PARLIAMENTARY.

Patea Mail, Volume II, Issue 144, 26 August 1876, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

[PEK PHESS AGENCY.] HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Wellington, August 23. On the House resuming at half-past seven last evening, a good deal of discussion took place as to how the Committee to define the county boundaries for the South Island should be composed. The question was eventually adjourned till that day week. The House then went into Committee upon the Municipal Corporations Rill and, went through the remaining clauses. The Hating- Bill was similarly- dealt with. The rest of the sitting was in Coim mittee upon the Building Societies Bill. The House rose at 1.30 amp The House met at half-past two o’clock this afternoon. Captain Morris took his seat for the East Coast, Captain Read’s name being erased. The remainder of the afternoon was taken up in discussing Mr Sheehan's resolution to the effect that the £IO,OOO proposed to bo spent North of Auckland was entirely inadequate, and smaller than the district was entitled to. The discussion was interrupted by the arrival of 5.30 o’clock, the usual hour for adjournment. August 24. The House resumed at half-past seven last evening, when The adjourned debate on the Central Penal Esiahlishment at Taranaki was resumed by Mr Whitaker, who said that as the present financial position of the colony did not justify their going into such a large expenditure as would be involved in proceeding with the erection of the Central Prison at New Plymouth, he would move as an amendment —“ That the further consideration of the question be postponed till next session.” This caused a long discussion.

The Government opposed botli the resolution and amendment, on the grounds that the present state of the prisons throughout the colony was a reproach to it, and had been for several years ; that the action of the Government in the matter had only been caused by a sense of-duty ; that it was absolutely necessary to do one of two things—either build a large prison, or increase the accommodation of the principal prisons of the colony, and that the latter was to be expensive as the former ; that the question of where the prison was to be erected had nothing to do with the matter, as in any case Taranaki must have its breakwater ; that the financial position of the colony had nothing to do with the matter, as it was perfectly able to bear all reasonable expenses of providing for carrying on its administration. It was contended on the other hand that this was merely an experiment, and that it would be, for various reasons, wiser and more economic to wa : t at; least a year before moving in the matter.

The result being that the amendment was carried by 38 against 28, there being nine members who usually vote for the Government voting for the amendment. Mr Woolcock’s motion, to relievo the goldmining industry of exceptional taxation now imposed upon it, was formally agreed to. The House adjourned at J2.45 a.m. The House mot at 2 30 o’clock this aftcinoon In replying to a question the Government said the reward of £IO,OOO offered in 1873 by the General Government for th« discovery of a new goldfields, was not now in force, and would not be renewed. In reply to Mr Burns, it wag announced that two Commissioners of Audit were inquiring into the Brunper Gorge Bridge accident. Considerable discussion took place on Mr Sheehan’s motion that the £IO,OOO put down for expenditure on public works ip the districts North of Auckland was inadequate to meet the necessities of those districts. The only important feature imported into the discussion was a compilation by Mr Reynolds. Mr Cox moved as an amendment that the resolution he made to read—“ Districts North and South of Auckland.” The debate was interrupted hj* the arrival of 5.30 o’clock, when the House adjourned^ August 25. The House resumed at 7-30 p.m. The second reading of Wanganui Endowed Schools Bid, was moved by Mr Bryce.- It appeared from the Bill, and arguments in its favor, that during Sir G. Grey’s Governorship of the Colony an endowment in the city of Wanganui of 250 acres was given for the Education of children of indigent persons of . a ( JI rqces ip the Islands of the Pacilic, the trusteeship being placed with the Church of England. It was alleged that the objects of the trust had hot been carried out, that only about twenty children had been educated with two Maori children in Wellington, that the land was worth £25,000, and that the results of the management of an estate of such value were ridiculously incommensurate with the original intent, and that the House was justified in interfering. It was also alleged that none of the trustees resided in Wanganui, and that in order to see the endowment administered beneficially it was necessary that it should be administered by people with local knowledge. On the other hand it was argued that the trustees did their best under the circumstances, and thatit would beadangerous precedent for the House to interfere with a trust of this kind. That if there was a dispute, it should be decided before a court pf law. The Premier supported the bill, and said the Government supported it. The debate, was animated throughout and was not concluded till 1 o’clock, when the second reading was rejected by 21) against 18. The House met at 2.3(1 After some unimportant business and a few questions, the Building Societies. Dill advanced a stage in committee. The Rating Bill was further considered in committee. On clause 40 providing for. exemptions, a long discussion ensued upon an amendment, that lands held under lease or license for mining purposes, other than gold mining, shall he rateable property only to the extent of their surface value. It was negatived by.29 to 24. The section exempting land occupied for public purposes, by crown or local body of district, was moved to be struck out. The House rose at 5.30.