PARLIAMENTARY.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume I, Issue 40, 7 October 1867, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY.

Thursday Sept. 19. The Municipal Corporations Bill was this day read a third time and passed. A Bill was read a second .time for the more Effectual Suprcssion of Illicit Distillation. The Canterbury Waste Lauds Bill, which grants to squatters a pre-emptive right over land they enclose with wire fencing, was read a second time. The Auckland "Waste Lands Bill which allows free grants of 40 acres of land to persons who come from other colonies to that province was also read a second time. A motion of Mr Vogel for the appointment of a now Chairman of Committees was rejected by a majority of 51 to 3 ; the House affirming that his ruling was correct, though Mr Carleton himself stated that his ruling had been incorrect. Will any number of votes make wrong right ? Monday Sept. 23. The motion in favor of holding a session at the usual time was carried unanimously. The Divorce Bill, after an animated discussion was read a second time by a vote of 22 against 17. Mr Bunny opposed the Bill. Friday Sept. 20. There was nothing done in the House to day requiring any particular notice. Tuesday, Sept. 24. In the Legislative Council the Provincial Acts validations Bill passed through Committee. In the House of representatives Mr Stafford stated that it was the intention of the Government to remove from the Commission of the Peace those justices who declined to perform the duties of their office. A Bill was introduced for establishing a government for the county of W estland. A Loan Allocation Repeal Bill was carried on a division by a majority of 26 to 13. Wednesday Sept. 25. In the Legislative Council the second reading of the Municipal Corporation Bill was carried. Also the Governor’s salary Reduction Bill. A resolution proposed by Mr Carleton and supported by the Colcnial Secretary in favor of transfering the Government of the colony into the hands of an oligarchy was rejected on the voices. Thursday, September 26. In the House to-day the Colonial Secretary obtanedleavetointroduce a bill to establish a general Court of Appeal relative to disputes brought before Waste Land Boards. The Postmaster General moved the second reading of the Jury Bill which provides for the formation of Jury Districts, a new mode lor striking Juries, and a small payment to Jurors for attendance. The Bill was unopposed and was accordingly read a second time. A Confiscated Lands Bill, which enlarges the power of the Government to deal with the confiscated lands, was also read a second time. The County of Westland Bill then came on for discussion, and excited considerable opposition. The object of the Bill is to separate Westland from Canterbury and create it a county instead of a Province. The debate was adjourned until Monday. Mr Stafford announced that Her Majesty had given her assent to the Provincial Ctfmpulsory Land Taking Act. The Divorce Bill was read a third time and passed. Several resolutions in favor of taking off the duty on fencing materials, vegetable oil in bulk, and blasting powder were adopted. In Committee of Supply the Government was prevented - from reducing the postal subsidies which now cost such an enormous sum of money.

In reply to a question from Mr Reynolds, the Hon. J. Hall said that the Telegraph Department was progressing so rapidly as to : require a considerably augmented and constantly augmenting staff of employees. He gave some details of telegraphic statistics. Last year the income was £12,680 ; that of next year was estimated at £IB,OOO. The expenses were £7,000. The number of messages was about a fouth of that of Victoria the salaries were about one-seventh. He hoped the line would be completed through to Napier in three months and if all went well, as far as Auckland within the twelvemonth.

Friday, September 27. To-day the House wasoccupied chiefly in voting the Estimates for the Postal Services, which were agreed to after some miserable reductions had been effected. The House refused to vote a gratuity of £SOO to Dr Mouatt, and agreed to the item £BOOO for the census. At half-past one o’clock in the morning the House adjourned until Monday at 2 p.m. Monday, September 30. The Divorce Bill, in the Legislative Council, was read a third time and passed. In the House of Representatives Mr 31cAndrew moved a resolution, in favor of the abolition of all steam subsidies at the termination of the existing contracts. He said that the amount thrown away on this service would introduce 10,000 people per annum into the colony who would make an addition to the revenue of £40,000 a year. The time had come when steam communication ought to be left to private enterprise and competition. Mr Carleton seconded the motion, and well said that money laid out in opening up the outdistricts returned to us: but equal returns were not obtained frojn money spent in steam subsidies. The motion after a long discussion was lost.

The case of Mr Sliand, formerly Resident Magistrate of the Chatham Islands and mow a pensioner was discussed. Wc shall publish the report on this subject as early as possible. Mr Borlase said that he hoped the whole of the papers would belaid on the table, for they would reveal such a system of iniquity in high places as was almost unheard of in an English community. The motion for the production of the papers was carried. A long debate took place on the county of Westland Bill which was carried eventually by the votes of 27 to 20. During the debate Mr Vogel said that the Ministry were only holding their seats until Mr Fox arrived hi the colony.

Tuesday Oct. 1. On the motion of Mr Tancred it was resolved that the salary of the Speaker and other officers of the Legislature should be in future fixed by an Act. and not be subject to annual appropriation as it passed.

The third evening of the Public Debts Bill was, by the votes of 37 against 12, read a third time. Dr Featherston characterized the vote as a gross fraud upon the colony for the benefit of the holders of Provincial debentures who would pocket £300,000 to £400,000 by the transaction. Besides the Doctor, Messrs Borlase, Brandon, and Taylor voted in the monority. The House afterwards went into Committee of Supply, when a number of items were passed after sundry beggarly reductions had been effected. Wednesday Oct. 2. A bill was introduced to day to alter the duty on coffee and blasting powder, and to admit resin and vegetable oils in bulk, duty free. A game law passed its second reading under which nobody is to go bird nesting, or to shoot birds without a license, and then only for three months in the year. Of course this law like hundreds of others will be inoperative. The House galloped through several more acres of items in the estimates, and after passing sundry bills and jumping over a bank and ditch in the shape of standing orders, palled up at half past three in the morning.