PARLIAMENTARY

Auckland Star, Volume IX, Issue 2604, 22 August 1878, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY

FROM OUR SPECIAL REPORTER.

(BY STAR SPECIAL ,WI&E),

WELLINGTON, this day. In the Houpe yesterday "'the proceedings were unimportant. , There was va very small, attendance the greater part of the afternoon,: only a bare quorum. Probably this is due to the wet and boisterous weather, a large, number of legislators being victims to severe colds. I hear going about the lobbies that the committee appointedby the UpperHouse to;prepare an address to the Queen' on Eastern affairs, borrowed :\ from the library not only Webster's Dictionary but Roget's Thesaurus.

THE SEPARATION RUMOUR,

There was great excitement and panic here over the rumour that the -Government intend going in for separation under the guise of modified provincialism, the seats of the Provincial Governments to lie Auckland and Christchurch, and a Federal Par r liament to meet at Wellington once in three years. The rumour probably originated ■with some land speculators who want to get hold of some city properties at a low price, to subdivide, and sell at a high figure. Several properties might be got hold of jnst now in that way, The Premier and other Ministers distinctly deny the truth of the rumour, which they characterise as a new political canard. HOLIDAY TO RAILWAY OFFICIALS. lii the Hpuse yesterday Mr Manders moved "That it is expedient the Government should amend the regulations so that employes on railways should obtain a week or fortnight's holiday every year." He said the men were too hard worked. Ministers and officials knew the value of holidays, but these railway employees seldom got a holiday.—Mr Stout opposed the motion.— Mr Feldwick said the work of some of the officers on New Zealand railways was so severe as even to endanger some of their lives. It was unjust; -to ■ deduct members'salaries when they "received holidays.—Mr Joyce supported the motion, and: thought Mr Manders deserved-credit for introducing it. The railway regulations regarding employes was in a/veiy unsatisfactory state.; ,it was different? i'riall parts of the colony, at the capnce;-of-'mpnagers. 1 hey should give; every in an specific holidays. He instanced'the'^S^Wv (systemWfore holidays varied up«t6:ktribhth according to wqrk;- ' A returniwduld;,^'e!lai&\on the, table, showing tlje..holidays' granTed" which--he believed weieJciiniform] in, the; ■ -Islan^ Over2;-500"persons" we're j Smßfoyed ou^juiways,' and it; would be im possible to-replace them.— Mr'lVooll, ot In" vercargill, s^id: it was'iuureasoiiaDle thai men s pay sh'ould^e1 (iijductedrfor:liolidays BY MRREEs! _Mr Kees p^esjiited. a petition,- fr^m/John" -i™^^ ibbs ' nieaiqal, pracfifcioherl relative toffis services irnh^Taa^fllraF;' 'also one from Thomas Edward StilrW relative to land promised him• for service! An the field, ■"^'.-■P'eypr granted; .and -8i jfrota^ James William Witty/ settiiiMorth petitioner s services in the Maori war: and from

