PARLIAMENTARY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VI, Issue 258, 1 November 1871, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

"Wellington, October 3 1 . .„ The Olago Land Bill passed through committee this morning at' four o'clock, after eight hours of fighting. The Wellington Loan Bill dropped, Mr. Vogel undertaking to introduce a fresh bill enabling the General Government to pay the liabilities of the province ; merging the Wellington Savings Bank in the Post-office Bank, and authorising an advance of £4000 for the erection of a new Lunatic Asylum; the General Government taking the same security over the whole Provincial revenue and special blocks of land as in the present bill. : , The Public Revenues Bill was read a third time, by a vote of 3T to 20. A long discussion took place to-day in committee, which is still unfinished, on the Payment to Provinces Bill, over Mr. Gisborne's scheme of distribution of Road Boardgrants., .',', . . , Mr. Rolleston moved an amendment in favor of adhering to the schemes recommended or to be recommended^: by Prbyinbial authorities. "' ill ! j l. i) , j i'',';^ ; ' ;^ „: Mr.Beid to-day asked whether Government had received from Connor, M'Kay,

and Proudfoot, contractors, of Dunedin, an offer to construct fifty to 500 miles of railway, for colonial debentures bearing 5J per cent., or cash payment, price to be sealed by arbitration ; also offering to pay cash deposit of 2^- per cent, on account up to £200,000, and over that pum and up to £1,000,000, deposit of 1 per cent, or "ive reasonable cash security; also, offering to compete for any length of railway by public tender, and give auy cash security required by Government; and offering forthwith to deposit, as preliminary security, £10,000 to the credit of Government ? Mr. Gisborne replied that he had received the offer yesterday, but had not had time to consider it. Mr. Sewell, in the Legislative Council, explained the cause of his resignation to have been in consequence of a letter from Mr. Fox, stating that his presence in the Cabinet rendered unity of action impossible, a»d unless ho resigned the Ministry must be broken up. Mr. Waterliouse explained that he had at first refused to accept office, but afterwards had consented to join the Government, temporarily and couduct business in the Council till tho end of the session. ,He would not remain in office longer, nor would he accept any emolument. He was influenced in accepting office by the desire to avoid ihe inconvenience of delay from Ministerial complications at the present period of the session, and hoped by his. temporary adhesion to smooth the way for the formation of a strong permanent Government, as well as tend to place the miuistration of public affairs on a more satisfactory basis. November 1. The Payment to Provinces Bill pussed through Committee after upwards of nine hours fighting, chiefly caused by. the factious opposition of Mr. Mervyn. The Chairman had to report him to the Speaker, aud at last took no notice of his calls for a. division, as be stood alone, and could find no seconder. The scene was one without a precedent in the House. It continued until 3.30 this morning, Oa the motion of Mr. Harrison, a clause was inserted authorising the retentiou of three-elevenths of the Nelson Road Board grant, for the use of Road Boards to be constituted on the South-west Goldfields lying to the South of the Northern boundary, of the Buller district. What Mr. Mervyn wanted was that a similar provision should be made for his district.