LOCAL RAILWAYS

Grey River Argus, 7 October 1914, Page 3

LOCAL RAILWAYS

• ♦■- BILL BEFORE THE HOUSE. PASSAGE THROUGH COMMITTEE. (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Oct. 0. This afternoon the House went into ( Committee on the Local Railways Bill. Hon. W. Fraser announced that he was prepared to eliminate • Clause 90, which provides that the Board may, with the consent of the Governor, sell the lease, assign or part with the railway, to which so much opposition was shown. Messrs R. McCallum and D. Buddo while admiting that the Bill had some good points, said that its main features were such that unless there was an amendment they must continue their opposition. Dr. Newman said that the Bill was a benighted bill, one that came out of dark ages. Men came ot the House and rolled a log, and got the country to take financial failures over. All the country wanted was good roads and motor traction. Mr. J. A. Jaanan (Invercargill) twitted the Government with drawing pr. Newmans criticism, and said that tno Bill was retrogressive. Mr. A. H. Hindmarsh (Wellington South) said that he failed to understand the opposition to the Bill. Messrs E. MacKenzie, Newman, Forbes, Pearce and Ell continued this discussion which is following closely on the lines of the second reading debate. When the House met at 7.30 p.m. the discussion in Committee upon the Local Railways Bill was continued by Messrs Witty, Veitch, Russell and Payne. Hon. W. Fraser said that the Bill provided for all the objections raised by the Opposition. All the Bill did was to give settlers themselves the right, to build a line if the Government would not find the money. The Opposition continued their •criticism of the Lccal Railways Bill in committee. / The arguments of the speakers were all directed against the principle of the measure. Sir James Carroll declared that the Bill shows that the Government is a. the confessional. It i s a practical acknowledgment that they are no; able to meet the requirements of the country, and were trying to shelve the responsibility on to the shoulders of settlers. He. did not obiec,t to district ra : ?\v?iys, but the Bill attempted to do the right thi-ng in a wrong way. Clause one was passed at 10.55 p.m. At midnight the Commtteo w^ discussing Clause 3. to which Mr. W. A. VeHch (Wanganui) had moved an amendment providing that each petition for the construction of a lino should set forth the full route, the estimated cost of the work, the unimproved value of the land thro-ugb which the line passed, the terminal points and sidings.' the estimated rcve.nc, and the names of the nct'ioners. and rateable value of the land held by such individuals. The Minister refused to accept the amendment, wh'ch \< r as rejected. The Opposition moved a series of amendments to the sneeeding clauses, but as the Minister refused to accept them they were not pressed to a division. An exemption was provided in an amendment to sub-clause,, 3, of clause 0, moved by Mr. H. G. Ell, limiting the franchise for the election of members of the Board to one ratepayer one vote. The amendment was lost by 29 to 21. Clause (5 was passed at 12.55. After that rapid progress was made, the committee now being at clause 43. Mr. W. A. Veitch moved an amendment, to clause 43, restricting the rating on boroughs, but this was withdrawn on the Minister promising to reconsider the clause; An amendment was taken to Subsection B, Section 2, of Clause 50, providing that all plans must be approved by the Chief Engineer -of the Public Works Department. Clause 90 was struck- out on the motion of the Minister. " The Bill then passed without further amendment.