Tuesday, September 15.

Otago Witness, Issue 1765, 19 September 1885, Page 11

Tuesday, September 15.

It is expected that most of the session work will be finished by Friday or Saturday, and that the Appropriation Bill will be passed on Monday or Tuesday, the formal prorogation taking place on Tuesday or Wednesday. It is not thought, that a quorum can possibly be kept together any longer than that, as members are quite wearied out and are leaving for home daily.

A general opinion prevails that there is nob the slightest chance of getting the Run Francisco service carried on in any shape that would be approved by the public for less than £50,000, and that the House would not consent to such a large expenditure if a satisfactory arrangement could 1)0 made. T hfnrd that the Union Company would be ready to place their new boat, the Mararon, on thf tradf, and would procure a second in time to commence on the expiration of the present coniract. It is estimated that two boats could carry on Ihe service. There is a .slitmg feeling, liov,v»ve>*, agnmst Sir Julius Vogol'b proposal for ;i Sydney-Honolulu line, in which New Zealand would be a mere place of call. It is impassible to say a< this stage what arc the chances of any proposal being adopted. The economy party talk of refusing to vote any subsidy, but this may be merc> talk. FREE CO'SFKUKSCK. Tn the Legislative Council, The managers of a second free conference were appointed in regard to the Mines Bill. THK CODLry MOTH. The Hon. Captain BAILLIE moved i.he adoption of the report of the Joint Committee on the Codliu Moth. The Hon. P. A. BUCKLEY said so far as the Government were concerned they wer,o determined to prevent the importation of 'infected fruit. The report was agreed to. BILLS. The committee resumed at 7.30. p.m. on the Justices of the Peace Bill. A new clause, proposed by the Hon. Mr WILSON, to prevent glove-fights, was negatived by ] 7 to nine. The bill was reported without amendment, and read a third time anxl passed. The Council then went into committee on the Land Bill. The provision that the homestead system should be extended to the whole of the Colony was negatived by 14 to 12, and at 10.1f> progress was reported and leave granted to sit again. REPLIES TO QUESTIONS. Jn the House of Representatives, Replying to Dr Newman, if tho Government will appoint a Royal Commission to inquire during the recess into the causes of the depression in commerce and agriculture in New Zealand, for the purpose of discovering means for removing such depression, The Hon. R. STOUT said the matter would receive attention during .the recess, but the Government would n ot pledge themselves to appoint a Royal Commission. Replying to Mr W. F. Buckland, if the Government will take into consideration the advisability of offering a premium of, say, £100 for the best-devised scheme of local self r government, The Hon. R. STOUT said tho Government would be glad to avail themselves of the experience of the hon. gentleman in the matter. Replying to Mr Hobbs, whether the Government will during the recess consider the advisaability of appointing " New Zealand residents" at Samoa and Tonga, The Hon. R. STOUT said it was a very important matter, and would be considered during the recess.

DISTRICT RAILAVAYrf PURCHASING BILL,

Sir JULIUS VOGF.L moved the second reading of the District Railways Purchasing Bill. He said the Public Accounts Committee had reported favourably on this bill with the exception of the Waimato line, find he should endeavour to show in committee that that liiio should not be exempted.

Mr B AKRON said he hoped the House would not agree to the bill merely because the Public Accounts Committee had reported favourably on it. The committee also was not unanimous in its decision. He contended that there would be great difficulty in forcing the ratepayers liable under the bill to pay their rates. Mr DOWNIE STEWART regretted the bill had not been brought forward at an earlier period of the session. He felt disposed to think, unless some substantial grounds were shown, that those railways should be let alone. He should support any proposal to defer it till next session.

Dr NEWMAN said he had been inclined to support the bill with the exception of tho Waimeti Plains railway, but he had now some doubt <«s to whether he would continue his support after the arguments he had heard against it.

Mr WAKEFIELD reminded the House that all the available information oil the bill had been laid before the House early in the session. He .sakl it was decided last session that the matter should bo fully gone into this year, and he thought it would be very unjust to the ueoplc interested if it were not now decided one way or the other.

Mr STEWARD said the management' on the Waimate lino was not calculated to make it payable, lie considered the line was- capable of extension through the best country in New Zealand. He could not see -what objection there could be from any point of view to this line being included iv the bill, and he hoped the House would agroe to all the lines scheduled in the bill.

Mr MONTGOMERY was one of the minority opposed tn tho bill in the Public Accounts Committee.' Ho referred to tho various lines included in the bill at some length, and .said he thought, considering that an additional liability of C 500,000 or £600,000 would be thrown on the ( ,'olony by those lines, it Avould be well for the Government' to pause before undertaking it, or before committing the Colony to such liability. He ndvocated that the bill should be postponed for the present, as it would be most unprofitable for tho Government to buy those lines, and a most profitable thing for the companies to get rid of them.

