HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 275, 20 November 1877, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wellington, Tuesday. On the House meeting last night Mr Sheehan stated with regard to the recent interruption of surveys in the Taupo country, he was glad to be able. to state that the surveys were nowproceeding in the ordinary way. The Speaker announced that he had appointed Mr Grace an additional interpreter to the House. Mr Larnach made his Financial Statement, the discussion on which was postponed till tomorrow, when Major Atkinson said he would be prepared to enter on it. In reply to Mr Sheehan Mr Larnach said the date from which the land fund should be generalised would be left to the House when asked to legislate on the subject. Messrs Reid, Atkinson, and M'Lean urged that the date from which the land fund should be taken should be stated. Sir G. Grey declined to state the date. The members of the late Ministry knew well that Cauterbury was the ouly place which had a land f uud, and on the day before they had retired from oifice they had' ordered the distribution of £200,000 amongst the local bodies, an unprecedented act on the part of a Ministry on the eve of quitting office. Mr M'Lean urged the absolute necessity of having a starting point from which to discuss the scheme of finance, but of course if Ministers did not know themselves they could not state if. Mr Sheehaa said it was for the House of decide, not for the Government to lay down a cast iron rule a3 to date. Wheu the late Ministry a few months ago drew such rosy pictures of the colonial finance they did not attach so much importance to the date from wh'.ch the land fund was to be taken. The present Government were prepared to go out of office and to the coautry on the policy they had propounded. The House adjourned at 8"35 p m.