PARLIAMENTARY.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 1014, 25 September 1877, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

Last Night's Proceedings.

Wellington, September 25. The education district boundaries were further discussed. A proposal to unite Otago and Southland was lost by 23 to 11. The Bill was then reported. The District Railways Bill was considered in committee, and the term for which companies enjoy railways before the Government can purchase was fixed at seven years. Mr Pyke proposed a new clause to allow County Councils to construct railways under the Bill. This was postponed, and progress reported. The Provincial Laws Evidence Bill was read a second time. Mr Reid briefly moved the seconding reading of the Settlements Works Advances Bill, explaining that its object was to allow the Government to expend money in opening up lands for settlement before sale. Mr Barff objected to the Bill, and declared the special settlements at Jackson's Bay and Karamea failures, and the money wasted on them. The Jackson's Bay land was not fit for cultivation. Before any more was spent a commission of inquiry should be appointed. It might be necessary to spend a little to keep the people from starvation. Mr Reynolds opposed the Bill, his previous experience showing that advances by the colony were never paid. Mr Macandrew thought the Bill gave the Government too great power. He had no objection to the House voting money for specific works to advance settlement. Mr Gisborne defended the Jackson's Bay settlement, which afforded a fair prospect of success. He supported the Bill. Dr Dr. Hodgkinson and Mr Wakefield opposed the Bill; Mr Manders supported it. Mr Montgomery would only support the Bill if the money under it was specially allocated by schedule, and not left to the Government. Mr Stout urged referring the Bill to the Waste Lands Committee. A better plan than it proposed would be to expend in roads a certain proportion of all the price received for land. The Bill was a confession that the county system was an utter failure to promote settlement as the provinces had done. Mr Rees said the Bill was a deliberate bid for votes, and proposed to place money at the disposal of the Government to buy members' votes, by giving them works in their districts. A more barefaced proposal was never made. The debate was adjourned, and the House rose at 12.45 a.m.