PARLIAMENTARY.

Thames Advertiser, Volume IX, Issue 2455, 27 October 1876, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY.

(FEB PBESS AGENCY.) LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Wellington, Thursday. 11l tho Legislative Council tho Wasto Lands Administration Bill was read a second timo after a short debate. HOUSE OF BEPfIESENTATIVES. Wellington, Thursday. PUBLIC WOKKS BILL.' The chief portion of last night's sitting was engaged on tho Publio Works Bill in committee. The bill passed through committee, was read a third time, and passed. DISQUALIFICATION BILL NO. 2. The remainder of the sitting was; passed on the Disqualification Bill No. 2.;. Mr Button considered Disqualification 1 Acts traps to catch the unwary, and ; hoped to see them wiped off the Statute Book. - The purity of Parliament depended upon the purity of the people, and statutory purity was a mere figment. Ho moved an amendment to shelve the bill. ■ On a division the amondmeut was negatived by 40 to 12. Various verbal amendmonts i in several clauses were made, and the bill was reported and passed. The House, adjourned at 2.5 a.m. AFTERNOON SITTING!. The House met at 2 30 to-day. LBAVE OF ABSENCE.

Leave of absence for the remainder of the session was granted to Oapfc. Morris. HOUSE COMMITTERS' BBPOBT. On the question as (o whether the House would give effect to the report of the Joint House Committee, Mr Eeynolds drew attention to the necessity of having bath-rooms erected on the premises of tho House. He said there had been a great deal of sickness amongst the members duriDg the session, and it was absolutely necessary to their health that bath-rooms should be provided. PROVINCIAL ABOLITION PERMISSIVE BILL. Sir George Grey moved the second reading of the Provincial Abolition Permissive Bill. The hon. gentleman argued against tho wisdom and unconstitutionality of the Government depriving the inhabitants of New Zealand of privileges which were granted to any other parts of the Empire; of setting up a spurious aristocracy; and endowing the friends of the Government with tho lands of the colony; and generally destroying the freedom of Now Zealand and unfairly oppressing tho people. The hon. gentleman then went into the question of conferring titles and life peerage's, and the' securing of large pastoral licenses, the effect of which was to debase the people of New Zealand. All this was done with deceit towards the Imperial Government of Great Britain. There had been a firm determination that tho House should nof represent the large constituencies, but the little insignificant ones that were entirely in the hands of the Government, and who coerced those parts where the real population of the colony was. In fact, the rotten borough system discarded in England was revived here. The hon. gentleman went on to show that what the bill asked was only reasonable, and that, if it was not conceded, the feeling of irritation that pervaded the North and South of the colony must end in a demand for separation from this centre of government. He asked them to avoid these storms and perils, by granting his request-a request he put to them as one of tho representatives of a great province.

Mr Manders characterised the speech of Sir George Grey as wild doclamation, quite unworthy of the man, and said he hoped tho Ministry would not reply to such a speech. The Premier briefly stated it would be unnecessary to answer tho speech of the mover of the bill. Such arguments as he condescended to use had been answered over and over again. Ho hoped the bill would be repealed. The people of Now Zealand bad'within their own hands the power of moulding (heir constitutions, and he had perfect reliance in their judgment. Mr Hodgkinson argued in favour of the bill, and went on to show that the Abolition Bill was passed in contravention of all political morality, and in defiance'of all principles of right and justice, and he was confident tho Act would be resisted. Mr Tole supported the bill at some length. Mr Bees also supported tho bill. _ Sir George Grey having replied, a division was taken, and the second reading was repealed by 26 against 23. Bill DISCHARGED. The New Zealand University Act Amendment Bill was discharged, Tho Speaker left the chair at 6,30 p.m.