GRANTS TO LIBRARIps thus : Auckland-number oTli£^ b(li amount £1,027 7a j TawuufiJS?l^ 49 amount £104 15s WelWon bft ries. 8 13, amount £556 -17s • IST >lbrarW libraries, 11, amount £179 • Marnf Bay~l (libraries, 3, amount £97 l.^ol^ : libraries, 22, amount £312 l«q fe^ !^ nd -iibraries, 8, amount £211ir: n W est. billy-libraries, 71, amount Jftft*-■Ofcago-hbranes not stated, £144 5? !<3; ILLNESS OF KARUtt'atca On Tuesday night, about nine when goroghome from the House F» -T^ Jwas taken suddenly with wW IZ ana «aca i, h bo a paralytic stroke. A ioS^ once called in,and pronounced the B V S at to be of such a nature as to iuaf ifJr? pt °nig m the patient's recovery. "J. aho peof |: , BOOTH INQUIRE In Booth's case, the committee «„*■ l' acquit him on all charges, ant p£? ;; record the highest commendation of t? ' character for integrity, given WowrJIB H financial chief of the departmJntVlll' Clarke, Native Secretary,^^,J«»y formerly so. ; (| WAITARA ROW k . The Waitara papers, on the ret> n * , I Commissioner Kenny, K.M. deecrih i° J I riot, and acquitting policemen of **» violence, etc. It does not give anvr ; for the natives not being proceeded a22 " P in due course of the law. vu gansst . HOURS W RAILWAY OFFICERS A paper has been laid on thetable Z w V ing the hours of labour of r .gfifite. '"?*' drivers, etc. The rule fof-the'sS 0; « guards, engine-drivers, and o'tfiers is f work the advertised train 3in relays » whenever it is necessary for,,the men ♦ be on duty an excessive number of hn '■' one week, they are relieved by aZ^ , I ponding'curtailment of hours in the foiw :'« j ing week. lam not aware of aiFobJecZ,' !Si I having been raised against this regS ! •"• by the men.-(Signed) T. Lawsok Co? missioner of Railways, North Island vi ! MR WHITAKER'SREPRESENTATTnv • ' I I BILL WITHDRAWN. h -In the debate on the second-reading W Mr Whitaker's Electoral Bill,. - House resumed last evening Mr" JI OSs ™■ is ! proved of the Government Bill Be con i sidered the residential elauselrisceßaarv I j The Government Bill gave Maoris an oppor '- :' f tunity of putting themselves.on?aii equaUte IS j with European colonists instead ofbciiw I treated as entirely separate as' in ffi M$ Whitaker's Bill. So long as a properfv ;"' j franchise %vas allowed special prowrti ; would be entitled to plurality of votes' : which he regarded as a blot.on the Bill bu' i could not see how it could be avoided!" T* il' would only last as long as, the Bill.' He :: ; opposedjfthe introduction of Hare's system" ias complicated and unsatisfactory^Membets r of the University, who applied the 3Tstra I in electing the Senate, had to have a pre. I " liminary rehearsal in order.to"becomeae. Up ■ quainted with the worWrig!bfttbJ3< scheme, j ' Democracy was spoken of in New Zealand" IP >as new. He contended the, .whole*constiu. '"'■ > tion was democratic, and the suffrage the H same. • The House must show that it desired II! to conserve the interest of''the people, and Wgive the people more direct ,-control over ■jp Parliament than they had' exercised for many years past. He spoke against the life despotism of Under-Secretaries;. owing to the existing system of centralism. What j m was necessary was decentralisation. In ' Auckland they were exercisedoverthequeß<" Hp tion of the route of the Kaipara railway &| which the Minister of Works' could not Pa settle on his own responsibility. Loca wfj bodies had been too much under the an< f? thority of the Central Government. Thai WS, schoolmasters were rapidly becoming ths civil servants. He would look eagcily for. I ward to the day when they would relmra mm to the original basis of the constitution, when federation with f decentralisation would form the main features of it. X $ ... Mr Joyce oprjosedthe Bill; and moved Mr Tole saidTiir Vvnita!cer*a'"i,;ij T superior to that of the Government lriW^Pß matter of consolidation, but this arose from the fact that it dealt with three additional ,■ subjects : representation, bribery, and petitions on elections. The bill contained some principles which might be incorporated with advantage in the Government measnia He objected to the proposed provision in the Bribery Bill trat where a' ; voter to , , deprived of the franchise for three yean, there was no provision for his name "being restored to the roll. He read a paragraph ' from an English paper expressing.Ms views ,; to the effect that women could be more " useful and exercise more influence in domestic circles than in politics. He would like to see the freehold qualification made k ' subject to residence of two years , as person! 1 acquiring a freehold on arrival in the colony I would be equally ignorant of the circum- ' stances,of the colony, as others upon whom the residental qualification was Being tfß^&B ferred. Registration officers now received ..objections from anyone and published their own name to the list of objections, fchns pfecluding the recovery of expenses, whicl ought to fall on the objector.' Heeo demnedthe provision rendering five Am tures necessary to nomination papers, and advocated the continuance of the system 01 ;. f . ; candidates addressing electors; If be lim not had an opportunity of. addressing tk constituents he represented, he would probably never have been elected. He did not lay claim to eloquence, but an oppor; tunity was given to constituents to judge of m the viev^s of candidates. He condemned p. the clause rendering a deposit of £10 neces; §$i sary. He did not think closing pubjic- g houses would be effectual,?aSi men who; |g desired drink would establish, their OWB public-houses. He would"oppose Mi ! AVhitaker's bill on the grdund:iof its ecutaining Hare's system, -which might M useful in municipal elections, but was dangerous if applied to the :whole colony. Jl| The bill also gaye too'■much': power M officers in WeUington. The bill would give too much tranquility, and cause > political apathy. . . , 1 Mr Hursthouse objected to representenon |^ I being based on grounds whicMf ould g>« p| ! too much power to town3sSt!|Be^peMe||M \ the country. He considered towns paresis ! upon the country. (Great laughter.) , i Messrs Thomson, Oliver, Beep^and :' borne also spoke against the Bill. ..." ! Mr Whitaker opened his reply pa dmol.; flto a bare quorum of the House.-. Mern^ ! are weary of the debate on the elector . question." There were three occupants c I the Lords' Gallery. One old-lady ang : assiduous attendant m politics, was.^ ( I only reprsentative of the..fair sex in " , j Ladies' Gallery. A few drowsy strangere-^ I the public gallery. Mr Whitaker,aew I that he introdnced the measure wittt ' object of securing the ministerial.Deow» , because the bill was. .prepared~w?n • was in the last Ministry.' He I"*, Mr Barton on mixing up /the, classes Roman and Greek Liberals. . He dejj that the Opposition were Tones gomg Liberal music. Though the mode- of aa. ; .taining quotas was not part of B^ s" f gj ~:; j.hal system- it was in the appendix 01 ! book, and approved by him. Me «« . ! ask leave to withdraw his bill witli a > of endeavouring to engraft jy^L , on the Government Bill »ijn Oomm tt ; While assisting Mr Stont's; •'measure would press his amendments to'divisw^; Bill withdrawn accordingly/^;/ MR MOSS'S MOTION ON TT .■■■■... , BAKK. __.„■■' ■■■.■-■■':■■*>■■:■»*¥ ■ -During the discussion on the .Pl^ to ' . address the Gbvernbr,- pjquestin£ * place a sum on the estimates *o e^ n I the growth'of wattle: bark, Mr »*, c | strongly, condemned the annual fig^. £300; to the: Wellington Domain. ** fa t . sidered the expenditure almost -u"F tfjS tive.— Mr Hobbs- said -the-«o us greatly indebted to the member w nell for raising the question..- * yHo a statement by Mr Hursthouse a* t . abundance of bark in TaranaM ea o iiot superior to the wattle, the; spw if that were the fact wattle, baw^i^ be so largely imported wto.AUu

