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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5423, 14 August 1878, Page 2

It was intimated in the House of Representatives yesterday that the Public Works Statement would be made by the Hon. Mr. Macandrew at the latter end of next week.

In answer to a question put by Mr. Williams yesterday, tho Premier intimated that the Government would have no objections, should the state of public business permit it, to allow hon. members an opportunity of vsiting the South on the occasion of opening the railway lino from Christchurch to Dunedin. It is expected that the House will adjourn from Thursday afternoon till the f Tuesday following, to enable members to proceed to Dunedin. All the galleries of the House of Representatives were densely crowded last.night when the Premier resumed the debate on the Electoral Bill.

Although the Fraudulent Debtors Act is only a consolidation of the existing law, considerable discussion was raised iu committee on the principles of the bankruptcy law. Mr. Swanson said that he should like to see all bankruptcy law swept away, and all imprisonment for debt, under any circumstances. Mr. Bowen said he should agree with Mr. Swanson if he went far enough and abolished at the same time all legal recovery of debts. The time would come when this question would be considered seriously. If all debts were debts of honor, credit would depend on character, and there would be* very few failures. But as long as there was legal recovery there must be some legal provision for effecting a compromise between debtors and creditors. These expressions of opinion elicited cries of “hear hear” from of the House. - Mr. Bryce, as Chairman of the Native Affairs Committee, yesterday brought up the report on the petition of a Maori woman named Rahera Tiwara. She petitioned for some land which she alleged to be hers, but tho committee declined to make any further recommendation than that made by the same committee last session. It appeared however that Rahera Tiwara had, by her individual exertion, been instrumental in saving the lives of two Europeans who were threatened with death by an armed band of Titokowaru's followers in the last native rebellion, and the Native Affairs Committee have recommended to her a gratuity of £IOO in recognition of this act of humanity. Mr. Saunders caused considerable merriment in the House of Representatives last night during the course of a very excellent speech made by that hon. member ou the Electoral Bill. Speaking against the admission of women as members of the House, he asked hon. members to picture to themselves the sight of a woman getting up in their midst to address the Assembly. He believed his friend on his right (Mr. Fox) would be so intoxicated on the occasion that even if she talked the greatest rubbish that was ever uttered in the House, the hon. member for Wanganui would cheer her to the echo ; and if she proposed to give publicans compensation for shutting up their houses, ho believed Mr. Fox would support her. Loud laughter followed the prognostications of the hon. member for Cheviot.

A meeting of the committee appointed to take steps for the raising of a sufficient sum of raouey to provide a suitable residence for tho Anglican Bishop of Wellington was held yesterday. The total amount at present subscribed was stated to bo £7OO. The returns from the up-country portions of the diocese have not yet been sent in. Another committee meeting will be held in a week’s time, when it is expected that the amount will be considerably augmented. At the Bankruptcy Court yesterday certificates of discharge were granted to John Buck and Thomas Cook, It having been pointed out to the Judge that in some instances in the notices published in tho newspapers of the intention of bankrupts to apply for their discharge tho address and occupation of tho applicant were omitted. His Honor said that in future if this was brought officially under his notice when applications for discharge were made he should rule that tho notice was insufficient. All debtors seeking the relief of the Court, their solicitors, and others acting for them will do well to bear this in mind. We have received from Mr. Curtis, of the To Aro Grammar School, a copy iu the German language of a poem, dedicated to the German Emperor, which expresses the loyalty and affection of his subjects, and their feelings of exultation at his recovery from the effects of the late attempt to assassinate him. The original is now in the hands of Mr. E. Brandon, and will be forwarded by tho next outgoing mail. A meeting of the Wellington Literary Association was held at St. John's schoolroom last evening ; the Rev, Mr. Paterson in tho chair. There was a good attendance. A debate was held on tho question, “ Should women have more political and social privileges than they at present enjoy?” A warm and prolonged discussion ensued, the majority of tho speakers arguing in the negative, and urging that woman was intended to bo man's helpmate, and not his rival. On Tuesday next essays will be road on “Sleep” and “Charles Dickens,”

JMr, Hoskins, Mias Colville, and company will arrive in Wellington on Friday, and open their season at the Imperial Opera House ou Saturday night. Mr. Hoskins brings an excellent company with him, as will be seen by an advertisement in another column.

The proposed municipal by-laws for the regulation of hackney carriages are published as a supplement to our Usue of to-day. They will be taken into consideration at a special meetin" of the City Council to be hold on tho 22nd instant, at half-past 7 o’clock.

