HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 288, 5 December 1877, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

_, Tr Wellington, Tuesday. ihe House met at 2-30 this afternoon. Replying to a question, Ministers said the Government would scud the Stella to survey Port Waikato and place beacons. Mr Sbeehan introduced the Rating Act Amendment and County Act Amendment Bill.

Mr Lumsden moved the omission of the words in clause t, " raising the price of land by free selection to £2 an acre."

After a long discussion the amendment was lost by 34 to 26.

An amendment by Mr Stout, giving the Governor to proclaim as open for free selection at £l per acre land previously offered by auction but not sold, was agreed to. A new clause by Mr Montgomery, to abolish the homestead system in Auckland and Westland, was lost by 31 to 6.

Wednesday. The Waste Lands Sales Bill passed through committee, and was read the third time. 4 new clause to render the Auckland Homestead system applicable to the whole colony was proposed by Mr Reid, and carried by 25 to 24, and added to the Bill on a second division by 30 to 27.

The time for exercising Volunteer scrip was on the motion of Mr Morris extended for another year on a division of 32 to 25 but a proviso was added by Mr Stout on a division of 28 to 26 that this extension should only apply to scrip actually held by Volunteers.

The Financial Arrangements Bill passed through committee and was read a third time.

In committee a proviso was inserted aaviiig one-third of the deferred payments set apart Dy the Land Bill for local works from becoming? eolouial revenue, and similarly saving the Taranaki land fund appropriated to harbor purposes. The clause making the land fund colonial revenue was carried by 40 to 14. A clause setting aside 20 per cent for local bodies was by 28 to 27 altered so that the per centage will be paid to the county within which the revenue accrues instead of being dirided amongst all the Counties in the provincial districts.

A proviso moved by Air Maeandrew that the allocation of the per centage should only be repealable by the Imperial Parliament was lost by 33 to 9.

Clause 7, providing for the distribution of the per centage according to rates, was struck out as unnecessary.

A new clause, moved by Mr Murray, that all subsidies should cease after the present year was negatived.

The Hutt County Offices Site Bill, Timaru and Gladstone Board of Works Vestiug Bill, and Nelson Gas and Water Works Sale Bill were read the third time.

The Counties Act Amendment Bill, Rating Act Amendment Bill, and Middle Island Half Caste Croiru Grants Bill were read the second time.

The House rose at 1-35 a.m

In reply to Mr Fitzroy this afternoon, asking the nature of the important service on which the Hinemoa would be engaged in January, and which Ministers said was the reason why Sir W. Jervois could not have her, Sir George Grey said that Ministers were the proper judges of the importance o£ the services which the Hinemoa would be engaged in, and which would prevent her being placed at the disposal of Sir W. Jervois. There was no understanding that she should be placed at his service, but if it was desired the Government would furnish the log of the Hinemoa to show what services she had been employed in.