PARLIAMENTARY

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume VI, Issue 534, 26 August 1881, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY

I FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, August 25. The "stonewalling" of the Redistribution of Seats Bill commenced on Tuesday afternoon and was continued for 24 Hours when progress was allowed to be made. The clauses in the Bill up to the schedule passed without amendment, but there was a new clause introduced by Mr Sheehan, giving lease-holders the right to vote which was strongly objected to by many on two grounds—one, that it would give property undue privileges, the freeholder and the leaseholder being entitled in consequence of these clauses to vote on account of one piece of land, and secondly, because such a clause should not hud a place in the Redistribution of Seats Bill, but in a Qualification of Electors Bill. The clause was agreed to, but as many members were absent at the time, two o'clock in the morning, there will be a determined opposition to proceeding further with the Bill if the clause be retained, 1 believe the Government will give way and have the clause rescinded. If not a number of the members wdio were supporting the Bill will vote against it on the third reading. There is further tdk of stonewalling the schedules, but this may be only talk. The Akaroa High Sc'.iool Bill passed through all its stages and was read a third time to-day and forwarded to the Council.