The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27. PARLIAMENTARY ITEMS.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 3, Issue 229, 27 September 1878, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27. PARLIAMENTARY ITEMS.

On Tuesday a further Imprest Supply Bill (No. 4) for £250,000 was passed through all its stages. This makes £1,000,000 which has been placed at the disposal of the Government during this Session prior to the passing of the Estimates. There must be something wrong in the system which necessitates such large advances being made irrespective of the control of Parliament. It is not so very long when the whole revenue did not amount to more than the advances already made. The Colonial Treasurer promised that Government would try and remedy the system during the recess. The motion for going into Committee of Supply has been, from time immemorial, the occasion chosen for ventilating any grievance, or criticising the general policy or any special acts of the Government. On this motion being put on Tuesday, Mr Richardson moved the following resolution :—"That in view of the large expenditure on public works now going on, in future no contracts should be entered into by Government until sfter the money has been duly appropriated by the House." The immediate action of the Government which, in the opinion of the mover, called for such a resolution was their having agreed to let-tenders ior tb» Tapanui Railway, which it was alleged had not been authorized by the House. The mover of the resolution disclaimed any intention of its being interpreted as a vote of censure. The debate which followed, however, unconsciously assumed a certain party aspect, and the general opinion appeared to be that, while it was well that the matter should have been ventilated, it would be unwise to press the reslution. Ultimately, the House resolved to go into Committee of Supply by 44"t0 30, thus tacitly shelving the resolution. - In Supply the House: was occupied in discussing the educational estimates, during the debate on which several members proposed that some further provision should be made for thinly populated districts than £3 15s for average attendance. Mr Gisborne thought the average cost of educating children in different districts might be calculated, and grants in aid apportioned accordingly. Mr Brown proposed special grants for thinly populated districts. The 10s grants for attendance at school had been unfairly distributed in the past. Mr Ballance said many thinly populated districts had been very liberally treated by the government, and gave many instances in proof. Mr Barff declared that election of school committees in Westland was a farce, and criticised the education syt-tem generally.