GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Kumara Times, Issue 651, 29 October 1878, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

I [press agency.] ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. ; _ Wellington-, October 28. 1 The business at the evening sitting on Saturday was comparatively unimportant. Mr Fox made a personal explanation as a reply to certain remarks which appeared in the New Zealander, connecting him with Broomhall and the Aroha block, saying that although he had been in the

colony- 35 years, he never inquired an acre of land for speculative pirposes. He expressed regret that the arrangement with Broomhall had been brieiu off, aa he considered, if carried out it would have been great service to the lolony. Mr Sheehan ct the con* trary, the colony would'tejftce at the termination of the matter. A.ny delay that occurred he-attributed-tojlr Broomhall. Any way the Thames people had been waiting for this block fo! years. It had been several times promisid them by Messrs M'Lean and Vogel, anc the colony had no occasion to tout for' pople to occupy their land.. In any case .here would be no loss entailed,' uppn the olony. The House adjourned at 9.5). The conference between loth Houses regarding the Electoral Bill wa adjourned till this morning, not having tgreed. The House met at 2 p.m. to-day. Mr Stout presented the report of the conference on the Disqualifcation Bill, which was agreed to. The Supplementary Estimates were brought down by message. * In reply to Mr Murray, Sir George Grey said the Government had already the Drainage Bill printed, and would distribute it among agricultural associations and local bodies during the recess. In reply to Mr Hislop, Mr Sheehan said the GoyemmentTrould consider the advisability of appointing of appointing another Judge, so that quarterly sittings of the Court may be held at Ashburton, Timaru, Oamarn, Invercargill, Lawrence, and other places where business may warrant it, and of thus obviating the necessity of having sittings of the District Court at, those places. He also said the Government intended to take into consideration the whole _ question, of the organisation of bench judges. October 29. At the evening sitting yesterday, an attempt was made to put the Wellington Reclaimed Land Sales Bill through; committee, but it met with a good deal of opposition, and was finally shelved,, by 34 to 32. , ,;/; ■ The consideration of the report of the conference on the Electoral Bill wait postponed until to-day. The Native Land Act Amendment Bill was read a second time. After a long and very animated vdebate that the House go into committee on the introduction of Native Laws into the bill, it was thrown out on the motion of Captain Russell by 47 to 21. The Native Land Act Amendment Billa were, through committee^'amended and passed. ' ■'■=''■ ; '• The Financial Arrangements Bill was read a second time, and. put through committee, when The House went into Committee of Supply, and, after passing a few items* The House adjourned at five minutes to 5 o'clock thio moraiiig:-