Friday, August 27.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 13, Issue 1081, 7 September 1869, Page 3

Friday, August 27.

After the transaction of some routine business, Mr. Dillon Bell moved the second reading of the New Zealand Cross Endowment Bill, the object of which was to set aside a portion of the confiscated lands as an endowment for pensions to persons holding the cross. Mr. Bell stated that the Government intended to be very chary in bestowing the cross. The bill was read a second time. The Otago Loan Bill, founded on the recent resolution of the House, was then considered, and gave rise to a long debate, which ended, however, in the bill being read a second time by 31 to 18. It afterwards passed, through;all i|s remaining" stages,'' and was sent to tile

Council. Then the House went into committee to consider an- address to the Governor, asking him to recommend, an adVance of £15,000 to the Prpyince of Wellington for construction of the Wangariui Bridge. Mr. Brandon made out a very good case indeed, explaining that materials worth £12,000 were lying on the banks of the river, that the contract for erection at a cost of another £,12,000 had been taken, but that the Province was unable to find the funds to go on with the work. The present ferry dues come to £1,800 a-year, and the tolls on the bridge would at least amount to £2,000, probably more now that the Manawatu case was virtually settled. The Provincial Government had no objection to make the tolls security for the advance. Mrj»Ml. S. Harrison, seconded the motion ;:. 3JaM Mr. Curtis thought the case made out such a strong one, that he would consent to the advance on the security of the tolls.: >Mete; Kingi supported the motion, but wandered! away from his subject to that of the prisoners on the hulk. He wanted to know when they were to be tried, and declared that the Assembly talked a lot of rubbish, while it neglected this the most important subject the House had to deal with. Mr. Wilson thought these expressions unparliamentary, and got laughed at for' his pain's. Mr. Bunny supported the matter on the understanding that the repayment should be spread over a reasonably Jong period, as he could not consent to ttia House virtually appropriating the Proyu&ial funds, as would be the case if the money had to be repaid in> 3 years, ■as was rumoured,. Mr.: Fox warmly supported the proposal, and Sir D. Monro thought private enterprise might be found to; dp'the work without burdening the Colony. Mr. Potts strongly opposed the proposal, and Mr. Ludlam said that, although strongly opposed to any further borrowing, the rule had been broken in the case of Otago, and he therefore thought Wellington might have a share in the scramble. Mr. Yogel said the Government would advance the. money on strict conditions as to security and repayment, which latter must not extend over seven years. The Government would 7 take care that both the tolls and ordinary revenue were liable for the sum advanced and interest. Mr. Brandon assented to the conditions named, and the motion was agreed to. Several other Bills were advanced a stage, and some were discharged from the paper before the House adjourned. ■/"'¥■''