Yesterday’s Parliamentary.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume IV, Issue 324, 16 October 1875, Page 3

Yesterday’s Parliamentary.

[per press agency.] Wellington, Friday Evening. The House resumed in Committee on the Representation Bill, and sat until 3.40. Mr W. Kelly’s amendment fur making a new electoral district of Southern Fast Coast, and giving it one member, negatived by 43 to 22, and Napier having another member, agreed to. Mr Pike proposed that all new electorates be eliminated except Thames and Dunedin, which should each have another member, carried by 43 to 23. Mr Bryce moved that another member be given to Wanganui. The Minister of Justice opposed. Division—ayes, 29; noes, 25. Mr Andrews moved that an additional member be given to Waikato. After a long discussion, the amendment was lost by 29 to 28. Sir Di[lon Bell moved that Maiaura have another member. Lost by 32 to 26. Mr O’Conor moved for another member to the Buller. Negatived by 29 to 27. Mr Williams proposed that an additional member be given to the Bay of Islands and Mongonui, Negatived on the voices. Mr Swanson tried for another member for Newton, but lest by 31 to 19. Mr Wales moved for 3 extra members to Dunedin, and Mr Pyke for 2 extra, but both lost by 40 to 13. Sir George Grey proposed that the extra member for Timaru be struck out. Lost by 26 to 6. Mr Pyke moved that another member be given to Wakatapu. Lost by 84 to 21. An amendment by Mr Dignan that there should be two electoral districts in City of Auckland was accepted by the Government. Mr Ballance’s amendment, providing for the representation of Ministers, was withdrawn. Several attempts made to report progress, but negatived. Clause 5 as amended passed, and the Bill now stands at clause 6. The House met at 2.30.

The report of the Piako Swamp sale was read. It considered the sale a good one, and the road made through the swamp was of public utility ; at the same time it expressed regret that the regulations had not been in favour before the sale was effected.

The Representation Bill is to be recommitted, when Major Jackson will move for another member for the Waikato. Mr Tairoa asked whether the Government intended to restore any of the confiscated lands in the Waikato to Tawhiao and others. Sir Donald McLean said they would adhere to the law upon the matter. Mr Richmond made an effort to obtain for Evening Papers five hundred words during the day at evening rates, but Mr Reynolds refused, saying it would cause serious loss to the department, and that, by choking the

wires in business hours with Prtss work would interfere with and delay the t ran era lesion of private messages, which paid a very large rale, and would produce much dissatisfaction amongst the public. The thing bad been tried in England and exactly three results followed. Mr Pyke strongly urged the Commissioner to reconsider ins decision. Other business not of general interest. Major Atkinson gave notice to introduce a Bill to regulate the payment of honorarium to members.