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Auckland Star, Volume I, Issue 214, 15 September 1870, Page 2

Wellington, Monday, 4 p.m. The Governor has received no despatches relative to the European war or anything else, by the present mail, so that the prorogation of parliament will take place tomorrow. The Government, in order to avoid prolonging the session, have brought down an amendment on the Public AVorks and Loan Bill, enabling thorn to negotiate with the Imperial Treasury for tho one million guaranteed loan, and to give it any priority which may be found desirable. The Government also brought down a temporary loan bill authorising the raising of £5 '0,000 at any rate of interest, to be fixed by the Governor iv Council. This loan is intended to be applied to the purposes of Defence ; Telegraphic .Extensions ; Railways ; Waterworks ; Surveys; North Island Roads ; Purchase of Native Lands, and Refunds to Ordinary Revenue. If the European war lasts, no new or extensive public wcrks will be undertaken, as it is quite possible that the House will be called together again soon. If tho war lasts the Government will not dissolve the present House until all thiugs are prepared for a new election. Messrs. Stafford and Richmond thought that the sum asked for was too large, and advocated a short prorogation, so that in case of emergency, the House could be readily reassembled. The Government expressed a great unwillingness to prorogue at all during the crisis which has arisen, but believed it impossible to keep the House together any longer. Mr. Stafford moved an amendment that the loan be £400,000. Mr. Vogel positively refused to accept any reduction. Mr. Stafford decline! the responsibility of pressing his amendment to a division. Mr. Fitzherbert supported the Government proposal, and ultimately the bil: was passed. Great anxiety is expressed as to the probable effect of a European war on this colony. The House has refused to accept the amendments of the Legislative Council on the Railway Bill. A conference between both Houses is now going on. The bill will probably be shelved. The rifle contest between thirty English and thirty Australian Volunteers, the preliminaries of which were arranged in the early purt of the present year, has now been brought to a close, and the result i_ a victory for the English side by 129 points. The Australian volunteers fired at Sydney, and subsequently forwarded the scores made to England, on the receipt ol which, without, however, opening the sealed envelope till after they had fired, the English riflemen held their contest at the range at Avonmouth. The result, as stated above, was a majority for the English side.