NEW ZEALAND PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVII, Issue 4401, 3 October 1871, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19. GOLDHELDS COMMITTEE. Mr, Hapghton brought upj- reports from the Goldfields Committee, roporting that they sould make no recommendation as to the petitions in faVour of a [reduction of the .gold duty ; also on the petitions of certain persons with reference to the obtaining of water for tho goldfields, which the committee stated could not be undertaken by the Government, aud recommended that tho work Bliould bo done by private enterprise, upon certain conditions.

LOTTERIES. Mr. Swaksojt asked the Colonial Secretary •whether it was the intention of the Government to introduce a bill during the present session to amend the law relating to lotteries, with the view of permitting artists to dispose of their pictures, &c, by that means. Mr. Fox entirely sympathised with the object o£ the question, but was uot prepared to give an answer without consulting the Attorney-General.

WEDI*ESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20. PETITION OP WA.IKA.TO SETTLERS. Mr. T. Kelly brought up the report of the <m the petition of five military settlers of the Waikato district, claiming field allowance during periods of active ser. vice, which has been withheld from them, and praying for redress. The committee reported that they could not recommend the petition to the favourable consideration of the House.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 21. AUCKLAND PETITIONS. Mr. Gillies presented a petition from 96 merchants of Auckland, complaining of the excess in light clues on the coast, and asking that uniform light charges should be levied in, all parts of the colony, but that coasting vessels should not be called on to pay the same dues as those paid by foreign vessels. Mr. Williamson presented a petition from a native chief of Auckland and certain other natives, with reference to certain lands in that province.

DUTY ON" AGKICULTURAL MACHINERY. Mr. Stkward asked the Colonial Treasurer whether his atteDtion had been drawn to the fact that an import duty is charged upon portions of agricultural machinery ; and whether it is proposed so to amend the tariff as to remove certain disabilities under "which, in consequence of such duty, colonial manufactures now labour. Mr. Yog el said the attention of the Government was strongly directed to the matter last year by Alessrs. Reid and Gray, of Oamaru, and the Government woio then favourably inclined to a remission of the duty upon such articles, but a bill to that effect was thrown out. They would introduce a bill this session to the extent which had been already described iv the Financial Statement, which imposed a duty upon rice, cereals, and timber, but as there were many other cases in which strong reasons for a remission could be shown they would possibly be included, although he would not like to give the hon. member any greater assurance than this : that they would be inclined to include this particular article i in this bill, as it was an exceptional article.

DEFENCES OF THE COLONY. . Mr. McLean moved that; a select committee be appointed to consider ami report upon the general defences of the colony, with power to confer with a committee of the Legislative Council ; such committee to have power to call for persons and papers. The committee to consistof 11 members, three to be the quorum -.—Messrs. Bath-jate, Bunny, Bryce, Curtis, Hall, Cavrin^ton, Pearce, Steward, Inglis, Captain McPherson, and the mover. He thought it important that the evidence procured by Mr. Vogel duiiug \m visit to England, and which was in possession of the Government, should he referred to a select committee. The motion was agreed to.

NATIVE SCHOOLS. Mr. McLean moved for leave to introduce a bill to amend tho Native Schools Act, 18G7. Leave being given, the bill waa read a first time, and the second reading ordered for Tuesday next.

TAURAXGA. DISTRICT. Mr. W. Ki:lly moved, "That in the opinion of this House it is desirable that a commission should be appointed to inquire into and re poi fc upon the administration and allotting of I.inds m the Tauraiu'a tli^tm-b, in the province of Auckland, with a view to rectify it i cuiil » ities, rind thereby piomotc settlement therein, and the utilisation of the waste hmla of that district." Mr. McLkan said in&ti notions had been given to the officers in the disfcnct to make inquiries such as those indicated, and every effort would he used by the Government. A Court had been sitting sine 1 the lion, member left his district ; many outstanding contracts had been settled ; and in a vpry short time the whole oi the disputed cases would be disposed of, not only m that district but in the district of Opotiki. Mr. Gillies pointed out that the desire of the mover seemed to be to have a comiuusiou appointed independent of the oifiecib of the Government, who, as far as the Nitive Commissioner in the distiict was concerned, had prevented the settlement of the district. Mr. Kr.i/LY said that was his intention. The motion was agreed to.

