PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XIX, Issue 1838, 31 May 1886, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

(from OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.) RETRENCHMENT. Ou Friday, in the House, Mr J. C. Browu asked what steps the Government meant to take to reduce the cost of Goveminent iu the Colony; to which the Premier replied that he thought the Govemmeut could make some reductions this year. THE J. P. BILL. After some other minor questions had been disposed of, the House went iuto committee on the Justices of the Peace Bill, when a most remarkable discussion took place. At least a score of amendments were moved iu the direction of conferring the dignity of “ J.P.” upon the Chairmen of Road Boards and Town Boards. Then it was projiosed that the Chairmen of School Committees he also, r.i ojfiai!, " J,P’s.” Mr \\ akefield capped the climax by gravely moving, “that everybody who was an elector to return members to Parliament be, Ipso facto, a J.P." He wanted also to know whether he could not have the ladies made J.P’s ? By this time things had got very mixed', and the position was only made clearer by a lot of additional amendments being moved suggesting that all the members of Education Boards and Boards for the Conservation of Rivers should be made “ J.P’s." Finally, Sir George Grey moved an amendment to the effect “that J.P’s should be elected by the public.” This amendment was curried, so that the elective principle in the case of creating “ J.P's " has been affirmed. Ultimately, the further consideration of the Bill wits l*istpoued. Some other Bills were advaneed a stage, aud the House adjourned at 12.40.