NOTES OF THE SESSION.

Southland Times, Issue 1642, 1 October 1872, Page 3

NOTES OF THE SESSION.

The last Parliamentary event recorded in our notes was the conclusion of the ■ no-confideiice debate, and the consequent resignation of the Ministry, on the Gth of , September. We now resume our narrative at this point. Mr Stafford having been sent for by the Governor, after the : usual delay, and the circulation of various contradictory rumors in the meantime, was enabled to announce, on Tuesday, the lOtb, tbat be bad succeeded in forming a Ministry, of which Messrs Fitzherbert, , Gillies, Curtis, Reid, and Sewell would be members. The three first-named gen- , tlemen being Superintendents of Pro- i vinces, it was stated, in reply to a ques- j tion by Mr Fox, that they would resign ; that position at tbe close of the session, i Tbe House then, at Mr Stafford's request, adjourned til! the following Friday, to enable him to complete his arrangements. Mr Gisborne, the late Colonial Secretary, resigned bis seat for Egmont, retiring on bis office as Commissioner of Annuities, the duties of wbich he had performed, without salary, while he continued to bold a seat in the Cabinet. On Friday, 13th September, Mr Stafford made his Ministerial statement. Mr Curtis, be said, would be Commissioner of Customs, and temporarily PostmasterGeneral ; Mr Sewell, Colonial Secretary, and sole medium of eominunicstion with tbe Agent - General ; Mr Filzherbert, Minister of Immigration ; Mr Reid, Minister of Public Works ; and Mr Gillies, Treasurer; Mr Stafford being Premier, and retaining tbe control of the Native Departmant. The Ministry was formed on the principle of maintaining the unity of the Colony, with the seat of G-overn-ment afc Wellington. They would therefore meet the separation motions of Mr Macandrew _and Mr Reynolds by moving tbe previous question. With a view to' save time, the Assembly having been iv session for about three months, they would adopt tbe estimates framed by their predecessors, reducing them where tbey could. The contracts for any future railways that it might be resolved to construct would be submitted to public competition.- They would strenuously endeavor to bring tbe ordinary expenditure within the ordinary revenue of ihe Colony, and avoid increasing the floating debt. They would mature several useful measures during tbe recess, including BiHs on tbe subject of Goldmining, Insolvency, and Education. Tbe question of Gaol Discipline would also be considered for next session - and means would be devised to remedy tbe discontent which existed on the Nelson goldfields. Tbey would also ask for a Parliamentary Commission to enquire, during the recess, into tbe condition of the Civil Service of the Colony. Mr John Martin appeared at tbe bar of the House to ' answer a charge of breach of privilege. It appeared tbat he ha ; cL-applied. for Jand on- the run of Mr Aiudrewvmember- for Wairarapa, with the avowed intention of punishing him for a vote giveji ?s&&£ cession." Mr Martin denied tbat i _e~ b__" bjeeu in, earnest wben I he said thathe "would make Mr Andrew I pay'deafly for his'vote, and as a proof of j nJB einceritj offered to . withdraw bis I

application for the land, and made an apology. The amende was accepted, and the matter allowed to drop. The House, after some further business of no great interest, adjourned as usual on Friday, till the following Tuesday. On Tuesday, 17 th September, the greater part of the day was spent in committee on tbe Stamp Acts Amendments Bill. Tbe stamp duty on cheques was reduced to Id. Mr Macandrew withdrew his Insular Separation resolution. The export duty on gold was reduced to 2s per ounce from Ist January next. Next day, Wednesday, September ISth, Mr Bathgate asked whether members of the Legislature were to be on the Civil Service Commission, and if so, who they were to be. A good deal had been said about this Commission, and some of the adherents of the late Ministry were understood to represent it as a possible engine of Parliamentary corruption, more objectionable than the famous Board of Works proposed last session. Mr Stafford said that the mem hers of a Parliamentary Commission must be appointed by Parliament itself, but that the Government did not intend to propose the names of any members of the Legislature to sit on the Commission. Mr Macandrew then tried to get £100,000 of the Public Works loan for the Provincial Government of Otago, to spend on water supply for the goldfields, but did not succeed, tbe Ministry adhering to the idea that the control of the expenditure should remain with the General Government. Mr Murray's Agricultural Drainage Bill was read a second time, and withdrawn, on the understanding that the Government would introduce a more carefully considered Bill on the same subject next session. The object of tbe measure is to assist private efforts for this purpose by advances of public money. On Thursday, 19th September, the Otago Waste Lands Bill was passed through committee, without any very material amendments. On Friday the Stamp Duties Bill and tbe Maori Representation Bill were further considered in committee. No other business of much interest is recorded for that day, and the House adjourned as usual till the fo]low- i ing Tuesday. On Tuesday, 24th September, Mr Gillies, tbe new Treasurer, was to have delivered his financial statement, but it had to be postponed till the following Friday, on account of the time required for printing the tables with which it is i accompanied. In the meantime it was resolved to proceed with the departmental | estimates, taking those prepared by the j late Government as a basis, and some : progress was made in doing so. Mr I Yogel took orcasion to charge the : Ministry with insincerity in their pro- j fessions of an intention to effect large savings, but Mr Gillies replied that although they were taking the estimates framed by their predecessors as a matter of convenience, aud to save time, tbey did not intend to spend such large sums as those which were being voted. He would j show the amount of saving they intended ; to effect when be made the financial state ment on Friday. The consideration of the resolutions brought forward by Mr O'Rorke, member for Onehunga, for establishing the New Zealaud I University in Auckland, was re- j sutned, aud after a long debate, the } object desired was attained- The resolu- ' tions appear in full elsewhere in our columns. . ; The business on Wednesday was of little interest. On Thursday, tbe 26th, Sir David Monro made an attempt to have the Otago Waste Lauds Bill recommitted, with tbe view of providing for having areas set apart throughout tbe Province for the purpose of commonage. Mr Shepherd also wished to have the Bili recommitted with the intention of making alterations calculated to prevent the alienation of land in large blocks. The recommittal was opposed by the Ministry on the ground that if the Bill were placed in the hands of members again at this late period of the session, it would probably not pass at all, and the House ultimately refused to allow it. There was no evening sitting, the members' ball, which is usually held towards the close of the session, taking place tbat night. j