PARLIAMENTARY.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1128, 22 August 1882, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

[PEB UNITED PBESS ASSOCIATION.] Legislative Council. The Otago Harbor Board Reconstruction Bill (Mr Wilson), Te Arolia Streets and Buildings Bill (Mr Whitaker), and the Explosives Bill (Mr Oliver) were read the first time. The following were read a third time, and passed :—Bluff Harbor Foreshore Reclamation Bill, Dangerous Goods Bill, Supreme Court Bill, Law Amendment Bill, and Thorndon Reclamation Bill. The Stamp Bill and Coroners’ Act 1867 Amendment were received from the Lower House, and read a first time. The rest of the afternoon was spent in further considering a number of bills in committee. The Council adjourned at 5 p.m. House of Representatives. On Monday the Public Health Act Amendment Bill (Tolc) was read a second time. The Resident Magistrate Act Amendment Bill was considered in committee, and progress reported. Sir G. Grey’s Law Practitioners’ Bill was further considered in committee. Mr Holmes moved to excise Clause 3. Negatived by 34 to 32, and Clause retained. Sir G. Grey moved that the bill be read a third time. Mr Weston moved that day six months. The third reading was carried by 38 to 33, and the Bill passed. After 1.30, Mr Munro proposed that the vote for the Greymouth-Reefton line extension towards Reefton be reduced by £5OOO, as the money could be more profitably spent on other works on the Coast. The reduction was negatived by 45 to 10. Mr Holmes moved that the Albury Creek branch extension to Burke’s Pass be reduced by £25,000 ; to carry the line to Burke’s Pass would be a scandalous waste of money. He wished to strike out the words “ Burke’s Pass,” but the Chairman ruled that the words could not be altered, all the Committee had power to do was to reduce the amount, or pass or reject the whole item. Messrs Fish, Montgomery, Sheehan, and others took exception to this ruling, contending that the Bill was not an Appropriation Bill, and that the wording could be altered. Colonel Trimble and Major Atkinson supported the Chairman’s ruling, and after some discussion an adjournment of the question before the House took place. On resuming, the Chairman upheld his former ruling that the words could not be amended.

Mr Weston moved to report progress. A discussion ensued, and at 4.30, Colonel Trimble relieved Mr Hamlin as Chairman. At 5 the motion to report progress was negatived by 35 to 24, and the item passed us printed. Colonel Trimble moved the reduction of £200,090 in the item, Otago Central. This was lost on a division of 40 to 8. This item passed. Mr Joyce moved that the item, LumsdenMaroro* branch to complete section to Makareta, be struck out, it would open up little if any Crown land of good value. The motion was rejected by 23 to 21. Captain McKenzie then moved that the item be reduced to twenty shillings, intimating his intention to oppose or divide on it £ by £. On a division the reduction of the vote from £12,000 to £1 was carried by 24 to 12. A motion of Mr Duncan to report progress was then lost on the voices. Mr M. W. Green moved the omission of the item £20,000 for the purchase of Native lands. Lost on the voices, and item pasled. Mr Green then moved that the item, public buildings, £300,009, be omitted, but subsequently altered this to a reduction of £109,000. Lost on the voices. Mr Turnbull moved that the item be reduce* Ito £200,000. Lost on a division of 21 to 16. Item passed.