PARLIAMENTARY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 221, 18 September 1877, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Wellington, Saturday. ! The House met at 2.30 this afternoon. Mr Bees gave notice to move for a Com- | mittee to enquire whether Mr Kennedy for- \ feited his seat as being a contractor under 1 Government. The Otago Museum and Dunedin AtheuEeum j Management and Endowment Bills were introduced by Mr Stout. The House went into Committee on the Education Bill. Clause 79, having first been amended, by 40 to 30, to make the Minister of Education collect the capitation fee instead of the Committee, was struck out altogether by 38 to 31. . Clauses 80, 81,82, andß3,.were also struck out. Clause 84 passed. In clause 85 an amendment was moved to omit the word " history," but the word was retained by 54 to 6. V Tuesday. Iv clause 85 " elementary science " was substituted for "mechanics." The proposal to add "social economics" was negatived. The principles of domestic economy was added to distinction for girls. The provisions for making history non-compulsory was retained by 54 to 4. On the motion of Mr Wood, the words "and the teaching shall be entirely of a secular character" were added to sub-section 2 on a division of 39 to 19. On subsection .3, a division of 35 to 19 refused the amendment" by Mr Curtis to leave Bible reading and the Lord's Prayer optional with the Committees. Mr Macandrew wished the Catholic children to be placed in a separate class to read the Douay version, but the whole sub-section was subsequently Btruck out on the voices. A proviso that a play-ground of at least a quarter of an acre should be attached to each school when practicable was added to clause 86. After a long discussion Clause 91 was altered to allow exemption to all children attending regularly some private school or educational establishment not under the Board. Progress was then reported, and the House rose at \% 30 a.m.