HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Inangahua Times, Volume IX, Issue 1462, 27 October 1884, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wellington, 21. The committee resumed on the GoJ verumeut Insurance Association. J On Clause 24, an amendment was moved that five members of the Board constitute a quorum and not three. Carried. On clause 24, Atkinson objected to the establishment of board unless they ware nominated. On a division the words proposjd to be struck out were retained by 27 to 22. Wellington, 20. The House met this afternoon at 2.20. The East and West Coast Railway and the Greymouth Harbor Board Bills, were severally read a third time and passed. In the Legislative Couucil the District Railways Leasing Bill was proposed to be read a second time, upon which the following amendments were moved : — That inasmuch as there are different degrees of merit in each railway, there should be a bill dealing \ with each separately -but the basis of the valuation to purchase the said railways is unfavourable to the Colony, that as all agreement in connection with the construction of some of the said railways have not been kept, it is uu desirable that the bill be now read a second time ; that in lieu thereof that it be read a second time this day six months. The debate is now proceedi ing but the fate of the bill is sealed, and the undertaker awaits at the door. It is also feared that the Lords will throw out the other policy bills of the Government including the Greymouth Harbor and East and West Coast Railway Bills. It is rumored that should this be done the session will be brought to a close and after a recess of a fortnight another session will commence, and that in the interim several more councillors will be nomimated. A conflict between the two Chambers is inevitable. None of the tenders for the inland mails have jet been dealt with ; the excuse given by the department being that the last tenders from Otago only arrived on Saturday last. They are now all scheduled and will be dealt with by the end of the week. The. competition right through the colony has been very great for each of the services. The members generally are being deluged with telegrams, worded as follows : — " Is there any show of my tender being aceopted. Has mail service, No, so and so, been dealt with, <fee." The only two members who have not boon thus troubled are the members for Kumara and Hokitika ; evidently there are no tenderers in Hokitika, or if there, are their fund of patience far exceeds that of those in other provincial districts. Iv speaking to tlie debate on the Westport Board Bill Mr Shrimski said, " whenweffo into the library we have pictures^ip^"Westport Colliery and in the lobby we have their coal, and when ono goes to see a Minister for a moment you are intercepted by the honorable member for the Buller." It is evident that there is considerable doubt in the minds of many people both in and out of the House, as to who is the leader her Majesty's Opposition at the present moment. The concensus of opinion, however, poiuts to Mr Bryce as the gentleman upon whose shoulders the much tattered mantle of Major Atkinson has fallen, although certain hon gentlemen will have it that both Messrs Rolleston and Wakefield have achieved the distinction referred to. The names of Messrs Fergus and Hursthouse have also been mentioned since Major Atkinson's wise retirement, but we believe that the House recognises Mr Bryce as the Opposition's temporary leader." So says the Post, but during a recent debate, Mr Seddon urged that as he was just now the leader of the Opposition" (laughter) — his words should lie heard. * Yes, and if he was not that leader, Le would much like to know who was?' (Renewed- laughter) Following Mr O'Conor in the debate • Mr Turnbull said, " If anything could convince me that the bill is required, it would be the speech of the honorable gentlemem who has just sat down The speech of the honorable member for the Buller was such that I almost envied him.