PARLIAMENTARY.

Patea Mail, Volume II, Issue 148, 9 September 1876, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

[per press agency.] HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Wellington, September (i. When the House resumed at 7.30 last ■night the discussion on the Agent-Gcncral-ship was continued and kept up with vigour until a late hour. Mr. Lusk said the Premier was not in the right place. Ho was not a man to economise ; in fact, he possessed not a single requsite for the office. He was so extravagant that it would bo dangerous to appoint him. Mr. Wakefield 1 spoke at great length in general terms of condemnation. It would have paid the colony to have given him £IO,OOO a-yeav for the last five years to have kept him in some remote part of the world. During his oflice ho drew £30,000, besides two trips to Europe, and received twice as much for his services as any Minister since the passing of the Constitution Act. Mr. Pearce defended the late Premier, and denied the right of the House to interfere in a matter purely executive. Mr. Rees took the same view as Mr. Wakefield, and accused Vogel of corrupting the public service and demoralising the House. Mr. Howe supported the appointment. Mr Montgomery would sooner see £SOOO given to send Sir Julius Vogel homo than bo should be appointed AgentGeneral Mr. Hodgkinson considered Sir Julius Vogel imprudent, extravagant, and insolent Sir George Grey said the expense of the Agency was entirely unnecessary, and the cost was shameful. The Premier and Mr. Whitaker defended the proposed appointment, the latter replying in detail to the move pertinent and specific charges. Ho (the speaker) said the appointment would only bo for 12 months, and Sir Julius Vogel’s instructions would bo to gradually 7 curtail the expenses of the department. A division was taken on Mr. Stout’s amendment (that the question be now put), and lost by 41 to 24, which was equivalent to carrying the previous question, in Parliamentary phraseology, shelving the motion.) The House adjourned at 1.20. The House met at 2,30

Sir George Grey gave notice to move for a Select Committee to inquire into the cost of Sir Julius’ two missions to Europe ; the usual powers of calling for persons and papers being asked for. Mr. Murray gave notice to move that, no member of the House should be appointed to the Executive before being sent for rc-clcction. A debate arose on the incompatibility of the Chairman of the Public Petitions Committee acting as the Government whip, but no decision was arrived at. The Native Minister, in reply to a motion by Taiaroa, that a portion of the confiscated land in r,hc Waikato be given back to him, said it was quite out of the question, and he told Tawhaio so when ho had an interview with him. But he had no objection, if Tawhaio asked for other unoccupied confliscated laud to lay some proposal to that effect before the House. The following is the division list on the Agent-General debate : Ayes. 24—Andrew, Baicrcnt, Burns, TVLatou' - . Dignan, Fisher, Fitzrny, Grey, Jovcc, Montgomery, O’Rorko, Roes, (teller), Rolloston, Sea f on, Sharp, Stevens, Swanson. Thomson, Tole, Touks, Wakefield, Wasou, R. G. Wood (teller,), and W, Wo d. Noes, 41—Atkinson. Ballance, Barff, Bastings, Bowen. J. E, Brown, J. C. Brown. Bryce, Bnnnv, Button, Carrington, Cox, Douglas. Gibbs, Harper, Henry, Hnrsthonse, Kelly (teller), Kennedy, Kenny, Lnmsdcn, McFarlane, Sir D. McLean, George McLean, Moorhonse, MnrrnA'-Ayns’ey. Ormond, Pearce, Pyke, 7\ Reid. Richmond, Rowe, Russell, Shrimski, S afford, Stout ( teller), Tawiti, Tribe. Whitaker, and Woolcock. Majority for the Government, 17. Sept. 7. A good deal of business was got through last night, but little of it possessed general interest. The House met at 2.30. In replying to Mr. Carrington, Mr. Bowen declined to state the amount of the tender they intended accepting for the Central Prison, as he thought it would not he fair, hut lie said they would bring forward tho question again nest session.

, A Bill was introduced to prevent members of the Assembly being appointed to offices of emolument under the Government. A Bill was also introduced to facilitate the transfer and vesting of Homan Catholic lands. The House adjourned at 12.30. September 8. Mr Whitaker, instead of moving the second reading of the Attorney-General’s Bill, which was flic first order of the day, asked that it be discharged for the present. Ho then explained that doubtshaving been raised as to the legality of the position occupied by certain members of the Ministry, or of the whole of the Executive, as Was contended by the member for Auckland East the other evening, ho proposed that on Monday next, he would announce to the House exactly the positions they were in. In the meantime the report of a committee upon the matter was being brought in the other House, and one would be hrouhgt up in their own Chamber' shortly. To prevent loss of time and experse to business of, the Colony he thought it would be consulting the wishes of the House, if they went on with that' before them, exclusive of course of these measures of a constitutional character. After considerable debate and great opposition from Sir George Grey and Re.es, the course proposed by the Government was agreed.to. The motion for Select Committees to fix tire boundaries of the Counties in each Island was withdrawn at, the request of Richardson, who' said the Government would define the boundaries of counties themselves and be responsible for .them. The Premier moved the second reading of the Waste Lands Administration Bill, the chief feature of which is the extension of the deferred payment system to the whole colony, and bringing the present law into harmony with the changes now being made. Deb'ate' interrupted by 5.30.