PARLIAMENTARY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume X, Issue 194, 5 August 1875, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

Wellington, Tuesday. In the Flous. of ll.pr_.ent'tiv_B a number of p&iti'-ns-werc presented. The opi.ion* .of. ihe Soli- itor-General as to the exact dumt'ou of ihe present farliament w.s'rea.l, aai from that it arp ars Parliament will dissolve hy efflixi m of Urns in <ive jijarA .. f com the 2>t_t of February, 1871. Noli:e :waß given of a motion that a sum of money he placed upon the Estimates Miffi* ient to admit of ten-iing Tep'e._nt-ttives-of the iolnnv 'to the Brent PhiU'lelphii l.ifle Con;e*t, which ie open to tlie whole world. The Deceased Wife's Sister's Bill was read u first time. The ."-ramp *F.e. Bill whs leid a second time.. The chief object ot the Bill is to simplify the pctseut law regarding the Stamp leea. Upon moving the House into an Committee of Mi ply Sir Georg.; Gre. announced the formation of an rrgani.ed oppo-iiion. Tne main o. jects they would have in view would be ti stribiy inquire into the ftnan.es of the colony, an.l t> take ev«-ry opportunity of eri ioising; and opposing the u rrving out of the revolutionary change in the con-.titution of the col ny, aod he ci -imrd on behalf of the bi p ..ition thep-ivilegeof lie ily and fiarli-sdy discussing q*.usti>n_ re:erre It) or any others. Iu th*. course of his remtrks he proceeded to refer to his Excellcncj i*i terms of censure, and a . if he hi 1 allied himself wi.h the party in p-we- by having his name ass. ci.ted with such unconstitutional measures as the Ab Ji ion Bill The Speaker c tiled tho lmn. gen l.man to order, aud exp'ained th.t his Excellency waa the impersonation of h;r Majesty, and must not be reenel to in t rm. of praise or censure. He- was not responsible to the House but -to Ministers. Were Sir G*. Grey t here we would be in a wretchel pns tion in.ie_d. (?) Sir George Grey accusal the Ministry of appealing to the lowest feelings of human nature by holding out bribes to the people to allow _be<-nse*v_s to be de<poilod ot their liberties. The people should have been Allowed an alternative measure, so as to make their choice He inveighed strowry a ainst the whole proceeding as unconstitutional, and said thiee who followed hira would bi prepared to tring down a meanuro which would be of mucti-greatea benefl. to the people th.n the Abolition BiU, the financial a ivantsge3 of which would be derived from a system of equitable tax.tion, because these who had the framing of the Abolition Bill did not tax themselves,! >i

The Native Minister, whonp icl.qnot-d from a de.pat h sent home along with the County rf w eatland Act, when Sir Goorge Grey whs Governor, anl vith his fu'l eanct'on and concurrence. and ad-led h* was at a los. t _ know what hai so changed his opinion einc\ Mr Fit2berbert endorsed what bad fallen from Sir George Grey, and the House went into Committee, but inimedi • tely af*erw_rds reported progress Major Atkinson .aid he put tha item on the parer mere y to give the Opposit'on an oppart unity of speaking. The other business was unimportant. The House rose at 5.30 p.m. Wednesday. Sir George Grey gave notice that he would ask th-. Government what late Governor was furnished with the Attorney-Genrrals opinion as to the power of the Assembly to abo'ish provinces In reply to Mr O'Conor, the Government promised to lay upon the table re urns of exports and imports of coal to the end of tho financial j e >r. In reply to Mr F. Kelly, who aaked whether the proceeds of the a le of confiscated lands would firm ptrt of the land revenue within provincial districts, where such land was -old.