PARLIAMENTARY

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2592, 7 May 1887, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY

[united press ASSOCIATION'] HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.. Friday May 6. ■ Replying to questions, it was' stated that if a list of independent members was furnished to the Premier, ! 'he would consult with the Speaker 'to obtain a small room in the Parliamentary buildings for their use. That a proposal would probably be brought down providing for the payment of penalties for infraction of the Municipal by-laws, without attendance at the R. M. Court. That the railway department had frequently tried to compete with waggon traffio without avail. , That the question of reform in railway management would bo dealt with in the public works statements. . That the senior police sergeants in several towns were allowed to conduct police prosecutions, as it led to promotion.

That the Surveyor-General had been asked to arbitrate for tho Government ill Mrs Fraser's case, but demurred as ho had already dealt with the case on Percy Smith's report. The Government was not aware of any representation having been made by Colonel Fraser respecting Mr Cooper as arbitrator.

That 110 complaints had reached the railway department respecting the revision of railway tariff for carrying agricultural produce.

Sir Robert Stout asked that the Representation Bill be postponed till Tuesday, as he was in hopes that some arrangement mignt be come to on the Bill.

Major Atkinson said the request was a reasonable one but he regretted that the Premier was not in a position to go on with the Bill, Agreed to. ' Sir Julius Vogel moved the second reading of the Local Authorities Jubileee Expenditure Bill. He said that nothing but strong exceptional circumstances would justify the House in regulating the expenditure'of local bodies, and the jubilee of Her Majesty was a very exceptional circumstance, He then explained the object of the Bill which was to enable local bodies ■to contribute to objects in celebration of Her Majesty's jubilee. Major Atkinson regretted that he should have to oppose the Bill, as ho thought the local bodies were not in a position to contribute to a fund of this kind, Parliament should be asked to make a grant if it was required, and he suggested that the bill be postponed indefinitely, Several other members opposed the .bill on the ground that local bodies could not afford contributions.

Sir Julius Vogel eventually said the feeling of.the House was evidently against the bill, and he moved for its withdrawal, which was agreed to. The Wards Conservation of Rights Bill and High Schools Reserves Act Amendment Bill was passed through Committee, read a third time and passed, Sir Robert Stout moved the second reading of the Wellington University College Bill, which he explained was intended to extend jbenefits, connected with higher education to Wellington, Taranaki, and Hawkes Bay districts. —Agreed to. Mr Tole moved the Infants, Guardianship and Contracts Bill, the object of which was that after the father of any child dies, the mother may obtain the guardianship.—Agreed to.

Sir Robert Stout moved the second reading of tholermedoc Islands Bill, the object of which was to annex the Islands to New Zealand,—Agreed to. The House rose at 5.80,