PARLIAMENTARY:

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VII, Issue 1109, 31 August 1880, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY:

[By Telegraph.] - ' : .■; ; Legislative Council. ■ Thg Legislative Council met yesterday at 2.30. - ' The . Property Assessment Act •Amendment Bill passed through all its stages. House of Representatives. The House met yesterday at 11. An amendment of the Financial Arrangements Bill was brought ydown by a message from the Governor to the effect that 20 per cent of the Land Fund be payable to local bodies to the Ist of August, 1880, instead of the Ist of April, 1880,- as originally proposed. The Amendment was agreed to, The House rose at 1 o'clock. Sir George Grey gave "notice for; next session of a long string of resolution respecting the Patetere Block. Mr. Beetham gave notice for next session that the late Government be censured for giving.. £300 to Mr.,. Wv L. Bees. Mr* Sheehan said both notices, of motion., werb unfair to himself, because they should -have been brought on during the present session, whenhe could have- defended himself. He denied that his connection with the Patetere affair was anything more than professional. He said he would rather trust to the generosity of Sir Wm. Fox than be at the mercy of Sir George Grey, who had hounded him down, though there had been no more, -faithful follower of Sir George Grey than he had been. Mr. Hall said the papers respecting the Patetere Block were on the table in .July,- and thereforer.it .was evident that Sir Greorge Crr^r" did "iiot treajiy want the . matter cleared up, . but desired to • hang it up, and darkly hint at it. Ultimately the notices of resolutions : ; were withdrawn, : Mr;' Hall* promising to look into the affair of the Patetere Block before anything finally, was done A. Bill passed through all stages; providing for reduction of 10 per cent in salaries of all permanent officers, except the Governor, Judges of the Supreme Court, and. officers of the General Assembly. The Appropriation Bill, and Public Works Appropriation Bill, passed through, all its stages., Messrs Montgomery, Barron, and Thomson criticised the work of the session. " Mx. Barron remarking that barren as it had been, the Government was indebted to the Opposition for such measures as had been passed. "• Mr. Hall said the time wasted was due to the Opposition, who had no leader, and were continually raising smalLbattl.es each on bis. own account. A more disorganised and disorderly set had never been known in that House. Sir Geoi*ge Grey could not lead, and would not follow, so they tried Mr. Macandrew, and then. Mr. Montgomery. A number of disoussions of th.c same kind went on, and at length at ' 1 o'clock "no quorum " was reported, and the. Speaker left the chair.

It is rumoured that Mr. Masters, M.H.R., for Greymouth, will be appointed Minister of Mines.