HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 159, 6 July 1881, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wellington, Tuesday night. The House met at 2 30. Sir G. Grey gave notice that he would ask for leave to introduce a Bill to provide that each elector be reutricted to the exerciie of a rote in one election. Replying to questions, it was stated that a Biil wag in course of preparation to enable the Government to a»»ist compauies to construct and extend main lines of railways by concessions of land and otherwise. — The Government understood that the road from Nelson to Reefton vim Hanrpden and Lyell would be open im about a month. When it waa opened the Government would tee what arruugements could be made for an overland mail service by that route.— An amendment would be introduced for regulating snd administering the Native reserves, v referred to in the Governor* speech. Mr Johnston morcd the second reading of the Corrupt Practices Prevention Bill. A Clause wa« ia course of preparation, snd would be moved in Comn ittee prohibiting candidates from spending mooey on elections unless the same passed through the hands of a patty specially appointed by the Government to supervise such expenditure. Amendments from the late Imperial Act on the subject would also be introduced. Mr Wood contended that thty should follow the Eaglish practice, pure and simple, and prohibit all expenditure. As the Bill stood it only connived at expenditure incurred for corrupt purposes. Mr George pointed out that ths Bill, as it stood, opened tha door for a professed friend of a candidate to commit him in suo'i a way, by incurring expenditure, as to vitiate his return. Mr Seymour thought the penaltj of perpetual duqualification too severe. Mr Saunders aomplaioed that the Bill, as it stood, was vastly inferior to a similar maasure brought down by Sir George Grey's Government with the new clauses promised. He was hopeful that a change for the better would be wrought. Sir W. Fox advocated the introductian of a clause prohibiting the opening of public houses during polling hours, Mr Shephard would approve of tke Bill if it were assimilated to the English one. He thought that paid employment of canvassers by candidates should be absolutely prohibited, and he advocated the closing of public houaeß while elections were proceeding. The Bill was read a second time. The Regulation of Elections Bill was further considered in Committee. On clause 58, Mr George moved an addition to the clause providing that in the event of a member taking office in the Government, then such member shall r*turn for re-elec-tion by his caastituents, provided that in the case ef a new Ministry being formed, such re-electloa shall not be necessary. Mr Woed moved that the proviso exempting a new Ministry from re-election be struck out. Mr Johnston opposed both proposals. Mr Beeves supported the amendment, and

Mr Collins opposed it as not demanded by the country. Mr Weston opposed the amendment, as, with triennial Parliaments, it was unnecessary. I)r Wallis also opposed the amendment. Mr Hall demurred to the doctrine that constituencies had the right to say whether a man should take office or not. He strongly opposed Mr George's proposal. . Mr Levestam also opposed it. lie thought that constituencies were, generally, only too glad to ho.ye their representatives in the Ministry, snd relegating Ministers to them for re-election was quite unnecessary. Mr Weed's amendment, to make Mr George's moiion apply only tn hew Ministers was negatived on the voices, and Mr George's amendment in iis original form was lost on adiv'sion of 36 to 14. Ayes, 14— Messrs Ballance, Delatour, Fisher, (lieathcote), George, Montgomery. Moss, Reeves, Sbfimksi, Speight, Swaucon, Te Wheofo; Tblfy Turn bull, Wood. Noes, 36 — Messrs Atkinson, Allwright, Eain, Bas^ngs, Eeetham, Bowen, Bryce. Bnnny, Colbeck, Collins, Fox, Gibbs. Hall, Hirst, Hursthouse, Johnston, Levestam, I M'Caughan, Mason, M 'Donald, Murray, Rollcston, Paunders, Shanks, Shepimrd, Studholme, Sutton, Thomson, Tomoana, Trimble, Wakefield, Wallis, Weston, Whitaker, Wright, Weston. The reroainiug clauses were passed as printed, a- d n number < f new clauses were added to the Bill, which was reported as amended. Mr Hall announced that the Treasurer hoped to make the Financial Statement tomorrow night. The Chatham Islands Local Government Bill was fead a second time, and the House adjourned at 9.25.

A boy was accidentally shot in a rifle gallery at Grahamatown on the Ist inst. and died yesterday from the effects of the wound, An inquest was held, aud a verdict of accidental death was returneJ. It Btill blows occaei >nally on the. Rimatska The IV. Z. Times of Saturday says :— The wind was_ very severe on Friday on the Rimutaka incline, and blew in terrific gusts As an instance of its power, the Wairarap> Duty mentions that tte wind struck the en<? of a load of timber on a truck attached to the 8 a.m. train with such force as to break the euris of the boards short off to the chab which secured them to the truck. The train suffered no injury beyond this. From Home papers to hand per 'Frisco mail, we ("New Zealand Tim's") leain that Mr Henry Irving, the eminent tragedian is still suffering from ilWiealth, and that his medical advisers insist upon his taking a period of rest snd perfect quietude at a distance from all scenes of present exiteni?nt. He has relatives iv Nelson, and it is not improbable that he will visit tberu, and find in the healthy climate and perfect tranquility there pervading the rest and restoration he so much needs. It ia understood that the final report of Messrs. Batkin and Seed on the practicability of further retrenchment in the Civil Service, and its reorganization, will not be ready for another week, andpossibly a fortnight.