PARLIAMENTARY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 204, 27 August 1880, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

Wellington, Thursday night. The House resumed at 4 o'clock. Tbe Eeporting Debates Committee reported that they were uuable to agree upon any recommendation for the publication of Hansard. Mr Hall refuted a statement which appeared in print some time ago to the effect that the late Sergeant-at-Arms in the House had procured the appointment in consequence of a pecuniary consideration given by him. It was due to the previous Speaker of the House, Sir William Fitzherbert, to make that explanation. "Sir G. Grey introduced a Bill to abolish the servitude provision in the Law Practitioners Act. He said he would not press it beyond the first reading this session. Agreed to. Major Atkinson moved the second reading of the Financial Arrangements Act 1878 Amendment Bill. He explained that its object was to provide for the continuation of the subsidies to the local bodies under the arrangements made. Mr Pyke strongly objected to the Bill, and moved that it be read that day six months, denouncing the Bill as an act of repudiation. Messrs Thompson, Turnbull, Ba'rron, Brown, Gisborne, and J. B. Fisher spoke in support of the amendment.) The debate was interrupted by the 5 30 adjournment. Friday. The debate was continued last night on the Financial Arrangements Bill. Messrs Stewart, Eeeves, Macandrew, and De Lautour opposed the Bill, and Messrs Sutton, Eichardson, M'Lean, and Lundon supported it. On a division it was read the second time by 43 to 23. The Public Eevenues Bill was read the second time on the motion o£ Major Atkinson, and the Customs Duties Bill on the motion of Mr Dick. The three Bills were then committed. In the Customs Duties Bill new clauses to impose an export duty on kauri gum proposed by Mr Lundon, and to require all spirits to be proof or over, proposed by Mr M'Lean, were rejected. The Public Eevenues Bill was also passed through Committee, ' In Committee on the Financial Arrangement Bill, Mr Macandrew moved that clause 3, providing for the discontinuance of the 20 per cent land fund now paid to the local bodies, be struck out. The Committee divided on the question that the clause stand part of the Bill with the following result :— Ayes, 34 ; Noes, 34. Ayes— -Messrs Allwright, Atkinson, Beetham, Brandon, Colbeck,Fox, George, Gibbs, Hall, Harris, Hurst, Hursthouse, Johnston, Kelly, Kenny, Levin, Lundou, Masters; McCaughan, OUiver, Pitt, Eichmond, Eolleston, Seddon, Shephard, Speight, Sutton, Swanson, Tawhai, Trimble, Wallis, Whitaker, Whyte, and Wood. Noes— Messrs Andrews, Bain, Ballance, Barron, Bowen, Brown, DeLautour, Driver, Finn, J. T. Fisher, Fulton, Gisborne, Hirst, Hutchison, Jones, Macandrew, McLean, Montgomery, Moorhouso, Murray, Orniond, Pyke, Eeeves, Eussell, Saunders, Shanks, Shrimski, Stevens, Steward, Studholme, Thompson, Turnbull, Wakefield, and Wright. The Chairman gave his caiiting vote in favor of the clause, which therefore passed. The Customs Duties Bill, and Public Eevenues Bill were read the third time and passed. The motion for the third reading of the Financial Arrangements Bill was carried after a discussion, on a division of 41 to 30, and the Bill passed. The House rose at 2*15 a.m.