YESTERDAY AFTERNOON'S SITTING. Wellington, Last Night.

Waikato Times, Volume XV, Issue 1271, 21 August 1880, Page 2

YESTERDAY AFTERNOON'S SITTING. Wellington, Last Night.

The House met at 3 p.m. Replying to questions, it was stated that Government <litl not intend to reinstate Mr Watt as native agent in the Maulukn district, and it was not intended to appoint another officer to manage Maovi affairs in that district. — The Government was not aware a foreign office offered to undertake the insurance risk for 12s 6d per £100 on Government House, for which they were paying a colonial office 26s Gd. — The advisability of amending the divorce law would be referred to a Royal Commission appointed to consider the readjustment of legal procedure in this colony, and no doubt next session fresh legislation would be made on the subject. — No report had been I'ecei veil from the Commissioner of Railways for the South Island, respecting the damage which occurred to the Rangitata railway bridge further than the one before the House ou 21&t October, 1878. Mr Wright b.iid, as contractor for the bridge, ho would explain that the progress of the work had been carefully inspected, the work consisting of two bridges over separate branches of the river, thu intervening space being made up of an embankment. The heavy flood of 1878 inundated the i&land between the two bridges, the iu»h of water being impeded, the embankment caused the bed of the river to scooy out to a depth of 20 feet; in tint May piles were displaced. The roadway of the biidge subsided, but did not, as has been a leered, break down; in point of fact not a stick belonging to the bridge had him lost. As showing the nature of the river bed, he stated that the driving of the piles took 4050 blows, even 100 blows to the inch, whilo some of the neighboring livers took not more than 2. — The Government would not be justified in e-tabhslnug a Royal mint in this colony, for it would be impossible for the Govervmcnt to issue grants in aceorlunoo with the report of of Cuminis-ioue' 1 Young for native reserves at Grey mouth. — The Government was not aware the railway line from Oxford to Malveru (.Sheffield), recommended by the Railway Commissioners, would l-jbult in committing the colony to building a line from Oxford to Tenmka. The following bills were introduced and rjiid a fir-st time :— Stamp Fees Act, Bill to Alter the Duties on Customs, ttt imp Act Amendment Bill, and Special Powers and Con ti acts Bill. In Committee an imprest supply was granted for £200,000. The Native Lands Court Bill passed through Committee, and A\as reported witl amendments. The Native Lands Bill was then considered in Committee.* Mr Bryce asked that at this late period of the session the amendments of which notice had been given should not be insisted upon. Sir George Grey charged the Government with having wasted the early days of the session, and they now wanted to rush matters thiough without due consideration. Mr Hall disclaimed the imputation, and charged the Opposition with having obstructed the work. Mr Mo»s replied, relating the charge against the Government. Consideration of the bill then proceeded, but was interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment.