HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 209, 12 October 1878, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wellington*, Friday. Notices of Hospital Endowment Bills were given for the following places :— Dunstan, Cromwell, Wallace, Westport, Charleston, and Greymouth. Air Sheehan gave notice of a Bill to amend the Native Land Purchase Act. _ In reply to Mr Carrington as to the intention of the Government, in respect to making reserves for hospitals and charitable institutions, Mr Stout said the question would be raised in debate on Bills to be introduced. In reply to Mr Feldwick, the Minister for Public Works said that engines and rolling stock were ordered from America on the recommendation of Mr. Carruthers; they being found suitable fosr some parts of the ColoDy. Ou the motion to go into Committee to grant leave to Mr J C. Brown to introduce the Tuapeka Hospital Endowment Bill, a long and important discussion arose. Several of the members urged upon the Government to state whether it was their intention to bring in a general measure dealing with hospitals and charitable endowments; and deprecated these local Bills. Sir George Grey said large appropriations of waste lands would lead toabuses, similar to the spoilation of Church estates iv England. The Government would prepare a measure during the recess of Parliament on a national basis. The previous question was carried on a division by 40 to 21, and afterwards the Bill was shelved by 28 to 14. Saturday. Several local and unimportant Bills passed the second and third reading last night. In Committee on the Juries .Bill Mr Stout said the Bill had been drawn up specially to provide that the jury panel should be so large thot jurors' names would not be known, and canvassing rendered impossible. The clause exempting Bank ;mana^crs from service on juries vus jstpuck out on a division by 27 to 26 A new ciause w#s jnserted doing away with the exemption of Grand and Special Jurors from serving on the petty jury. _ A new clause providing that neither 1 plaintiff nor defendant be allowed special juries without the consent of the Judge was carried —The Bill was tljen reported with amendments. There was a long discussion on the Special Powers and Contract Bill in Committee, Mr Stout wishing to introduce a clause authorising the Governor to fulfil a contract for the sale of certain land in tho Thames D}strict to Mr Broomhall for a spepiu.l Tenjperauce Settlement. Sir George Grey and Mr Sheehan opposed the clause, and some con fusion ensued. Ultimately the consideration of the clause wa3 postponed. On the second readjug of the Native Law3uils JJMII jt was pointed out thaf tfop only remaining point of difference between the Government and Opposition was as to the appoiutrnent o£ tUe Judge or Judges to settle these Native laud djspufps. The Opposition submitted that the Government should name the Judges in the Bill, or that a o##ber of gentlemen (agreed upon) should ponnnat^e %j §aid Judges. The Government insisted tba,fc one of tJj/^'ruiost important and 1 responsible function's 'was th,e appointment

of Judges, and if they could uot be trusted to appoint the Judges in question they were not fit to hold office. After a long debate the second reading was carried by 18 to 14, and the House went into Committee on the Bill on the understanding that the Chairman should immediately report progress, and ask leave to sit again on Monday. This was done, aud the House rose a 1.40 a.m.