PARLIAMENTARY ITEMS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 2763, 1 August 1883, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY ITEMS.

(Br Tklkqrapei.) (From ova owk Cobbebpondent.) Wellington, July 31. The division on the. Property Tax Bill and tbo sudden collapse of i he debate, are taken m an augury of a speedy end of the session. The collapse of l!-o debate, howrver, was somewhat due to an accident. When Mr Turnbull roie, members expected him to be good for an hour at least, And many left the Chamber and retired to Bellamy's or the Library, and were very much surprised to hear the division bell. There was no lifa at any timo m the debate. The Native Land Liwa Amendment Bill was distributed thia afternoon. It provides that parties to a suit m the Native Land Court may conduct their own case, except wben sick or incompetent, when they can appear by another native. No negotiations for acquiring or leasing native land are to be commenced until the day fixed by proclamation, under a penalty Dot exceeding five hundred pound;. Nothing m the Act, however, is to »pplj to the. Crown. The Act practically puts an end to gambling m native land. Many rum m Hawke'a Biy and other parts of the North leland are held und<rlea>e from the natives, whose consent is being gradually acquired as opportunity offers, and it is a queation how the clause of the Act prohibiting negotiations, will effect these.