HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 194, 14 September 1878, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wellington, Friday. For the remainder of the session Mr O'Rorke will occupy the chair of the Speaker in the House of Representatives when necessary, without formally obtaining permission. In reply to Mr Murray, Mr Macandrew said arrangements were being made for the sale of railway tickets at other places than the stations, and the Government would consider the question of introducing the American system of baggage checks. In reply to Mr Richmond, Mr Sheehan said the Government would not deal with the Licensing question piecemeal, and if they found themselves unable to bring down a general measure this session to effectually deal with the whole question, it would have to remain over to next session. On the motion for going into Committee of Supply, Mr Woolcock went into the question of distribution of tb,e 20 per cent of

the land fund, and dilated on the glaring inequality of its operation. After A spetefeh of considerable length he moved _ts _in amendment « That clause 6 of the Financial Arrangements Act, 1876, Amendment Act, 1»» r, be repealed." This raised a discussion which lasted till cut short by 5 30. The whole question turned upon the Way ia which the 20 per cent of the land fund was being dealt with by the Government. Mr Wakefield-, the Premier, Major AtkinsoD, Mr Sheehan, and other members spoke at considerable length on both sides of the question. Air Sheehan cautioned members of the Government party from being deceived by the machinations of tha enemy on the other side, whose sole aim was to create complications, if they could not break up the Ministry. Several members endeavored to engraft other amendments bn Mr Woolcock's, but the Speaker insisted that it must be disposed of first. In the course of the afternoon, Mr Ballance read a telegram from Christchurch, stating that in the case of tbe Avon Road Board against the Government, the verdict was against the Eoad _Board with costs. Saturday. On the House resuming at 7*30 p.m., Mr Sheehan continued his speech on Mr Woolcock's motion. He was followed by Messrs Ormond, Barff, Delatour, Sutton, Rowe, and Hodgkinson, the greater portion of the speeches being mostly of a personal nature as regarded the non-fulfilment of pledges by the Government, the action of the Opposition at present, and their inability or unwillingness to do what the country required when they were in power. Tbe question was then put aud stated by tbe Speaker to have been carried on the voices, when Mr Woolcock called for a division, the result being:—Ayes 52, Noes 11. Ayes. Messrs Atkinson, Ballance, Barff, Barton, Beetham, Bowen, Brandon, Bryce, Bunny, Carrington, Cutten, Delatour, Dignan, Feldwick, Fisher, Fitzroy, George, Gibbs, Gisborne, Green, Grey, Hamlin, Hislop, Hobbs, Hodgkinson, Joyce, Kelly, Macandrew, Manders, M'Lean, M'Minn, Montgomery, Moorhouse, Nahe, Oliver, Ormond, O'Rorke, Pyke, Reeves, Richardson, Russell, Saunders, Sheehan, Stevens, Sutton, Tawiti, Teschemaker, Thomson, Tole, Wallis, Wason, and Wood. Noes: Messrs Douglas, Fox, Macfarlane, Morris, Richmond, Rowe, Seymour, Sharp, Swancon, Whitaker, and Wcolcock. The remainder of the sitting was occupied over the Estimates, and several votes were passed without alteration. The Electoral vote of £5,190 was withdrawn until such time as the Electoral Bill was in Committee, Considerable discussion ensued upon the charitable vote of £50,000, objection being taken to the fact that in some of the large towns the hospitals were mainly or half supported by the Government contributions, while country hospitals were left to struggle along as best they could. Upon the assurance of the Government that a general priuciple would be laid down in regard to all these institutions, the vote was passed, aud the House adjourned at 2 a.m.