The only accident that has been reported to u* in connection with tho late earthquake (says a Wanganui exchange) befell an old gentleman resident on tho river bank, who for some timo before tho earthquake bad been engaged in fishing logs of drift wood out of the river. Standing patiently upon the very edge of tho bank, this old gentleman had just caught sight of a particularly choice lump, and was reaching forward to secure his prize, when tho shake came, and causing the portion of tho bank on which the fisherman was posted to, slip down, precipitated him into the water,, where he lay, under the Impression that tho end of all things had come about, until finding no further change occur, he, being iu no very great depth of water, managed to scramble out again. The Manawatu reporter of the Chronicle of the 10th instant states that one of the cheques which was stolen from tho Ferry House, Foxton, on tho previous Tuesday, has been found in a paddock between the Ferry- House and tho bridge over the Awahau. Unfortunately, adds the reporter, we have no constable hero to follow up the clue, that officer having gone to Wellington with horses for tho Government.

Yesterday the Brothers Elder repeated the performance of the previous evening at the Opera House to a fair audience. Yesterday the complaints of hon. members respecting their inability to hear each other’s utterances were rifer than ever.

Mr. Vincent Pyke took his seat in the House of Representatives last night for the first time during the present session. Mr. Driver, who was introduced by the Hon. Mr, Macandrew and the Hon. E. Richardson, took the oath and his seat in the House of Representatives lost night. William Naylor Arnold was committed to take his trial, at the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday,for attempting to shoot James Watt at Porirua.

There will be a sitting of the Supreme Court in banco this morning, when the case of Arrow v. Harding (of Hawke’s Bay) is set down for hearing. In the case of Joshua Goodfellow the select committee brought up their report yesterday, and recommended that the sum of £4OO be granted fro the claimant in full settlement of all claims against the Government, The newly-appointed office of usher of the black rod has been practically abolished, iu consequence of the Committee of Supply having refused to vote the salary, yesterday afternoon, by a majority of 40 to 23. The usual monthly meeting of the Hutt County Council was held yesterday. The business transacted was of a routine nature. A report of what took place will be found in another column.

Up to yesterday the sum of £37 14s. 4d. had been subscribed towards the formation of a playground for the scholars attending the Terrace school. The subscription list is published in another portion of our columns. The secretary of the Wellington Choral Society notifies that practice for vocalists will be resumed at 8 o'clock on Friday evening next, at the Provincial Hall, when a full and punctual attendance is requested. Dr. Hodgkinson gave notice yesterday that he would move for leave to introduce the Deceased Wife’s Sister Marriage Bill. The hou. member’s annual notice of motion was received with several cries of “ hear, hear,” and some laughter. Mrs. George Cotterell, assisted by a number of lady and gentlemen amateurs, will give a grand concert in the Theatre Royal on Wednesday evening, the 21st instant. His Excellency the Governor and Lady Normanby we are informed, have signified their intention of being present, and the lovers of music generally throughout the city and neighborhood are sure to muster iu full force on the occasion. Mr. Bowen dealt a hard hit at Dr. Wallis last night. The hon. member for Kaiapoi said he had too great a respect for women to speak of them so patronisingly as the hon. member for Auckland City West had done on a recent occasion. It was known that the hon. member for that constituency intended to address the House on women’s rights, and it was supposed he would have created some excitement; bub what was the result ? When Dr. Wallis rose to make his speech there were two ladies in the gallery, and when he finished speaking there were none I

Yesterday the Committee of Supply commenced with the liabilities. It appeared that a sum of £2IOO for native purposes was due by Government, for which they asked appropriation. The Colonial Treasurer had explained that the items under the head liabilities were engagements based on the votes of last year. Major Atkinson pointed out that iu the tables appended to the Financial Statement (page 39) it appeared that there had been already an expenditure on native affairs exceeding tho vote by some £3OOO. He therefore asked for some information, and suggested that perhaps charges which might have been made ou tho Civil List were made against this vote. This the Colonial Treasurer said he was not in a position to explain in the absence of the Native Minister, Mr. Bowen and Mr. McLean pointed out that it was unreasonable to ask the committee to vote money in the absence of any explanations, and that practically under this guise of liabilities new votes were asked for without any explanation. Mr, Stout very unwisely got up to special plead and to attack the members opposite for asking for information. After a long discussion, in which all the members abovementloned took part, it was agreed by the Colonial Treasurer to postpone the item. The Chairman ruled that an item iu Committee of Supply could nob be postponed. Major Atkinson then said that he had no objection to its passing, provided information was produced again in such a shape that it could be criticised.

Messrs. Beauchamp, Campbell, and Co. will sell by auction, at 2 o’clock to-day, at Messrs. Levin’s bond, brandy, tobacco, &c.