HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7548, 19 August 1886, Page 3

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wednesday, August 18. The Houso met at 4.30 p.m. . NEW PRINTING OFFICES. Dr Newman asked tlie Government whether tlioy_ would call for tenders for the new printing offices immediately, in order that tho building might be finished ? —Mr Richardson said that the Government had not yet decided when tenders would be called, Dr Newman moved the adjournment of tho Houso, Ho said the Minister's reply was very unsatisfactory. Mi' O'Conor said it Would be a wrong proceeding td efect this building while tho outlying districts of tlie colony Were so badly provided for. Mr B'ruce and Mr Fisher supported Dr Newniaii's jridpositian, and thought the new printing offices u'gi'c! urgently required.. . . Mr Smith also supported Dr Newmans .view; ■ ■ - - . ■ The niotion for tlie adjournment of tlie' Ho'iiso was put and lost. Claims of old scJttiiEite. Dr Newman asked the Minister for Defence if ■he would forthwith appoint a commission to enquire into tho claims of old soldiers for grants of land?—Mrßallanco replied that the Government intini&ed td app'oiht a commission for this purpose'! THE PROPERTY TAX. Mr Macaudrew asked whether the provisions of thoProperty Assessment Amendment Act applied to manses and parson- . ages?— Sir Robert Stout said that it was not so intended. ; . STATEMENT OF EXPENDITURE AND LIABILITIES. ' Mr Moss moved that there be laid before tlie House within a month after the beginning of next session a statement of expenditure and liabilities for tlie financial year' under the following votes:— Harbor defences, purchase of nativelands, and thermal springs ; the statement to show tho several amounts paid or due, the persons to whom paid < or due, and the servicesrendered respectively. — Agreed to. THE UNEMPLOYED. Mr Macandrew regretted that ho was unable to move the resolution he had given notice of for some weeks past respecting the granting of blocks of land for the relief of the unemployed. Bethought that if they spent a whole session in endeavoring' to solve this question it would be' time weli spent, and it was one of the most important questions that could be brought forward. He asked what was the valuo of all their legislation compared with nipping- in the bnd the sapling of pauperism which was now getting so general in the colony? Speakinj? for the Otago district lie asserted that it the homestead regulations had been put in force there some time ago they would not have had half the number of unemployed they had at present. It was utterly impossible for one man to administer the whole of the land in the colony, and without at all reflecting on the present Minister, ho felt convinced that they required a 1 Minister for Lauds for each Island; Ho again regretted that this important question had not been brought forward before the eve of the prorogation, but ho wo^move the resolutions in order to get ttujfii into Hansard. ■Mr Macandrew then ; moved the resolutions. Sir Robert Stout entirely' demurred to the statement that this colony was ex- 1 ceptionally situated in respect to the unemployed. He. also denied that the unemployed were more numerous than they, were some years ago. No settlement of •people on the land would even for one moment stop pauperism iii the country. A message was at this point received desiring the attendance of members in th« Legislative' Council chamber to hear the commission of the prorogation read. The Speaker and the members present at once proceeded to that chamber.