TELEGRAPHIC INTELLIGENCE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VI, Issue 261, 4 November 1871, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC INTELLIGENCE.

[Pen Gre\tx_e's Company, Reuter's Agents]. 1 PAKLIAMENTARY. "Wellington, November 3. The Customs Duties Bill has passed, and che new duties commence on the 10th instead of the 20tb,just to check those persons who sent large orders to Australia' in the hope of their reaching before the 20th. The list of proposed exemptions, including meat-preserving, brewery, and distillery plant, coulters and plough shares, castings, and fittings for agricultural machinery, wire tramway materials, and materials for harbor • and . dock works, was thrown out. The Civil Service Act Amendment Bill was passed. ' The Supplementary Estimates were also passed. The vote of £-500 for introduc* ion of salmon •was rejected. '.'■■*■, • [November _. . Mr. Yogel moved the adoption of the San . Francisco mail service in a speech of nearly; two hours, in which he.r.eviewed ,the : whole history of the service. He maintained that it was impos-' sible to have a satisfactory' service unless the contract, extended over a lengthened period so as to induce the contractors to enter upon it heartily. He was. sure that if theservice was maintained, the Australian colonies would soon see that it was to their interest to join us, and would pay a fair contribution to the cost. He would not accept Mr. Gillies' amendment for limiting the contract to three years,, and strictly enforcing its conditions, as the effect would be to induce Mr. Webb to throw the affair up and pay the forfeit. Mr. Gillies moved his amendment in a long speech, arguing that the colony was not able to maintain the service by itself, and that the con« tractors would not be able to continue^ it for the subsidy at present paid Mr.- Reynolds moved, ;.as an addition to the original resolution, that no modifications should lead to any increase of subsidy, or to any altera- . lion in the New Zealand , ports to be called at by the main boats. The Government accepted this addition. Mr. Stafford expressed indifference as to which amendment was carried .being convinced thit in either case the result would be ihe same, as the contractors would be unable to carry on the coastal service for the present subsidy. After a long debate, in which much personal recrimination was indulged in. between Mr. Stafford, Mr. Gillies, and the Ministers, Mr. Gillies' amendment was negatived by 33 to 15. The original resolution,, with Mr. Reynolds' addition, was then carried.