PARLIAMENTARY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 174, 22 August 1878, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wellington, Wednesday night. The House met at 2-P.O p.m. In reply to Mr Barton, the Premier said, the rumor that the Ministry had in contemplation the formation of two Provinces, with the seat of Government for the South at Christclnirch, and for the North at Auckland, was purely a political canard, without the slightest foundation. Replying to Mr Fox, Mr Ballance said, the Government had telegraphed to Australia respecting the Japanese Commissioners, and the object of their visit to Australia, but no reply was yet received. Mr Sheehan promise Mr Richmond that a clause would be introduced in the Licensing Bill to equalise licensing fees throughout the Colony. Mr Bastings moved, that the House at rising on Thursday, the sth September, at 5-30 p.m., should adjour till Tuesday the 10th, at 7-30, to enable members to visit* the opening of the Dunedin and Christchurch railway, and it was agreed to without discussion. Mr Saunders withdrew his motion for repealing the Counties Act. Mr Ecx moved, that his Excellency be requested to lay ou the table all correspondence between himself and the Secretary of State which has taken place since last session. Mr Stout promised that the Governor would be asked to lay on the table all such correspondence as Ministers might advise his Excellency to lay on the table. The Premier pointed out that it was not always advisable to produce all these despatches Mr Fox differed entirely from the Premier, and said it had been the practice ever since constitutional Government was granted to the Colony. Mr Manders brought under the notice of the House how railway officials were deprived of their holidays, urging that the matter shonld be arrangeed more satisfactorily by the managers of the Railway Departments. After some discussion, the matter was negatived. 6 In reply to Mr De Lautour, Mr Fisher said that the employment of women in the Telegraphic Department had not been satisfactory on the whole. He though them well adapted for certain clerical work, but they seldom became good operators. Mr Beetham moved for a Committee to enquire into the system of surveys.—Negatived. The motion of Mr Manders for a Committee to enquire into the Mines Act, 1877, with a view to amendments was talked out. Thursday. On the House resuming last night, the minutes and regulations were read the second time, and then the adjourned debate on Mr Whi taker's Representation Bill was taken up. Messrs Joyce, Thompson, Oliver, Reeves, Hursthouse, Gisborne, Moss, aud Tolo, all spoke against the Bill as a whole, though approving of many of its provisions, a 3trong feeling displaying itself through the debate that several of the provisions of Mr Whitaker's would, if engrafted upon the Government Bill, improve it considerably. On the reading of the Bill a second time that day six months being moved, Mr Whitaker said that as the feeling of the House was against his Bill he would, if the amendment was withdrawn, abandon the second reading. The amendment and Bill were then withdrawn. Instead of granting a subsidy for encouraging the growth of the wattle bark in the Colony, it was agreed to accept the snggestion of the Premier that there should be placed on the estimates a sum of money for compiling a book on all exotics that were suitable to the soil and climate of the Colony. Mr Barton's motion regarding the Wellington police was referred to the Gaol Committee. The House rose at midnight.