PARLIAMENTARY ITEMS.

Dunstan Times, Issue 428, 1 July 1870, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY ITEMS.

OnTuesdiy, the 14th Jun°, his Excellency delivered his opening speech..' Oh .the ICth the preliminary business of appointing committees was gone into., and Mr. Carrington, the newly elected member for Omata, moved the address in reply. A Committee was then appointed to report on the address. The report was brought up, read, and agreed to, after which his Excellency was waited upon to ascertain when he would receive the address. Mr. Mervyn's Bill to amend the Goldfields Act was brought up, reae a first time, and ordered to be printed. On the 17th, in the Legislative Council, the following Bills were brought in and read a first time: “The Letters Patent Act Amendment Bill;” “ The Wellington and Hawkes’ Bay Public Debt and Apportionment Act Extension Bill,” and “The Punishment for High Treason Bill” was read a second time, and third time, and passed. In the House of Representatives, his Excellency received the address in reply, and made reply. “ The Otago Educational Reserves Bill” and “ The Election by Ballot Bill” were read a first time and ordered to be printed, and “The.Municipal Corporations Bill,” which sought to give special power to Borough Councils to levy a rate for the support of Fire Brigades was read a first time. Mr. Vogel moved for the for* mation of a Committee to take into consideration all questions relating to th. Goldfields. The following additional Items we take from the “ Daily Times ”, telegrams. O n the I9th, Colonel Haul tain applied for returns, shewing the total sum expended for defence, the arms issued to the natives the number of Natives employed, nnd : .the cost of provisions supplied them, and the amount of money paid them. 22nd—The Ballot Bill was read a second time, it was opposed by Mr. Carleton and Mr. Hall. 23rd—Mr. Richmond brought in a Bill, for the protection of married women, he proposed to place married women in the same position with respect to the control of their property, as if they were unmarried. Mr. M‘6illivray gave notice that he would move, —“ That in the opinion of this House, the Imperial Government has failed in its duty to the Colony. 24th— The Otago Educational Reserves Abandonment Bill has passed through the House. Mr. J. C. Brown to-day moved for leave to introduce a Bill to repeal the Otago Hundreds Regulation Act. Mr. Macandrew, who had just given notice for next week -that he would introduce a Bill to amend the same Act, objected to Mr. Brown’s motion being taken before his. Mr. Reynolds and Mr. Vogel also opposed the motion. The latter suggested that the previous question should be moved, in order to shelve the motion Mr. Stafford suggested the adjournment of Mr Brown’s motion, until Mr; Macandrew’s had been disposed of. He said what w’as wanted was a complete revision of the existing system* so as to withdraw from the runholders the exclusive occupation of the land, to release them from their ruinous rent, and to throw the whole country open for selection to those who wished to buy land at a fair price. Mr. Haughton said that he agreed with every word spoken by Mr. Stafford, and moved the adjournment of the debate for a week, which was agreed to.