The sixth Parliament met in November, 1871, and passed six measures in its first session, none of them of more than temporary importance save the comprehensive Brands Act, which received the Governor's assent in the following year. The main session of 1872 was fertile in practical legislation, the Health Act and a Railway Act--providing for the fixing of compensation for land resumptions by a railway arbitrator, and empowering the Governor in Council to accept proposals for railway construction from private individuals or corporations--becoming law with twenty-four other measures. An Act of this year provided for the gradual abolition of the export duty on gold; another provided for homestead areas on liberal terms; and another for the sale of mineral lands. A number of legal measures, all of an amending character, also became law. And finally, a Loan Act, authorising the Government to raise L1,466,499 for railways from Ipswich to Brisbane and from Westwood to Comet River on the Central Railway, and other public works, gave a new impetus to development. In 1873 the Parliament met at the end of May, and after the session had lasted two months the Houses were prorogued for the purpose of a dissolution. Only six Acts were passed during the session, and those of no permanent significance except, perhaps, an equally elaborate and Algerine Customs Act. THE SEVENTH PARLIAMENT: 7th January, 1874-2nd October, 1878. The seventh Parliament opened on 7th January, 1874, and the Palmer Government, being defeated on the election for the Speakership, at once retired. After nearly three months' adjournment to enable the new Ministry to formulate its policy, the session was resumed at the end of March, and eighteen public and six private Acts were passed. Among the most important was the Audit Act, which, among other provisions, altered the opening date of the financial year to 1st July, instead of 1st January, with the object of getting the work done during the cool weather. But the Act failed in this respect, for Governments seldom care to call Parliament together much before mid-July, in time to provide for the first Treasury payments of the new financial year. On the other hand, the Assembly members usually protract the sittings until close to Christmas week, at whatever date the session opens. Among the other measures passed in 1874 were the Insolvency Act, of which Mr. S. W. Griffith was the author; the Crown Remedies Act, providing for the conduct of suits on behalf of the Crown; a Supreme Court Act, making provision for the appointment of a third Judge to be stationed at Bowen, and fixing the salaries and pensions of the Judges at the amounts still payable; a comprehensive Goldfields Act; an Act for the protection of oysters and the establishment of oyster fisheries; and an Act to encourage the manufacture of sugar. In 1875 sixteen Acts were passed, one of the two most important being the