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Wellington Independent, Volume XXIII, Issue XXIII, 10 October 1868, Page 4

Both Houses of Assembly have been occupied during the last two sittings in considering measures already fully discussed ; the Legislative Council in reading bills sent up to them by the Lower House, and the latter dealing with bills in committee. Several of the leading m mbers of both sides of the House of Representatives have left Wellington, and hon. members who remain have set themselves vigorously to passing the estimates and other routine but very important business. ' On Thursday evening, the votes for some of the most important Government services were passed, viz., Legislative, Executive, Postal, Customs, Electoral and Miscellaneous, Those items will be found particularised in another column. There is a very considerable reduction upon the figures of last year, and so far the public might find reason for congratulation if it were not for the ominous words spoken by ihe Hon. Mr Hall on Tuesday evening. Last evening the Road Boards Bill of which so much has been said, wus further considered, and evoked a singular disunion of opinion. Indeed those who were the greatest supporters of tho act, appear to have discovered that it will not operate, and will become what is knowu in Parliamentary phrase " a dead letter." It was admitted that ifc might, and most probably would, a* ply to some districts specially situated, but Mr Reynolds showed very clearly the incompatibility of the provisions as applying to Auckland and Otago, Wellington and Canterbury, Taranaki and Southland. Several clauses were amended, and progress was made and reported. Further progress was made in Committee of Ways and Means.