PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 9414, 3 June 1882, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

In the House of Representatives last Wednesday. Major Atkinson stated tha* the National Debt of the colony was £27,680,000, or £SO per head of the population, including Maoris. Mr Green, the member for Dunedin, introduced tha Eight Hours Work Bill.. It was discussed at some length, some members condemning it as a useless incumbrance upon the statutes, others that it would have a good moral effect on the laboring classes. After considerable diacuasion°the second reading was carried on the voices. The debate on the native policy was resumed by Mr Holmes, of Christchurch, who spoke in an all round slating manner, calling members “ landsharks” and using other, opprobioua terms which he had to withdraw. He moved the postponement of the Bill till the reserves were fixed, and the proclamation was withdrawn. The amendment was seconded by Mr Taiaroa, but Messrs Weston, Fitzgerald and Steward supported the Bill on the ground that it. was necessary for the peace of the colony that Te Whiti should be kept in restraint. On Thursday Mr Vincent Pyke introduced the Education Act Amendment Bill, which had for its object the giving assistance to schools other than Government ones provided they conformed with certain provisions of the present Education Act. There was one-fifth of the children of the colony receiving education at other- than Government schools, because the present system excluded religion from schools. The Bill was debated at great length, some members urging that Roman Catholics should get some assistance, while others asserted that if the Bill passed it would result in destroying the present system. The debate lasted all the evening, and amongst its most vehement opponents were Mr Sheehan, and Mr Green, the Dunedin member. The following is the division list, from which it will be seen tnat the Bill was thrown out by a majority of nearly two to one : Ayes 26, Bracken, O’Oallaghan, Buchanan (Napier), Pearson, DeLatour, Postlethwaite, Dodson, Pyke, Duncan, Rutherford, Feldwick, Shephard, Stevens, C. J. Johnston (Te Aro), Steward, Sutter, W. Johnston (Manawatu), Taiaroa, Joyce, Te Whereo, Tamoana, Turnbull, Watt, F. • McKenzie (Mataura), McDonald, Mclll wraith. Noes 47. Allwright, Barron, Beetham, J. E. Brown, Bryce, W. C. Buchanan, Cadman, Conolly, Dargaville, Dick, Fergus, Fish, Fulton, George, J. Green, M. W. Green, Grey, Hamlin, Hobbs, Hurst, Hursthouse. Kelly, Levestam, McMillan. Mitchelson, Montgomery,Moss, Morris, Muriro, Peacock, Petrie, Rolleston, Seddon, Sheehan, Shritnski, Smith, button, Swanson, H. Thomson, J. W. Thomson, Tole, Trimble, Weston, J. B. Whyte, J. G. Wilson, Wright, Whitaker. Pairs. AYES. NOES. Hall Beven Bathgate McKenzie, J. Daniel Macandrew.