PARLIANENTARY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 189, 9 August 1879, Page 2

PARLIANENTARY.

HOUSE. Wellington, Friday night. The Loan Bill was reported from the Council without amendment. Petitions not dealt with this session are to

be dealt with during the first week of next session. A sum is to be put on the estimates to construct a bridge connecting Greymouth and Cobden. Certain lands at the Upper Thames are to be thrown open upon deferred payments. It is also expected that land at Ohinemuri will soon be thrown open for sale. The Government will enquire into the removal of Capt. M'Kersie from the Stella A sum will be placed on the estimates for a steamer to take the English mails down the East Coast after the arrival of the San Fraucisco steamer. In reply to a question, Mr Fisher did not consider it advisable to establish a system of postal Telegraph cards. Further correspondence has passed between the Premier and the Governor respecting the dissolution, but it is considered inadvisable to lay it upon the table. Mr Fisher said from inquiries made, a reduction would probably be made in charges on telegrams for a short distance. The Premier said no letter had been received from Sir J. Yogel this mail. Mr Sheehan said the rolls would be ready in time for the election. The address of condolence with the Queen wa3 adopted. It was agreed that in future the House should go into supply as soon as the address in reply was agreed too. In Committee of supply, the vote for school buildings was increased by £75,000, making the total vote £125 000. Saturday. On the House resuming last night, Sir G. Grey laid on the table the following memorandum to the Premier relative to the election cf the new Parliament :— " The Governor has received from the Speaker of the Legislative Council and the Speaker of the House of Representatives nddresses which have been adopted by each House of the Legislature, in effect asking the Governor to insist upon the faithful fulfilment of the stipulation which he attached to the promise of a dissolution, namely, that the new Parliament be called together at the earliest moment at which the writs can be made returnable. In view of the circumstances and of the fact that Ministers have been condemned by both Houses of Parliament ; having regard also to the critical state of native affairs, the Governor considers that it is his boundeu duty to take every precaution that he shall be iv a position to recur to the advice of the new Parliament at the earliest date allowable by law. The Governor desires therefore to inform the Premier that before proroguing Parliament, with a view to its dissolution, he must receive from the Premier a written assurance, which shall appear to the Governor satisfactory, as to the date on which the Premier will advise the issue of the new writs, and the date upon which he will advise that they be made returnable. — Hercules Robinson, August 7th. 1879." Memorandum for his Excellency :— " Sir George Grey presents his respectful compliments to Sir Hercule9 Robinson, and in 1 obedience to the terms of the directions con- ' tamed in the Governor's memo of the 7th instant, Sir George Grey gives a written assurance that he will advise that the writs summoning the new Parliament shall be issued within two days after the dissolution, and that they shall be made returnable within thirty days after their issue, and Sir George trusts this assurance will be satisfactory to the Governor.— G. Grey, Wellington, August Bth, 1879." Memorandum for the Premier :- " The Governor thanks the Premier for his memo of this date, and in reply ha 3 much pleasure in informing him that the assurance which it contains is quite satisfactory. If the Premier sees no objection the Governor would be glad if he would communicate to the Legislative Council and the House of Representatives the Governor's memo of yesterday, with the subsequent memoranda on the subject as showing to both Houses the action taken by the Governor upon their addresses. — Hercules Robinson, Bth August 1879." ' Sir W. Fox wished to know what was meant by the documents just read, as the various dates were not at all clear. They for instance allowed a great deal of time between the prorogation and the dissolution. At home, under such circumstances, the prorogation took place in the morning and the dissolution in the afternoon, the writs being issued in the evening. He did not look for such haste here, but the dissolution should follow in two days. After a short adjournment to consider the matter, Sir G. Grey stated that he could only say what he had said before, that he could not distinctly state what advice he had given to his Excellency, but he would say that the House would be dissolved within two or three days. Sir W . Fox wished to know whether the Premier would loyally carry out what had been stated in the memoranda. Mr Turnbull thought the Premier had spoken as plainly as an Englishman could speak. Major Atkinson said there was nothing unreasonablein what the leader of the Opposition demanded. If the Premier said bo, then he could simply repeat it and end the matter. One of two other members having spoken. Sir R. Douglas wanted to know whether the Premier really said so or not. It was absolutely necessary to know the fact. Mr Macandrew thought the Premier's words were plain eoough. Mr M'Lean wished to know why the Premier could not reply to the questions put to him. He was satisfied with his answer regarding the dissolution, but he had certainly said nothing about when the House should meet again. Mr Moorhouse was inclined to accept the explanation given by the Premier. He was due at Christchurch and many other parts of the colony, and both Government steamers would be necessary to meet the Premier's requirements. He felt assured that the elections would be got through in three weeks, but would be quite satisfied if they met again by the 30th September. Ultimately the matter dropped. In Committee of Supply, the following items were passed:— School buildings £75,000. Liabilities outstanding to June 30th, 1879, £200,000. After a long discussion, the schedule, as submitted, was agreed to ; and the Appropriation Act, as previously amended, passed through all its stages. The schedule attached was as follows: — Part I: Consolidated Fund for service of three months ending 30th September, 1879, on scale of Appropriation Act, 1878, £546,127---liabilities outstanding on 30th June, 1879* £200,000; Provincial Liabilities, £50,000---total Consolidated Fund, £751,127. Part ll! j Public Works Fund for services for three months ending 30th June, 1879, on scale of Appropriation Act, 1878, £500,000. Services not previously authorised— Contingent Defence, £8,000; Native Land Purchases, £5,000; Immigration, £5,000; Liabilities under Section 16 of the Immigration and Public Works Appropriation Act, 1878, ! £5,000; Cook's Strait Cable, £24,000; Keclamation of Railway Station at Pipitea, £!000;Branch from Grey town to Main Line, £1000; Surveys to open up lands before sale, £1000; Waitahuna Road, £600. Public Buildingß— Postal and Telegraph Offices, £3500; Lunatic Asylum, £2500; School Buildings, £75,000. Local Bodies—Contingencies, £100. Total Public Works Fund £763,700. Total, £1,589,827. At the close of the business Sir G. Grey announced that the Ringarooma would leave for South at two o'clock on Saturday for the

convenience of 'members. The Hinemoa would leave for Taranaki and Manukau the same afternoon, and the Stella on Sunday for the East Coast. Members who could not go by either of these boats would leave on Monday by the ordinary steamers. The House then adjourned until to-day.