PARLIAMENTARY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 948, 12 November 1879, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

[By Telegraph.] [from our own correspondent.] Wellington, This Day. The House met yesterday at 2.30. In reply to Sir George Grey, Mr. Rolleslon said that Government would bring down a Bill dealing with small farm settlements, to be taken up on deferred payments by settlers to whom employment would be given on the Public Works. Among the new Bills introduced was one by Major Atkinson, legalising the collection of both moieties of the land tax. The House then went into Committee on the Qualification of Electors Bill, the consideration of which occupied the rest of the sitting, both m the afternoon and evening. Mr. Hull intimated that he would move the recommittal of the Bill after it had passed through Committee m order to replace the word " man " for which the word "person" was substituted on a previous evening, and for which substitution he voted. The amendment carried was as follows : — "On the motion of Mr. De Latour substitution of word ' or ' for word ' and ' m the second section of the Bill connecting the first a::d second subsection." The effect of which, it is believed will be to give an alternative qualification of residence or property instead of the double qualification of residence and property. Another amendment was carried on the motion of Mr. Murray, conferring ratepayers franchise on Natives. A further amendment was carried m subsection to second clause relating. to the exclusion of persons convicted nf crime unless they had received a free pardon. The following words being added ' 'or shall have undergone sentence for same. " Clauses 2, 3, 4, and 5 were then passed. Clauses were added declaring that the word " Maori " included half-castes, and that nothing m the Act shall be deemed to effect any right or privilege conferred by the Maori Representation Act. The House rose at 12.35 a.m.