HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Thames Advertiser, Volume IX, Issue 2456, 28 October 1876, Page 3

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

"Wellington, Friday, ; CLOSE OF THE. SESSION. In the House of. Representatives last. 6vening, the Premier stated that the Government expected the whole of the business would be got through by Saturday evening. Perhaps all tho measuros would not be absolutely passed by the Legislative Council, but it would • be known in what slate the bills would bo passed. Membors might therefore leave on Saturday evening, and to that end the Government would detain ■ tho two. steamers sailing North .and South until; 12 o'clock if necessary. i _ TMENNIAL PARLIAMENTS BILL. Sir George Grey briefly moved tho second reading of the Triennial Parliaments Bill, and after a short discussion ife was thrown out by 32 to 22. CIVIL BEEVICE ACT AMENDMENT BILL, A good deal of discussion ensued on the Civil Service Act Amendment Bill, It provided for tho salary of a Minister of Education. : Mr Sheehan and Mr Brandon took exception to' any more ministers being appointed, at any rate just then, ' Messrs Henry, 'Woolcock, and Barif thought that if anotlio'r minister was to be appointed ho should bo a minister of mines. Major Atkinson and Mr Whitakor pointed out: that, in constquonce_ of the.: Abolition changes, tho work on Ministers would be increased one-third, and they were.afraid it would not be carried out satisfactorily without another minister was appointed. ! Other members having spoken against it, the Premier asked that progress be

reported, with a view of not proceeding further with the bill. Progress was reported. THAMES VALLEY RAILWAY. . Sir George Grey was about to move the second reading of the Thames and Waikato Railway fill, when the Speaker said,the third section imposed a charge upon the consolidated revenue, and the bill, therefore, should. be introduced in jfcho ordinary way, after the consent of the Crown had been obtained. ; The Premier said he could not give tho consent of the Crown. Ho had already refused to grant it in the case of some Otago Bills of a similar nature. Sir George Grey' wished to have the bill road a second time, and ho would expunge the objectionable parts of the bill in ; Committee, The Speaker said if ho did that there would, be nothing of the bill left., . After some further discussion, tho bill was laid aside. The Consolidated Stock Bill passed. The House adjourned at 0.45 a.m. AFTERNOON SITTING. ; The House met at 2,30 to-day. :=! j 'I' PBOBOGATION. The Premier proposed that they should, on rising, adjourn to 11 o'clock to-morrow morning, as, he Baid, the prorogation would probably take place on Monday. THE WASTE LANDS BILL.—A BREEZE IN THE HOUSE. _ ' i Mr Sheehan raised an exceedingly keen discussion'by asking, what was intended to be.done,with the Canterbury clauses in the, Waste Lands Administration Bill.' He heard' it was intended to re-introduce them in the Legislative Council, and, if so, thirty members were pledged to remain and resist any such attempt, Mr Beynolds said ho would not only oppose such an attempt, but would help to turn out the Ministry upon it, late in the session as it was. The Premier said the Government would take no action in the matter. They were not aware whether the Legislative Council would amend the Bill, as feared, but if they inserted the Canterbury clauses the Government would support them, as they did before. In any case he assured the House that no advantage would be taken of them'. Whatever amendments were made in the bill by the Legislative Council the House would be acquainted with them as soon as possible. If the Council did not re-introduce the clauses, no question would be raised. Messrs Bees, DeLautour, and Burns contended that tho question having been decided by the majority of tho House, it ought not to bo re-opened, and some strong language was used by Mr Bees in condemning the Government for having, as he said, secured the consistent support of the Canterbury members by introducing these clauses. ; The debate was adjourned till 7,30 p.m. SCABBY SHEEP SUBSIDY. In reply to Mr Tole, the Premier said £3,000 would be put on the supplementary estimates for boiling down scabby sheep on the East Coast.. .

Mr Whitaker wanted the House to come to some decision on the San Francisco mail service before breaking up. He said they had no further telegrams from Sydney upon the matter. After stating the whole position of the case, he said he proposed sending to Sydney a telegram' to the following effect: — " Parliament has been consulted, and we can only agree to forego the present contract on the following conditions, namely, 13 services, the route from San Francisco to Sydney, calling at Auckland, and omitting Honolulu, as you desire. That is giving you the entire benefit of the reduction of the subsidy ,to £70,000, _ leaving the two colonies to provide a coastal service for New Zealand for £5,000. We cannot consent to the Bay of Islands unless the company takes £75,000, and provides a satisfactory coastal service, your estimate of the expenses being altogether erroneous. Communicate your decision at once, as we must mako arrangements in case of a discontinuance of the service." He moved that the House agree with the telegram. This led to considerable discussion.

Mr Stafford strongly opposed sending such a telegram. 'He approved of keeping the temporary service for tho present, and tho contractors, in the meantime, should send down some authorised person to arrange with tho Government here. That was at least due to them, as New South Wales had too much the best of the bargain. Mr Reynolds and Mr Burns thought Sydney too selfish altogether, and opposed sending the telegram. They should adhere to their contract, or give it up altogether. Mr Stevens moved as an amendment "That this House is not prepared to make any modifications except those in the telegram sent to Sydney on the 14th of October, saving as regards calling- at Honolulu." Mr Eeynolds would oppose placing the control of the coastal servioe in the hands of the Government, as he believed it would cost£ls,ooo instead of £5,000. Mr Whitaker's motion was put and lost by 34 to 29. In order to prevent Mr Stevens's motion from being carried Mr lusk got the debate adjourned, so as to re-open the whole discussion this evening. He said the House weuld regret what it was doing. TEE KATIKATI SPECIAL SETTLEMENT In reply to Mr Q'Jiorke, the Premier said Mr Vesey Stewart had been informed that the Government hoped to be able to set aside a quantity of land in the neighbourhood of Katikati with a view of strengthening that settlement. Tho land was not to bo given away, but to be sold at a fair price on easy terras. THE COUNTIES BILL. . The remainder of tho sitting was spent in discussing the amendment made in the Counties Bill by tho Legislative Council.