GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 129, 28 July 1870, Page 5

GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

Wellington, July 27th. Mr. Fox to-day gave notice of the following resolutions :—(1.): — (1.) " That it is expedient that the boundaries of the electoral districts should .be re-adjusted, and fresh provision made for the representation thereof." (2.) " That within each province, and tho county of Westland, the number of members be as follows : — Auckland, 15 ; Hawke's Bay, 2 ; Taranaki, 3 ; \V cllington, 9 ; Marlborough, 2 ; Nelson (including Chpviot), 8 ; Canterbury, 12 ; Otago, 15 ; Southland, 2 ; Westland, 2." (3.) " That the Goldfields districts within the province of Otago should be subdivided into ordinary electoral districts, but without prejudice to the rights of the holders of miners' rights, who will vote as they are, at present entitled to do." (4.) "That the number and position of the Maori members be not affected." (5.) "That, subject to instructions to the foregoing effect, a Select Committee be appointed to report upon the most convenient boundaries for the electoral districts and the number of representatives for each district, with power to call for persons and papers, and to report within ten days. The said Committee to consist of Messrs W. Wood, Webster, Macandrew, Driver, E,olleston, Studholine, Stafford, Curtis, Parker, Wyes, W. H. Harrison, Kynueiylcy, Tavlor, Bunny, Ormond, Carrington, Williamson, Gillies, and Farmer." ' Mr. Birch's motion for copies of all correspondence bearing upon the term? and conditions upon which the sum of £400 was advanced to Mr. Mantel in refer once to the Princes-street Reserve, Dunedin, has been agreed to. The Otago and Southland" Re-union Bill has been passed through Committee, with an amended clause giving Southland seven members in the united Provincial Council, and the present Superintendent of Southland also to have a seat ex officio. The Otago Hundreds Act Amendment Bill (Mr. Alacandrew's) has been read a second time, Mr. Haughton intimating that he would probably oppose its further progress after it nad been reported on by the Waste Lands Committee. Mr. Macandrew's motion regarding the San Francisco mail service has been postposed for a week. It is rumoured that Mr. Stafford intends to join issue with the Government on the question of allowing the Provincial Governments any control over or voice in the expenditure, under the colonial immigration and public works scheme. The Government are going to introduce a Bill to facilitate trade with the South Pacific Islands, by allowing drawbacks on exports to them. Mr. Yogel made a Ministerial explanation to-day. He said that the Government saw a reasonable hope of being able to pass their financial measures this session, and that they intended to endeavour to do so, but would not consent to any further modifications. If they could not be passed in their present modified form, the Government would not pass, them at all. Ha trusted that both sides, would yield their individual opinions in thu desire to pass the Bills this session, aud not make them the battle-ground for abstract tiieories of constitutional changes. They had plenty of opportunity to discuss such questions. It was impossible to ignore the provinces in regard to the expenditure, but the Bills would be so framed as to make the Ministry, of. the day responsible for everything. The modifications were the same as previously announced, except that the sum for the purchase of Native lands would be left at £200,000, the amount for the goldfields water supply still being £300,000. The Bills would be- brought down to-morrow, and he hoped that if members were willing to go on with the Bills and tho Estimates, the session might end in a month.