HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Thames Star, Volume XVII, Issue 5173, 15 August 1885, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wellington, Yesterday. The House met at 2.30. In replying to questions, it was stated that the cablegram which was communicated to the House by the Colonial Treasurer on the 7th of August re Meiggs' proposal was received on the 26th July ; that public tenders would be advertised in the Gazette in the ordinary way; that the statement that the receipts for Auckland Hospital for 1884 were £734 5a 9d, while the expenditure amounted to £6204 7s 7d, was due to an inaccurate return having been sent into the central office. Mr Sutter said he had a breach of privt lege to bring against the member for Kumara (R. J. Seddon) in connection with the Kumara Sludge Channel No. 2. He read a number of telegrams from Mr Seddon to members of the Government in connection with this work. He also read a contract, signed by B. J. Seddon and five other person?, for tbe construction of the work at a cost of £2433 18s, which he contended brought the member for Kumara under the finnl clause of tbe Disqualification Act, . having been interested in a Government contract. He hoped the Government would not oppose the appointment of a committee to inquire into the whole matter.—Mr Stout said if there was to be any blame attached to anyone in the matter, it should be himself, as it was by his advice that Mr Seddon had entered into a bond with five others, so as to relieve the Government of any liability in connection with the works, and also that no harm would result to other miners for the construction of the channel. He said the member for Kumara bad he contract whatever with the Government, and as far as he knew Mr Seddon had no interest of any kind in the Sludge Channel. He would not oppose the motion for the production of all the papers in connection with the subject—Mr Seddon then defended the action at some length, and gave a detailed account of the progress of the Sludge Channel since 1878. He contended that the whole transaction was a fair and straightforward one, and he did not fear j anything from tbe appointment of v com* mittee to inquire into it.—Mr Butter's motion that all correspondence and a copy of the contract in connection with the Kumara Sludge Channel No. 2 be laid before the l House was agreed tv. —Mr Stout moved that Messrs Bruce, J. C. Buckland, Fraser, Hislop, Connelly, Hursthouse, Moss, Russell, Sutter, and the mover bo appointed a committee to inquire into the subject and report in ten days — Agreed to. : The District Railway Purchasing Bill | was introduced by Sir J. Vogel, who said the bill was to give effect to certain contracts for the purchase of railways, which, if it was desirous, should be acquired, and it a}so went in the direction of the resolution which was before the House last session. After the second reading of the bill, Government intended to refer the contracts to the Public Accounts Committee for them to examine and report upon. Replying to Mr Hobbs as to why the acting locomotive firemen now on the Auckland railways had their pay reduced to Is per diem, Mr Richardson said he was unaware that such had been done, but he had wired to Auckland for information. This day. Mr Steward moved the amendments made in the School Oojßmittees Election

Bill, with the educatiorf eftiuse providing that the minimum school ago shall be five *j years, and it was agroed 10. j The New Plymouth Exchanges Com- j pletion Act Amendment Bill, the Bankruptcy Act Amendment Bill, and the Property Law Consolidation Amendment Bill were read a second time. v ; The Act Amendment Bill, j providing for six persons constituting a coroner's jury, passed through Committee 'without amendment. The Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Act Aine*Claient Bill was committed.—On Clause 2 extending the meaning of incestuous adultery, Mr Stewart moved to strike out fcbe words '• her sister," which. was agreed to.—Mr Samuel moved a new .clause providing that either a husband or a wife could petition for a divorce if separated for four years, if cither be convicted of an indictable offence, and has served not less than four years' imprisonment.—After some discussion, the clause was negatived.—-Mr Stewart moved in> compatibility of temper as ground for divorce, but this was also lost.—Progress was reported, and the House rose at 1.40 a.m.