PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

Thames Star, Volume XVII, Issue 5203, 21 September 1885, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

[By Telegbapb:.] Cfbom ovb, ow cob respondent.) WEttiNaTQil, Saturday. It is understood that thp Public Petitions Committee will recommend that no decision should be come to on Sir Julius Vogel's petition till next session. Sir John Hall's evidence, it is said, is neces* sary before arming at any decisiun on the subject. The Local Bodies' Contractors Bill, whiph has passed through all its stages in the Lower House, provides that any member of any local body who enters into any contract for the supply of anything, or the performance of auy work with the local body of whiph he is a member, or who knowingly supplies anything whatever fco. suph local body, shall not be entitled to payment for the same, and any sum paid in respect of any such contract or supply shall be recovered, to gether with £10 in addition thereto, with full costs of suit, by any person who shall sue for 6ame in a Court of competent jurisdiction. The amount recovered as having been improperly paid shall be !u}n£ed over to the local body from whoso fjands is w»s pajd, and the person shal} be entitled to £10 with full cpsta of suit. Any member of any local body who knowiDgly gires, or joins in giving, authority fpr, or who is a party or consents to any such pnyment as aforesaid, sbaHpey a sum of MO with full posts of

suit to any person who shall sue for the same in a Qourt of competent jurisdiction. The provisions of this Act shall supersede the provisions of all enactments heretofore passed, imposing pecuniary penalties on members of local bodies or on persons entering into contracts with such bodies for work or for the supply of anything, or who supply anything to such bodies, bu* no farther or otherwise. This day. Upon the House mfteting it lOo'elbck this morning, the Minister for Public Works intimated that the conference was still sitting,, iand , as . they were< likely: to oome to an agreement in the course of half an hour, he asked for a further adjournment for that period. The points on which the managers of the Council briefly insist are understood to be the purchasing clause in perpetual leases; the sale, of educational reserves ; and the extension ! of the Auckland Homestead System to other parts of the colony. It is thought that it will maintain most of its points. A rumor is current that the Government will drop the bill unless they carry their points. Parliament is still ezpaoted te prorogue to morrow.