WELLINGTON.

Otago Witness, Issue 1297, 7 October 1876, Page 7

WELLINGTON.

The events of last week were not particu larly interesting after the breakdown of the stonewall until Friday evening, when the Imprest Supply Bill came on, and a fresh erection of the wall wa3 threatened, but happily it did not take place. Sir George Grey was very extravagant at first in relation to this matter, but he was evidently under a misapprehension, and when Mr Macandrew, after several weary hours' talk, came forward as a peace-maker, matters were very soon adjusted and the Bill passed. Afc one time, however, matters looked very serious, and a talk against time was imminent. After this matter was disposed of, the rest ot Friday night was spent in the discussion of Mr Bastings's motion on supply, affirming the desirability of at once calling for tenders for the construction of a railway from Waipahee to Tapanui. Mr Bastings, in moving this, was brief and busines3-like. In the plainest possible terms, he quoted figures to show how profitable this line would be, and how great were the resources of the district which it would open up. A long, and really interesting discussion ensued. Mr Macandrew seconded the motion, saying a few words in support of the proposal. Then Mr Whitaker, on the part of the Government, said they really had not the money to make this line, that they were not aware of what it would co»t, »nd were not in possession of any survey. This statement at once brought Mr Bastings to his feet, with an explanation that the line had been eurveyed, that its cost was estimated at L 45,000, and that when at Balclutha, the Minister of Public Workshad been placed in full possession of all requisite information. Mr Whitaker continued saying that the survey had not been made by the Public Works Department, and they knew nothing of it, but still the Government was so convinced that the line would be a profitable one that they would promise it should be one of the first to be undertaken, so soon as ever they were in a position to undertake any new railways. Mr Burns followed, supporting the proposal, and then Mr Reynolds spoke rather throwing cold water on it, and pointing out what great liabilities the Province had already incurred in respect of branch railways. Mr Montgomery said he would support the proposal if the mover would so amend it as to set apart a specific block of land in the district to repay the cost of the construction of the railway." Mr Larnach urged the great value of the proposed railway, and tho certa'.n profit which would accrue from its construction. Mr Stevens, who came next, expressed himself favourable to the motion, so far as he was informed regarding it, but ho recommended that the question should be roi ferred to a Select Committee to report

