PARLIAMENTARY ITEMS.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1449, 8 October 1878, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY ITEMS.

[By Telegraph.] [from the correspondent op the press. 1 THE IMPOUNDED LAND FUND. Tho Government wrote on Saturday to the Hon. John Hull proposing a mode of settlement of the impounded Canterbury surplus land fund. The terms offered by tho Government are not so favorable as those recommended by the Public Accounts Committee, which recommended that all the money withheld should be paid over to the local bodies. The Government proposes to put the bonds, repres»nting the £ 100,000 deducted from the land fund to cover the advance made from the consolidated fund to take up the Lyttelton Harbor Loan, under -the Consolidated Stock Act, so that the money may be set free to pay over to the local bodies, and when tl ; o money is obtained to make the payments Tho Government propose, however, to pay over at once the .£50,000 or thereabouts retained to meet rectifications that might be found necessary in past surveys, .and to keep about .£70,000 to cover surveys of Crown lands sold prior to tho 31st December, 1877. It is understood that, although members from Canterbury districts do not admit the justice of retaining this .£70,009, they do not think it likely that they could successfully fight the Government upon it in tho present state of parties. Whatever, part of the =£70,000 which may not be required, for tho surveys for which it is to be'held, is to be ultimately paid to the, local bodies when the cost of the surveys has been ascertained. A deputation of Canterbury members will wait on Ministers, probably to-morrow or on Tuesday, to convoy the reply which they have generally agreed to on the proposals.