PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2032, 28 August 1880, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

[FROM OTTB OW2T COEBE3PONDENT.J WELLINGTON, August 26. There was a fierce diacuesion this afternoon on the second reading of the Financial Arrangements Bill, which pro-rides that in lieu of subsidies to County and Borough Councils, Road and River Boards, under Financial Arrangements Act, 1876 77, these shall be paid out of the consolidated fund during the nine months of the current financial year, from July Ist to March 31st inclusive in respect of all general rates during tho year ending 31st March last in sums as follows :—To each Borough Council, 7a 6d for every £1 of general rates ; Road and River Boards and County Councils 7s 6d for erery £1 of general rates received, or 7s 6d for every £1 on the total of the sum so received by all Roadßoarda or parts of Road Boards within the county, whichever of the two sums is greater, provided that in any county where no Boad Board exists, or in reßpect of the general rates levied in any part of the county not included in tho road district, there BhaU be paid to tho Council 15s for every £ of the general rates received. The sums payable out of the consolidated fund quarterly to each county out of the land revenne accruing therein under section 6 of the aforesaid Act shall cease to be payable from the Ist day of April last. All enactments repugnant to the foregoing provisions so far as repugnant are repealed. In reference to the deficiency of £IOO,OOO in the departmental account?, which was brought under the notice of Parliament by the Minister for Publie Works, it is found, on further inquiry, that this alarming statement will probably resolve itself into a Bimple difference in the way of making up the accounts in the Public Works department. It was in the latter that the deficiency was alleged to exist, and it is said that tho whole affair will turn out to be founded mainly on variations in the market price of iron. For instance, rails imported by the Public Works department in one year would be put down at a certain value, but by the time they wc-re tranferred to the railway department the price might have enormously increased, as was tho fact a year or two ago, and as the rails were charged at tho market value it might appear to anyone not expert in auditing accounts that the same rails had been put down at different values for some improper reason. I do not say that this is the actual explanation of the alleged discrepancy, but from wha I have been able to learn, it seems likely tha such will prove to be the case. It is expected that the session will prac cally terminate on Saturday, although formal prorogation will not take plaoe bef o Monday or Tuesday. August In the House to-day Mr Pyke gave not to move on going into Committee of Supply—- " That in the opinion of tho Houbo itwa desirable that the northern and Midd Islands should be elected into separ colonies, and a committee appointed to

"faring the reoess to consider and report upon the allocation of the colonial debt, and the conditions subject to which the Customs, .1 Post, and Telegraph charges shall be allocated to each island." The motion, of oourse, has not the ghost of a ohance of being carried. The evidence taken by the Commissioners in the matter of Mr Taiaroa's disqualification, and laid on the table of the Tipper House, is of a novercharacter. According to Mr Lewis, the Under-Secretary of the Native Department, Mr Taiaroa never sent in his resignation as Native Assessor. He had refunded a portion of the salary which he had drawn while a member of the Legislative Council. A minute from Mr Sheehan, dated 6th October, 1879, on this point runs thus: —" Approved so far aa the pension is oonoerned, as I consider Taiaroa's case exceptional. Ho vas not a new member in auch a sense as to justify his being compelled to abandon his position as assessor. No doubt law is clear, and technically he has no chance but to resign." Sir G. Grey states that the question of disqualification was not one that ho considered himself bound to look closely into, believing it rested with the Native Department. He approved of the appointment of Mr Taiaroa, who he considered as perhaps the best qualified Native in the colony for office. , , In the Legislative Counoil .yesterday the West Coaßt Settlement, Stamp Aot Amendment, Stamp Fee, and Electrio Telegraph Amendment Bills were read a second time. Mr Waterhouse, speaking on the Stamp Amendment Bill, deplored the excessive zeal of the Government to have everything stamped. Mr Waterhanse expressed a serious apprehension that, if the Government continued to progress in that direction it would, not be long before every oitizm was compelled under tremendous legal penalties to wear an adhesive stamp on his back. The Council 10-day have commenced to show their teeth by throwing out the Succession Duties Bill, and it is said that aeveral other Government Bills will be aimilarly treated, on the ground that at this late period of the session it is impossible to give them the due consideration which their importance demands. Some apprehension prevails lest a deadlock may thus be brought about even at the last moment, otherwise it is expected that the business will be got through in another sitting and the final prorogation take place on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday next. Members are now leaving by each steamer. A good many will go to-morrow by the Hawea and Hinemoa, and nearly all the remainder by the Arawata on Monday, barring unforeseen contingencies. In the House last night, the Public Revenues and Customs Duties Bills were read a second time without debate and committed, together with the Financial Arrangements Bill. The first two were read a third time and passed, but on the latter talk against time commenoed at 12 30, on the question that it be read a third tune. At 2.15 this morning the opponents gave way and allowed the Bill to be read a third time and passed. Today was mostly occupied with the Wellington Harbor Board Eadowmont and Public Works Bills, and thore was as much waste of time as usual.

In the Council to-day Colonel Whitmore alluded to the probability of his early departure from the colony.