Sir UEORGI3 CJKEY said il would be a mtwt unprofitaMo tbiug for the Government to purchase those h'neh on the terms proposed. He should do his bn.sfc to prevent the bill irom«

through the House,

Mr MOSS said the Colony would gain nothing whatever by taking over some of the railways uudci- the bill. With respect to the llolorua and Knihu railways, if the Government could secure those railways they would at all events be now lines added to the railway system of the Colony. He intended opposing the bill. Mr IVESR supported the bill, as he considered it wise in the interest of the Colony that those railways should be acquired by the State. Mr FISHER moved that the bill be read a second time that day six months. He regretted that the bill had not come before the House earlier in the session. With regard to the Duntroon and Hakateramea line, be said the correspondence was of a most unsatisfactory. He considered that to ask the Colony to take over lines mentioned in the bill on the terms stipulated would be to incur an altogether unjustifiable expense. Mr DUNCAN supported the bill, and contender! that tho late Government were largely to blame fov the Waimate line not paying. Sir JULIUS VOGEL said it was true the Government could take the lines over after a certain period. He wished to point out that the Government were getting the linos cheap. The House must admit that the Government had industriously and loyally carried out the wish of the House, last year that the bill should bo brought up again this session. He hoped the House would not throw out the bill.

Tin; motion for second reading was carried by 37 to 137. *

Mr DOWNJB STEWART asked whether an interested piT.stm could vote.

The SPEAKER said that in such a case a man so voting would bo liable to have his vote disallowed.

WUMKA PLAINS RATING BILL,

The Houhu went into ' committee on the Waimea Plains Railway Rating Bill. In clause 4, "Cost of railway to be ascertained from time to time."

Mr DOWNIE STEWART moved that the cost shall bo ascertained by a judge of the Supremo Court instead of a commissioner, as proposed iv tho hill. The amendment was carried on the voices. A lengthy disoussiou then ensued on the clause as amended, after which

Mr TURNBULL moved that the chairman leave the chair, which was lost on the voices.

A further amendment was proposed to stri ke out the won! " value"' in the 4th clause, anil to insert "that tin- <*oM. or value of the railway shall be ascort aiued upon the cost of the works at the date they were executed," and that amendment was lost on a division by 47 to i 5. Captiin SUTTER moved that progress be reported on the bill, which Avas- agreed to.

LOCAL BODIES JULL.

The Hotise went into committee for further consideration of the Local Bodies Finance and Powers Bill.

Mr DOWNIE STEWART moved that clause 41, providing that district railways may be constructed, be struck out, which was agreed to on the voices.

Mr FERGUS' moved to .strike out clause 42, whic-h provides that fishing rights in lakes may be vested in tho county council. — Agreed to. Mr SEDDON moved in clause 46, providing that water-races may be vested in local bodies to insert " aud sludge channels " after " waterraces."

The Hon. R. STOUT moved to eliminate clauses 48, 49, 50, and 51.

On clause 57 being reached providing for the repeal of the Roads and Bridges Construction Act, Major ATKINSON said he hoped the Government would again consider their decision and not allow the Act to be repealed for this year at any rate.

The Hon. R. STOUT said it would be admitted by all that the Roads and Bridges Construction Act required amending. The present Act was only preliminary, and a more comprehensive measure would be necessary next year.

The Hon. W. ROLLESTON also hoped the Act would not be repealed till next year. Major ATKINSON moved an amendment to suspend the repeal of the Act till next session. A further amendment was proposed to repeal the Crown and Native Lands Rating Act, which was lost b v 35 to 23.

Major ATKINSON'S amendment was then put — to strike out the word " repealed," and to insert " suspended " for 12 months from the passing of this Act, and the amendment was lost by 40 to 22.

. Sir JULI US VOGEL moved to substitute for the clause, "that there shall bo paiii to tho council or board of ench county, road district, and borough with respect to rates collectable and collected, half the amounts to which they woruld be entitled under the plan of distribution

described in the first schedule, and £50,000 of the aforesaid payment shall be paid by the Colonial Treasurer out of the public works fund, the remaining amount required to be paid shall be paid out of the consolidated fund." — Agreed to. Mr SEDDON moved a new clause, providing that local bodies in mining districts may set apart a portion of the moneys received as gold duty and goldfields revenue in prospecting for for gold, diamonds, silver, and tin. Mr SEDDON moved to strike out the words "gold duty or goldfields revenue." The Amendment was struck out (? lost) by 48 to 15, and the clause passed. Several amendments were made in the schedules.

Mr MACAETHUR moved that all amounts of £2000 as subsidies to goldfields counties be struck out.

Dr NEWMAN moved as an amendment that the goldfields subsidies be for half a year, in,etead of five and a-half years, A discussion of considerable length followed, aud fcben Mr Macarthur's amendment was put and carried on the voices, all the votes for goldfields counties being struck out. Sir JULIUS VOGIiJL moved an addition to the schedule that for the pftrpose of the schedule moneys collected ' on gold duty should be eotisidwed to be moneys collected by rates. This was lost «>n a division by 35 to 22".

Tho schedule was carried by 47 to 11. The second and third schedules were struck out, aud tho bill was reported with amendments.

Mr GUINNESS moved the recommittal of the bill in order Lo consider clause 57, which repealed the Roads aud Bridges Construction Act.

Mr MENTJSxVPH opposed its recommittal. Ho said Mr Guinness was prompted in moving the motion by Major Atkinson, who was an enemy to the goldiU'lds. The Hon. R. STOUT hoped the motion would be withdrawn).

Considerable c!i.->cut>sk>H resulted, iv which Messrs SEDDON, FERGUS, BE VAN, MOSS, and BUCKLAND took part. Major ATKfNSON claimed to be the best friend the goldfields overbad. The goldfields districts throughtout his term of office had received their full share of the revenue. He wished to say that when his Government put votes ou Estimates they put the full strength of the Government to carry those votes. The motion for recommittal was lost, and the bill was read a third time, and passed. The House rose at 1.50 a.m.