LAST NIGHT'S SITTING. Wellington, Last Night. The House resumed at 7.30. The No-Confidence Debate.

Waikato Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1415, 28 July 1881, Page 3

LAST NIGHT'S SITTING. Wellington, Last Night. The House resumed at 7.30. The No-Confidence Debate.

Mr Richard&on chaiacterised the amendment as hasty and mconsideiate. He would oppose it. He thought the Rating Bill might be moulded into a iibcful measure, hut the Roads Construction Bill was hopelessly hail, and he would oppose it. He ad\ lsed Ministers to "»lthdraw their bills. Mr Shepheid thought the question of local go\ eminent was agitating the couutiy from end to end. He agreed that it was impossible to restore provincialism, but something was wanted in place of it. The Counties Act did not confer any powers which could be called local government, and it was no wonder that discontent existed, when these tnfling poweis weie contia&ted with tliose which the pi ounces had exercised. The only extension of local government promised was the abolition of Waste Lauds Boards, and a statement that the County Councils would be consulted. The land .i<lmiin>ti.ition was utteily uac;ati'<factorv, .md &o A\fie the piopos.iln as to oeal finance If Crow n lands were rated lie saw no le.isou why the lailwiiys .should not be. The Rating Bill would only vicld a ineie pifcttince to local bodies Ho condemned the Roads Construction Bill as utteily unbound. He condemned the proposals of Sir Geoi}<e Grey's bill as unreal and visionaiy. For himself ho thought the only course wns to deal with existing institutions as they weic, and tiy and developc theii u^ofulncps. He would give the County Councils similar poweis to those exeieised by large boroughs in England ; he would givo them power to deal with a laige number of .subjects which Major Atkinson said must necessarily be centialised. He felt strongly the necessity for better mcc-jis of obtaining redress of grievances, and thought poweis in this direction might be granted to local bodies Mr Hutchison suppoited the amendment. (Left Sitting.) The Division. It has been ai ranged that the division shall be taken to-morrow.