PARLIAMENTARY ITEMS.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1817, 17 December 1879, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY ITEMS.

[By Telegraph.] [PBOM OUB COBBESPONDENTB.] WELLINGTON, December 16. The proceedings in the House of Representatives last night were remarkable, and such as the oldest aiember had never seen before. At times the Government seemed to bo quite prostrated, but at midnight they looked more erect, more strong, and more healthy than they had ever appeared to be before. All this came to pass over the Property Tax Bill. Mr Hutchison attacked the Bill. Sir George Grey made a very feeble speech against it, and his nephew made it a field on which to practise that oratory of which the Grey organs have lately assured him that the House ought not to be deprived. But everything went morrily on tho secsnd reading, which was carried by a majority of nineteen, Messrs Montgomery, Moas, Pyke, Shanks, and Ireland voting with the Government. In Committee the Treasurer stated that the penny was as little as the Government could do with, and that in consequence of tho exemptions that had been made in the Property Assessment Bill, even the penny in the £ rate would leave them with a deficit. Mr Dick, a very sincere supporter of the Government, but one who always takes his own independent course, without consulting any one, proposed to reduce the penny to a half-penny, aad thirteen of the warmest Government supporters went with him, leaving the Government in a minority of twelve. Things then looked serious. Mr DeLautour repeated his nsual assertions, that the Government never meant to carry the tax, and had got thoir supporters to vote againßt it. Mr J. C. Brjwn made some of his usually amiable and able remarks. Mr Shrimski gesticulated in great glee. Mr Sheehan told the Colonial Treasurer what ho had said about tho late Government when they wore defeated on the beer tax, and did not resign, and Mr Montgomery had a little Buy of his own sort about it. Mr Swanson said that if the Government did not put down their foot and stand by the penny, he should corsidor himself fooled and misled by them, and Mr Saunders and Mr Wakefield asked the Greyitea what had become of their loud pretences to put the burdens of the country on tho shoulders best able to tear it. The effect on tho House was magical. Tho friends of the Government rallied back to them at once, and gave up any crotchets of their own. The Bill was there and then recommitted, and the penny/that had been struck out by a majority of: twelve, was restored within two hours by a majority of sixteen.

The following are the powers the Governmentipropoae to ask for with regard to District "Railways :—"The Governor may from time to time agree with any District Railway Company, whose railway may be constructed or in course of construction, or who may have imported rails or rolling stock for the Baid railway, for the purchase of the company's interest in such railway or rails, or rolling stock, and to pay for the same out of

the monoys to be appropriated from time to time by Parliament for that purpose; and may pay for such railway, so far as it may be incomplete or unfinished, or any part thereof may be completed and finished, all and any money so to be appropriated as aforesaid from time to time by Parliament j provided that nothing herein contained shall bo construe 1 to compel the completion of the whole or any pait if any such railway. TheDistrictßailways Act, 1877, except sections 75 to 85, both inch sire, and the District Rail »ays Act, 1877, Amendment Act, 1878, except sections 9 and 22 thereof, are repealed, and the aforesaid unrepealed sections shall be deemed to apply to all railways purchased by tho Government under the thirtietb'section of this Act; and all powers granted and duties imposed by the said sections upon Borough or County Councils in relation to levying of rates, are hereby granted and imposed upon the Minister for Publi?. Works ; and the said unrepealed section shall be read, in so far as it is not inconsistent with the context, as if the words " Minister for Public Works " hod been inserted therein instead of " Borough Council " or " County Council," whenever the same respectively occur in tho said sections. When any railway purchased by the Governor under the provisions of the 30fch section of this Act is completed in part only by the Government, the Minister shall have the name powers of levying rates within the district beneficially affected by such partial completion as ho would have in respect of such district where the railway was wholly completed."