HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 291, 8 December 1877, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wellington*, Friday. The House met at noon to day, and adjourned for a short period to enable conferences with the Council ou various Bills fco sit. Rusitiess has been purely formal. Many members leave to-night; the lliuemoa takes the others North to-morrow. The House disagreed to the reasons of the Council for its amendments iv the Land Bill respecting the extensiou of the Southland pastoral leases. The amendments of tbe Council in the Land : Sales Bill, striking out the clause extending [ the homestead system to the whole colon y, were disagreed to on a division of 29 to 15." Saturday. On a division of 23 to 16 the House, after a free conference, agreed to accept the Council's amendments in the L:.nd gales Bill, su. kiD # oufc fche clauses extending the homestead sy'J tem to ttle whole colony. In Committee, of U PP ! 7 considerable discussion took place on the voto for the mountain road at' Taranaki. Messrs Sheehan. Grey, and Atkinson ttll supported it, and Messrs Stout and Rolleston opposed. It was explained that the «£lO 000 was part of a sum set apart for the purchase , of native land in New Plymouth. The i

amount was carried by the casting vote of the Speaker. Other items were passed after some discussion. The proposed vote £50,000 for works in opening up land for settlement was struck out on the voices. The only remaining items were £40,000 for distribution amongst the Auckland counties to restore that part of the colony to some equality with those parts which had long provincial liabilities, and £160,000 for general provincial liabilites approved by the Governor in Council. A total vote of £300,000 for the purpose was, on a division, carried by 33 to 9, the members of the late Government votiug with the present Government in the majority. The Appropriation Bill and Public Works and Immigration Appropriation Bill were then introduced and passed the second readings. On Mr Joyce's motion the Government were instructed to enquire into the reasons for letting the extension of the Winston and Kingston railway by private contract. Sir George Grey announced that the prorogation would take place by Commission on Monday.

The House rose at 11*20 p.m. till to-day,