PARLIAMENT.

Patea Mail, Volume I, Issue 5, 7 November 1887, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

Parliamentary proceedings are not yet particularly interesting, but wall become so on Tuesday next, when the debate on the Financial Statement is to be opened, and the position of the Government will be fairly wellkuown. So far nothing of importance has come before the House, The Wanganui Harbour Bill has been read a second time on a division by 39 to 31 Sir George Grey’s Law Practitioners Bill lias also passed its second reading and a few minor measures have received notice. The question of Bible reading in schools is not to bo loft out in the cold as petitions are continually corning in on the subject. Five having been presented by Mr Rhodes, who appeared to have rather a thankless billet. The Catholics also are not backward in urging their claims, for a largely signed petition from the neighbourhood of Ashburton was presented asking for State aid for their schools. Mr Pyke gave notice of a question which appeared to evoke some interest in which he intimated his intention of asking the Premier if it is true, as reported in some of the papers, that he had offered Sir RoOert Stout a seat in the Legislative Council with the Attorney-Generalship. Later on in afternoon the Premier stated that he was prepared to answer the question then. There was no truth in the statement which had gone forth, that he had offered Sir Robert Stout a seat iu the Government, or the office of Attorney-General, with a seat iu the Legislative Council, and there had been no negotiations for a coalition, either directly or indirectly, between himself and Sir Robert Stout since 1884. In reply to Mr Beetham as to whether the Government will consider the advisabilit} r of removing the prohibition that now exists against the importation of cattle and sheep from Europe, the Minister of Lands stated that the Government intend to remit the question to the Stock Committee. The following question will ba asked by Mr W. C. Smith on Tuesday next: —lf it is the intention of the Government to propose an} r legislation dealing with absentee landholders in the direction of imposing extra taxation on this large and increasing class of property-owners.