PARLIAMENTARY.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3614, 27 July 1880, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

• (Peb Pbbss Association.)

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wellington, Monday.

The House met at 2.30.

Mr Barron gave notice that he would ask whether the Government intended to reserve Crown lands in accordance with sections 359 and 351 of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1876, for the more adequate endowment of Boroughs unfairly treated in that respect. Mr Reeves presented a petition from the brewers in Christcbureh against the imposition of the tax on beer. "

Mr Ballance presented a similar petition from the brewers m Wanganui.

Mr Thomsou gave notice that he would ask the Government as to when it was proposed to bring the session to a close, and what bills it was proposed to pass before the prorogation. : Mr Seddon gave notice of motion affirming the desirability of a Commission being appointed to enquire into the administration of goldfields, and laws relating thereto.

Motion put by permission and carried. The Hon. J. Htll moved that for the remainder of the session Government business take precedence on Wednesdays. The Estimates, he expected, would be completed on Wednesday, and the Public Works Statement would be brought down early next week. They would get through certain tiers of political and social business, and bring the session to a close about the end of August. Mr Murray hoped they would not be asked to pass the Public Works Esti<

mates until the Public Works Statement was before them.

Mr Macandrew moved, as an amend* ment, that after the orders%f the day on Wednesday, Government business take precedence for the remainder of the session. /

The Bon J. Hall said this would involve a long and unnecessary debate on the motion set'down for that ? xj, that the names of Sif George Grey and Mr Hamlin be expunged from the Native Affairs Committee, and he could not consent to the amendment.

Sir George Grey denied that the motion would entail loss of time, and hoped an opportunity would be afforded, him for relieving himself from the discharge of a session duty, he could/ not fulfil with justice to himself. ' -. ' i ; The house divided on the amendment. Ayes 28; noes 37. The original motion was carried.

The Treasury Bills Bill passed through Committee, was read a third time and passed. On the motion for going into Committee of Supply, Mr McDonald moved that a tax of Is per bushel be imposed upon maize imported into the colony. The motion was withdrawn on the recommendation of Major Atkinson that the matter be remitted to the Committee on Agriculture. % ( Sir Geo. Grey referred to the Paterere' block transaction, and after reviewing it, stated that the proposal was a most* illegal act, and that he would move for a committee to inquire into all the facts of the oase. ■

Mr Bryce denied that the proposed sale was irregular, and stated that he would give every assistance to have the matter enquired into by a select, committee.

Mr Sheehan also defendfd the sale, stating that it was for the good of the Auckland district that the land should be opened up. The Maoris would make most out of the transaction, as the purchasers would not make more than fire per cent, upon their money. A motion for going into committee on the estimates was carried. Vote—-Legis-latire Department— Item, Librarian, £300, passed. The House adjourned at 5.30. Last Night's Sitting. , The whole evening was spent in Committee on the estimates. After a short discussion on Hansard, the remaining items of the Legislative Department were passed. . ! The Colonial Treasurer's Department also parsed without substantial alteration, except a few reductions proposed by the Government. This day. In the miscellaneous item, audit of County Councils and Road Boards, £2700, was struck out, and in the Harbor and Marine item and ; weather reporting, £1070, was struck out. In the Stamp 'Department, vote passed. : On the Education vote, Mr Kolleston moved a reduction of £32,000, which he proposed to, save by enforcing greater economy on the Education Boards without crippling School Committees, and omission of libraries vote. Mr McCaughan thought the colony unable to afford such expenditure and moved that it be reduced by £50,000. Mr Fyke condemned and Messrs Bowen, Saunders, Montgomery and others defended the present system of education. At 1 o'clock progress was reported and the House rose. The following is the division list on the question of reducing the honorarium by 10 per cent. :— Ayes: Messrs Allwright, Andrews, Atkinson, Bain, Barron, Beetham, Bowen, Dick, Finn, J. T. Fisher, Fox, Fulton, Gibbs, Gisborne, Hall, Harris, W. J. Hurst, Hursthouse, Johnston, Kelly, Kenny, Levin, Macandrew, Mason, McCaughan, Masters, McDonald, Mont* gomery, Murray, Oliver, Pitt, Reeves, Reid, .Richmond, Richardson, Rolleston, Saunders, Shanks, Shephard, Shrimski, Stevens, Stewart, Studholme, Swanson, Tole, Turnbull, Whitaker, Wright—49:, Noes: Ballance, Brown, Bunny, De» Lautour, J. B. Fisher, Hamlin, Ireland, Jones, Lundon, Moorhotise, Moss, O'Rorke, Fyke, Sheehan, Tainui, Tawhai, Te Wheoro, Thomson, Tomoana, Wallis —20.

The discussion on the question caused a great deal of excitement in the House, and not a few angry expostulations were made against the proposed reduction. Mr Fyke was foremost in objecting to the deduction, and expressed himself thus: " The amount paid will not recoup any member who lives like a gentleman, but it might do well enough for a member who chose to take home a steak and cook it on a fork."