Ultimately Mr Moss's motion wasj shelved by the Speaker leaving the chair on the understanding that £400 will be placed on the estimates to defray cost of printing' a hook (suggested by the Premier)] on botanical productions suitable to New Zealand, giving a description of the requisite soil, temperature, mode of cultivation, and modes of preparing the commod ty. SECOND READINGS.

Mr Stout's bill, allowing Savings Banks to distribute accumulated profits, amounting to some £30,000, among public institutions, was read a second time- Also, the Administration Bill, to simplify the dealings with real estate in the Jntestate Estates. Mr Wason's Regulation of Mines Bill passed second reading, and bills by Mr Sutton enabling the Napier Corporation to drain the swamp ; also for the construction of a harbour at Wairoa, passed through a similar ordeal. !:','-',

VARIOUS MATTERS,

In reply to Mr De Latour, the Hon. Mr Fisher said the employment of females in telegraph offices had not been a success. Mr Beetham's motion for an inquiry into the manner of conducting colonial surveys, was negatived. , Mr Barton withdrew his resolution ordering an inquiry into the conduct of the Wellington police, in favour of an amendment proposed by Mr Stout-, referring the. matter to the Gaol Committee. IMPORTED TIMBER. Mr J. E. Brown to move, " That as it is proposed by the Government to remove the duty on imported grain and flour, it is expedient that the duty on imported timber should also be removed." MOTIONS BY AUCKLAND MEMBERS. In reply to Mr Hamlin's question about a National Rifle Association, Mr Sheehan said the Government were prepared to encourage such an Association by handing over the equipments hitherto used at colonial meetings, and giving them the use of a Government reserve, but thought it would be time enough to make a money grant when the Association showed itself in earnest. Mr Tole has given notice to ask the Government, " If they will cause steps to be taken to have the Great North Road, the New North Road, and other main roads in the County of Eden put and maintained in a state of repair ?" Sir Robort Douglas received a promise of papers relative to the settlement of Portuguese and natives of Madeira north of Auckland. NEW OTAGO RAILWAY. . Mr Macandrew held out no hope of the line from Queer, stown to Cromwell] being surveyed yet.

