Mr McNab in referring to the subject of defence said it depended chiefly on the effi ciency of the British navy wherever stationed and not on local fortification. He urged the establishment of commercial relations with the East by means of British-India cargo boats, touching at Wellington and connecting with Calcutta and Singapore. At the close of Mr O’Meara’s speech, Cap tain Russell rose to move the amendment, of which notice had been given in the after noon. He said that the mover and.seeonder had in reality only damned the Government with faint praise. Coming to the matter of his amendment he condemned the action of the Government in committing the country to an expenditure of some £50,000 while the House had only voted £7OOO for a library, and not a general addition to the Parliamen tary Buildings. Mr Hall-Jones followed Captain Russell, and traced the history of the steps taken to wards the erection of the Parliamentary lib rary, which as far back as 1875 was estima-; ted to cost £14,000. Last year when £7OOO was voted it was not known what plan would be selected by the library committee, and th* plan finally selected was approved on the motion of the Hon. Rolleston. Its adoption led as a matter of course to the expenditure to which the Government stood committed. Messrs Hutchison and Ward also spoke, and the House rose at 12.30. Leave of absence for ten days was granted to Mr. Rolleston and Mr Kaihau one month to Mr Pirani, Hone Heke and Mr James Allen, one week to Mr Pere, Mr Herries resumed the discussion on Cap tain Russell’s amendment. He argued that the expenditure incurred by the Government in respect to the Parliamentary Buildings was unwarranted in view of the condition of the country through losses caused by the un prophious season. Mr John Hutcheson followed with a gene ral commentary on the Governor’s speech. He urged the creation of an effieent naval re reserve so well organised in times of peace that it would be efficiently available from the first approach of danger. He praised the Government’s laud policy, but with regard to the Parliamentary Library said the House had been duped and deluded with sophistries and ambiguities to begin with, and the co operative system had been brought to grief afterwards in connection with the work. 