EVENING SITTING.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 11109, 30 October 1901, Page 9

EVENING SITTING.

The House resumed at 7.30 o'clock. IMPREST SUPPLY BILL. Thfe Imprest Supply Bill was further considered. Mr PIKANTS amendment was negatived by 34 vote." to 20. Mr HERRIKS said that as the Bill provided fqr £100,000 being transferred from the Consolidated Fund to the PubUc Works ifund, he hoped the House would have an assurance from the Government that the main trunk rai.way lines would be carried on with more expedition. He also urged that the extra quarter of a million loan granted the previous evening should be allocated on the Supplementary Estimates, as the House hud a right to know how the money was to Ik> .spent. Mr G. W. RUSSELL drew attention to the fai.ure of three of the workmen's hamlets near Cliristchurch, and asked why the Government had not selected more suitab.e land for the purpose. Mr'SEDDO-S said the Government took no responsibility in the matter. The land was purchased on the recommendation of the Land Purchase Beard. Mr PIRANI considered it an extraordinary proceeding to bring down an Imprest Supp.y Bill at this stage of the session. Before the Bill was passed, he thought the Colonial Treasurer should, bring down a rough balance-sheet, showing the particu.ar purpose for which the amount was required, and the state of the colony's finances. After further discussion the Bill passed through committee without amendment, and was read a third time and passed. MAORI COUNCILS. The Maori Councils Act Amendment Bill was received from the Legislative Council, and read a first time. TRUSTEE ACT AMENDMENT. The amendments made by the Legislative Council in the Trustee Act Amendment Bill were agreed to. COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY. At 8.50 o'clock the House went into Committee of Supply for the consideration of the Public Works Estimates. Pub.ic Works Department, ±J13,250. Mr BERRIES asked the Government what was proposed to be done in regard to the Midland Railway. Sir JOSEPH WARD agreed that the Midland Railway debenture-holders should be treated fairly ans honestly, but he ridiculed the suggestion that the colony was to-be affected in its loans on the Home market because of the debenture-holder of the Midland Railway. He hoped that the two questions would be kept separate. In rep.y to an interjection, Sir JOSEPH WARD said if the worst came to the worst, tbe Government could borrow the money in the colony. Afr SEDDON said, there had been

rumours as to what the Midland Railway debenture-holders intended to do. but he took it that as business men they would never be so foolish as to .threaten the colony while their petition was before Par- . liament. The position of ihe colony was so strong and sound that be feared nothing s from any action of the debenture-holders. He added that the financial, position of the colony was so sound that the Government could get whatever money they wanted. The vote passed una.tered. Railway construction, £561,000, Mr MASSi.!. protested against the treatment of the North. Ipland, Main Trunk Railway. The sum of £242,500 was voted to the North Island as against £279,000 for the South Island, yet tbe European population of the North was greatly in excess of that of the South.

Mr HOUSTON moved that the vote for

the Kawakawa-Grahanutown- line (£15,000) 1 " be reduced by £1 as a protest' against the Whangarei-Qrahamstown section of the line ■- being completed before the HukerenuiKftwakawa section. After considerable discussion the amend* , ment was carried by 29 votes to 24. ' Mr HALL-JONES quoted figures to •how that the expenditure on roads and ■' bridges in the North Island was' greatly an excess of that in the South,, and that th*** expenditure on the Auckland province hncludrng the expenditure on the Main -.. -Trunk Line) was especially heavy. Captain RUSSELL asked to be en- "'".'. lightened as to the position in regard : to 1 the Midland Railway. . Was there to be ;.."' a.-tannel constructed at Otira, and what estimated cost? ■'••;'. Mr HOGG said he understood the tunnel: in question would be six miles in length, and the money 40 be spent on this 'Work -rightjfust as well be thrown in mid-ocean. -He went on to complain that no attethpt was made t» prosecute the Knniit&k* deviation, and he predicted 'that a tmtvm accident would probably happen eni«»lline sooner or later. ■<Mr HALL-JONES said a good route had b|*«n-.foßad for the deviation, and'ho* be-, *■_**•* 1* ougat to be made, but other. di_~ *"*"*», whsco, had no railway communica- ' *»&» must first be considered. Ab to the ptira tunnel, he declared that it would be more economical, than carrying the line over Ajrrangements had been \ made for an American expert to report as w tbe beet means of carrying. the railway ttwmga. than country,. and he hoped he ~< *twwld be leaving for New Zealand in about • **•*•• He w«« »Mr Bogue, and he be-, fleved be was one of the best men in the ' w.d for the work. Aftetna lengthy discussion the total vote tor rant-ay construction passed as reduced by £1.

_,_&•*,I o**0** fOT additions to open lines, «W?»968, passed without alteration. Fubbe buildings—total vote, £207,250. Oaptein RUSSELL submitted. that the cost of renewals, renovation, and main--ould •» *•*« out of the con* so-idated revenue, and not charged to the capital account. He contended that once money was transferred to the Public Works ■**' -SfS!- 1 "*. »*.-became.-pact of the capital account of the colony. tJS -ISr^S 55 -® replied that as the Fu 10 was supplemented by rhatc a nuhion from the Consolidated Fund, it was proper lhat<tfae vote for renewals, etc., should appear on the Public Works intimates. If there was no contribution * iron, the revenue he admitted it would be improper to charge these renewals as items to the Public Works Fund. , i The discussion was proceeding when the ~ tMgrajfo office closed at 2 a.m.