PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2254, 23 June 1881, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

[By Tblbgbath.] fpnOM THE OWN COBRESPONDENT OF THE (i WELLINGTON, June 22. In the Legislative Council to-day Dr, Menzies presented a petition from the Bible in Schools Association, signed inter alia by Thomas Dick. The prayer of the petition is for Bible reading in schools with a conscience clause.

The report of the Government Printing Department has been laid on the table. The department now consists of forty-seven rooms, twenty-seven of which are occupied by printing, fifteen stationery, and five lithographic. 110 men are employed as against 185 in June, and the working hours extend from forty to forty-five hours weekly. A reduction in price of a penny per thousand for piece work has been made. Many improvements have been made in arrangements and appliances. The total value of work done in printing and binding was £25,580 for the calendar year 1880, compared with £26,826 for the previous year. The value of orders sent to England for the stationery store has decreased to £7883 as against £9643 for the preceding year, and £12,904 for the year before that. The receipts from the sale of official publications were £1277, as against £BB7 in 1879, and £668 in 1878. In 1880, forty-two tons of waste paper were shipped to England at £5 9s to £7 9s per ton ; thirteen tons were sold in the colony at £4. Prior to 1879, the store salaries were £905, and the rental £100; now the salaries are £624, and the rental nil, the saving being 38 per cent. Eegarding the printing office in Lyttelton Gaol, the report says that the value of the work done is £322 for the first three months of this year. The work is generally creditably executed, the books and forms for the Railway Department being done with neatness and accuracy, and the binding is equal to the work of private offices. A report laid on the table of the Lower House, on the motion of Mr Gisborne, shows the population of the colony to be 489,702 in 1881, as compared with 414,412 in 1878 9. Of the increase, 49,703 is due to the excess of births over deaths, and 17,243 to Government immigrants, of whom 16,663 were imported wholly at the public cost. The population residing within corporate boroughs is 251,384, as against 163,028 in 1878; and residing outside boroughs 294,338, as against 195,364 in 1878. The report of the Controller and AuditorGeneral, and the statement of outstanding liabilities on March 31st, has boon laid before Parliament. The total outstanding liabilities under the consolidated fund amounted to £203,894 ; and under the public works fund, £1,585,512 ; the grand total being £1,789,407. He adds a note to the effect that while the unexpended balance of the vote for Native land purchases was £66,651, the liabilities amounted to £997,723, for which, apparently there is no Parliamentary authority. Mr Richardson’s Harbor Act Amendment Bill makes various technical amendments in the Harbor Act, 1878, and provides that leases of land which have been offered for sale by auction under section 138, and not sold, may be sold by private contract, at not less than upset price. Harbor Boards may contribute to Sailor Homes and public libraries, but not to any institution of sectarian charities, or which are not open to all seafaring men. It repeals sections Bto 13, inclusive of the Lyttelton Harbor Board Land Act. The statutes revision commission have prepared seventeen consolidation Bills, absorbing eighty-three Acts from the Statute Book, namely, companies, crown suits, Customs laws consolidation, Customs duties consolidation, diseased cattle, employment of females, and others. Fishery, friendly societies, inspection of machinery, lunatic, parliamentary privileges, post office, public domains, public reserves, public trust office, public , works, and volunteers. Regarding the ComAct, the commission say that they have prepared a Bill embodying the provisions of the English Bill, so far as are applicable to the circumstances of the colony. They wore not able to deal with criminal law consolidation in time for this session.

It is expected that the financial statement will bo delivered cither on Friday, July Ist, or on Tuesday week, July sth. This is the time I have throughout indicated as probable, but I believe the matter is not yet finally decided. I hear that there is some likelihood of the Local Public Works and Finance Bill being brought down first, with a view of giving the House ample time to digest the proposals. The result of this afternoon’s division on Mr Andrews’ motion has created some com* ment, as showing the want of discipline in the Ministerial ranks, owing to the absence of an organised Opposition, which leaves members free to vote ac they choose. Even one of the whips was absent when the division took place.

There is still no sign of fight on the part of the Oppmition members, and both sides have combined to push on the Licensing Bill as fast as possible.

I understand that the Representation Bill is almost ready ar.d will probably be introduced either on Friday or Tuesday, but the second reading may be postponed until considerably lat-r, unless the House desire to go on at once. A long and bitter struggle on the Bill, and an eager scramble over the schedules, is doomed inevitable. X hear that the modifications in the last Bill, necessitated by the census, are not very material.