HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3142, 23 July 1881, Page 3

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Friday. The House met at _.30 p.m. THE RABBIT NUISANCE. The following report of the committee appointed to ocnsider the rabbit nuisance was brought up and read : —" Your committee has conferred with a committee of the Legislative Council appointed for a similar purpose, and acting as a joint committee with it has taken the evidence of a number of individuals and obtained by circular an expression of opinion from a large number of otters all of which is appended, and has also agreed with the committee of the Legislative Council on the following report:—Your committee having in concert with a committee of the Legislative Council obtained a great amount of information on the subject of the rabbit nuisance from many person? and from various parts of the colony, has agreed that a measure calculated to deal more effectively with the nuisance is urgently and therefore recommends that a bill be introduced this session to deal with the question, which shall provide that its administration shall be conducted by officers of the Government on a principle similar to that by which the provisions" of the Sheep Act, 1878, are enforced, and that all unoccupied Crown land, native and reserved lands, as well as private land, should bear their proportionate share of the cost of destroying rabbits and the expenses of administering the Act, and that provision should be made therein for the protection of the natural enemies of the rabbit at present in the colony. The committee desire to impress upon the House its conviction that immediate and energetic action is essential in order to arrest the further extension of and to suppress this pest, otherwise the result will be ruinous. Geo. Beetham, Chairman." IMPORT DUTY ON COAL. Mr Reeves gave notice that he would move that an impost of Is 6d per ton be imposed upon coal imported into the colony. PETITION. Mr Fulton presented a petition signed by 700 residents in Otago in favor of the Lotteries and Gaming Bill. DURATION OP PARLIAMENT. Mr Murray gave notice that he would ask leave to introduce a bill to regulate the duration of Parliaments, to come into force at the expiry of the present Pai'liament. QUESTIONS. Replying to questions, it was stated that the Government could not yet say whether they would introduce a Bankruptcy Bill this session; the Stillwater and. Nelson creek section of the Greymouth railway would cost a larger amount than remained to the balance of the Public Works loan, and consequently they could not undertake the work at present; intimation had been received that the detached squadron would leave Sydney on the 23rd instant, but those on board would not be allowed to land in Auckland until tbe expiration of the usual time, which would be the week after next — —arrangements had been made for conveying the royal party to the Hot Springs via Tauranga, and if desired, arrangements would be made for their accommodation at Government House, Auckland. NO-CONPIDENCE MOTION. Mr Gibbs resumed the debate on the noconfidence motion. He consideoed the Road Boards had done good service, and that the counties system should be placed on an improved footing. He intimated his intention of supporting the Government. Mr Reid admitted the present system was fairly good, and he concurred generally in the proposals of the Government to improve it, but he contended that the Government as constituted had not the confidence of the country. He complained against the Government for having neglected the goldfields' interests, more especially the West Coast of the Middle Island. What they wanted was assistance in making fresh discoveries, constructing water-races, reducing fees for miners' rights from 20s to 10s, and in various other ways promoting their interests and industrial pursuits. He complained they had been charged too high a fee for the use of the Government diamond drill. He also complained that the recommendations of the Industries Commission had not been given effect to. He would vote against the Government, as he had no confidence in their carrying out their proposals. Mr Shrimski spoke on the same side. He charged the Government with having neglected his district. He was opposed to the proposals brought down, and lie charged the Government with dangling the Public Works portfolio for the purpose of securing support. The constitution of the proposed Local Works Board was vicious, and was framed with the view of securing increased support to the Government. Even if the no-confidence motion were not carried the re-distribution as proposed would not be carried. It was planned with the view of suiting the purposes of the Goyernment party ; for example, a disaffected portion of the Waikouaiti electorate, which was represented by a friend of the Government, had been cut off and tacked on to his (Mr Shrimski' s) constituency. He also complained of partiality on the part of the Government in carrying out the retrenchment. Mr Hursthouso criticised the remai'ks make by previous speakers. I Tho debate was interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment. The House resumed at 7.30. Mr Hursthouso continued the debate, and after criticising the speeches on the other side admitted a preference for Road Boards over Counties, and he thought the two scarcely necessai'y. What was wanted was a maximum of funds and a minimum of excess of expenditure. He should support the Government proposals as being the best before the House.

Mr Gisborne preferred the proposals of Mr Saunders to those of the Government. He did not object to Crown and native lands being rated under certain circumstances, but he entirely objected to tbe board of works proposal. He would like to sec the colony divided into convenient districts larger than the Counties, but smaller than the old provinces, and power and moans given to the governing bodies to deal with their their own local requirement. Mr Whyte, while not altogether agreeing with the Government proposals, saw no better scheme suggested, and would therefore vote against the amendment. Mr Moss hailed the amendment with pleasure, and denied that tho colony now possessed local government at all, or had ever done it since that House began to interfere with and usurp the functions of the provinces. He traced the whole history of the New Zealand constitution to show how mischievous had been that interference. The present Ministry was composed of men who had always opposed local government, and until it was got rid of there was no hope for the country. He hoped to see a

reversion to a system of independent provinces, with A federal government such as had really at first existed under our constitution, each local body having power to regulate its local affairs without outside interference. The local bodies should have extensive power in the respect, and the subjects for that House to deal with should be defined and restricted. The number of members of that House should then be reduced, and to guard against Parliament undermining the local bodies, as it had undermined the provinces, the Upper House should be made elective, and be elected by the local bodies. Under this system the management of native affairs might be left to the local bodies, and the expenses of the General Government be reduced so as to leave ample funds for the local bodies to administer. Major Harris moved the adjournment of thr debate till Tuesday, and the House rose at midnight.