The Otago Waste Lands Bill was considered in committee, and the Council adjourned until the following day at 2 o clock. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Thursday 17th October. The Speaker took the chair at two o’clock. privilege committee. Sir D. MONRO brought up the report ef the Privilege Committee, which contained the following resolutions : —l. That in the opinion of the Committee no proposals derogatory to the character or position of any member of the House were made by Mr Brogden or with the authority of Mr Brogden. 2. That the evidence taken before the Committee, while it raises a suspicion, is not sufficient to establish any proof of the violation of the privileges of the House by Captain Holt. 3. The Com mittee regret that Mr Harrison should have made such charges as those referred to by the Speaker in making the announcement to the House, founded upon private conversations. The report was ordered to be printed. COLONEL PEILDING’S CONTRACT. Mr YOGEL, in answer to Mr Andrew, said it was not the intention of the Government to agree to any diminution of the terms of the agreement with Col. Feilding without consult ing the Provincial Government.. Whatever was done would be done in concert with the Provincial Government and with their full concurrence, but there had not been time to enter upon the consideration of the subject. RAILWAY CONTRACTS. Mr REEVES asked tho Minister for Public Works whether it was tlie intention of the Government, after satisfying any claims that the Messrs Brogden may have under their present agreement, to execute all further pub lic works on the principle of submission to public competition? Mr ORMOND replied that it. was the in tention of the present, as it was of the pre vious Government of which he was a member, to invite public tenders in ah cases where it was practicable to do so, for the execution of works to be entered upon. BILL DRAFTING. 