PARLIAMENTARY. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. [UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.] YESTERDAY AFTERNOON'S SITTING.

Waikato Times, Volume XV, Issue 1254, 13 July 1880, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. [UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.] YESTERDAY AFTERNOON'S SITTING.

Wellington, Yesterday. The Hfrase met at 2.30 p.m. Mr Dick presented a petition from Otago, praying that bottle licenses be not retained. Mr McDonold gave notice to move— " That a duty of Is per bushel be imimposed on maize imported into the colony." Mr Jones gave notice — " That he would ask the Government if they had any objection to call for tenders in ijhe colony for the supply of telegraph forms for the period of five years." Mr Hall moved—" That the sessional order be rescinded." He .said if it is not rescinded the session would be prolonged far beyond its ordinary duration, or else important measures would have to be abandoned. The Government desired to bring the session to a close as soon as possible consistent with- despatch with the important measures in the 12.30 restriction had had a fair trial, and had not proved a success. Mr Macandrew said that hour had worked successfully, at all events it had not been abused. It was the interests of the country that they should not carry on the business, as had been done last session, to all hours of the morning, it was ascertained that the late hours had exercised prejudiced effects on the health of members, besides that business was done in a loose manner. Montgomery would rather give one of the piivate members' days for Government business, than see motions carried. Sir George Grey opposed the motion, and moved an amendment to alteration in addition thereof of the words "It is undesirable that any public money should be voted any sitting day after 12.30." The amendment was an extraordinary one, and meant that, while they were not fit to deal with money affairs after 12.30, they were still competent to undertake all the more important work of legislation. Sir George Grey's amendment was then

put— ayes, 29; noes, 30. Mr Reader Wood moved, as a further amendment, that Wednesday, at present devoted to private members' business, be in future devoted to Government business. This amendment was lost, on division of 36 to 28. The original motion was put and carried. Several members expressed the opinion that the Civil Service Commissioners' report could not be considered, as certain papers had not been distributed amongst members. f Mr Bunny complainrd thatthe evidence had been abstracted from the table, and members thereby prevented from

perusing 1 it. The Ministers eaid the evidence had not been taken out of the building, but it was found that the evidence of the witness named White, whose oase had been before the House, had been abstracted, and could not be traced. The Speaker said the evidence was in custody of the Clerk of Parliament, and was open for inspection of members, but he had acertained that White's evidence had disappeared before the evidence as a whole got into custody of the clerk, it was then agreed that consideration of the reports should proceed at the evening sitting of the House, at 7.30 p.m.