ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT.

Southland Times, Issue 1809, 21 October 1873, Page 3

ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT.

Satubday, Septembeb 27. In the Legislative Council, Mr Fox's Licensing Bill was read a second time without a division, although various opinions were expressed by honorable members as to the probable efficiency of the measure. The principle of placing the licensing power in the hands of the people themselves has thus been affirmed by the Legislature. An attempt to make the Bill more perfect in its working details will be made next session.

Monday, September 29. The Legislative Council read the Immigration and Public Works Loan Bill, providing for the partial completion of thr trunk scheme of railways, a second time without a division. In the House of "Representatives Mr Vngel made a Ministerial Slati m 'tittothe f ffect that cm consulting their supporters the Government hud come to the conclusion that the best cou'se they could adopt, seeing that the Provincial Loan 13 11s had been thrown out by so large a majority in the Council, was to prorogue as soon as possible. The countrv, suffering from the absence of the Provincial works intended to have been constructed out of tie loans proposed, woul'i know where the blame lay — with the Council. and not with the Government, who h;id ! done all they could. The constitution il | j relations of the two Hou ses should occupy the attention of the Legislature next session. He did not howev t pledge the Ministry to bring down a Bill on the subject. The statement of the Premier gave riae to little or no debate. Mr Vincent Pyke however took advantage of the occasion to openly cast off his allegiance to the Government. The House then went into Committee of Supply, after which Beveral Bills were for warded a stage. Tuesday, September 30. The Legislative Council, in committee on the Railways Bill, inserted a clause, on the motion of Mr Waterhouse, forbidding the Government to construct railways until proper plan9 and specifications had been laid before them to show that the works could be constructed for the sums authorised by Parliament. In the House of Representatives, Mr Fitzherbert reviewed the history of the session, and charged the Government with inconsistency and disloyalty in regard to the Provincial Borrowing Bills. He bad been deceived as to his own particular Bill, the Wellington Loan Bill (£210,000). If the Ministry did not mean to carry out their announcements, they should resign. Mr Vogel, in reply, denied the charge of disloyalty. The Government had done all in their power for the Bills. They were by no means the only Bills of the session. There was the Tariff Bill, the Native Lands Bill, the Kailway Bill, and others, which the Government had successfully carried through. To resign at such a juncture wou d be false to the country, by placing the fate of Governments in the hands of the Legislative Council, instead of the House of Representatives, to vrhom the power ought to belong. WEDITESDA.Y, OCTOBER 1. Colonel Whitmore, in the Legislative Council, asked whether the Government would propose a property and income tax next session. Dr Pollen said that the Government would give no pledge at such a late period of the session. In the House of the Premier promised Mr. W. Kelly that the Government would, in the recess, tike preliminary steps for the codification of the existing law of New Zealand. A motion by Mr Vincent Pyke for the gradual reduction of the gold duty by 4d an ounce annually, was lost by 21 to 12. The House adjourned early, reserving the consideration of the amendments made by the Legislative Council in the Education Bill for the following day. Thursday, October 2. The House of Representatives, on the motion of Mr Vogcl, refused to agree with the amendment of the Legislative Council in the Education Bill, to the I effect that the provision for schools of a superior character should be omitted The establish ment of superior schools, even at some charge to the public, would make the Colony more attractive to intending emigrants, and would give the poorer classes the opportunity of obtaining the higher education for such of their children as showed an aptitude for such teaching. Two conferences were held, but each Chamber persisting in its own view, the Bill was lost. Friday, October 3. Parliament was prorogued by His Excellency the Governor in person at noon.