IN PARLIAMENT.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1222, 2 September 1911, Page 5

IN PARLIAMENT.

DAILY SUMMARY. 1 THE COST OP THE HUTT ROAD. Yesterday's sitting of the House opened quietly, and it seemed that the lull which had followed the liveliness of the early part of the week was still in ovidonee, but by the middle of the afternoon the Hntfc Railway and Road Improvement Bill was providing plenty of material for controversy. The Hon. A. Millar, in moving the second reading, explained that the object of the Bill was simply to increase tho list of local bodie9 liable, to contribute to the cost o£ the new road, including those which have been crcatod within the area concerned sinco tho passing ot the original Act in 1903. Mr. Maseoy thereupon told with a force and clearness that must have made his remarks particularly annoying to Ministers, the story of how money was authorised by Parliament time after time "to finisn tho work," until at last £335,000 had been voted for a piece of railway and road making which Parliament had been given to understand would cost only <£100,000. Even that sum, it appeared, from tho Premier's statement in 1903 (which was freely quoted during the debate) might be recoup-ed by sale of tho land.to bo reclaimed in the straightening of the railway. The dismay with which the local bodies view tho demand upon them for tho whole of the unexpectedly heavy cost of the road—about ,£loo,ooo—was expressed freely by local members on both sides of the House, and some urged that it partook of the character of an arterial highway, ami should therefore bo in part a charge upon 'the State. A surprising feature of the discussion was the information that ill". Wilford, Mayor of Wellington and member for Hutt, had decided not to oppose the Bill. It appears that Mr. Wilford, who is away from town and out of health, . llad telegraphed to the Town Clerk asking him to communicate this decision to Sir William Steward. The Town Clerk, after vainly trying to get the member for Waitaki on tho telephone, wroto him a letter to tho above effect', and this letter was read in tho llouso by Mr. i'isher, who was astonished that tho Mayor, whilst' saying nothing to any of the local members, had communicated with a South Island representative.. Neither Sir William Steward nor anybody elso offered any explanation of the mystery. Sir Joseph Ward defended himself and attacked one of his critics in a confused and high-spirited speech. Ife denied having said that the road and railway work would cost only ,£IOO,OOO. Mr. Millar afterwards asserted that his chief's statement in 1903 referred only to the rail-way-and not to. tho road at all. The Minister for- Railways also went into details to show that the cost of the work was not; unreasonable. His closing remarks wont to confirm tho impression that the dispute between tho Government and the local bodies may ultimately be Bottled by litigation. The other business of tho day comprised the reference of tho Sale of Poisons Bill and tho Seeds Sale Control Bill to the Agricultural and Stock Committee, which will take evidence, and tho second leading of tho Hauraki' Plains Bill. Tho Council diet not sit. i