LICENSING.

Mr Sheehan said the Government Bill would equalise license fees throughout the •colony. ONEHUNGA WHARF.

Papers.laid on the table re the Onehunga wharf shew the depth of water at low tide at the old whaif to be Bft. 2in., 7ft., 7ft.; and at the new wharf 7ft. 9in., Bft. 3iu., 6ft. 6in., 7ft. 9in., 6ft., sft., sft. 9in., 5f fc. Bin. Vessels berthing at the old wharf have caused a hollow .there. During the ; period from the original survey to, the present time, the depths have increased over ! the lengths of both the old and the new wharfs from a foot to two feet six inches. No bearings Avere taken because there was ■sufficient evidence iv piling the old wharf that the difficulty would be to prevent the piles going too far, not to get them down far enough. Nearly all the piles in front of the 32 piers had to be cradled to prevent them going too far. 3. Before the plans of the new wharf were completed, the District Engineer consulted the Harbour Master (verbally) fas to the best position. The Harbour Master was fully aware from the first of the nature and site of the wharf. At the request of the Onehunga residents a greater clearance was given betweea the old and new wharf. This was effected by moving the head of the structure 100 ft further ■down the stream, but parallel to the line as planned. Thus we projected the extreme fntP "very" filirl'lioTdmg'grounll.-t^gne'df iraHN Blackett." A JOKE. A joke is going around the lobbies respecting borrowing of Webster's dictionary and Roget's Thesauraus to prepare the address to the Queen. Mr Whitaker threatens to ask the Government whether they expect the Queen's English to be talked in the House in the absence of books. DIFFICULTY IN THE COUNCIL, i > There was a slight difficulty between two Legislative Councillors yesterday, on the , question of seats. Mr Pharazyn complained to the Speaker that the Hon. Mr Robinson had " jumped" his claim. This was totally denied by Mr Robinson, who said if there had been any " jumping" it was on the part of Mr Pharazyn. Mr Miller deprecated such trivial matters being before the Council. The Speaker stated the practice that had obtained here, as also that of the. House of Commons, the result finally being that the Hon. Mr Robinson formally kept possession of the disputed position. TRAVELLING BY THE HINEMOA.| Considerable interest is felt in the return of persons who travelled in the Hinemoa, and the amounts they paid to the revenue, and where charged to public account. Mr J. C. Brown is understood to be a debtor for board to the tune of ss. Several other swells in more or less sums, including some ladies. Mr G. M. Reed, in guileless inno- ■ cence of the rules on board put ashore without paying 16s 6d, and several others let the ■country in for larger sums. The rule is to give a free passage, the passenger paying for his food and refreshments. ADDRESS TO THE QUEEN. In the Legislative Council to-day the Hon. Captain Fraser is to. move that the following address to Her Most Gracious Majesty, contained in the Committee's re-" port laid upon the table on Wednesday, the 21st August, be agreed to :— " To Her Most Excellent Majesty, Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and Empress of India. " Most Gracious Sovereign,—We, your Majesty's loyal and dutiful subjects, the Legislative Council of New Zealand, in Parliament assembled, approach Your Majesty with the assurance of our loyal attachment to your Majesty's Throne and person. We, in common with your Majesty's subjects in every part of the Empire, have watched with the deepest interest, the progress of events in the course of the war in the east of Europe, now, we hope, happily terminated ; and we desire gratefully to recognise the wisdom and firmness, with which the honour and interests of the Empire have been upheld, even amidst adverse circumstances. We have rejoiced to observe with what alaciity the inhabitants of the most remote parts of your Majesty's dominions hastened to assure your Majesty that had it been necessary to resort to arms in vindication of the rights and honour of the Throne and Empire, they would have been glad of the opportunity to evince their attachment and loyalty to the Throne which is one of the chief characterises of the people inhabiting, your. Majesty's colonies and dependencies. In the success which has crowned your Majesty's exertions for the cause of humanity, justice, and; honour, at the Congressj. we, recognise" elements which, by the consolidation of the Empire, by erecting barriers against future aggression, give promise of an honourable and durable peace." - , i