HOUSE OF PEPRESENTATIVES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1849, 24 May 1888, Page 3

HOUSE OF PEPRESENTATIVES.

Wkdhbsday, May 23. AFTERNOON SITTING. The House met at 2 30. LBAVa OF ABSENCE. Leave of absence for a month waa granted to Mr Valentine on private business. QUEEs's BIRTHDAY. Sir H. Atkinson moved-—" That the Honso, at i s rising, adjourn till Friday next. Agreed to. QTJEBTIOHB. In rep'y to questions it was stated that arrangements would be made f»r paying speofal BeU'emont contributions; at post offices. — That Government did not see | their way to grant railway tlokets to civil aervantß with email salaries. — That In regard to the railway passes for members the practice In other colonies was to provide passes that would last. The whole O' si to the Government was £220 — That no instroo loob had been given for a redistribution of boundaries, bu£ if the necessity aroße the" Government would do so. The douse would be duly apprised of the Government's intention wiih respect to the nomination of a Commissioner, FREIGHT ON GRAIN. Mr J. McKet zt'j asked the Minister for Publio Works if lie will consider tha proprietary of al ering tbe tariff on the New Zealand Rillw >ys with a view to wheat being ohnrgid for by actual weight Mr Mi cheleon Baid ha would give instructiouß to have wheat charged- for by weight. Oonsiderable diouB8 ; o;i ennnod, during which Mr Ward and other members took exception to a retnirk by the Minister for Publio Works that 2401bs should ba tho limit allowed for wheat bags on the railway. Mt Mitohelaon said hi had already given formers notice that m the next revision of the railway tariff all wheat would be carried by actual weight. Ha should take care that tho orange was made beforo next season THE FINA>CIAL BTATCTS CJT THR O LONY Mr Seddon üßked, without notio, whether the Government would send a cabta message t» tho Agoa;«3eueral, giving the Attorney -General's denial of the statement attributed to him, to the effect that the ooluuy would hive to file its schedule If the loan ware not raised. Sir H. Atkinson said that if that were done they would have no end of cablegrams from the Agent-General ; but if anything had been oeufc Home which the Agent-Ganersl thought prejudicial to the oolouy he wonld, no doubt, at once communicate with Goverjinent on tbe matter. THE WAB SCARE. Mr O'Oilla^'hau aek sd whether Governmont h«d reo9 ( .ved any inform .tion to the effect that v. ar m Earope is imminent. Mr Fergus said ho was glad to bo ab!e to relievo ths minds of hon member?. There wasno truth whatever In the statement, and neither the Governor nor any member of the Ministry had reooivol any intimation whatever of it. He was happy to state ther<3 w*a not tho slightest foundation for the rumor.