how the project could best be carried out. Mr W. Wood tried to draw a warning moral from the debate as to the effect of Abolition, but was xather in favour of the proposal itself. Then Mr Beid spoke, but while fully admitting the value and probably profitable nature of thiii railway, if made, he pointed out that it did not stand first in the list of branch railways approved of by the Provincial Council, that through the Seaward Bush having precedence of it, and several lines already constructed having to be first paid for out of the proceeds of land sales. He thought the main lines should be completed before any other branch lines were undertaken. Mr Lumsden spoke next, something to the same effect ; and then Sir Eobert Douglas, who is always ready to sympathise with out-districts, warmly supported the motion. Mr Richardson admitted the weight of the arguments adduced bj the deputation which had waited upon him at Balclufcha in reference to this lino, but he pleaded that the Government really had not the money. Sir George Grey warmly supported the motion, and Mr Gibbs, Mr iCelly, Mr Baigent, Mr Fisher, Mr Swanson, Mr Murray - Aynsley, and Mr Stout, all had somethinof to say on the subject, the general opinion seaming to be that the work was a desirable one, if the money for it could be found, and that the best way of finding this would be to set apart a certain proportion of the land in the district. Mr de Lautour, however, very warmly protested against land being sacrificed in order to provide for such a work. He thought it should be left to the County to do the work without troubling the House on the subject. The motion being in the shape of an amendment on the motion that the Speaker do leave the chair in order that the House may go into Committee of Supply, the question was put in the shape, that the words proposed to be omitted (to go into Supply) do stand part of the question. On this the noes had it by a majority of three, the vote 3 being : — Ayes, 24 : Messrs Atkinson, Baigent, Bowen, Brandon, J. E. Brown, Bryce, Carrington, Cox, Fisher, Gibbs, Hunter, Hursthouse, Johnston, Kelly, Macfarlane, Sir D. M'Lean, G. M'Lean, Montgomery, Morris, Risbardson, Richmond, Thorp, Teschemaker, Whitaker. Noes, 27 : Messrs Bastings, J, C. Brown, Burns, Dignan, Douglas, Grey, Hislop, Joyce, Larnach, Lumsden, Macandrew, Moorhouse, Nahe, O'Rorke, Rees, Rowe, Seaton, Shrimski, Stout, Swanson, Taiaroa, Tokomowia, Thomson. Tole, Tribe, Walcefield, W. Wood. This result seemed rather to astonish the Government, and when the amendment, having become^ a substantive motion, was put to the House, instead of its being agreed to, as is usual, without debate, the Premier got up to speak, and the Government whip, Mr Kelly, was seen hurrying out of the House. Major Atkinson said the resolution just come to was a very Berious one. There were other district, or branch, railways which had equal claims with this one, and must be constructed it it was. The Government had no funds to do these works with, except they diverted moneys which were required for main lines, or come down with yery much enlarged borrowing proposals, which he thought- the House would scarcely approve of. Mr Bastings replied that it would not be necessary to borrow a penny to make this line, and that if the Government would only Hay they were going to make the line, the very first land sale after the guarantee was given, would realise a sum more than sufficient to construct the railway. Messrs Montgomery, Wakefield, and Fitzroy having spoken briefly, the question of agreeing to Mr Bastings's proposal was put, and on a division, four more Government supporters having been whipped up, the former decision was reversed by a division of 28 to 27. Messrs Fitzroy, Kennedy, Williams, and Harper were the four who turned the scale. Mr Bastings has, however, Binoe resolved to take the advice given him by Messrs Montgomery, Stevens, and others, and will accordingly move an Address to have 50,000 acres of land in the Waikaia electoral district set apart to recoup 1 by its sale the coat of the construction of thu line. There is, I think, no doubt that this motion will be carried, and so the line will be made. Mr Bastings certainly has the sympathy of the Houss with him in this matter. Outside of what is daily telegraphed, there is wonderfully little worth •writing about going on. The Counties Bill in a new shape has been printed and circulated, and it will, I expect, now pass without any very serious obstruction, as in its new shape it seems comparatively harmless. There will, however, be a good deal of talk in Committee over the various clauses. The new Financial Arrangements Bill has been read a first time, but it is not yet down, and probably will not be till to-morrow, when, in moving the second reading, the Premier is expected to make a statement of the policy of the Ministry on this and other points. This statement is looked forward to with a good deal of interest, as it is generally reported that Ministers find Abolition a much more serious matter than they at first supposed it to be. The whole of the Provincial appropriations expiie on Saturday next, and it will be absolutely necessary, as was pointed out on Friday night, for the operation of these appropriations to be extended for some further period. This will have to be done by Bill, and any such Bill mil certainly raise the question of — When is Abolition to take effect. It seems pretty generally admitted that it cannot be allowed to operate on the day after the last day of the session, for if it is, everything will be thrown into confusion. Of course, aa Boon as Abolition takes place, the revenues which now are Provincial will, to a large extent, become municipal or County revenue, and, this being so, the Provincial appropriations cannot be continued, for there will be no funds to meet the expenditure. The probability seems to be that the appropriations will be continued up to a fixed date, on which Abolition shall come into effect, and that this date will be the Ist of January, so that the County Councils may be elected, and be ready to take up the running as soon as the Provinces cease to exist. Samples of the new postal cards were exhibited in the House the other night. They are about the size of a large commercial envelope, and are made of very thin cardboard, scarcely thicker than cartridge paper. One side is blank for the message, and on the other is the stamp, and a notice that the direction is to be written on that side only. The samples were printed in various tints, but only one is to be adopted tor general use, and what this will be has not yet been determined. An ample supply of material has been imported, and it is hoped that the cards will be ready for issue to the public by the Ist of November. A special Bill has been introduced to legalise the issue of these cards, and over it there has been some little discussion. Mr Burns moved that the postage on the cards should be a halfpenny instead of a penny, but Mr Whitaker strongly opposed this, and he was backed up by Mr Wakefield, Mr Reid, and others. Sir George Grey supported Mr Burns, and after an hour or so had been wasted, the amendment was negatived by 49 to 20. Then Mr Burns moved that the rate on the cards be a penny when the ordinary postage is twopeaco, and a halfpenny when it is a penny. This proposal was also negatived on a division of 45 to 19. Sir George Grey tried to fight the matter further, but was, of course, unsuccessful, and the Bill 1 passed.

Sir George Grey is now going in for manhood suffrage and triennial Parliaments, but of course without the slightest probability of being able to carry either. It is not likely, however, that very much time will be wasted over the discussion of these Bills at this period of the session, and probably Sir George will be satisfied with having introduced them. The various Harbour Bills have at length made their appearance in the House by message from the Governor. They have been read a first time, but here the Speaker has interfered, and had them all referred to the Standing Committee on Private Bills, the Speaker himself being of opinion that most of them should properly be treated as private Bills. In this opinion he is fortified by the opinion of Mr Whitaker. This reference to the Committee is absolutely fatal to the Bills. They had not, however, much chance of passing even without this.

People now talk of the session being over in three weeks, but really I Bee very little chance of such a desirable consummation. The new Estimates are not even yet printed, and a considerable number of important measures are not yet before the House. There does not seem either to be any diminution in the quantity of talk on comparatively unimportant matters. Indeed, the great majority of members, although they talk of the length of the session, do not show any particular desire to get business over. Perhaps the increase of the honorarium by LSO per membar may inspire a wish to earn the money by a lengthened session. If the G-overnment is wise, however, it will bring matters to an early conclusion, for its position is by no means a very safe one. Mr Whitaker is, as I anticipated he would be, a source of weakness, instead of strength. The House does not seem to have any confidence in him, and if he ever possessed parliamentary tact, he has most certainly lost the gift now. He would have done wisely had he not endangered his previous reputation by venturing on active political life. A feeling is rapidly growing up that these men of antiquated political reputations are, to put it plainly, shams, that their day has gone by, and that now they simply lag superfluous on the stage of politics. Mr Whitaker has done a great deal to develope this feeling, and to destroy all feelings of reverence for political veterans.