HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3484, 6 September 1882, Page 3

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Tuesday. The House re-assembled at 2.30. QUESTSONS. Replying to Mr Steward, Mr Dick said tbat, with respect to the case of Mark Bishop, the Government saw no reason to interfere with the verdict of the jury. Replying to Mr Turnbull, Mr Johnston said that the land to be granted to the Tauranga Railway Company had not yet been valued. The line had been surveyed, the estimated cost of construction being £5000 per mile. Replying to Mr Allwright, Mr Johnston said that in weighing trucks of coal and other articles to the order of consignees, and for which a charge was made, the Railway Department had all along made a rule of charging for information as to snch weights, and the Government saw no reason for changing the system. Replying to Mr Turnbull, Mr Dick said that with respect to the case of Frank Burns, recently discharged from Lyttelton gaol, steps would be taken in future to prevent impecunious sick men being sent to prison as vagrants. Replying to Mr Allwright, Mr Johnston said that the covenants in the lease granted by the Government to Messrs Talbot and M'Olatchan of a store site at Lyttelton would be ignored. Replying to Mr J. W. Thomson, Mr Dick said that the allocation of licenses and dog tax in the Town District Boards Act was quite explicit, no matter what interpretation any lawyer might profees to make on the clause. Replying to Mr Daniel, Mr Dick said tbat iuqurics would be made info tbe allegation that settlers' cattle had been destroyed in consequences of the culpable use of phosphorissd oats for destroying rabbits. Replying to Mr Ives?, Mr Rolleston said that the Government had no statutory power to create commonage rights. Replying to Mr Sheehan, Mr Bryce said that the Government would not restore Detective Farrell to the police force, nor would he (Mr Bryce) give any prospect of Farrell being employed by

the Government in any other department, as suggested in the report of the Public Petitions Committee. EOADS AND BRIDGES CONSTRUCTION BILL. The House went into committee on the Roads and Bridges Construction Bill. On the motion of Mr DeLautour, clause 8 was altered so as to read that main roads might be declared to be such roads at the request of any County Council made prior to the month of March. He argued that by that means they would have an opportunity for discussing the proposal at the then approaching meeting of the Assembly. Mr Turnbull moved a proviso to clause 60, that 20 per cent of the land fund should be spent in the provincial district in which it occurred. A long discussion ensued, Mr Macandrew and Sir John Hall supporting and Mr Leveetam opposing the amendment, which on a division was negatived by 33 to 32. Ayes. Noes. Allwright Atkinson Barron Beetham Bracken Bryce Brown, J. C. Buchanan, W. C. Buchanan, J. Cadman De Lautour Connolly Daniel Dick Duncan Dodson Feldwick Driver Fergus Fitzgerald Fulton Harris Green, M. W. Hobbs Hall Hurst Ivesa Hurstbouse Joyce Johnstone, W. Macandrew Kelly McKenzie, F. Levestam McKenzie, J. Mason McMillan Mitchelson Montgomery Morris Pearson Moss Pyke Munro Seaton Petrie Steward Rolleston Sutter Rutherford Thompson, J. W. Shepherd Thompson, H. Smith Tomoana Sutton Turnbull Swanson Weston Tawhia White, W. Trimble Wright Watt Whyte, J. B. The clause as printed was passed by 33 to 32, and the remainder of the bill passed. CROWN AND NATIVE LANDS RATING BILL. The House went into committee on the Crown and Native Lands Rating Bill. On clause 2 being read, Te Wheoro moved to limit the rate on native land to land which had passed through the Native Lands Court. All the native members supported the bill, but after a long discussion it was lost on a division of 46 to 21. A further proposal to strike out the words " all native lands " was lost by 37 to 14. The clause was amended so as to render all Crown Lands within five miles of a road or bridle traik liable to rates, and exempting native lands more than five miles away from a coach road or highway. A loDg discussion took place on clause 4. The remaining clauses of the bill were passed without material alteration, and the bill was reported as amended. The House rose at 2.40 a.m. till 2 p.m.