EVENING SITTING.

Thames Star, Volume IX, Issue 3025, 25 October 1878, Page 2

EVENING SITTING.

Wellington, This day.

house to b:t on satubday. Last night tbe House resolved to sit on Saturday from 2.30 till not later than ten.

BAILWAY CONBTBtTCTION BILL. The reminder of the sitting was ocon-

pied over tho adjourned debate on the, .Railway Cc-istruction Bill. Major Atkinson, in a long speech blamed the Government for bringing forward so important a bill two or three days bMoro the cl ne of the session.. No Government shopld bn entrusted with uncontrolled power *o spend such an erorjnous sum as ><et down in the schedule. '1 ho ptesent debt of the colony was 22 millions', which would be increased by six and a half millions, and the Govern- , ment ought to h»vo brought down a loan bill with iheir proposals. He complained of the treatment to the North Island as compared wuh the South. He hoped the bill would bo withdrawn. He'said the Miuister fur Public Works could enter into coniracls Tor making t,iies« lines without doming io the House. Mr Fox considered. the bill unparalleled. , . '■".•' '?*,', V Mr Ballauce, expressed surprise at Major Atkinson', a meuiber of the late oontiuuouß Ministry, talking of the. present Government spending,so much money in the South I-land on railway construc-tiffu,-v,aud as %to the statement t that the Minister for Public" Work**wVs anxious only, to sec railways constructed in Otago, it was because one of tho lines he had most at heart wan that from the Hutt to Poxton. ' _' ' " l •' ;> " After considerable discussion pro and can, - - Mr Curtis' amendment for reading, the Bill that day six months was negatived by .45-Io I\.. , < • , „ „ .. ,j > The Bill was then read a, second qme pn. the, voices; and ordered to be,9Pm-i mitted,to-morrow. t . .<-■,- • ' The House adjourned'at 2.15. \ ■' • ' ■ i