PARLIAMENTARY NOTES. [BY TELEGRAPH.-OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1581, 22 August 1882, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES. [BY TELEGRAPH.-OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

Wellington, Last Night. Parliament sat to-day for tlie first time" -this session from -11 a.m. to 1, and from 2.30 to 5.30. Both sittings were devoted to private members' business. This is another indication, of a speody prorogation, which event may be set down for Saturday week. Sir G-. Grey's Law Practitioners Bill passed its final reading in the Representative Chamber with a swimming majority. Strenuous efforts were made by the legal fraternity to get it thrown out on its third reading, but the effort proved wholly futile. The bill is an embodiment of the two bills passed last session in the Lower House, at the instance of the same member, and besides doing away with every bar to admission, with the exception of an examination in legal knowledge, it pro\ides that any litigant or criminal person may, by writing, authorise any person whatever, of good moral character, to appear and conduct his case. That was the sore point with the lawyers, but they were made to swallow the dose, although they did it with the worst possible grace. The lawyers >had, another saturnalia over the Resident Magistrates Act Amendment Bill. The measure extends the jurisdiction of these Courts, enabling theR.M. to try cases of slander, false imprisonment,- seduction and such like, grounds of action hitherto reserved for Supreme Court adjudication. Waxing satirical, the member for Waipa suggested the addition of divorce. That, however, was too much for even a law reforming Parliament elected on the manhood suffrage ticket, and the proposal was rejected. The Borough of Hamilton Boundary Bill stands No. 3 on the Order Paper, but as the two Loan Bills come before it there is very little prospect of reaching it tonight. The C4eneral Loan BilJ is at present getting rather rough usage at the hands of the Land Tax Party. The Speaker is at present "laid up from indisposition, and the Chairman of Committees is acting in his place.