WELLINGTON.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 197, 19 August 1881, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

(From our own correspondent.) [By Telegraph.] Thursday, 10 p.m. Everything is dull an ditch-water tonight; do gossip, and nothing of interest stirring, The sole feature of the day ha* been Mr Mp.candrew's notice of motion in favor of quasi separation or dual Provincialism. Thia has created much comment, aod promises to form the subject of another lengthy debate next week. In view of fhe fact that the general estimate! are only just touched, the public works estimatei not even approached, the Representation Bill only on the threshold of Committee, the Railway* Bill not even read the second tim*, tho Property Tax Amendment, and Cu»tomi Tariff Bills not yet introduced, while there are 91 Bills and 22 notices of motion on the Order Paper, it does not look aa if the prorogation would tike place early next month as hoped and expected. There must either be a tremendous massacre of the innocents or else the House will have to sit at least two months longer, and the latter is eminently improbable in view of the an. proaching election. Apropos of this subject Mr Pyke gave do! ice to-day that on the 25th inst he would move, " That this House having sat for ten weeks, and taking into consideration the circumstance that the business of the session has now commenced is of opinion that it is desirable that Parliament should bo prorogued for a sufficient interval to nllow of His Excellency the Governor paying his projected visit to the Western Pacific-, and also to give members of both Houses an opportunity of recruiting their wasted energies so that that they may be enabled to enter upon the discussion of public business in a healthful framo of mind and body." Thia of course 13 one of Fyke's elaborate jokea but it contains some home troths and pointed hits, as there is little doubt that the greater portion of Ibe business will not be even looked at this session. Private members are making the most of this, one of their lew remaining

dayH, bat the practical results are micftiscopic, The Volunteer Bill having passed the Upper House has been sent down to the House of Representatives for its concurrence. Some new clauses have been introduced, the principal ones being those relating to the recovery of subscriptions or fines, and penalties for wrongful sale, &c, of public or corps property. Clause 1 provides that fines and subscriptions may be recovered either in a summary way, as provided by the Justices of the Peace Act, or by a civil action at the suit of the commanding officer of the corp9. Another clause provides that if any person designedly makes away with, sells, pawns, wrongfully destroys, wrongfully damages, or negligently loses anything issued to him as a Volunteer, or wrongfully refuses or neglects to deliver up on demand anything issued to him as a Volunteer, the value thereof shall be recoverable from him with costt, and he shall for fetery iuch offence be liable to a penalty not exceeding £5. Wrongful buying of arms, &c, from a Volunteer H punishable by * penalty not exceeding 20s for the first offence, and for a second offence a penalty of not less than £5 nor more than £20 with or without imprisonment for any term not exceeding six months, with or without hard labor. Wilful injury to butts or target*, or searching for bullets without leave is punishable by a penalty not exceeding £10. Mr Pyke is to ask the Government to-morrow afternoon what arrangements have been made, or it is intended to propose shall be made, for the payment of the salaries and expenses of their Excellencies the Governor and the Acting Governor during the probably prolonged absentia of the former whilst engaged in the performance Of his functions as High Commissioner for the Western Pacific, and whether the Salaries and expenses of both Governors, or what fkofiortion 1 thereof, will be charged against the revenue and defrayed by the Treasury of the colony. . , t , This Day, 2.16 p.m. ; The House did not rise till paßt four this morning, and, owing- to the lateh'eSS of the adjournment, there is no sitting this afternoon, but the House resumes at 7.30 this evening. The first order of the day is the consideration of the New Plymouth Harbor Board Committee's report, which is expected to elicit a strong debate. Should that collapse, then either the second reading of the Railways Bill will be taken or else the committal of the Representation Bill will be continued, A long discussion is anticipated on Mr Macandrew's separation motion next week. Possibly ifc will be lost by a somewhat narrow majority.