13A.Y OF ISLANDS SETTLEMENTS. This bill was veatl a second lime, and ordered to be coramitte<<l to-morrow.

THE XOIITII OF A.UCKL.VND Mr. Earnall'a motion with reference to the voting of a sum of money for the construction of roads was put to the House, and the first pait, afiirming "That it is desirable that the money available for expenditure under the Public Works and Immigration Loan Act, 1870, should bo so distributed that the settlers and aboriginal natives of the North of Auckland may participate in such expenditure," agreed to. The discussion of the remainder of tho motion was then postponed till that day week, to permit the hearing of the statement of the Minister of Public Works.

THE JUItY BILL. This bill was committed. An amendment that three-fourths should constitute the verdict of the jury instead of two-thirds •wag negatived. Another amendment, pro- ! posed by Mr. Gillies, at the request of the I legal profession, was agreed to, "That no , such verdict shall be taken until the jury ' have retired, ami informed the Judge that there is no probability of their being unanimous." ! The amendment was ordered to be considered to-morrow. i

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2G. WELLINGTON WATUBAVOBKS HILL. This bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed to-morrow.

rJifITIOKS. Mr. O'Neill presented two petitions from certain Roman Catholics, with reference to education ; also a petition praying for telegraphic communication between Coroniaudel and the Thames. Wl Parata presented a petition from three natives, praying that the Government .would call upon certain tribes at present armed with Government weapons to give them up. Mr. Clabk presented a petition from certain inhabitants of Auckland with reference to the contents of particular clauses of the Education Bill ; also a petition from inhabitants of -Auckland praying for the passing of a Permissive Bill. Mr. Oreighton presented a petition from certain Catholics of Auckland with reference to education. Mr. T. Kelly presented a petition. Mr. Wood prosented a petition from certain Koman Catholics of Auckland with reference to tbo Education Bill before the House.

THE DiaTIBLEBIES ACT. Mr. Colmhs asked the Premier whether it was the intention of the Government to bring

in an Act ho amend the Distilleries Act of 1868. " Mr. Vogel said be was not able to say whether a bill would bo introduced on the a tbjeot this session, because the Government « ere not ab all clear that it was the desire of the House to pass such a measure. The recommendation of the selecff committee on the matter he quite agreed with, viz., that there should be no unnecessary restrictions in the Acs ; but, at the same time, the hon. member must see that a measure which dealt with any article from which a very large portion of the revenue was derived must be surrounded with restrictions to protect the revenue. In referenca to the case of Mr. Turton, alluded by the hon. member, the hardship appeared to arise out of the 38th section of the Act, which required sixteen hours' notice to be given of any intention t commence any distilling operations. As a proof that the Government were desirous of meeting the case of Mr. Turton, regulations were proposed which it was supposed would meet his case, and at the same time protect the revenue. After these regulations were drawn up, that gentleman premised to enter juto the requisite bond, whereupon his license was made oul, hut up to the present time he had not applied for it. He did not see how the Government could modify the bill in the way the bon. member desired. He would look into the matter during the recess, and sea whether tho regulations were not sufficiently elastic to enable him to do what the hon. member desired.

