THE LABORS OF PARLIAMENT.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XIV, Issue 4890, 15 June 1887, Page 4

THE LABORS OF PARLIAMENT.

Durlng the laat session five Select Committees, eleven Standing Commit toes, and three Committees on Private Bills were appointed. Eighty-two public Bills originated in tho House, of which 71 dropped and eleven havo been assented to. Six public Bills were brought from the Council, of which two dropped and four wero assented it. Twenty oue local Bills were introduced, of which two have been passed and assented to. Twenty-eight other Bills were introduced by private members, all of which dropped after occupying 22| hours' time in consideration. One private Bill in each House was passed. One hundred and forty two petitions from Europeans and thirty six from Maoris were presented. There were twenty-fuur divisions in the House and fifty-three in Committee. Tho House sat on twentyseven days, and for a total period of 193 hours .15 minutes, the daily average sitting being seven hours nine minutes. The number of questions asked was 205, and ther. ware 532 entries in the journals. Forty-four orders for papers woro made, and a total nf 1('8 papers were presented and 180 reports from .Select Committees. The Acts which passed both Houses were

-Public Acts — Banks and Hankers Act Amendment, Building Societies Act Amendment, Cambridge and Hastings Boroughs, Chattels Securities Act, 1882, Amendment, Electoral Acts Amendment, Infanta Guardianship and Contracts Interpretation Act Amendment, Kermadcc Islands, Mining Aci 188G Amendment (No. 2), Post Office Act 1881 Amendment, Public Revenues, Representation, Ward Conservation of Rights, WesMand and Grey Education Boards Act Continuance. Private Acts — Wellington Gas Company (Limited) Extension." Local Acts—Reclamation within the Harbor of Wellington, Sydenham Borough Council Empowering.

James Campbell, a butcher, was charged atthe Police Court, Dunedin, last week with having false woights in hiß possession. He raised in extenuation of his offence four points, of which three certainly had the charm of novelty. The first of tho four waa that he had bought tho weights in innoconca of their being short weight ; the second was that he and liis wife were so cut up at being summoned that they had shut up shop and were going to leave the country. Tho third plea was although ho had sold meat with the light weights seve r*i,l of his customers did not pay him ; whilo the last and moat original of the lot was that he had a brother who liad borne a good character for 25 years. All were of no avail, for the Magistrate decidod to inflict a tine, which the defendant paid, with the remark that it was the last money he would ever pay lo tho Court.