PARLIAMENTARY.

Temuka Leader, Volume I, Issue 79, 18 September 1878, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Sept. 13 Mr Murray, asking if Government would introduce the Amcri' an system of baggage checks on New Zealand railways, was informed that Government desired to make *ll possible improvements. The Commissioners'of. both Islands should be ’consulted about those checks. A Bill amending they Act for local management of cemeteries, was read a •second time. Mr Woolcock drew attention to the un- . equal distribution of the 20 per cent of the land fund. He thought it should he paid over no longer. Mr Ballance thought it would be wrong to break-the compact as to the 20 per cent. Whatever was wrong in the manner of distribution would soon be made right. Mr M c Lean said there was no compact. The system was working badly. Mr Wakefield denied that it worked unfairly. No change ought to be made. Mr Whittaker supported Mr Woolcock, sand proposed that the 20 per cent,, if taken by the Treasury, should be spent in ■making roads and bridges. ' The Premier making some remarks ; about the wealthy getting the public money to spend, • Major Atkinson wished, to know where these greedy aristocrats lived, and why the Government did not at once put a •stop to : the abuses they complained of. The Treasurer spoke of the sacredness of compacts ; why then was Patea to be 'robbed of 15 per cent —the war which ■furnished the pretext was a colonial, not a county, war. Mr Sheehan thought Patea was well treated, and undeserving of sympathy-. He ’.earnestly urged upon his friends to be ’true. Tf anyone could suggest improvements, let him make the suggestion to the Government, but avoid herding with the Opposition. . Mr Ormrnd said the Government must be in a sickly conditio r or they would have got something done by this time. The real opposition came from their own supporters. The Opposition were willing to assist the Government in passing measures embodying the policy of the Premier, but that policy was not really before the House. He dared them to go to the country either on the re-adjust-ment of taxation or on the question of plurality of votes, Mr De Latour said the speech of Mr ‘Ormond was very important, as he, being the accredited head of the party, it showed what were the sentiments of the Conservative party. It appeared they were opposed to manhood suffrage, to representation on the basis of population, to one vote, and to triennial parliaments. Mr Wason said some of the Government party did not know what they supported. They simply believed in Sir ‘George Grey. Dr Hodgkinson considered that the fact that the supporters of the Government ■criticised their leaders’ measures so freely showed strength and not weakness in the 'Government. September 16. Mr Sheehan informed the House that lie would make his Statement on Native Affairs to-morrow, at 7.30. Mr Wakefield, in Committee, moved -un amendment on clause 5 of the Electoral Bill to make it imperative on the ‘Government to advertise electoral notices in local p tpers. ' The amendment fr-as carried on the voices.