THE COLONIST PUBLISHED DAILY NELSON, THURSDAY, JUNE 25, 1885. PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Colonist, Volume XXVIII, Issue 4174, 25 June 1885, Page 3

THE COLONIST PUBLISHED DAILY NELSON, THURSDAY, JUNE 25, 1885. PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

[feom que own cobkespondent."] Wellington, June 24. ,Mr Stout moved last night the second reading ot his Bill to amalgamate the Electoral Districts of the larger cities, which was strongly cpposed by the Auckland members, but supported by all the members from the other cities. - Mr Levestam moved, as an amendment, that it be read a second time that day six months. He opposed the Bill because when he and those who acted with him in 1881 spoke against the single electorates, all the members from the South were in favor of it. He further said that a new Eepresentation Bill had to be passed before the next gekteral election, and he thought it therefore unnecessary to encumber the Statutes with this proposed Act. The second reading was ultimately carried.' About 20 abstained from voting. Both the Government whips opposed the Bill. This morning a deputation consisting ot Messrs Bevan, Guinness, Hursthouse, Levestam, and Menteath, waited on the Minister of Public Works re the maintenance and completion of the Buller Eoad. I understand the Minister expressed a willingness as regards the.maintenance, but would make no promise re bridging Motueka Eiver. This afternoon Mr Macandrew moved his resolution to the effect that the House should commence its sittings in the morning at 10.30, but he amended the motion by striking out the part relating to rising at half-past five in the afternoon, Mr Kerr, member for Waimea, made his maiden speech on the occasion. He was received with the usual cheers. He explained briefly the practice in America. Mr Conolly would vote for it, but he thought the early rising would facilitate stonewalling. This brought Mr Levestam up, who said that he considered himself somewhat of an authority on stonewalling. He said the member for Picton knew nothing about it. The compulsory rising of the House would almost make stonewalling impossible, as the success depended upon being able to tire the other side out. I understand that two deputations arrived from South to-day with the object of preventing the new tariff becoming law. Th,e proposed 'duty on coal is very much objected to in the South. This evening's ' Post,' in speaking of the Local Government scheme, says that even the adoption of the present proposals should give the local bodies an assured finance, but the gift would be a terribly expensive, not to say ruinous, one to the Colony. If the scheme did, not contain the borrowing provisions it would have no pretensions to give an assured finance to local bodies, as the whole question would have to be re-opened when the strain upon the Treasury became too great, but the power to borrow on their expectations would give local bodies pretty fair assurance of permanence, that is if they are wise enough, as they no doubt would be, to take immediate advantage of their borrowing powers up to the last farthing. . Sir George Grey's Plurality of Votes Bill has just passed the second reading by a majority oi*l2.