PARLIAMENTARY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 225, 25 September 1877, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Wellington, Monday. The House met a 2030 this afternooou. The Land Bill was reported from the Waste Laud Committe. The Manawatu Land Orders Bill was introduced by Mr Whitaker. In Committee on the Education Bill Mr Sheehau withdrew his amendment to make the boundaries of the Auckland education district the same as the provincial district, instead of which he proposed to give Wairoa County to Hawfce's Bay, and retain the rest of the provincial districts in the Auckland education district. Mr Eowen insisted on Cook County being also attached to Hawke's Bay. Sir George Grey desired to see the education districts much smaller, and to test the feeling of the House, he moved that the County aud Borough of the Thames should be separate districts, After some discussion

this amendment was negatived by 41 to 12. Mr Sheehan's amendment to include Cook County in the Auckland district was carried by the Chairman's casting vote, 29 voting on each side. Dr Wallis' amendment to maka the rest of the North Island one district was negatived on the voices. The County of Kaikoura was taken out of Marlborough and added to North Canterbury. Mr Stout's amendment to make Canterbury one district was negatived on the voices. Mr Shrimski moved to add the County of Waitaki to South Canterbury, but the proposal was negatived. Mr Thomson's motion to make the Mataura Kiver the boundary between the Otago aud Southland districts was lost by 26 to 19. Mr Stout proposed to put the Lake County m Otago instead of Southland. This was lost by 26 to 1 3. The discussion was interrupted by 530 Tuesday. The educatiou district boundaries were further discussed. A proposal to unite Otago and Southland was lost by 23 to 11. The Bill was then reported. In Committee on the. District Railways Bill the term for which companies may enjoy the railways before the Government cau purchase was fixed afc seven years. Mr Pyke proposed a new clause to allow County Councils to construct railways under the Bill. This was postponed, and progress was reported. The Provincial Laws Evidence Bill was read the second time. Mr Ueid briefly moved the second reading of the Settlements Works Advances Bill, explaining that the object was to allow Government to expend money in opening up lands for settlement before sale. Mr Barff objected to the Bill, and declared tat the special settlements at Jackson's Bay and Karamea were failures, and that money had been wasted on them. The Jackson's Bay land was not fit for cultivation, and before any more money was speut a Commission of Enquiry should ba) appointed. -■ Ifc might be necessary to spend a little to keep the people from starvation. Mr Reynolds opposed the Bill, previous experience showing that advances made by the colony were ueverrepaid. Mr Macandrew thought the Bill gave the Government too great power. He had no objection to the House voting the money for specific works to advauce settlement. Mr Gisborne defended the Jackson's Bay settlement, which afforded a fair prospect of success. He supported the Bill. Messrs Hodgkinson and Wakefield opposed the B 11. Mr Manders supported ifc. Mr Montgomery would only support the Bill if the money under it was specially allocated by a schedule, and not left to tho Government. Mr Stout urged refering fche Bill to the Waste Lands Committee. A better plan than ifc proposed would be to expend on roads a certain proportion of all the price received for land. The Bill was a confession that the County system was an utter failure to promote settlement as the provinces had done. Mr llees said the Bill was a deliberate bid for votes. It proposed to place money afc the disposal of the Goverument, aud buy members votes by giving them works in their districts. Ifc was the most barefaced proposal ever made. The debate was then adjourned, and tho House rose at 1245 a.m. [From a Corbespondent.] Wellington, Tuesday. Mr Curtis asked the Government if they would lay the report of the Commission re the charges made by Mr Butler on the table. The Hou Mr M'Lean said the Government had received the report, bufc as the enquiry had been ordered by the Public Petitions Committee it had been sent to them. So soon as ifc was received back the Government would lay it on the table. In the meantime he might state the report fully exonerated fche medical officer aud the matron.