PARLIAMENTARY.

Feilding Star, Volume IX, Issue 148, 14 July 1888, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

[ PER TOOTED PREBS ASSOCIATION. | Wellington, July 12. The House met at 2.30. The Colonial Secretary brought up a report of the managers appointed for the Conference with the Legislative Council regarding the Chinese Immigrants Bill. The report was to the effect that the free conference had not been able to come to any agreement. Mr Fish asked whether the Government proposed to make any proposal on the subject. The Colonial Secretary said that he would rather not do so at present. Mr Pyke moved that the House go into committee on the Otago Central Bailway Bill. Mr J. McKenzie moved, as an amendment, that the Bill be commit* ted that day three months. Mr Fish supported the amendment, I and spoke at some length against the ! proposed line. Dr Fitchett opposed the amendment, and contended that Mr Fish's opposition was ill-timed, seeing that the House had affirmed the principle of constructing the line on the landgrant system. The Minister of Lands, speaking in the course of the discussion which ensued, said he wished it to be understood that the statements made in southern papers, to the effect that the Government supported this Bill, were incorrect, and the only basis for them was that the Attorney-General agreed last session to draw up a Bill for Mr Pyke. The members of the Cabinet, as a matter of fact, thought differently about the Bill, and the Government did not support it. Mr .Pyke, after combatting the arguments of thosp members who spoke against the Bill, said if the measure was defeated this session he would not bring it again; and the consequence would be that the Government would have to make the railway out of borrowed money — for made it must be. On division, the motion to go into committee was carried by 47 to 17, The House went into committee on the Bill. Clause 1, short title. — A motion by Mr J. McKenzie to strike out the word " railway" was lost by 35 to 8. Clause 2, interpretation of "con* tractors." — After a long discussion on. this clause, it was agreed to as printed by 21 to 12. Progress was reported, and the House rose at 2.45 a.m. July 13. The Mining Act Amendment Bill wa» committed on the voices by 47 to 10. The Hon. Mr Mitchelson moved the second reading of the Native L*ndFraud* Prevention Act Amendment BUI, the provisions of which he briefly explained. —Agreed to. .