LAST NIGHT’S SITTING.

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 712, 30 September 1876, Page 3

LAST NIGHT’S SITTING.

The House continued nearly all night upon the Counties Bill. The miners’ right franchise was carried by 51 against 14. It was agreed by 54 to 18 that the county chairman should be elected by the ratepayers. Sir G. Grey made an attempt for Manhood Suffrage, but was defeated by 42 against 11. At clause 53 progress was reported. Before adjourning Mr Wakefield asked permission to make a statement. _He accepted the responsibility of the articles which had appeared in the Timaru Herald. and expressed regret for them. He had himself suffered from the most unfair accusations from the Press, and he trusted the present occurrence would tend to prevent a treatment of members of that House, by the Press, that almost amounted to intimidation. For himself he withdrew all imputations in the articles, without qualifi cation, bitterly regretting them, and threw himself on the generosity of the House, After some discussion, Mr Joyce, the member who might have felt most aggrieved at the article in the Timaru Herald , said that the manner in which the House had taken up his case, and expressed its satisfaction with the apology of Mr Wakefield, quite satisfied him. Except as regarded the honor of the House, he had no feelings of irritation to sooth. Mr Whitaker proposed that the apology be accepted, and the order made in reference to the matter be discharged. Mr Rees seconded, and the motion was unanimously agreed to. The Speaker said the way the House accepted Mr Wakefield’s apology did it infinite credit.—The House adjourned at 2.15.

POLITICAL NEWS. (From a correspondent of the Press ) The Timaru Herald, or rather the supposed author of a certain article therein, has been the sole subject of discussion and talk this afternoon. Mr Larnach went as far as to move that the article be read, and that it was a breach of privilege, but he stopped at that point, and Mr Pyke took up the subject by moving that the printer, publisher, and proprietor be summoned to the bar of the House, but the Premier then interposed by moving the adjournment of the discussion till Wednesday. The majority of members ridiculed interference with the comments of the press, but the remarks chiefly pointed at a particular member, and the object apparently is to extract a confession and apology. Another article in the same paper reflecting on Mr Joyce, of Southland, was also made a second question of privilege, Meanwhilo the House is proceeding with the Counties Bill in committee.

The Waste Lands Bill, as amended by the waste lands committee, has been printed. Several amendments have been made, and now clauses added, the majority of the latter relating to lands' in Otago. The sum to be paid to members of Boards for attendance is fixed at £1 for each occasion, with travelling expenses actually occurred. Town lands, as well as rural and suburban, may be set aside for sale on deferred payments, the selector being limited to one class of land and one allotment, and to reside on the same for two years. In Hawke’s Bay the price of land is proposed to be further increased from 15s to 20s ; in Wellington from 10s to 20s at auction, and from 20s to 25s for selection ; in Nelson from 10s to 20s ; in Marlborough from 10s to 20s for pastoral land, and from 10s to 15s for other land ; in Canterbury it is proposed to continue the price at 40s, but to put the land up to auction where there are two or more applicants; in Otago the price is 25s for rural lands, and 20s at an altitude of 1500 feet instead of 12s 6d at an altitude of 1200 feet; in Westland the price proposed is 25s in twenty acre blocks, and 20s instead of 12s 6d in special hundred acre blocks. The clauses relating to Otago specify that pastoral lands may be surveyed into blocks of 5000 acres or less, and sold on deferred payments to individual purchasers at 20a per acre, personal residence being impeFoll'owing are the amended and new clauses relating to the price of land in Canterbury as contained in the Bill sent down by the waste lands committee Price of land—B2. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act or in the Canterbury Waste Lands Regulations and Acts, the price of land shall be not less than forty shillings per acre, but in all cases where two or more applications are made on the same day for the same parcel of land, the said land shall be sold by public auction at an upset price of not less than forty shillings per acre. New clause—B3. The Board shall have power to set apart blocks of land as land of special value, which land shall be sold by public auction in lota of not exceeding one hundred acres at an upset price of not less than sixty shillings per acre. The first clause relating to the rent of runs is amended as follows :—7O. The annual rent to be paid on and after the first day of May, one thousand eight hundred and eighty, in respect of every run held under the provisions of any Waste Lands Actsor regulations in force within the land district of Canterbury shall be determined by assessment to be made by the Waste Lands Board not later than December, 1879, and to be fixed until the year 1890. Clauses 89, 90, and 71 in original Bill are struck out, and 92 and 73 amended as follows ;• “71. If any holder of a depasturing license shall on or before the first day of May, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine give notice in writing to the Waste Lands Board at Christchurch that he is desirous of holding his license at the rent determined as hereinbefore provided, and shall on or before the first day of May, one thousand eight hundred and eighty, pay the first years rent, together with the cost of the assessment (to be fixed by the Waste Lands Board) such holder shall be entitled from thenceforth to hold his run -ns from the said first day of May, one thousand eight hundred and eighty, until the first day of May, one thousand eight hundred and ninety, at the rent so determined, and thereafter the depasturing license shall absolutely cease and determine.’’ 72. If the holder of any depasturing license for a run, the rent of which shall have been determined as hereinbefore provided shall fail on or before the first day of May, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine, to give the notice and to make the payments specified in the last proceeding section, he shall, nevertheless, continue to hold his existing depasturing license until the first day of May, one thou sand eight hundred and eighty , and thereafter the run shall be dealt with in any manner the General Assembly shall direpj.”