PARLIAMENTARY.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2614, 6 August 1881, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Wellington, August 5, The Gaming and Lotteries Bill was read a third time and passed. COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY. On the motion for going into Committee of Supply, Mr Saunders said he rose to speak as a disappointed and angry man. There were two features in connection with Government he bad always remarked. The one was to allow the civil servants to take the upper hand of them, and the other was to take too much liberty with borrowed money, after they had once embarked in borrowing. It was unjust to abandon tbe reduction* on salaries, especially on the higher salaries. If the Estimates were not reduced he intended to challenge almost every item as it came-up. Sir George Grey moved—“ That a Select Committee be appointed to examine the Estimates and report upon what consolidations of Departments, changes, or reductions in the public expenditure can be made in order to reduce it to the lowest possible amount consistent with due efficiency, such Committee to consist of Major Atkinson, Messrs Ballance, Hall, Hutchison, Johnson, Macandrow, McLean, Montgomery, Swanson, Saunders, Reader Wood, and the mover, to report in a week.” Mr Hall said the mover ought to have given notice of such an important notice so that they might have thought the matter out. The proposal was revolutionar}', and he had doubts as to whether it was really seriously meant. Sir George Grey’s amendment was put and negatived.

COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY. The House went into Committee of supply. Clause 6 Postal and Telegraph, Postmaster - General's Office, i'6703 2s 6d. Item passed. Chief officers and sub offices, £101,448 Os 6d. Mr Sheehan said that this department was notoriously underpaid. Messrs Shrimski,Hirst, Moss, Murray, Hursthouse, Gisborne, Brown,and other members drew attention to the case of individual hardships in the reduction and charges made, and Mr Johnston gave an explanation. Discussions still proceeding at 1.30 a.m.