PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 9411, 27 May 1882, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

legislative council. A Bill to amend the Gaming and Lotteries Act, so as to legalise lotteries in aid of religious and charitable institutions, was introduced by Mr Dignun. Several Bills were read a first time. Mr Lab man moved the adoption of the Address in Reply. Colonel Whitmore attacked the policy of the Government, and said their withdrawal from the purchase of the Patetere block gained £250,000 for speculators. He advocated free trade, and direct taxation ; approved of the Native polity of the Government; and expressed a belief that two years hence the King Country would be open to Europeans. The Hon Mr Whitaker and others having spoken, the motion was carried. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. In the House of Representatives, amongst replies to questions, Ministers stated that proposals for establishing steam communication between this colony and England would be submitted ; and that the Bankruptcy Laws would be considered. Amongst Bills read a first time was a Bill to Amend the Timaru Harbor Board Act, and a Bill to Amend the Timrru High School Act, Notices for the following returns were carried :—Returns shewing the number of electors on each roll ; the amount paid by Government for interest; the names of Licensing Districts, and the general result of the working of the new Licensing Act; the amounts paid to the various commissioners ; the average cost of each prisoner in gaol, and value of his earnings; a list of gaols in the colony, of Visiting Justices, and of the punishments inflicted on prisoners. Mr Macandrew moved a motion to the effect that the House should not sit after 1£ o’clock at night, but on the motion of Mr Atkinson the matter was referred to the Standing Orders Committee. Sir George Grey moved the following Address to the Queen “ May it please Your Majesty, we the House of Representatives of New Zealand, desire immediately after our first meeting in Parliament since the 2nd of March last, to express to Your Majesty our great thankfulness and delight at the preservation of our Queen from the great peril which threatened Your Majesty on that day. We humbly and loyally assure Your Majesty that distant as are these Islands from the centre of your vast empire, there are none among the very many millions of your subjects who regard Your Majesty with greater pride, reverence and affection than the inhabitants of New Zealand, whose Representatives, both Europeans and natives, gratefully transmit these expressions of attachment and loyalty to their Queen. Major Atkinson seconded the motion, which was carried, and ordered to be sent by cable. The debate on the Address in Reply was resumed. Mr M. W. Green, who said he was an independent member, denounced the conduct of Government in connection with the runs, as tending to throw the land into the hands of the squatters, and not as indicated by the Colonial Secretary in his address to his constituents, getting them thrown open for settlement on a broad basis. He contrasted the efforts made for the sale of land at Rotorua, with the mode adopted for leasing the Otago runs. The one was largely advertised both by pamphlet and otherwise, whereas the only publicity given to the Otago runs was an advertisement in the newspapers for only a comparatively short time. He agreed with the native policy and leasing proposalsMr Hursthouse dissented' from the leasehold proposals as he understood them. The exception taken to the Premier being in the Upper House was frivolous. He for one rejoiced at Mr Whitaker’s promotion to the Premiership. It was ' rather strange that no reference was made to Mr Hall’s resignation, or the reconstruction of the Ministry. He would suggest that they should wait until they saw whether the present prosperity was permanent before raising another loan. Mr Fergus was favorable to the loan proposals, as it wae of great importance the railways should bo completed, and defended the Government generally. Mr Fish advocated the decenturalisation of the railway system, the appointment of a Member of Railways and Public Works, and blamed Government for not filling up the vacant port folio. Mr J. C. Brown opposed the Government proposals, but the motion for Address in Reply was carried, and the House adjourned.