PARLIAMENTARY ITEMS

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 4, Issue 318, 5 August 1879, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY ITEMS

The Legislative Council mat on Thursday, and "after the. formal business had been disposed of, Colonel Whitmors gave a brief resume of the political situation, and said that till events resolved themselves, it was undesirable to proceed with the orders of the day. He therefore proposed an adjournment to Tuesday. Mr Miller said Colonel Whitmore ehould state tho reasons why Ministers advised a dissolution in" the present state of the country.

Colonel. Whitmore said he could not without orders lay the confidential advice given by Ministers to the Governor on the table, especially as the subject was still pending. Mr Waterhouse said it was most important to know Ministers' reasons. He supported Mr Miller. Mr Miller then gave notice of motion for the information to be laid on the table, and the Council adjourned at 3.15 till Tuesday.

In the House of Representatives on Thursday, Mr Barton gave notice that on the motion to grant supply, he would call the attention of the House to certain grievances in connection with the administration of justice, concluding with a motion to the effect that were it not for the exigencies of the situation, the House would refuse supplies until certain serious charges had been enquired into, and th«» persons accused either acquitted or expelled from the public service. In reply to Mr George, the Premier stated that 15,562 persons held property taxable under the Land Tax Act. and that 77,050 persons held land. THE SITUATION. The Premier said, that in accordance with the agreement come to last sitting, he had endeavored to arrive at some arrangement with the leader of the Opposition as to what Bills should be brought up and passed through the House. He read the correspondence on the point, sotting forth that Sir George Grey, besides the Loan Bill and the granting of supplies, wished to go on with the Representation, Electoral, and Prohibition of Introduction of Chinese Bills. To that Sir W. Fox replied, declining to consider any other but the question of supplies and the Loan Bill. The Premier went on to say that such being the case, he would be prepared, when the first Order of the day was called, to move that on Monday they go into Committee of Supply to consider the Loan Bill and Imprest Supply Bill. In rcp!y to a suggestion "made by Sir W. Fox, " The Premier said that a statement showing the financial condition of the Colony, and every available information on the subject would be forthcoming when the House, went into Committee of Supply.

The Hon. J. Sheehan expressed a hope that provision would be made for passing important private Bills, a proposal which Sir W. Fox said would have the best consideration of the Opposition. Sir W. Fox made an explanation as tc the position taken up by members on his side of the. House, which he summarized as follows :— '* You will understand then that we take our stand. We are prepared to grant reasonable supply, and we are prepared to agree to pass the Loan Bill. In doing so we impose the following conditions :—That the new Parliament be called together at the earliest possible date, and the' supplies be granted for such time as will be necessary for that purpose and no longer. A further condition is that the Government will enter into no new contracts. The next condition is that the Governor will not be advised to exercise the Koyal prerogative of calling any person to the Legislative Assembly." Sir William also suggested that certain defects which had been proved to exist in various electoral rolls (the Bay of Islands for one) should be rectified prior to the forthcoming general election. Sir George Grey replied, in the course of his remarks stating that he would defy the Opposition to withhold supply. If they attempted to do so, not one of them would ever come back again to that House. Some discussion followed, and ultimately the motion " That the House go into Committee of Supply" was put and carried. In Committee the motion—"That Supply be granted to Her Majesty" was carried. On resuming, tlie House adjourned at 11.40 p.m. till Monday, at 2.30 p.m.