TELEGRAMS.

Inangahua Times, Volume X, Issue 1604, 23 September 1885, Page 2

TELEGRAMS.

(fkou ouk own coruksponiiknt. ) Wkllinoton, 22. The Legislative Council havingf agreed to th^ report of tlie conference on the Laud Bill, the latter passed its final fetagn in the House yesterday. The Minister of Lands, Speaking on the bill, explained that w : th regard to

the Education Reserves the law would remain much as it was at present. The amendments coi ct Jied V>y the i Council were :— " That the tender ! system has been restore! ; the clause providing for no residence for two l years has been restored ; tlie six years residence provision in cas'-s of deferred payment for lands has Wn restored ; that for perpetual leases, where there was on'y one tenderer for the npset price, should the price be in regard to small ureas, the perpetual leasing pur* chasing clauses should not apply." These were the concessions of the Council, The modifications were : " that the Homestead system had l>een restored, but the area limited to 8,000 acres of any land in any year ; the purchasing clause (in perpetnal leases) of the act of 1882 had been restored, but was not to apply to Education Reserves which might be brought under the system, the Governor having the option of bringing those reserves under the system. There were minor alterations, one being that all leases must be submitted to public tender. In the punishment clauses, the one referring to imprisonment had been struck out. Coloniel Turnbull and Mr Hursthouse expressed the opiniou that under the two last clauses a person who had a single tree burnt could I arrest the person from whose place the fire had travelled. They urged the Government to modify these provisions. The Premier moved an amendment to the effect " that punishment should only apply where one person lit a fire on anothers property." This was agreed to and the motion earned. The Mines Act Amendment Bill passed its third reading. The business of the House concluded shortly before eleven last night and an J hour later over forty members, including Mr Menteath (en route to Meljourne) left per Tarawera. the steamer I 1 aving been detained for the purpose ) The Northern members leave by the Hinemoa to-night. j Thns ends the session of 1885. I The prorogation takes place to day I ■ y commission. The last day of the session was eharacj teriseil by a parting kick from the Op- ! position. Major Atkinson, last nin'.it, taking advantage of the thill romling of th» Appropriation Bill, to makt) some extremely pointed and persona! remarks at individual members of the Ministry, atid compared the latter to the "Id story about a man travelling to Chicago, who received any number *of kicks rather than bo turned out. Mr WakefieM spoke it) a similar strain, j and endeavoured to be as sarcastic as possible. This is another case of sour grapes. The Premier and' Treasurer were, however, quite equal to the occasion and delivered rattling speeches in defence of their policy and action durinir the session. The Bill was then read a third time and passed. Among the usual batch of questions yesterday, the Premier said, that the question of instructing the Government Auditor to lay information in cases of misappropriation of funds by local bodies would require consideration. He thought the local bodies should act in such matters but in certain cases he would instruct the Auditor-General to take proceedings. This reply is consequent on the recent report of the Auditor-General re the expenditure of funds of the Inaugahua County Council. In answer to another question the Premier said Government would consider all bills ( and matters affecting local Government. The Agricultural and Pastoral Societies Bill was read a third time and passed. The amendments ma<le by tlie Conference and Council to " The Mines Act Amendment Bill " were on t'ne motion of the Minister of Mines agreed to. Seddon asked whether he was to under- ] stand that the Minister had accepted the refusal of the Council to reduce the miners right fee. The Minister said " yes, he would sooner save the bill by logins that reduction than have the bill destroyed." Yogel introduced a bill to interpret certain words in customs tariff. The object of the bill was to define chat particular duty on cotton and dress prints, the mar ket value of which was not to exceed 5d a yard. Major Atkinson supported the measure, which flnaly passed through all its stages. Mr Hobbs moved for a return showing the reduction in the honorarium of members of the Legislative Council, this, and last session. He explained that he bad made inquiries, and found no list was kept in the Council of the attendance of members. Yogel opposed the motion, and moved the previous question. A long discussion followed, Government opposing. The Premier looked upon it as an act of impertinence to question the attendance in the other Chamber. On the motion of Maoamirew : The words " and member* of the House of Representatives," were added to the moMon . i Mr Fergus moved a f irther addition^ 'for a return of the number of days on which eaah member had been in attendance.' The latt* r was also agreed to. The motion with amendments, added, was then yut aud cairieU ou the vwiees.

The District Railway Purchasing B'll occupied a considerable time, owing to the Council passing a nuw clause to the elfoct "that after pacing the present Act before the H<>u^'. no n»»w railway works shall bd uu U lUkou under thia Act." This the Speaker mled as a question of I privilege. Th* now clause was a money | clause, nii<t the Council !i;i<l uo right to I impose conditions of limitations upon the expenditure of money which was a pririlege belonging to the repi c. c itative of the J people. Another conference l»> f ween the two ' H>uses took place, and eventually it was reported that the Council did not insist on its Rmundnmnt, but only mi the right to make the amendment j The bill afterwards passed. | Par'.iainent was formally prorogued at 4 o'clock this afternoon, the Commissioners being the Hon. Sir Win. Fitzherbert, H n. P. Bnckley, and ih«Hou.BirF. Whisker. The proceedings were wiMiout i | ceremony and only lasted about five minutes.