PARLIAMENTARY ITEMS.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1413, 26 August 1878, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY ITEMS.

[Bt Telegeaph.] [feom the cobbespondknt of thb peess.] MESSES BAETON AND WHITAKER. Mr Barton did a graceful thing in the House last night. A few days ago, when speaking against Mr Whitaker’s Representation Bill, he attacked that gentleman very warmly, and expressed his opinion that the Bill was merely introduced “ to take the wind out of the sails of the Government,” and as a bait to catch the popular vote by promising to go further in a democratic direction than the Government measure. Last night Mr Barton said that from what he had since heard, both inside and outside the House, of the liberal mind and opinions of Mr Whitaker, as shown in a long political career, he was convinced that he had done the hon. member for Waikato an injustice, and ho therefore wished unreservedly to withdraw any imputation he might unwittingly and in ignorance have cast upon his motives, and he trusted that the hon, gentleman would accept the apology in the spirit in which it was given. OAMAED HAEBOE BIEL. A Bill has been introduced into Parliament by Mr Hislop, for giving power to the Harbor Board of Oamaru to borrow £200,000 at not more than 7 per cent. This amount is in addition to the sum of £IOO,OOO, for which the Board already possesses borrowing powers, thus making £300,000 as the sum which the Harbor Board of this township can borrow. SPECIAL JUEIES ACT. On Tuesday Colonel Whitmore is to move in the Legislative Council for leave to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to Alter in Certain Respects the Law Relating to Special Juries in Civil and Criminal Cases. HIGHKB EDUCATION, In the House of Representatives next Thursday, Mr Rees will move —" That in the opinion of this House there should be four seminaries for higher education or learning in the colony of New Zealand, with an efficient professorial staff in each such seminary, to be placed in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin. ” HAEBOE WORKS. Mr Rees has also given notice of the following resolution for Thursday next—“ 1. That in the opinion of this House all questions affecting the construction of harbor works in New Zealand should be dealt with in accordance with general rules and [on a general plan. 2. That no money vote should be made nor any landed endowment given for the construction of any such works in the colony until the opinion of a competent engineer had been obtained, approving of the proposed work.