PARLIAMENT.

Inangahua Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1235, 17 August 1883, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

..— 7 . ♦ .■- —.■ .'■ WELIiISGTOtf , 16. There was no afternoon sitting of the House yesterday. Members re- assembled after the lale sitting of the previous night at liaifpast 7 o'clock in the evening. The^questiqn and motion appearing on the order paper for yesterday, therefore, lapsed till the following day. With regard to the Native Lands Act Amendment Bill, Sir George Grey said he was anxious *not jto. embarrass the Native Minister in any way, and as he understood that the provisions of the Bill were likely to be adopted in a similar Bill of the Governmeut, he moved that the second reading be postponed for a' week. This was assented . to. , „ Mr Smith afterwards moved "That the Speaker leave the Chair, in order that the House might go in Committee r pf the whold, to consider of an address to the Governor, praying him to recommend the appropriation this year of the sum of £6000 for public libraries." Ml* Harnliu having assumed the Chair iu Qomrajttee, Smith, moved the address* to His Excellency. A discussion extending over several hours took place. on this motion. O'Callaghan proposed to amend the resolution by the addition of the following words " The income of which does not exceed £ 1 00 per annum on the distribution list of last year." Members on the Opposition side freely accused members on the Ministerial side of " talking against time " with, a view of preventing other, private members', business from coming forward that night. The accusation was indignantly denied, bat meanwhile the discussion dragged on. At half-past 12 Mr O'Callaghan's amendment was put to the vote, and lost by 43 to 14. The Colonial Secretary then moved to add the following words to the resolution. " That the amount be distributed on the same conditions as the vote of last session, except that no library shall receive above £50." A further discussion took place, and eventually the amendment was carried by 85 to 16. The resolution as amended was then agreed to, and the House rose at 10 a.m.