Last night, in the House of Representatives, the amendments made by the Council in the following Bills wera agreed to :— Conveyancing Ordinance Amendment BilL Bankers' Books Evidence BflL Municipal Corporations Act Amendment Bill, Volunteer and other Lands BilL Wakapuaka Telegraph Station Site Bill, Waiwera School Globes Exchange BUI, Wellington Municipal Loans Consolidation Act Amendment BEL, Babbit Nuisance Act Amendment Bill, Fine Arts Copy right Bill, Wellington College Act Amendnentßill, Havelock Athenaeum Incorporation \ The following Bills were read a recond time :— Peninsula County Bill, Canterbury Railways Land Reservation Bill, Mount Cook Road District Bill, Hokonui Education Reserve Bill. The following Bills were read a third time :— Oaehunga Endowments BUI, Canterbury Rivers Act Amendment BilL Christchurch City Be serves Bill, Crown Redress Extension Bill No. 2, Thames WaterSnpply BilL THE LOCAL OPTION BILL. The remainder of the evening was spent in Committee on tbe Local Option BilL Mr Ballance'ic new clause, providing that. compensation should be paid when licenses 1 were taken away by tbe operation of the Act, was read a second tune, on a division by 28 to 16.' An amendment was then proposed on Mr Evani Brown's motion to the effect that compensation should only be paid in regard to nouses licensed before the Act was passed. Mr MONTGOMERY moved a farther amendment providing that no compensation should be paid for good will, and that all compensation should be raised by means of a •pedal rate on the district. Both of these amendments were negatived. Mrßallance's clause, as Amended by Mr Brown, was then added to the Bill on a division by 21 to 14. Mr FOX thereupon, in accordance with his promise, that if tbe compensation claute was adopted, h#» would abandon th« Bill, moved that progrees be reported. Leave was obtained to sit again that day fortnight, but tbe Bill' is understood to be abandoned. The Howe rose at 16. - - THSBBBAOH OF PBITXLBOE CASE. The Governor wishes to refer the privilege case to the BecreUry of State, but Minuter* oppose this/- saying the Secretary of State has nothing, to do with the House. The correspondence wfllprobably be laid before the Home t>day. i • ; The House met at 2.80 to-day. ABJOUBNIttNT. Sir GEORGE GREY moved— "That, tomorrow being the Prince of Wales'* birtbdar. the House, at its rising to-day, should adjourn to Monday.." Major ATKINSON hoped the House would not agree to adjourn, although the Government might desire to treat tbe majority the House with contempt and d*srejpect, as, in addition to u^No-oonfidence motion, there was a large amount of public and private business —of urgent business— and the House should sit both to-morrow and Saturday. Mr STOUT said that if Major Atkinson had not obstructed the business the House would hare been prorogued by the present time. He supported the adjournmanb He "poke at considerable length on the conduct and 'motives of the Opposition, and especially of Major Atkinson in bringing down a fresh vote of want-of-confidence. He did not attribute this to any desire or anxiety for office, but simply that he (Major Atkinson) wanted to deliver the speech which he should have delivered in reply on the last motion. No doubt others who had not then spoken wished to do so now ; but of course ■one of them could possibly have the faintest hope of success. Mr BOLLESTON said a few days ago the Hou*> had been asked to adjourn till the PriTilige Question, as one of the greatest urgency, was settled; but nothing more was now heard of that question. The House should now learn from Minuter* what position this privilege matter was in. Sir GEOBGE GREY said be hoped the papers, would be presented to the House tonight. Mr BEES commented strongly on Mr 80llestons inconsistent conduct, and spoke regarding the rumours about his being now willing to Major Atkinson's colleague in the T Ministry after having so recently denounced that bom member as uafit to sit in the Ministry. Mr M'LEAN rose to order. He said that tors sort of talk was not relevant to the ques turn. The SPEAKER warned the House against degenerating into a state in which it would be tapossible to preserve order. Major Atkinson bad, however, hurled accusations across the ■House, and it was only natural that a reply should be provoked. While the Speaker was speaking Major Atkinson made a remark acron the House to Sir G « < »8e Grey, saying: "No, 3 motion of the Want cf Confidence motion would settle aIL" The SPEAKER characterised this as an exceedingly improper and unparliamentary re-

. After some farther discussion, the Speaker intimated his determination to maintain the <ugnrty of h!a office, and to exercise the authority be possessed to preserve order. If the House would not support him he would not costume to occupy the chair. Mr BEES then proceeded to speak in . upport of the adjournment. He declared the Opposition would not be allowed to discuss the Tjantof confidence motion this session, and theynad no chance of gettingback to office. If they choose to delay and imped* business they could do so, but get back to office they could not. ■* Mr THOMSON gipported the adjournment, i^SSBiSS^ ** MTJBRAY ' •»* The House divided : Ayes 37 ; noes, 38. luet m ° adjournment was therefore

QOEBTIONB AMD BEPLIES. m *2? && £&&&£ £Rom M» DeLautour, MrMACANDREW said that if Wardens SvTV? i?*™ 1 »» December f °r Kyeburn Hundred^the Waste Lands Board would frame a depasturing regulation. la »lflytojMr Taiaroa, MrSHBBHANaaid that a bill wm before the Ueuneil, which would, if pwwd. enable JJj^gj* *» P«*«Ofc ®*pl fchingmMan-

NEW BILL INTRODUCED. Balclutha Athenaaum Bill (Thomson). NO-CONFIDENCE NO. 3. Mr ATKINSON asked Sir George Grey what facilities he pioposed to give for the discussion of the no confidence motion. It was a nsual caurtesy to give such motions precedence. Sir GEORGE GREY repeated the statement made yesterday, that the Government did not propose to interrupt the course of ordinary business.

PABIS EXHIBITION. Mr REES moved— "That the House should Oa *" nea " a y go into committee to consider an address to the Governor to place on the Estimates a sum of L3OOO to ensure the due representation of l^evr Zealand at the Paris Exhibition." He spoke for upwards of an hour, and was succeeded by Mr DeLautour, who spoke up to the time of the adjournment.