PARLIAMENT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1319, 25 August 1880, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

(by telegraph from ohristchurch.)

In default of any summary of Parliamentary news from the Press Association, the Christohureh agent sends the following with regard to Friday's sitting, clipped from Saturday's Post: — No sooner has the Order Paper of the Commons been cleared of some of its superfluous Bills, than, fresh ones are added to the list, though happily the number of the latter are not in proportion to that of the former, Thursday night saw the demolition of the hopes of the Native Minister and the temperance advocate, who are privileged to legislate for the pebple, in the sweeping away of six native Bills, and one calculated to reform the licensing laws of the colony. Yesterday afternoon witnessed the initiation of four measures and the promise of a fifth, i Three of the four were neoessary fiscal Bills introduced by tli9 Colonial Treasurer, and comprised the following : —The Stamp Fee Bill, a Bill' to alter the Duties of Customs, and the Stamp Act Amendment Bill. The fourth was brought down by Mr. Bolleston, and is entitled the Special Powers and Contracts Bill. Mr.' Fulton , asked the Government if they would during the recess consider the advisablgness of amending the .law of divorce of the colony, and the Premier replied that the question would be dealt with by the Judicial Commission, and j the Government would ROi dowbt act upon tlfe report oq# s^saion, Replying to Mr. Reeves, who is ever watph'ful of the interests of the gold miners, the Premier intimated that it would not be advisable to go to the expense of establishing a mint in New Zealand just now. Mr.' Sheelian was informed that the : report of the Middle Jsland Commission had been &epi in to the Governor three days ago, and that a copy was being prepared for the House. In answer to Mr. Pyke, Mr. Qliye? said the Government w§re pot aware that the railway lwe from Oxford to Malvern (Sheffield), recommended by the Railway Commissioners, was . a " mere pretext committing the colony to building a line from Oxford to" Temuka" ; further, neither the Premier nor Mr. Wright had property near any line at present in course of construction.

Mr. Murray made an attempt to secure a Saturday morning sitting, but was successful, members objecting to suffer the fate of the proverbial caxnel occasioned by the piling on of the last straw, An imprest Supply Bill (ISfo. 4), of L200,00Q was rapidly passed through its multifarious stages, and. the remainder of the afternoon was devoted to the re-com-mittal of the Native Land Courts Bill. In the evening, the West Coast Settle* ment Bill was resumed for a short time, when the second reading was agreed to. Sir William Fox expressed the anxious hope of the Commissioners that the Government would see their way to carry out as speedily as possible, though without any undue precipitateness, tl\e recommendation which the Administration had concurred in, a«d the House agreed to. In doing so' he did not think any war would arise if reasonable discretion was used.

Mr. Bryce, in his reply said the Government fully intended to substantially parry, out the report of the Qointnission, bat could hardly lay down any castiron rule in the matter.

The Bill was committed forthwith} and although there was a good dea,l of discussion on the various clauses, it was passed without material amendment, beyond the addition of a new clause maintaining the Act in force for three years from the close of the present session of Parliament. The House rose .at 1.15 a.m. till Monday morning .at 11 o'clock.