Tuesday, 25th July.

Otago Witness, Issue 1601, 29 July 1882, Page 12

Tuesday, 25th July.

When the telegraph-office closed last night, or rather at an early hour this morning, I left the House in the throes of a no-confidence debate, with every probability of that lasting all night. It did so, and even continued up_ to half-past 7 this morning. The Opposition, however, collapsed, and declined to come to a division. Leave being refused to Mr Smith to withdraw his amendment, it was negatived on the voices, and Major Atkinson's motion to go into Committee of Supply was carried. Subsequently, on the Opposition desiring to report progress, which Ministers resisted, the Opposition wont to a division, when they were beaten by 23 (42 to 19). A more utter collapse could scarcely be imagined, and the prospects of any harmony or united action on the part of the Opposition seem more remote than ever. Ministers and members were too sleepy all day, after fighting all night, to be up to much warlike preparations ; but the former managed to collect their energies sufficiently to put Supply again at the top of the order paper, as a challenge to the Opposition. The latter, however, refused to pick up the gauntlet. A preliminary encounter, however, took place between Mr Macandrew and Major Atkinson over the old story of the latter's statements in 1879 regarding the Grey Government finance, in which Mr Macandrew was at first triumphant in his conviction that he had ''got" his opponent at last— a conviction which I need hardly say was utterly disturbed by Major Atkinson, who, in his reply, totally demolished Mr Macandrew's figures, as usual. The House then went peaceably into Committee, and is likely to stay there all night. The Estimates are going through with swiftness and general smoothness.

The Public Petitions Committee report on eight petitions in favour of Bible-reading in schools, declining to make any recommendation ; and also refer to Government 10 others relating to public works expenditure or similar subjects. .i.t • A return was presented to-mglit showing tho cost of tho various Royal Commissions as follows :— Railway Commission, £2732 ; Civil Service,' £1K93 ; Local Industries, £S!)S. _ A i eturn of receipts and expenditure in connection with the inspection of machinery shows tho receipts to have been— Auckland, £513 ; Christchurch, £010 ; Dunedin, £GGB ; Wellington, £718 j— total, £2548. Expenditure, £2159.

The report of the Post-office # and Telegraph Department was presented to-night. It contains an enormous mass of departmental details, the chief of which have been anticipated' by pub lished tables. The letters wore 2,733,403, ,an increase of 11 per cent-; telegrams 134,009, 'an increase of 10 per cent. The introduction of "reply post-cards" has been decided uppn. Stamped envelopes and specially-prepared registered-letter covers are also to be issued. Eight thousand and fifty-six accounts were opened in savings banks by means of the pennystamp cards. Dead letters contained 177 money-orders (total value, £535); 73 bank drafts (£3927); 108 cheques (£1101),; postage stamps to the value of £8 ; bank notes, £191 ; gold, £15; silver, copper, and miscellaneous bringing up the total to £5840 ; also numerous greenstone and gold earrings, pendants, lockets, &c, &c, and a silk dress. Five hundred and twenty-five papers and 230 books, &c. were received without addresses, of which 52 were delivered. Seventy-three letters were posted unaddressed ; 12 letters with obscene and libellous addresses; four with previously - used stamps ; and 950 letters were refused. _ A return of the pensions, gratuities, &c. paid during the year under tho Civil Service Act gives a total of £30,352. This includes compensation to 00 officers for loss of office, and 14 new pensioners.

REPLIES TO QUESTIONS. In reply to tho Hon. iMr Reynolds, in the Upper House, The Hon. Mr WIIITAKER said all that Government were paying towards the education of Taiaroa's children waa_ £25 a year, half the education fees for one of his boys.