GENERAL assembly.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 1169, 16 November 1871, Page 2

GENERAL assembly.

. - — ■■■•:,♦ — -^— ■ (Special report per Greville and Co., Reuter's agents.) Wellington, Nov. 15, 7.50 p.m. The Legislative Council last night got through the Immigration and Public Works and Railways Bills. There is -no material alteration in tho latter, but in the former in 1 addition to the excision of parts five and six,' all clauses relating, tq rating .for payment,' clauses regulating the distribution of goldfields water supply, and those authorising the payment to provinces of ijpset price for all land taken for immigration purposes were struck out. A new clause was added providing for. a Board of Advice, .consisting ,of : s chief and second engineers. Other important alterations were also made. ' . ; In the House of Representatives to-day the Government declined to accept these amendments, and the Standing Orders of both Houses being suspended, a. free conference has been sitting all af ternoon r Mes3rß Gisborne, M'Lean, ahd Yogel being 'managers for tho Representa--tives, and Messrs 1 Sewell, Whifmore, and Holmes for the Council. It is understood that, they have agreed to- institute direct taxation on the. provinces for rates ; on ; pijo j perty in case the revenue is insufficient to meet 'the charge' for • ';,• t'he^fdfielda'Watef Supply clauses wert'rt __tafceclj but no detet*

ruination on the other points has been come to yet. The prorogation was to have taken place to-day, but, in consequence of this, was postponed till a settlement was arrived at. The steamers for North and South have been detained. 8 p.m. The managers of the Conference have come to a kind of compromise regarding the Council's amendments, which the Government has agreed to accept, though it is not entirely satisfactory.