PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 197, 9 November 1871, Page 6

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

(From the. " Daily Times " Telegrams). WELLUfGTOS", November 2nd. The House sat till 2.45 this morning in Committee of Ways and Means. The duty on receipts was made 2d. An amendment to allow the minimum sum requiring a stamp to remain at £5, instead of being made £2, was lost by 32 votes to 25. The raising of the duty on bank cheques to 2d. was carried by 40 votes to 14.

A long debate took place on the proposed duties on cereals, which were carried as also were duties on timber. The duty on rice was .made per lb. A new duty of 3s 6d per cwt. on soap was carried, as also was one of Is 6d per bushel on malt, and another of 3d per lb. on hops. • During tb.B debate, Mr. Yogel j stated that the Customs revenue for the first quarter of the present financial year showed a deficency of £7000 as compared with the corresponding quarter of last year, the figures 'being £183,000 against- £190,000. The amount of gold on which export .duty was paid during the quartes was, however, 20-1,000 ounces, which was a larger quantity than had ever before been exported in a single quarter. The increase was chiefly in Auckland. In the Legislative Council, Mr. Holraes's resolution, asking the Govenbr to annul the sale of 50,000 acres at Moa Flat to Mr. Clarke, was carried unanimously. November 3rd. , The Ofcago Education Reserve* Bill was "passed last night. . The Supplementary Estimates have been passed, "the Vote of £5000 for the introduction of salmon being-re-jected. On the vote for Mr. Vogel's expenses to England being considered, Mr. Fox explained that Mr. . Yogel only consented to go on the condition that the expenses of his family were paid in addition to the ordinary Ministerial travelling allowance of £4- 4s. per diem. These expenses amounted to £1000, all of which had been duly ' vouched for, none of the money having found its way into Mr.. .Fqgel's pocket, - The item was jpgssrejj.

jPhe.G-Qldfields Estimates we.re withdrawn. T be_.existing arrangements for the paymeut of Goldfields officers are not to be altered this year. ' The new Customs duties are to come into operation on the 10th, instead of the 20th inst. Mr. Yogel said the change had been made in consequence of the Government having, learned that large orders had been sent to Australia, in the hope of the goods being received before the duties came into operation. The Custom Tariff Bill was passed. November 4th.

After a long debate on the San Franciscomail service, the Government, accepting an amendment from Mr. Reynolds, were victorious by 33 to 14

November 6th.

•On the motion for the third reading of the Otago Laud Bill, Mr. Webster moved its recommittal for the purpose of excising clauses 176 and 177, referring to Southland. The motion was lost, on a division, by 30 votes to 11, and the Bill was then read a third time and passed. Mr. D. M'Lean has given notice of a Bill to authorise an annuity to Mr. Branigan.