PARLIAMENTARY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 185, 5 August 1879, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

HOUSE. Wellington, Monday night. The House met at 2.30. Capt. Kenny presented a petition for the re-imposition of the duty on timber. Several petitions were presented in favor of Bible reading in the schools. The Premier gave notice to move on Friday, that a committee of supply be formed in future to ait as soon after the adoption of address in reply as possible each session. Mr Macfarlane gave notice to introduce a Bill to purge the Bay of Island's 11011. The House goes into Committee of Supply at 7.30 when the Loan Bill will be read the second time. The Appropriation Bill will be brought down on Wednesday. mu tt Tuesday. 1 he House resumed last night at 7.30. Sir G. Grey moved the first reading of the Loan Bill. On his moving the second reading of the Bill Sir W. Fox referred again to the forthcoming election, and Sir G. Grey said he wished the House to be assured that the Government would get through the elections with the least possible delay and would meet again as soon as practicable. As far as the Government could help there would be no delay, but it would be difficult to pledge themselves to any special time for the reassembling of Parliament. He could only say that there should not be any unnecessary time wasted on the part of the Government. Mr Wakefleld complained that the Government would state nothiDg definite, and would persist in delays which would upset all calculations. He hoped the House would take the matter up, and let the members know what was to be done. Aa it was they were losing the respect and confidence of the people, and the leading members on both sides should put a stop to it. Sir W. Fox said there was nothing specific in the Government proposals iu relation to the next elections. Not an hour or a day should be lost, and all preliminary steps should be taken prior to September, so that the elections might be held on the second or third of that month, or even on the 10th or 15th. All his party wanted was an assurance that Parliament should be called together at once, without binding the Government down to aa absolute day. A statement to that effect would be reassuring to both sides of the House, and supplies would be granted. On that ground he considered the House should have some more definite reply than the Premier had given. After some remarks from Messrs Moorhouse, Itees, Wallis, Murray, and Saunders, Sir G. Grey would repeat the pledge already given to the House that there should be no delay in the elections, but a feeling had been expressed that they should not take place till the September roll was in force, and that he would do. There were many contingencies he had to prepare for. Lu case of the elections going adversely to himself and colleagues they would feel it their duty to resign, and would allow their successors time to take their places. It was impossible therefore to fix any precise time for Parliament to meet. They asked nothing for themselves but everything should be taken into consideration in asking them to fix a time for Parliament to meet. Referring to the new loan he denied that there was any analogy between the national debt of New Zealand and that of Great Britain. He trusted that there would never be an end to the borrowing policy in New Zealand as long as there were railways, harbors, and other public >orks needed! When the works now contemplated were completed they would suffice for seven or eight millions of people who would be called on to pay the loans now asked or incurred. He admitted that money had been and probably would be wasted, and he regretted that such should be the case. He agreed that the North Island had not had its fair share of public money. The loan was intended »,o meet debts already contracted, and he could not see any objection to the course the Government proposed. Some of the money might not be required, and he pointed out that the Government should only expend money as voted by the Houbc He did not think that the provision required to meet the cost of quelling the native disturbances was more than necessary, and he thought the House ought to consent to it without demur. There had been no hurry in the loan. AH had known that it would be asked for, and the House was fully aware that it would be produced. He would not ask them to go further than the second reading of the Bill that night, but he would be prepared to go into Committee the next day to determine the details. The Bill was read the second time, and ordered to be committed to-day. The House meets to-day at 2.30.