PARLIAMENTARY.

Thames Advertiser, Volume XI, Issue 3126, 26 September 1878, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY.

(PHtt PRESS AGENCY.)

Wellington, Tuesday.

RAILWAY CONTACTS,

The House resumed at 7.30 this evening. Mr Montgomery said the first duty of the Ministry was to uphold thejaw of the land. Ho objected to tho principle upon which the fnpanui contract had been let. He hoped tho mover would withdraw it, as it had taken a certain party aspect. Mr Woolcock said it was absolutely necessary that the House should affirm the principle under which grants were mado by the House. It was necessary because the Minister for Public Works had said he would, under similar circumstances, do the same again. The resolution was so perfectly fair and temperate that no party spirit was apparent in it. Another ministry might have made bad bargains, although this one was both wise and good. The effect of tho house passing such a resolution would bo to reraovo the control of public expenditure from the hands of the House.

Mr Bbyoe said, although the mover said it was not a party motion, yet it had hecome so. It would be a misfortune if this resolution were pressed to a division, as if it were not passed it would imply a most dangerous innovation in parliamentary procedure.

Mr Gisboene said that the resolution passed Inst session was not ordered in the light of an appropriation, uor an authority for any expenditure. He supported the resolution, and thought if withdrawn, the same course would not again bo taken.

Mr Moss hoped the resolution would bo withdrawn, because although it contained nothing objectionable in itself, it was a vote of censure on the Government that was not deserved.

Mr Deiatoue said that members would not be called upon to vote for or against the resolution. The question was whether the House should go into committee of supply. The law, already, was in accordance with the amendment before the House, and did not require affirmation. He denied the independence of the mover.

Mr Babff hoped there were many members in the House who would vote in accordance with their convictions, and not blindly follow the Government whether they think it right or wrong. 'He objected to the party tone of the debate, and hoped that many, like Mr Delialatour, would vote against the resolution in its present form, because it was too wide and would embarrass the Government,

Mr Cutten considered the resolution a truism, and when he voted against it, ho would do so simply because he thought it an inconvenient time to bring it forward.

Mr AraiNSOKsaid if the Opposition had wished to bring forward a resolution of waDt of confidence, they could have done so. Thoy had not done so because they did not feol justified in doing so in this case. A contract to meet payments in two years was an actual liability at the present time. The Government had acted illegally and unlawfully; but was the action justified by the special circumstances of the case ? The House had a right to demand information of important public works undertaken during the session. This contractcould only be set aside by a breach of public faith. Ho was sorry this had been made into a party question; but members on that side' of the House, though, thoy would be very glad to vote upon points of constitutional practice without party spirit, would vote against this resolution because he preferred to discuss estimates rather than waate time in debating the abstract question.

A division was taken on the question, whether the House should go into committee of supply or not. The House re« solved to go into committee by 44 to 30.

SCHOOLS IN SCATTERED DIBTEICTS. On the vote for education several members proposed that some further provision should be made for thinly-populated districts,'than the £3155, for average atten« dances.

Mr Gisbobne though the average cost of educating children in different districts might be calculated, and grants in aid, appointed accordingly. Mr Bowen proposed a special grant for thinly-populated districts. The ten shilling grants for attendance at school committees, had been unfairly distributed in tho past.

Mr Ballance said, mainly, the thinly populated districts had been very liberally treated by the Government, and gave many instances in proof. Mr Babff declared that elections of school committees, in Westland, wero a farce, and criticised the educational system generally. The remainder of the sitting after ten o'clock was spent over the Estimates, discussing the Education vote, £217,370, Mr Gisbobne wanted the whole colony made one educational district.

The Colonial Tbeasuber said the Government, after a careful consideration of the whole question, had arrived at the conclusion that the only fair basis was population, and he promised that the question of supplementing the salaries of teachers in outlying districts, by employing them upon other Government duties, would be considered. The formation of the colony into one education district was impracticable, It would not be wise, he maintained, to return to the central system of control.

The vote eventually passed as printed, and the House adjourned at midnight.