POLITICAL NEWS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 3427, 22 September 1885, Page 3

POLITICAL NEWS.

(By Telegraph.) (from oub, own correspondent.) \ Wellington, Sept. 21. The proceedings m the House during tho last days of tho session have been of the moat dreary kind. There have been frequent adjournments to admit of conferences between the two Chambers, and this evening members were compelled to listen to a repetition of j nearly all the speeches made on the effete Government Bills which have beon before the House during the session. Major Atkinson, Mr Stout, Mr WakeCeld and Sir Julius Yogel all spoke nt great length and to a very thin and wearied House. Tho only oxeitenicnt occurred during tho morning sitting, when tho District Railways Purchasing Bill came down from the Legislative Council amended by a clause which had previously nppearcd m the Bill, but which had been struck out by the House. Apart from all other considerations tho House would no doubt have taken umbrage at this resurrection of an abandoned clause, but upon the new clause coming beforo tlio Speaker's eye he drew 1 attention to what ho termed a grave infringement of tho privileges of tho House, and ho ruled that tho Bill was a money Bill, and that the Council had no right or power ' to amend it. Several members were inclined : to disputo the ruling of tho Speaker, notably Sir Julius Yogel, who quoted m support of his contention that the Speaker's ruling was | not on all points with tho precedent for ruling [ that no amendments could bo made by the Lords iv a money Bill, and ho endeavored to ; prove that the District Railways Purchasing ' Bill did not como under the category of money Bills. There was likely at one lime ' to be a deadlock almost between tho two | Chambers on this point, (he Speaker of the Council having ruled, subsequently- to the ruliDg of tho Speaker of the Houso of Representatives, that the Council had a perfect [ right to deal with the Bill and amend it as they pleased, and different plans -were discussed for getting over this difficulty, the method most favored being that the District Railways Purchasing Bill should be [ incorporated or embodied with the Appropriation Bill, which of course the Council dared not touch. There was, however, no necessity for any constitutional sharp practice of this kind, hecauso the Council have eat the leek and agreed to abandon tbeir amendments so tho Bill has now passed. 1 The submission of the Council has extricated the Government from nn awkward dilemma. There is now practically nothing more for Parliament to do but to meet for prorogation, and this will come off to-morrow by Commission. Most of the southern members leave by the Tarawera, which, also conveys tho San Francisco mail. (Per Pkess Association-.) Wellington, Sept. 21. Parliament will be prorogued to-morrow at 2.30 p.m. by Commission. The Commissioners will be Sir W. Fitzberberr, the Hon. P. A. Buckley, tho Hon. W. Reynolds, and Sir F. Whituker. No business will be done.