PARLIAMENTARY.

Temuka Leader, Volume I, Issue 86, 12 October 1878, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY.

Wellington, Oct. 8. [From the Dunedin ‘ Morning Herald.’J After the storm has come the proverbial . calm. There is nothing of moment stirring to-dajn The Electoral Bill is being debated in the Upper House, and will go to its second reading and be passed, with the excision of the dual Maori vote, which the Government will not object to, as they will have it to say to the Maoris that they at least arc looking after their interest. It is not correct, as some Southern members have asserted, that the Government have promised to assist the Southern Counties which have suffered from floods by advancing them considerable sums of money at a very low rate of interest, or, more probably still, without any interest, to enable them at once to repair the damage, these advances to be secured upon the 20 per cent, of the Land Fund localised by the Financial Arrangements Act of last 3 r ear. This suggestion was made by the Government, but they are not pledged to it. Anything to be done in that direction will first have to come before the House. It is rumored that while a considerable number of the Legislative Councillors are strongly opposed to the £SOO exemption in the Land Tax Bill, they are disposed rather to waive their objections to this point than risk a collision between the two Houses. [From the ‘Press.’] The committee to whom was referred the question of the police pay reported today—(l) That in the opinion of this committee the pay of the police is insufficient, and should be increased. (2) Long service pay should be given to the members of tbe police force on a graduated scale, according to the number of 3- ears service.

The Select Committee on Waste Lands, to whom was referred the Timaru Harbor Endowment Bill, 1878, report that they have been through the Bill, and recommend It to be passed with the additions attached. The alterations are as follows —Clauses 3 and 4, having reference to the selection of a block of 50,000 acres in Canterbury, are struck out, and in lieu thereof the following is inserted —“ 3. That upon the coming into operation of this Act the land described in the schedule shall, without any conveyance or ,assurance, vest in the Board for an estate in fee simple."” The Public Revenues Act, 1878, has been distributed. It contains 86 clauses, and repeals all the Public Revenues Acts from 1858 to 1877. The Treasury is to have the sole administration of the Act. The public account is to consist of:—(1) The consolidated fund, and (2) The public works fund. All moneys held by Government in trust must be paid into the Public Trust Office. The Treasury may agree with any bank for the conduct of the public business, and the Government are prohibited . from borrowing, except under some General Assembly Act. If Sjj, the consolidated funds should prove insufficient, the Government may borrow

u; t > L 400,000 on deficiency bills, but no uiumth'ni ed erne’ ffiture is to exceed LBii.-.OO’i The cmT-ide •. of the Bill is of a pm-.ly for,., i ffiaracter, and deals principal y with the details of administration. Ann n. st these there is one danse winch orders the Agent-General to send a full account of his expenditure and receipts monthly. Should the AgentGeneral be away, two of the Commissioners may appoint a deputy. Mr Stout moved the second reading of the Public Reserves Sale Bill. He said the Chief Commissioner of Waste Lands in Canterbury had gone carefully over these reserves, and picked out what should be Crown Lauds, and what disposed of. He believed the proposed sale would be the means of settling a large population along the lines of railways. The lands would not be cut up into large areas, but into small holdmgs to encourage settlement. Mr Bowen asked whether the proceeds will be dealt with as waste lands revenue. The Attorney-General —The proceeds will become consolidated revenue. Mr Bowen presumed that the expenses of laying out lands would be paid by the purchase money. He hoped reserves would be made for public purposes where population was likely to be thick. It would be advisable to make provision for streets and drainage. Mr Stout said due care had been taken to make reserves for recreation and other purposes in towns Many reserves had not been put in the Bill, and some parts had been given to the borough of Ashburton for recreation grounds. The Government would not reserve any of the lands for roads, as they were alongside the railway. On the matter of the Electoral Bill there now remains little or no doubt that the double Maori vote will be rejected, and the members of the Lower House generally look upon the matter in a very serious light. Many are strongly opposed to a dissolution, and when the probability of a dead lock between the two Houses is suggested, declare that some way must and will be found of getting out of the difficulty without a dissolution.

In the Legislative Council on Wed nesday the Electoral Bill was read a second time, and the Harbor Bill a third time. In the House Mr Bowen moved for reserves, to be made for hospitals and other charitable purposes. Mr. Stout opposed strongly, but the motion was carried bj* 33 to 21. A resolution on the Order Paper affirming the necessity for a general colonial system upon which the construction of harbor works should be based, and that no money should be voted until the opinion of a competent engineer is obtained, was withdrawn, as well as Mr Whitaker’s amendment thereon.