PARLIAMENTARY ITEMS.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume III, Issue 425, 4 November 1876, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY ITEMS.

All the charges on the consolidated fund and the Auckland services were passed. Law and Justice was reduced from £19,470 to £17,970. Compensation to Inspector of Lunatic Asylums was reduced by £l5OO. A bonus to the Colonial Architect, £5OO was struck out by 26 to 24. A long and animated discussion ensued upon the allowance to Sir J. Vogel for services in England, £2750. It was struck out by 29 against 21. A similar discussion ensued on a bonus to Mr Fitzgerald for drafting Bills, £250 Mr Sheehan said it looked much like bribery. i'he motion to strike it out was negatived. Mr Montgomery wanted it reduced £5, to show the sense of the House. This was also negatived. In reply to Mr Murray, the Premier said, regarding Ministerial changes during the recess, that the Native Minister and the Minister for Public Works would retire. One of these portfolios would be taken by Mr Ormond, but who the other gentleman would be was not yet decided. The House went into Committee of the whole to consider the introduction of a clause into the Immigration and Public Works Appropriation Bill, for the purpose of enabling the Government to hand over to ths County of Thames the mortgage held on the Pumping Association plant. . The resolution was agreed to. In Committee on Ways and Means, a resolution was passed voting £2,520, 286 for Public Works and Immigration. The Immigration and Public Works Appropriation Bill was passed through all its stages. When the Bill was in Committee an item of £2500 for the Taranaki Great South Road was passed. The Conference of both Houses on the Counties Bill agreed on this basis: —The County Chairman to be elected by the Council, and not to be disqualified from sitting in the House of Representatives. The ordinary loan clauses were struck out, and special loans limited to four times the rateable property in the county, leaving increase in the overdraft as provided by the Council. Before going into Committee of supply, Mr Montgomery moved that £50,000 should be appropriated for the erection of school buildings throughout the colony. The Premier opposed, he said the million was to be borrowed for certain specified purposes, and that was no time to make such a change in its application, even if it were possible to take such a sum out of the million. He asked that the motion stand over till next session. Messrs Sheehan and Sir George Grey supported the motion, which was agreed toon the voices.