PARLIAMENT.

Evening Star, Issue 4203, 16 August 1876, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

[Bv Thubobaph.] _ Wellington, August 16. : In the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon, , Bees gave notice to move, before going into Committee of Supply, that no appointment of Agent-General be made, with a view of giving the House an opportunity of considering the matter. Sir G. Grey gave notice that he would move, when the County Councils Bill came on for its second reading, that it be read a second time that day six months; also, that he would in the same way move that the Financial A rrangements Bill be read a second time that day six months. Mr Stout asked—-(1) Whether the Government consider that the Surveyor-General of the Colony should hold'the appointment of Chief Commissioner of Waste Lands for Otago ? (2) If not, if they will call upon him to resign his appointment as Chief Commissioner of Waste Lands ? Th* Hon. Major Atkinson did not consider it desirable that the Surveyor-General should hold the appointment referred to, and the Government were prepared to accept Mr Thomson's resignation. They looked upon the appointment as one of considerable importance.

Mr Seaton asked the Minister for Public Works whether the Government had an estimate prepared of the probable cost of harbor works at Timaru ?

The Hon. Mr Richardson said that sufficient details had not been laid before the Government to enable a reliable estimate of the probable cost of work to be arrived at, Mr Murray, asked what was the amount of; the contract for the Brunner suspension bridge, recently fallen, how much had been paid to the contractors, and when would the Government lay before the House a report showing the - cause of the bridge breaking down under its own weight ? The Hon. Mr Richardson-replied that the amount of the contract was L 6,630. Of this L 4,985 had been paid to the contractors, and.the coat of repairing the damage would be L 1,500. > The inquiry, was suspended,, pending the arrival of the- District Engineer. . :. , : The Riverton Harbor .Board Endowment Bill and the Otago Reserves Management Bill were introduced and read a first time.