HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Southland Times, Issue 3179, 21 August 1878, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

WELLINGTON, Tuesday,

The House met at 2.30 p.m

The Hon. Mr Bastings gave notice to move that the house adjourn for eight days in order to enable the members of the legislature, to witness the ceremony of opening the Christchurch and Dunedin railway.

Mr Whitaker called attention to the appointment of Ministers, and after detailing circumstances, and dates of their appointments, quoted the disqualification Act, as applying to the matter with the view of showing that it was a question as to whether all the Ministers in that house did not, come within the terms of the disqualification Act.

The Hon. Mr Stout intimated he would take time to consider the matter.

Mr Macandrew tabled a statement showing the hours worked by railway guards. A sum of money is to be placed on the estimates to enable volunteers on duty to have free passages by train. Copies of a book on the Indigenous Grasses of the Colony will be presented to the principal libraries in the colony, but not to all.

The Government does not intend dealing this session with the system of Crown prosecutions. A return was promised of the number of free railway passes issued. The Hon. Mr Ballance said the only correspondence between the Government and Sir Julius Yogel, relative to his retirement from the Agent-Generalship, was semiprivate, and they did not feel justified in publishing it. The Martin Annuity Bill was read a second time.

Mr Curtis' bill and Dr. Wallis' bill for triennial election were read a first time.

During the remainder of the sitting the House went into committee on the Civil Service Act Amendment Bill.