PARLIAMENT.

Evening Star, Issue 4188, 29 July 1876, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

[By Telegbafh.]

Wellington, July 29. In the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon,

The report upon the inquiry into the Eastern Maori Electoral District was read. It recommends that Kar&itiana Takamoana, having been duly elected, be allowed to take his seat in the House.

Mr Thomson asked if it was intended to extend the line of te'egraph to sCatlin's Barer by -way of Port. Molyneux ajid the Nuggets?. ■ The Hon. "Mr G. M'Lean admitted the desirability of the extension asked for, and stated that Mr Lemon had been instructed t j make :the necessary inquiries into the inatter, tod he would probably be aible to Jet the hon. member know the intentions of the Government ata later period of the? session.

v Regarding clause 6 (juries to be allowed fire and refreshment), a good deal of discussion ensued as to whether jurymen should *be alcoholicJiauor as4*afc»slunent. An amendment haying been "propoied'that I alcoholic refreshments should be excluded, 1 .A-division was taken, and the amendment was negatived by 37 to 24. .^ Mr Reid thought a juryman who could not arrive at a decision without alcoholic refreshmerit ought *to be struck off the roD. Mr Stout said it was a new and extraordinary duty to impose upon a Judgej' of deciding what was reasonable refreshment. Mr Whitaker proposed to leave out the words " refreshment procured at th<efr own expense," and substitute "procured by the. sheriff at the public expense." This being with a view to give the Judge controlling Eoweras to the amount of refreshment to e supplied. The amendment was agreed to. On clause 71 (intimation when the Jury are not unanimous), Mr Macfarlau© moved that, in civil cases, two-thirds of the Jury should be able to return a verdict. After some, further discussion, proere«s was reported. The Hon. Major Atkinson announced that the Premier was unwell, and could not 'attend in his place that evening, but -hoped he would be able to attend on Tuesday. This placed the Government at some disadvantage in regard to Mr Whitaker's motion. They therefore proposed that the-member for Waikato should go on with his motion, so far as making a speech, and that then the' debase be adjourned till Tuesday. However, if this did net meet the wish of the House, the Government would be prepared to go on with the debate at once. In Committee on the Municipal Corporations Bill, commencing at clause 106, all intermediate clauses up to 130 were passed without any material alteration. Progress was reported, and the Bouse rose at 5.30.

Upon resuming last evening at 7.30, the debate on Mr Whitaker's resolutions was postponed till Tuesday. The House went into Committee upon the Municipal Corporations Act at clause 131, and remained so occupied till 12.30, when the adjournment took place. Two clauses in particular excited a great deal of discussion. The first clause, proriding for allowing Councils fco borrow or issue debentures equal in amount to ten times the rates of the preceding year. The Government wanted it limited to twice the ameunt, and consented to make it three times, but Mr Lusk got the clause amended by the insertion of the words five times.

Clause 170, which provides for the Coun. cilletting municipal property inlands and buildings by way of lease for twenty-one years, occupied several hours. Various amendments were proposed, such as allowing councils to lease for 33, 42, 66, and 99 years. The arguments on one side were that property increased so rapidly in value in the Colonies that a long lease was favorable to speculators. On the other hand it was argued that lessees would not ereot good buildings on short leases, aud the munic ir palities would lose in rates. There not being much chance of arriving at a decision for several progress was reported, and the House adjourned at 9.65 a.m.