ABOUT THE LOBBIES.

Evening Star, Issue 4237, 25 September 1876, Page 3

ABOUT THE LOBBIES.

The Mail Service Committee have re ported, recommending—l. That the service should be direct from San Francisco to Sydney, via Honolulu, Bay of Islands, or Auckland. 2. That the coastal service be ten knots, and be performed by a private company, appooved of by the Government. 3. That the subsidy te reduced LIO.OOO. 4. That the offer of Mr Cunningham, to pay LIO,OOO in satisfaction of claims under the Hall-Forbes contract, be accepted. The report, which is to be considered to-night, is likely to be adopted, though some of the Otago aud Canterbury members will oppose it strongly. To the Municipal Bill large additions were made, including the following:—" If in any proceedings by information at the suit of the Attorney or Solicitor-General it is decided that the Council of any Borough has wrongfully oriillegally disposed of any of the real or personal property of the Borough, or has applied the same to any purpose to which it was not applicable, or that the Council has permitted any of the reserves, the management of which is vested in the Borough, to be used for purposes uot authorised by law, or if by any such proceedings the Council is restrained from doing any puch things, then it shall not be lawful for the Council to pay out of the Borough funds any costs or other expenses arising out of such proceedings, or incurred in doing the things to which sueh pro. cecdings relate, but the Court shall order that the members of the Council, who by voting or otherwise assented to the illegal acts complained of, shall pay all such costs and expenses." The following items are from Saturday's' Press* : Extravagant rumors were abroad about Otago members departing disgusted, and a caucus held today was magnified inlo a meeting to discuss the subject. "Whatever figment of truth there may have been as to intentions, the resolution was to remain and discuss closely the items of the Estimates.

The extra payment voted to members means an additional vote of LC.466. Correspondence will shortly, it is expected, be published, showing that Mr Coleman Philips' claim as author of the Polynesian scheme is anything but what it was represented to be. The Was : o Lands Committee is said to have recommerdeda considerable increase in the price of land. This was initiated by some O ago members proposing an increase of the price iu Auckland, and it became a case of a Boland for an Oliver all rouud.