PARLIAMENTARY INCIDENTS.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 1076, 8 December 1877, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY INCIDENTS.

[from the correspondent of the press.] Wellington, December 7. Supplementary Estimates were brought down last night for £192,000, consisting principally of sums for roads, bridges, and jetties, in districts represented by Ministers and their supporters. The only votes for Canterbury are iu Mr Montgomery’s district. There has been a great row in the Upper House, both last night and to-day, about disqualification. Under the Act of last year Mr Rees and Mr Bunny would he enabled to take appointments as having been members of a Provincial Executive. In the Bill this session a clause was introduced disqualify ing these on the same terms with other members, against the wish of the Government. In the Upper House, after the second reading, Colonel Whitmore had the Bill removed from the order paper, so that the clause might not be passed. The Hon. Mr Mantell then moved the committal of the Bill, saying that he would take charge of it. On Colonel Whitmore finding this, he said it was not his intention to drop it, but to commit at some future date, and he has since given notice of the insertion of a new clause, but will not take the committal before the prorogation. The question will probably be raised again in the House to-night as to whether Mr Mantell can take charge of the Bill. If he can, it will be passed in spite of the Government. For fear of the Bill passing, Mr Rees and Mr Bunny bad already resigned their seats, to be appointed Attorney-General and Commissioner of Annuities, but withdrew them to-day, so as to vote on future questions, and they will resign before the Bill is assented to. There is a question as to how the salary of the AttorneyGeneral will be paid, as it is not voted, and the House would not look on it with pleasure. Further additional estimates are being brought down this evening. Only the Appropriation Bill is left before the House, and some conferences with the Council. The Council has rejected the homestead clause in the Waste Lands Bill, and at present insists on its amendments. The Lands and Mines Bills were passed, but the Otago Local Railway Bills will probably be thrown out. Some'members of the Council talk of opposing the Appropriation Act till the Disqualification Bill be brought forward again. 8 p.m. Mr Stout has just moved that the House agrees with the amendments of the Legislative Council in the Waste Lands Sale Bill, The Supplementary Estimates, No. 2, have just been printed. They amount to £300,000, and provide £50,000 for works required to open lands for settlement. Canterbury gets the smallest amount on the list—£3ooo— Auckland gets £IO,OOO. There is a sum of £40,000 for Auckland counties to make up for the percentage of land fund to &outbern counties, and it is called a provincial liability.