PARLIAMENTARY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 173, 23 July 1874, Page 2

PARL lA M EN TARY.

„ .. „ . Wellington, July 22. '"" The Legislative Council did not sit 1 to-day. ... Y\ In the House of Representatives, on :i ihe motion of Mr T. Kelly, regarding "Imfi.aVticTe in the Taranaki Advertiser .reflecting npon his character as a members the .House thought it best not * to bother about newspaper attacks, the civil law. being the best remedy. xJi In' reply to Mr Mer vyn regarding the deepening of the Naseby sludge channel, 6i Mr Richardson said that tbe Governwere not in a position to comply with the request to deepen it. MrPyke asked how the Government . regarded the action of tbe Southland Waste Lands Board in prohibiting the (.exportation beyond the boundaries of Southland of timber. The reply was that >the Government disapproved of the course, and were then considering the whole matter. A long debate ensued upon the following motion by Mr Sheehan: — "That it is desirable tbat a re-adjustment of <'tbe representation of tbe House should >^ be made so as to take effect at the next general elections, and tbat the Government should consider the question .^during the recess with a view to bringing forward a properly matured measure for next session." He did not wish to see the number of members increased, -hut-wanted to see such an anomalous representation as tbat of Taranaki and Welliogton, as compared witb Auckland the West Coast of tbe Middle "Island 1 , placed npon a more natural and equitable basis. Taranaki ought to Jose one or two members, and Wellington one;' He quoted the figures adduced v 4h the same question by Mr O'Conor .oh a previous occasion. -Il Mr Vogel opposed tbe motion on tbe .grounds that there were always ? anomalies in representation and always ..would be, and tbat members in ap.proachingthe consideration of such a would - always look more nt previous decisions than at any principle, whether of area or population. There was always a cerJtua degree of expediency in these questions which must be taken into account. Besides, if tbe principle of 'Ibe motion were followed out literally, „ah<F the .number of members not be increased, Auckland, would, in fact, *haye td yield some of her members in favor of those provinces, such as Canterbury and Otago, which had far outstripped her in the race for progress. He could not see that anything was to "be' gained by the motion. Considering the part to be played in the government of the country by the new jarjjfrals^ be thought tbey should introduce immigrants, and then allow |hein to; govern. The only way 'to manage eOch a question as representation was by giving a member here and there. . He moved the previous question. T-.The following speakers followed, all -speaking In favor of the motion : — Mr Reader Wood wished the representation to be adjusted on the principle of a population basis. .Mr O'Neill insisted that the Thames, .with a population of between twelve 'add fifteen thousand, bad only one member, white little Taranaki, with one-third of the number, had three. ; . „Mr Swanson thought tbe adjustment of representation should be made the -crucial test at the next election, and 'the -fate of the Ministry rest upon it. Mr O'Conor felt that the representation laws were not creditable to ; the colony. '- 'Messrs Kelly, M'Gillivray, Murray, Bryce, .Mervyn, and Tribe all supported ihe' motion. 77 A. .division was called for, and the motion was lost by a majority of 33 to 30. Mr Macandrew's motion tbat tbe volunteer fire brigades be exempted irom services as jurors, and tbat tbe Juries Act be amended accordingly, created considerable discussion. It was ably seconded by Mr Pearce, and 'Messrs Hunter, T. L. Shepherd, Wales, and Cuthbertson opposed it, as no case .of -.special hardship had been shown. The Premier promised to consider the matter seriously during tbe recess, but Mr Macandrew pressed for an 'immediate solution, and promised to bring in a Bill, tbat would prevent any abuse of the system or any sham by persons joining the brigades to avoid sitting on juries. Mr fAndrew strongly opposed the motion, which was ag:eed to on tbe Voice*.. irvThe Government agreed, on the motion of Mr Gibbs, to produce all -correspondence relating to the inquest 'onA the body of Michael Campion, and alio all correspondence relating to the

leasing of a large block of land in Hawke's Bay to Mr Alfred Cox,