PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5215, 8 December 1877, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Friday, December 7. The Hon. the SrEAKER took the chair at 2 p.m. MESSAGES FROM THE GOVERNOR. Messages were received from his Excellency the Governor, covering certain amendments in the Financial Arrangements Act Amendment Bill, and also in the Maori Real Estate Management Act Amendment Bill, which were agreed to on the motion of the Hon. Colonel Whitmore. waste lands sale bill. A message was received from the House of Representatives, stating that they disagreed in the amendments of the Legislative Council in this Bill. —It was agreed that the Council should insist on its amendments, and the Hons. Sir F. D. Bell and Messrs. Russell and Robinson were appointed managers for drawing up reasons why the Council insisted. Their reasons were agreed to. DESTITUTE TKKSON'S ACT. At the request of the House of Representatives, a free conference was agreed to on this Bill, and the Hons. Colonel Whitinore and Messrs. Hall aud Wilson were appointed managers to attend the conference. LAND BILL. A message was received from the House of Representatives, stating that they insisted on disa"reeing with the amendments of the Council in this Bill.—A free conference was agreed to, at which the Hons. Sir F. D. Bell and Messrs. Buckley aud Hall represented the Council. THE RANGITATA BRIDGE. Before proceeding to the orders of the day, the Hon. Mr. Acland drew the attention of the Colonial Secretary to a telegram which he had that morning received, to the effect that the concrete piles on the north side of the Upper Raugitata Bridge had given way, but that if this was seen to at once traffic need lint be interrupted. The Hon. Colonel WHITMORE promised that the matter should be attended to. SECOND READINGS. The following Bills were read a second time: —The Lyttelton Harbor Works Compensation Bill, the Canterbury Railways Laud Reservation Bill, Hutt Waikanae and Palmeistou North Railway Bill, Te Aro Reclamation Bill. COMMITTALS. The following Bills were considered in commlttee:—The Lyttelton Harbor Works Compensation Bill (reported without amendments), the Pert of Whangarei Bill (reported with amendments), the Roxburgh Reserve Act Amendment Bill (reported without amendments), and the Disqualification Act Amendment Bill (reported with amendments). THIRD READINGS. The following Bills were read a third time: The Lyttelton Harbor Works Compensation Bill, the Port of Whaugarei Bill, the Roxburgh Reserve Act Amendment Bill, and the Disqualification Act Amendment Bill. CONFERENCES. The reports which were brought up by the managers who had been appointed to attend free conferences on the Destitute Persons Act and the Land Bill were adopted. The managers appointed by the Council to confer with "managers from the House of Representatives brought up their report as to a settlement arrived at relative to the amendments in the Waste Lands Sale Bill. TE ARO RECLAMATION BILL. This Bill was r-ad a second time, and then the Hon. Mr. Hart, who was in charge of it, moved that it be discharged from the order paper, as there were too many amendments in it to be considered this session. railway bills. The three Railway Bills—the Strath-Taieri and Clyde Railway Bill, the Canterbury Railways Land Reservation Bill, and the Hutt Waikanae and Palmerston North Railway Bill—were discharged from the Order Paper after being read a second time. STATEMENT. Before the Council adjourned the Hon. Col. Whitmore desired to state that he had just received a message from the Premier to the effect that Parliament would not be prorogued before Monday. It would be necessary for both Houses of the Legislature to meet next day in order to pass the Appropriation Bill, owing to a block in the printing office. The Council then, at midnight, adjourned till the usual hour next day. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Friday, December 7. The Speaker took the chair at 12 noon. The business transacted was of a formal character, and the House adjourned till three o'clock. On meeting, the Hon. Mr. Sheehan informed the Houie that the Hinemoa would leave for the North not earlier than ten o'clock the following morning, to enable members to return to their homes. A motion of Mr. Barff's, in reference to the construction of a railway between Hokitika and Grey mouth, was withdrawn, on the understanding that the Government would look into the matter during the recess. It was reported that the conference of both House had agreed to the amendments in the Land Bill. The amendments made by the Council in the • Financial Arrangements Bill were agreed to._ The House agreed by 23 to 16 in the amendments made by the Council in the Waste Lands Bill. COMMITTEE OF SUFI'LY. The sum of £IO,OOO for the Mountain-road, Taranaki, was passed, after a vigorous opposition from Messrs. Stout and Rolleston. Various miscellaneous items, to the amount of £6630, were passed. Works required to open lands for settlement : —Auckland provincial district. £10,000; Taranaki Provincial district, £1000; Wellington provincial district, .£8000; Hawke's Bay provincial district, £5000; Nelson provincial district, £.1000; Marlborough provincial district, £1000; Canterbury provincial district, £3000; Westland provincial district, £5000; Otago provincial district, £6000; total, £50?000. Mr. STOUT moved that the whole amount of £50,000 be omitted. This was supported by Messrs. Reid and Bowen, and the amount was struck out on the voices. Auckland awl other provincial districts Amount to be expended among the counties in the provincial district of Auckland, in like manner to the sum payable out of the Consolidated Fund, under section G of the Financial Arrangements Act, £40,000. Amount to be expended on such services as the Governor in Council shall from time to time determine, in liquidation of liabilities of other provincial districts, £260,000 ; total, £300,000. After a lengthy discussion theitem was agreed to by 33 to 9. The resolutions were then reported to the House, and agreed to without discussion. I'ROROOATION. Sir GEORGE GREY stf.ted that it was impossible that the various Bills could be signed by the following day, aud therefore the prorogation would not take place biiforo Monday at 2 o'clock. Members need not remain, however, as the Governor had expressed his desire to prorogue by commission. API'ttOI'IUATTON BILL. The Appropriation Bill was read a Recond time, and ordered to bo committed on the following day. The House adjourned at 11.10 till half-past