Parliamentary Summary.

Poverty Bay Independent, Volume II, Issue 172, 13 July 1886, Page 2

Parliamentary Summary.

Wellington, Monday.

The report of the Select Committee on the purchase of district railways, ig still all absorbing to political circles, and as the evidence given before the Committee has now been distributed, some idea can be gained of the nature and foundation for the serious charges which have been made. It is of course impossible to give, in the space at my disposal, anything like a summary of the depositions, but there appears to be a general opinion that the Committee have gone too far, to say the very least, and that the strictures are unwarranted. The Post, in an article this evening, in referring to the matter says :—“ Taking the whole matter into consideration, we have no hesitation in saying that Mr Steward really comes out of the inquiry much better than do the members of the Committee, who acted in the dual capacity of Prosecutors and Judges.” It would appear that the Committee have gone about the matter in a spirit which prepared them to receive evidence of the most unmitigated description, which does not seem to be borne in evidence, and it is stated that when the report of the Committee is brought before Parliament, and its adoption moved on Wednesday evening, a motion will be submitted to the effect that the evi. dence taken does not justify the conclusion arrived at.

The Government have received from the Agent-General, a reply to their cable message relating to the application to the Imperial Government for Her Majesty’s ship Miranda. The reply is not definite, but states that the matter has been mentioned to the proper authorities The Mines Bill has been so altered before the Goldfields Committee that it has been found necessary to entirely reprint it, and the measure is to be considered in its amended form to-morrow. In all probability it will be reported to the House on Wednesday.

Things are generally very dull to-day pending the resumption of the sitting by the House this evening. A number of Government Bills are on the order paper, and the House will probably be occupied during the whole of the evening in Committee on the Civil Service Bill and Defence Bill.