PARLIAMENTARY.

Grey River Argus, Volume XXXI, Issue 5297, 18 September 1885, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

-» [FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, September 17. In the House this afternoon the Premier said in answer to Mr Ross that wattle was extensively grown in the North Island, and that it introduced a blight which destroyed fruit trees. Dr Hector thought it would be well to restrain people from planting any further until that blight had been overcome. On the motion of Sir J. Yogel it was resolved that the House should go into Committee of the whole on Friday to consider the Sau Francisco mail service subsidy. The District Railways Purchasing Bill was recommitted for the purpose of adding the Waimate line to those to be purchased. This line had been struck out on the previous evening. It is eight and a quarter miles in length, and two trains are run a week on it. For the first four months of this year its receipts were £110 and its working expenses £124 The bill was recommitted, and immediately Major Steward (Wairaate) was seen going round the House with cards in his han'i. apparently agitating for support. His efforts were successful, and the line was added to the bill. It was then re^ ported, and on the motion to read it a third time, Mr Seddon rose and moved that it be read a third time that diy month. He made what is admitted to be the best SDeech he has delivered in the flouKe. fl« attacked the Government

the Opposition, and the bill, showed up in glowing colors the iniquity of the whole proposal, and called on the economists to show their honesty. He pointed out passingly that a great number of members were interested in the bill to the extent of £50,000, and said he had' no doubt the bill would be passed in the Council as it had been in the House, because a large number of members were interested. The Premie^ wno folio wed', "poin't'ecT out that Mr Seddon had last year voted for the bill, and for- resolutions embodying similar proposals. During the afternoon the Estimates were committed, and £50 was put on for the Chairman of the Gold fields Committee, I whose hundred fell a victim to the economists of the Honse the other day. It is now understood that the prorogation cannot take place till Monday or Tuesday. , There is not much to do now, but a good deal depends on the report of the Public , Petitions' Committee on Sir J. Vogel's petition. If the Committee recommends anything to be given to the Colonial Treasurer there will be great deal of talking.-^ If not, nobody wsl talk^jl; suppose, except the petitioner. On resuming at 7.30, the House carried . the District Railways Purchasing Bill by 35 to 28. A division was taken on the question that the bill pass— Ayes, 27 ; Noes, 20. Sir J. Yogel made a statement in reference to the San Francisco mail service. He had received a telegram from the Postmaster-General of New South Wales to the effect that the New South Wales Cabinet would not agree with the proposed Honolulu service, but would submit to Parliament any proposal to contribute not more than LIO,OOO for a four- weekly service between San Francisco, Auckland, and Sydney, New Zealand retaining all contributions from other colonies. Sir Julius said he would move on the following day that Government be authorised to contract f6r a service between Sydney, Auckland, San Francisco, and Honolulu, or Auckland and Honolulu with efficient provisions for carriage of mails to and from San Frainciso, so that the whole time shall not exceed 20 days, at a cost to the colony not computing estimated receipts from other colonies not exceeding £18,000; and failing such arrangement being practical between Auckland and Sydney, or between Sydney, Auckland, and San Francisco, at a coat to the colony, not computing estimated receipts if any from other colonies, not exceeding £23,000. . ... The House went into committee on the Railways^ Authorisation Bill, and a long discussion ensued on clause seven, giving power to the Grey and Westport Harbor Boards to construct certain railways Mr Holmes expressed surprise that the hon. member should take such an interest in Grey and Westport, when those places had members to represent. Thereupon Mr Seddnn remarked that if he were to deal in personalities he should say that "he was not a paid advocate in the House ;" that he did not take his instructions from gentlemen sitting behind the chair, as Mr Holmes had done on the previous evening when the Waimea Plains railway was under consideration. Mr Holme?, Mr Guinness, and Mr O'Conor spoke in favor of the clause. Mr Stewart sairl it was interesting to find that the West Coast members had fallen out, and that in consequence got what it seldom got, a little information about the district. The Minister of Public Works amended the clause so as to make it read that the lines should be constructed for facilitating railway construction instead of facilitating; the carriage of coal. Mr S«ddnn sa ; d every member on the Harbor Boards was interested in coal mining. Mr O'Conor denied this as far as Westport was concerned and said only one member of that Board was so interested.