Western Railway Act, providing for the reservation of the land for fifty miles on either side of a straight line drawn from Dalby to Roma, and the sale of such lands to pay for the construction of a railway to connect the two towns. The other and great measure of the session, however, was the State Education Act, the scope of which is elsewhere explained. In 1876 twenty-three Acts were passed, two of them being temporary Supply Acts, measures which first became necessary with the alteration of the date of the financial year. A Crown Lands Alienation Act, passed this year, is noticed elsewhere, as is also the Customs Duties Act, introducing a tariff incidentally protective. Mr. Groom's Friendly Societies Act became law, as also did Mr. Griffith's Judicature Act, and the Fire Brigades Act. A Municipality Endowments Act provided a L2 for L1 endowment for municipalities during the first five years after their establishment, and then L1 for L1. The Department of Justice was provided for, enabling a layman to hold the portfolio of Minister for Justice in a Ministry, and, so far as official practice was concerned, to qualify such Minister to discharge the duties of the Attorney-General. In 1877, twenty-eight measures were placed on the Statute-book, including the Navigation Act, Bank Holidays Act, Chinese Immigration Regulation Act, an Act to punish disorderly conduct in places of religious worship, the Victoria Bridge Act, and the first of a series of enactments for the destruction of marsupials and the protection of native birds. But the most important piece of legislation was the Railway Reserves Act, which, before it was finally repealed, caused considerable trouble in regard to the disposal of the moneys received from the sale of land within the reserves which were set apart in the various districts to provide funds for the construction of railways in the several reserves. In 1878, the last session of the seventh Parliament, only a few measures were passed, among them, however, being the Deceased Wife's Sister Marriage Act, the Intestacy Act, a comprehensive Local Government Act, and a Volunteer Act. An Electoral Districts Act redistributed the electorates of the colony, and increased the number of members of the Assembly from 43 to 55. THE EIGHTH PARLIAMENT: 15th January, 1879-26th July, 1883.