GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Kumara Times, Issue 618, 20 September 1878, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

[press agency.] legislative COUNCIL. Wellington, September 18. In the Council to-day, Mr Wilson brought in the Clyde Athenaeum Bill, and after the transaction of some minor business, various Bills were committed. No progress was made with the impounding Bill, it being almost immediately reported. Smi clause of the Interpretation Bill, an effort was made by Mr Mantell to get words which validate past orders in Council which may have been irregular struck out. He was unsuccessful, and the clause passed. The Committee got through the Bill without any very material amendment. The Lands Claims Settlement Bill was then taken but progress was imediately reported, so that the alterations proposed could be printed. The Municipal Council Act now before the Council enables Corporations to establish gas works in opposition to existing companies. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Wellington, September 18. Mr Gisborne asked whether the Go- ■ vernment will, during the recess, send an engineer to examine and report on a line of railway from Hokitika, via Haast Pass, to the settled districts in Otago, and also to obtain from competent authority a report on extent and description of Crown lands which would be opened up by such railway, with a view to the reservation of sufficient land on both sides of it to defray the cost of constructing the line when authorised by Parliament. Mr Macandrew said that, during the recess, the Government would obtain all information they could regarding that tract of country ; at present it was a terra incognita. September 19. In reply to Mr Ormond, Mr Sheehan said he did not think it desirable to give the House information regarding the proposed railway from Waikato to Taranaki, and the particulars under which Rewi and other native chiefs agreed to the arrangement. If he gave such an answer as he might, it would have an unfavorable effect upon the negotiations now pending. In reply to Tawiti, Mr Sheehan said his proposals were not agreed to, but he would bring down a Bill bo increase Maori representation in the House. For the remainder of the sitting,' the House was in Committee on the-Electoral Bill, and passed it without material alteration from clauses 41 to 111 inclusive. ■ The House will probably adjourn early to-night in consequence of a ball at Government House. September 20. The House resumed in Committee last night on the Electoral Bill, and sat until ten minutes past 10, when the House adjourned. ... In clause 126, Public-houses to be closed on the day of poll. Mr Stout moved an amendment to make the clause apply to retail sales only, and close all houses within a mile of the electoral district during an election. He said the principle worked well in the United States, and there could be no harm in closing public houses one day in three or five years as the case might be. After a long discussion, the clause was struck out, the division list being—Ayes, 22; Messrs Baigent, Brandon, Bryce, Douglas, Feldwick, George, Gibbs, Hobbs, Hodgkinson, McLean, Montgomery, Murray, Rees, Saunders, Stout, Thomson, Wakefield, Wallis, Whitaker, Wood, Woolcock, Noes, 31 : Messrs Barff (teller), Barton, Beetham, Browne J. 0., Bunny, Curtis, Digan, Gisborne, Hamlin, Hursthouse, Johnston, Joyce, Kelly, Kenny, Macandrew, Moss, Murray-Aynsley, Ormond, Pyke, Reeves, Rowe, Seaton, Seymour, Sharp, Sheehan, Stevens, Swanson, Tairoa, Teschemaker, Tole, Turnbull. Pair—Ayes, Richardson ; Noes, Pox. The only other amendment was in filing the hour for closing the poll at six o’clock instead of eight. ' ( The House adjourned at 10.10 p.m.