Parliamentary Epitome.

Western Star, Issue 377, 4 September 1880, Page 3

Parliamentary Epitome.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Wednesday, Sept. 1. The Council met at 2.30. There were fifteen Councillors present. The Attorney-General laid on the table a return" to the order of the Council of the number of Justices of the Peace who had been insolvent to Ist August, 1880.—Ordered to be printed. A list of bills which had received the royal assent was read. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Tuesday, 31st August. The House met at 2.30. The Hon. Mr Hall moved that the debate on tL passiug of the Appropriation Bill be now resumed. The motion was necessitate*! in consequence of the Opposition having last nighl left the House without a quorum.— Mr Macandrew denied that he w.s in any way responsible. He had gone away at a late hour simply because it was evident that a protracted s tting was contemplated by the Government. The Government were further to blame in having allowed- their supporters to go away before the business had beenoomp;eted.—MrSheehan complained that the members who had gone away had drawn their full honorarium.—The Speaker said some members had taken five days grace at the beginning of the session, and others at the end. —Sir George Grey said the present episode showed the necessity for the payment of members' honorarium being fixed at a certain sum. —On ihe motion "That the Appropri <tion Bid do now pass."—Mr Hutchison reviewed at some length the work of the, session. He complained bitterly that while blocks of land had been set apart for Mr Vesey Stewart and other speculators not an ac e could be had for the colonists who had b-u-ne the heat and burden of the day.—The motion that the Appropriation Bill pass was then put and carried. .

Mr S ieehan drew attention to the fact that two petitions had b?en presented against him, making false, aud what were afterwards shown to be baseless charges. These witnesses had all expenses paid, wht reas be had to bear all the expenses of defending himself from these charges. He called attention to the fast simply to show the injustice of the present arrangement in connection with these petitions. His contention was that they should not encourage petitioners to come h' re with cases of that description.—Mr Gisborne agreed that unless in very exceptional cases petitioners and their witnesses should not have their expenses paid. It created an evil which would be well to Bet their faces against. A message was received from the Legislative Council announcing that the Permanent Officers' Salaries Bill and Public "Works Bill had passed without amendment. Mr Sheehan call' d attention to the fact that a person named Moore had produced splendid gold specimens, said to have been got not far from Wellington, but iu the other Island. He suggested that steps should be taken by the Government to ascertain the genuineness of the discovery.—Mr Sheehan a 1 so directed the attention of the Government to the alleged disqualification of Mr Tiiaroa in the Upper House, and suggested that steps should be taken to have him restated. —Mr Macandrew also spoke in favor of steps being taken in to Moore's alleged auriierous discoveries. —The Hon. Mr Hall replied that if Moore would communicate with th j Minister of Mines, he would go into the question, and do all the Government could do in such a matter. With regard to the disqualification of Mr Taiaros, he was not prepared to go into the question at present. With regard to the questions raised by Mr Gisborne and Mr Brown as to the grants to public libraries, th - Government would consider any exceptional cases, but he thought private persons might by donations of books do much to assist district libraries. Wednesday, Sept. 1, The House met at 2.30. A report of business transacted during the session was laid on the table. A message was received from the Governor, giving his assent to a number of bills. Major Atkinson drew attention to the fact that the report of his speech in Hansard on the motion for the secoi.d rending of the Been- Dutv Bill was so thoroughly inaccurate that no reliance could be placed on it.

The House was then summoned, and proceeded to the Upper Chamber. THE PROROGATION. The members of the H>use of Be preseutatives, to the number of. 15. having appeared in the Upper Chamber, The Comrni.-sioners (\sir Wm. Fitzherber", H"n. John Johnston, Hon. G-. M. Waterhouse, Hon. F. Wbitaker, and Hon. Col. Whit more) having had their commissions read, declared Par--1 anient to be pr rogued until Wednesday, the Ist of December next.