PARLIAMENTARY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 292, 20 December 1879, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

COUNCIL. Wellington, Friday night. The Council met to-day, and Mr Whitaker pointed out that the action of the Council embarassed the Government, and he could not agree to striking out the works they had under contract, and asked that the Bill be recommitted for the purpose of restoring the lini \s regarding which contracts wereentcred i ito, .he Government undertaking to guarantee that no other works would be carried out. The Bill was then recommitted. " Waikato to Taranaki ' was struck out —Nelson and Greymoulh was made to read "Nelson to Uoundell and from Greymouth to Nelson Creek with harbor works at Greymouth." Picto's and Hurunu: was made to* read "Picton to Awatere." — " Knst and West Coast Hue to Greymouth and Holdtika " was struck out. The Appropriation Bill passed. When tiie Bill came back to th« House of Representatives striking out "Waikato to Taranaki" it occasioned a very animated debate. Messrs Moss and Gisborne strongly opposed striking it out on the ground that the work was national in its character as it would pacificntc the king country and obliterate the Native difficulty. It was unfair to the House and the Auckland members, and they Bug* jested that the Government were not sincere iu the matter. Mr Oliver said the action of the Council would make little difference. They would prosecute the surveys and explorations as rapidly as means permitted. Mr Bryce denied that there was the •slightest foundation for the statement that Rewi was becoming estranged from the Government.