PARLIAMENTARY.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 97, 14 September 1878, Page 2

PARLIAMENT ARY.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: 1 ■ •' ' [Per Press Agency.] Fhioav Evening, 7.30. For the remainder" of the Session Mr O'Rorke 'will occupy: the chair! pf theSpeaker, when necessary, without '! formally obtaining., permission. "- ' ' -' L In reply to Mr Murray, Mr" MaoandrEW said that arrangements were being made for tho sale of railway tickets at other places than tho. stations, and tho Government would consider tho question of introducing baggage-checks. ,' In reply. ..to Mr .I"U.chmon.d,_Mr Siieeb-an said the Government would not deal with the licensing question piecemeal, and if they found themselves 'unable to bring down the general measure this Session to effectually deal with the whole question, it would have to remain; till next Session. - • ■ On tbe; motion of going into Committee of Supply, Mr WoQleoc-k went into tlie question qi tlie distribution af the twenty . .per cent, of the land fund, and dilated upon the glaring inequality of its operation. After a speech of considerable; length, tve: moved, as an amendment, that clause six , of the Financial Arrangements' Act, 1876, ; Amendment Act, 1877, be repealed. Thisj raised some considerable- -disctissiorr.'-whieh- . lasted till cut short at 5.3.0 p.m. The whole question turned upon the way m which tlie twenty per cent, of the land fund was dealt with by tlie G-overnment. Mr Wakefield, the Premier, Messrs Atkinson, Sheehan, and other members, spoke at considerable length on both sides of the question. Mr Sheehan cautioned memoers of the Government party against being deceived by the machinations of the enemy — the other side — whose sole aim was to create complications, if they could not break up Ministry. Several members endeavored to engraft other amendments upon Mr Woolcock, but the Speaker insisted ib must "be disposed of first. . In the course of the afternoon- Mr "Bi?,-*. lance read a telegram from Christchurch, stating that m the case of the Avon Road Board against the Government, the verdict liad been returned against th« Road Hoard, with costs.