HEDUCnON Off THE PUBLIC EXPENDITURE. Mr. Macandrenv, before going into committee of supply, explained that he wished to move a resolution which would have the effect of materially reducing the expenditure of the country. His object was not to reduce the salaries of the actual working men — the clerks of the service — but those who wore in. the anomalous position of receiving more than the Ministers of the day. In the case of the Judges he thought there should be one Judge for each islaud. If the motion were carried *t would reduce the permanent charges by £15,000 a year, which would be giving £309,000 to be spent on reproductive pur« poses. He thought a salary of. £400 a year, certain for life, placed a person in a much better position than a man who had thousands of pounds out in investment. In the event of the proposal commending itself to the consideration of the House, he would propose that it should commence on the Ist January next. The motion ho had to propose was that in the opinion of the House the circumstances of the colony needed rigid economy in. every department of the service, and that, therefore, it is expedient that the aggregate salaries to be paid to all officers of the Government be reduced by 25 per cent, of such salaiies as are above £400 per annum, and that where at all practicable offices should be amalgamated, and that ono month's salary should be given for every yoar of service to those officers who were dispensed with. He bad no desire to interfere with salaries under £400. Air. Vooel said it was evident that the motion was not made in a hostile spirit to the Government, and it was a course which the Government would not oppose because it went into the question of a legitimate reduction of Governmental expenditure. With regard to what had taken place in a recent debate— the debate which had been called a party debate— ho might say that he could have explained many of the savings whick had been pointed out by hon. members. The hon. member for Timaru had to a certain extent repeated those charges of their being a boastful Government, and ho could only say that, if the statement of bare facts was boasting, they had boasted. But it became the duty of the Government to defend any of their colleagues -whom they found attacked, and ho would say that taunts had been offered to a member of the Government whoso place no member of the House would be willing to fill. With regard to the resolutions there were portions of it which ife would be difficult to deal with, such as tho reductiou of the Judges' salaries ; but ho would say, on the part of Ministers, that if the motion were carried it would bo tho desire generally of members [? Ministers] thatthey at least should not be exempted from its effect. He did not sec why it was tint there were so many people anxious fco get <m the civil list, where th/»re were so few opportunities*ef, gaining promotion beyond a certain point ; its popularity was strange iti a colony like this/ were there wore so many opportunities of rising to positions of greater credit' and emolument in private business. Ther6 were many ways in which amalgamation of oiftce3 might bo carried out— m such cases, for instance, as whero a nver divided two provinces,^ and they had Id pay a Resident Magistrato^at each bide oE ! that nver. IFo dii^nob'sfcc ho>v they were ! to i educe, accoi ding* "to tho terms of tho ' motion, all silaries above C-IUO, by adeciease of twenty fi\o per cent.; theiefoie, they did not bee their way to .support nig that part of tho motion. Although the Government did not intend to support the motion, they did not look upon ifc as a motion in opposition to the Government of the day. A. long debate ensued, and the motion was lost. The following is the division list :— Ayks 24: Messrs. Bathgate, Brown, Brown, Brown, Bryce, Bunny, (Wilder, Cauttell, Clark, Kelly, Kelly, Macandrew [teller), McGillivray, MoPheraon, Murray, O'Connor, Pnr.ifca, U. Parker, Ro'ul (teller), Reynolds, .Steward, Swanson, Takamoana, Thomson, Wood. INoin, 37 : Messrs. Andrew, Brandon, C.imntjton, Collins, Creighton, Curtis, Eyo, Farnad, Fitzherbert, Fox, Gisborne, Hall, Harrison, Haugliton, Inglis, Johnston, Karalake, Katene, Lightband, McLean, McLean, Mervyn, O'Neill, Ormond, G. B. Parker, Peacock, Uichardsou, Rolloston (taller), Shepherd, Studholmo (teller), Taiaroa, Tribe, Vogol, Wakencld, Webster, White, Williamson. The question was then put, "That the words proposed to be omitted stand part of the question," when, a division being called for, the result was as follows :— Ayes, 37 ; noes, '24. The amendment of Mr, Macandrew was therefore negatived.

COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY. Tlu House then wont into Committee of Supply. On tho item public domains and buildings, £2,550, Mr. Cheighton proposed that tho amount should be reduced by £1,G30, by doing away with the vote for the museum, that for the Colonial Architect, and for the care of the domains. The motion caused considoiable disciiS9ion, but no division was takeu before tho House adjourned.