-aUhough the Abolition Bill might not become law before such a scale took place, the Government was understood to replv that Buch proceeds would be the revenue of the district within whi h it took place. In reply to Mr White, Mr Reynolds said the expense required to be incurred wouid not justify the Government, in erecting a teiegraph station in the Ah.ura district. The Qualification of Electors Bill, And Supplfmentsry Electoral Rolls Bill, introduced by Mr Reynold*, were read for the first time. Mr O'Neil moved that the duty on Australian wines should be reduced to one .hilling per gallon, and, quoted largely froni reports to show the bsneflcial effect cheap and pure Australian wines would have,. upon the character of the people. The motion led to an animated di..u?sion, Mr Reidtr Wood strongjy supported the motion. The Government opposed the motion solely up in revenue grounds Mr J. . Shephird obtained an amendment of the motion to make it apply to all light winea irrespective of where they came from. Mr O'Neil acoepted the amendment, but said it wou'd be withdrawn, but it was pressed to a division, b.ing tbe, firat this . session, and resulted in being nogatived by 42|to 12 A good deal'of discussion was ai.d elicited by ! a motion of Mr o 'Neil's, "Tliat the Government should exerciso th. utmost au; erviet'on over vessels and steamers trading on th. Coast, respecting uusea worthy boat?, overcrowding with-. pa*.s*jpgers, and. overloading cargo.*,*; r Several; speikers "adduced jtheir'per-* sinal experience to show the- necessity for such Supervision. Motion was agreed. C*-rr£Bpon<*ence regarding the Ocean Beach railway was 1 .id upou the table. On tbe motion of Mr Luckie, a return .was or..e*ed of a li.t showing the rates charged -for goodp, and all t other traffic, ia the various rail w.y lines in the calony. l '"~ A few other r.ti/rns of lfitlo inteieat were called for, when the llcu.e rose Onthe House resuming at 7 3'.). p.m.. the chamber was discovered to bo full of smoke, the ga'lerie. being full of p'ople, and the reporters in their places. The Sp.aker took the cha r, butjiid he would resume in half an hour, as they wanted to ascerta'n where the smoke wa*? com'nglr »n*, nnd said there w. a no cau-e fcr anx'efcy. The hose is eodv stretched and water laid oi. The flra ia loe ted below the Speaker's -room, hiving been caused. by .ome of the beatlrg flues coming iu contact with the board work. Thursday. The House resumed at B*s Iflst nuht._ The ouly business consisted of ■ orders of the day, which were mostly private bills, and a considerable number of them were postponed, through cot having been printed earlie*. The second reading of lhe Plans of Towns Regulation Bill, moved by Mr O'Neill.'created considerable dicussion. T e hon gentleonn pointed out at considerable leng h the many benefits alike' of a pecun'ii.y and sanitary character, such a measure would confer upon the country, and concluded b/sayin? the time was not far distant when the countr . woild find "f6" lUfcds. the efror'niade in not having passed such a Bill sooner. As railways extended No th and South, towns would spring into exi.'en e along every li.c, aud without some measure was adopted to regu ate the building and laying out of towns, the @ove*nn_ent woull one day- fin 1 that t would have to exptnl as much money in rectifying psst errors in 'ayinsj out towns as had been spent up-_n the railways themselves. Theboh member referrel tothe widening t f Princ s-stree. ns an illustration of what wou dbeconstantly taking place. Several; members spoke of the Bill, but while agreeing entire'y : with i:s principle, and sup; oning the^ second reading, thcy Slid it was a very imp.r.ect measure, and would r. quire a good deal of amendment. The Min : s'cr of Public Works diJ not wish to oppose the, second reading, as he agreed in. a 'great measure with the princip'e of the Bill but he could a. sure the hon member who introduced the Bill timi in its present f>rm it was not wort!) the paper it was printed bn;'becau e it was so unworkable a-^d impr cticiblein m iny of ita provisions. Ho trustd tlie Bill would not at present be pressed beyond the second reading. M- O'Neill expre<sei wi lingness to .avail himself of the assistance of hon members to amend the 'Bill and put it into workable shape while in Committee. The Bill was then read the second time. Tho Hous. adjourned fit 10 p.m. As eo a as the p ace where the fire in the House of Representatives was di. covered and deluued with ■.■••...r, the S eak.r resumed the char, and business proceeded. Asa preoption, however, a fireman was kept on guard on the premises all night