ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT.

Evening Post, Volume XXII, Issue 59, 8 September 1881, Page 2

ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT.

-? A quantity of routine business was transacted in the Upper House yesterday. On the motion of Captain Frasor, a resolution was carried urging the Government to loose no time in appointing a medical Superintendent of the Otago Lunatio Asylum. Several local bills were advanced a stage. A strong opinion was, however, expressed that the present mode of dealing with these measures was unsatisfactory. It was pointed out by Mr. Waterhonse that in tho House of Lords no Railway Bill was dealt with until all the circumstances had been dealt with by Lord Redosdale, who was made responsible for the Bill. Mr. Waterhouse urged that a member of thq Council should hold a similar position here. He ¦hould be a Minister of the Crown, and then thoy would havo two Minister* in that Chamber instead of one. This suggestion was warmly supported by other speakers who followed. The Counoil adjourned at 4 p.m. When the House met yesterday afternoon, the Fisheries Bill— one of the consolidation bills — was road a second time, and sovoral other consolidation bills, were read a third time and passed. In the Parliamentary Privileges Bill — one of the number referrod to— Mr. Ballanco succeeded in having inserbod the following now clause :— " Nothing herein contained shall oonfor on the Legislative Counoil any power or privilege exclusively poBBPB3od by the House of Kopresentatiyes with respect to tho money bills or grants in aid from snpplios." During tho afternoon Mr. Moss asked tho Premier if he would state when the more important business would be dealt with, and tho Premier said that question had been asked and answered once before. Mr. Moss stated that the cordial relations whioh existed between the Speaker and the House had been somewhat shaken, and it would be well if the Estimates were dealt with and the other important questions submitted to tho country. Hie Premier said he would inform Mr. Mo?s as to tho oourse the public business would take aa soon as possible. In the evening the second reading of the New Plymouth Harbour Commission Bill was called on. Mr Kelly raised a couple of points of order as to whether the bill could be dealt with by the House without having been introduced in oomtnittee or without having been advertised in the Now Plymouth papers. The Premier then moved the second reading of the bill, stating that it had been brought in in accordance with a resolution of the House. It was proposed to fill in the names of the Commissioners in oommittee. The Government had come to the conclusion that it would be desirable to select the Commissioners from tho mem* bers of the Houao, and they had asked Mr. Stevens and Captain Russell to undertake the work. Tho Government would propose to add the name of a professional gentleman, but who that would be had not yet been decided upon. Mr. Wakefield said he believed it would be a precipitate action to put a stop to the work now without further action. Ho hoped when the Bill was in committee it would be left open to the Commission to deoide from the result of the enquiry whether the work should stop or be allowed to go on. Mr. Hurst thought the Bill would form a most dangerous precedent, as it proposed that the celony ehould take over the indebtedness of a looal body whioh had borrowed money largely at Home. He would like to see tho Commissioners' report made final as to proceeding with or stopping the work. Mr. Stewart was of opinion that tho Commission should have power to continue the work if the decision come to was in its favour. Major Atkinson said if the works wero stopped the colony must lose heavily, and tho district ntill more. Under the most favourable circumstances the colony must loa* nearly £20,000. In any case now, as the House was interfering between tho lender and borrower, the colony would have to guarantee tho Board's bonds. The Select Committee had Bhown great want of due care in their estimate of the probable rating power of the Board. There was really no reason to fear that the district would be unablo to pay any rate required, but he did not think any rate would ever be required to be levied. The only people who would gain by what was now proposed would be the holders of the Board's bonds. He would not oppose the second reading of the bill, but would move in oommittee to give the Commission power to say whether the work should be continued or not. Sir George Grey said he had been brought up as an Engineer, and in 1818 had made plans for harbour works at New Plymouth. Ho thought the works in progress Bhould be proceeded with. The Commission should bo men of high experience, and should have full power to deal witk the matter. Mr. Kelly thought it would be a monstrous wrong to stop the works, and power should be given the committee only to stop them after the enquiry showed that no good could result from their continuance. Mr. Wright road a number of telegrams from Normanby, Manaia, Hawera, Opunake, and Waitara, in favor of the adoption of the report of the Select Committee. Sir William Fox pointed out that it was owing to tho scandalous expenditure upon preliminary works that this enquiry was necessary, Mr. Montgomery thought the cost of this work should be closely investigated before being proce a ded with, but if it was found that it could be done at the oost Mr. Blackett had mentioned, the Commission should have the power of sanctioning its continuance. It was unnecessary to wait for the assembling again of Parliament, as whatever the Commissioners recommended would bo agreed to by the House. Mr. M'Caughan Baid it wob in his recollection that Mr. Blackett had recommended the blowing up of the Timarn harbour works, and he thought as much stress should be laid upon that gentleman's report upon the New Plymouth works as upon the works at Timaru He spoke warmly against proceeding with " this abortion of a harbour in a place which was only able to export products to the value of £66 per month." He was surprised at Sir George Grey's action in supporting the work, and wanted to know if the hon. gentleman had sold him elf boJy and soul to tho Government. Mr. Ballance considered the bill objeotionable from all points of view. He did not think the responsibility of going on with the work should be left with the commission, but with the Government. Mr. Saunders was very severe upon the bill, the Treasurer, and the proposed Commission. He said the bill was a perfectly unnecessary farce. He would vote against the second reading, and could not understand why a majority of tho House didn't see the thing in the same light as he did. Since he had heard the Premier he had no doubt the whole thing had been settled beforehand. If the Govern* | meat really thought this question should be 1 enquired into, why did they not appoint the chairman of 'he late committee (Mr. Wright) and the other member for Christchurch (Mr. Richardson)— men who would not be guided as the others would bo, by the advice of an engineer yet to be appointed, and who, taken from where he might, would have a strong interest in carrying oot the views of the Government. The gentlemen suggested by the Government were only known a3 tho particular friends of the Treasurer and as " the outside exeoutive" of the Government. He had no doubt the Treasurer knew well the opinion of those gentlemen on the subject. Other members addressed the House on tho question, and the bill was read a second time without division. The House adjourned shortly after 1 a.m. till 11 a.m. T