PARLIAMENT

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume IX, Issue 1773, 5 November 1887, Page 2

PARLIAMENT

(per press association.) LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Friday, November 4. petitions. Seventy-two petitions were presented in favor of Bible-reading in State schools. NATIVES DYING INTESTATE. Sir P. Whitaker, in replying to Taiaroa, said the Government declined bringiug in a Bill during the present session enabling property ot natives dying intestate to be disposed of for the benefit of the creditors. REDUCTION OF MEMBERS. Sir F. Whitaker gave notice to move on Tuesday next — " That, in the event of the reduction ot the number of members in the House of Representatives, the number of members in the Council shall be reduced in the same proportion, and thereafter maintained, and that the matter be referred to a select committee to report as to the best plan to carry out, the reductions." FENCING. Mr. Hammond's Fencing Compensation Bill was read a second time, and referred to the Waste Lands Committee. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Friday, Novembek 4. i questions. In replying to questions it was stated that the question ot introducing a Bill (or settling old soldiers' and volunteers' land claims was under consideration ; that £44,000 had been spent on a road from Nelson, Westport and Greymouth during the last seven years, and in the present circumstances of the colony it was impossible such ruiuous sums of money could continue to be expended ; that the question of legislation for allowing mining on private property would be considered during the recess ; that it was very desirable that the police should receive instructions to pat down rowdyism during election times ; that the Government had no control over the time for deciding the Waitotara election petition. Mr. Mitchelson explained that he had not stated a few days ago, as reported, that railway employees would be granted compassionate allowance in the case of sickness, what he had said was exactly opposite. MR. BRYCE'S PETITION. Mr. Seddon moved the adjournment of the House, to draw attention to Sir John Hall's question with respect to the Waitotara election. He considered it a most unwarrantable imputation on the judges. Sir John Hall distinctly repudiated any attempt to inferfere with the action of the judges, nor was his question brought forward with any party motives. He had no doubt the sitting member for Waitotara and the gentleman pettioning were both anxious that the matter should be settled. A leDgthy discussion followed, and the motion for the adjournment of the House was lost. IMPREST SUPPLY. The House went into committee of supply, when the Imprest Supply Bill for £250,000— £175,000 consolidated fund, and £75,000 public works fund, was carried through all its singes. The House rose at 5.5 p.m. MIDLAND RAILWAY CONTRACT. The House resumed at 7.30. The Premier moved bis resolution re the Midland Rail way contract, premising bis speech by briefly detailing the history of the railway. The Government were clear that the railway would not be built without further legislation, and that was the reason- wby they had brought down fresh proposals. Personally, he was in favor of the work, though be thought it might have been delayed fora few years. In order to give the company a stable basis at Home, they asked ibat the value of the land concession should be guaranteed, and this might fairly be conceded. The other important point was that of mining. The goldfields must not be interrupted, and the Government proposed to take power to proclaim 75,000 acres, which, he thought, would be a sufficient safeguard. It had been intended to insist on the company being registered in New Zealand, but v was found this would break it up altogether, as it would prevent funds being raised. The Government proposed instead that the company should have a representative in the colony who could sue and be sued. Sir J. Vogel also entered into the history of the undertaking, dwelling at some length upon the difficulty which had cropped up of preventing mining industry from being interferred with. He'considered the 75,000 acres which it was proposed to set apart would be ample for the purpose. He pointed out that the company did not ask that value of the land should be guaranteed at an average of 10s per acre before the railways were completed, but what they wanted was that by ! the time the work was finished the land should have brought that amount. This was an important point and minimised the risk. If there was any modifications proposed by the company that were of a reasonable nature, he did not imagine the House would refuse to agree to them.

In the discussion which followed it was said that the whole matter would end in a gigantic law suit. Mr. Menteath thought tbe fact of there being alterations proposed showed the company was too weak for the task they had undertaken.

Mr. Percival pointed out that they wer9 not asked to guarantee money, but only to make up the million and a quarter by giving more land, if the 2,300,000 acres did not average 10s per acre.

Mr. Turnbull condemned the abandon* ment by the Government of the alternate blocks and the absence of a penalty for the non-completion of the contract.

Sir George Grey spoke earnestly against the alteration of the large tracts of land. He preferred the old contract.

Mr. Fulton moved the appointment of a committee by the Government to consider the question and bring down a report at as early a date as possible. Upon this there was farther discussion, and eventually Major Atkinson agreed to adjourn the debate till Thursday, and the House rose at 11.30 p.m. GUILTY OP WRONG. Some people have a fashion of confusing excellent remedies with a large mass of " patent medicines." and in this they are guilty of a wrong There are some advertised remedies fully worth all that is asked for them, and one at least we know of : Dr. Soule's American Hop Bitters. The writer has had occasion to use the Bitters in just 3uch a climate ns we have most of the year in ttay City, and has always found them to be first-class and reliable, doing all that is- claimed lor them. — Tribune. — I.'