GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XLVIII, Issue 5223, 15 November 1877, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

(VI ■' [>EOM THS PBSB3 ASB37OT.] . OF SSPBESENrATIVES. Tpesdat, Not 13. - uuji) Biiii. After the division on she goestion of the vJMseisment, • , -- , Mr J. 0. Ba ows objected that several '■siseibbsM who were personally and pecuniarily to the matter at mue, had voted, * He named Blew* Murray* Aynslejr, Biohard«isßy Sollfißton. and ethers. .■ ■Mi MtrEßAy-A'XKBiJST .being.:called, on, wiSJud’" the - Bill simply imposed a rale in the I'itfaj of assessment after 1880. Ho .could not - he : Would hare any interest in say run i <a£te?: that data. No property holder dould ij*rate-on any Baling, Bxil, if he waa held do- 1 beared from voting on these matters, on the ground of having e direct pecuniary interest an it. Ho dented having any such interest. - 'After considerable discussion, Mr <3. 0. Bsowsr withdrew the objection. - MqjraeoKEßT . suggested that the >B7atte Lends Board was not the proper body •'Tto/ase**# the valuo of.nms. He moved oh : that the nine should he assessed' : .ia4hC B»d»frW»7»s compensation claims were ‘ -assessed under . part 3 of fthePublioWorks - Tbe orocndrooDt was not pressed. r > denies 38 to IC9 inclusive passed without alteration. ■ *•• < On clause 110, Which extends the tenure of '•■>l63*69,' • < 7f --- Mr Stout moved that the term be rednoed jitom lO t o fire yews, to terminate in 1885. - Mr Bess said; it a 10 yean' tenure was "-framed, be would ns* every effort to get Tit . p etered .or repealed altogether next seesion. t therefore urged Oantorburymembere to todre years as a falr compromUe. - g. Gbst opposed a 10 years' tenure as f.vjiUßiiist to the public;;With whoso lands -the House was dealing as trustees. Ho objected "■go a vailable monopoly bsinggiven to a few *. to the loss sind at the expense of many. The /.■aaattor really effected 'the taxation.' of the. r“ -country, and Was . one of ..general interest to h the Colony. It was not a: more Canterbury .. . .questloii. It should hot be finally settled till >. : jofter ageneral eleotion. He would, however, although rather unwillingly, agree to a five i.:., years’extension. , thought Bir. €k Ctoey entirely misunderstood the position of the '•Tmatter. .Bree selection extended over the whole of the land, and it was only a right to .‘•dopaeture stock on them till they were tX;- 'purchased, which was given to runholders. - v -'Jfo strongly urged the desirability of giving a’ r.X : .jto'y>ftrs > tenure. He objected altogether to v <’j wutting up suns to auction as unjust to poor ... jrunbolders';and unduly- favourable to Urge oaroponfos,and rich mea. ',r ; After considerable further discussion Che ’ Amendment in favour, of a five yearn’tenure *• "-usss negatived on .division by 86 to 28. * ‘ ; On 0180*0.112, Mr Stout moved that pro* ; emptivo rights should terminate m 1879 *3^; ,|nstead of I8*?0. ' ;, ■ ’/ , ' •. .Mr BoxiusTOK .cppOflSd thw, and tt waa “ -" 1 §'he remaining clauses were agreed to with* -pat snboiaotial alteration,.;', , ■ (The eobedulee and appendices were pdft* poned till JViday. v , : rßrogms was reported, and, the House toss ->'■■■ L 35 a.m..

Wemssbay, Hot. Id, " " The House met at 2.80 p.m, V ■ 1 ■ ' QUBBTiorrs. : ■ la reply to Mr Hialop, " The' Hoii W. J. M, Laejtaoe 8813 that . - should, ,pause enquiries to be made rethe kotuxod by local bodies

in surveying tho Oamaru-Naieby railway line, to see whether Government should contribute. . *, In reply to the Hon E. JW. qucstioivwhethcr there is any foundation for tha . statement circulated in the colonial the .authority of ” own__oorrespendents, u to-the.effoo6 that offioeri of the civil sendee of New Zsaland wore placing diffipnltiarin the way, of the present Govern?: aunt obtaming infomatioa as to the public afla&rof the Colony, ’ Sir G.-Ghby: replied that tho reports inj question had ’act been published by the authority of the Government. - In reply to the HOnlD. W. Stafford, ■'Tiie Hon W; J. M.LabNAOH said that ho popoi&d tomakehis financial statement on Monday evening next, hilt this was cantin' geut on his . being given fair play, and not being interruptedby the action of the Oppo* sition. HBW BIlX.a. : * The', following f Bills \ wore introduced Financial Arrangements Act ~ Amendment Bill (Hoa : J. Sheehan), Pnblio Works Act Amendment Bill (Hon W. J. M. Larnaoh), Native Lands Act Amendment Bill (Son J. Sheehan) ‘ . HAirVB AYBAIBS STATEMENT. The Hon. J.BhbbhaN stated that in moving the second reading of this latter Bill tomorrow he would moke his statement on Native affairs. STHiljq ■WOBKS SOBTH OP AUCKLAND. Sir B. Douglas moved', that the House will, to-morrow, resolve itself into Committee of the whole,; to ; consider im address to hierExoellenoy, praying that he will cause to be placed on the Supplementary Estimated the following sums, for works set opposite to them respectively Boad from Mqnngatnroto to Waikeiki, £1000; for opening road at Hasantaagata, £300; wharf at Whanaarei Heads, £6OO $ road at, Maungakaramaa, £800; tramway at Kamo, £2000; Mangapai wharf, say £800; total £5500. In doing so he pointed out the claims and necessities of the works. Mr Diqnan seconded and supported the motion, * ; After some discussion, m which Messrs Whitaker and Lusk supported, and Mr J. C. Brown opposed the motion, * The Hon J. Shbbhak said that ho was glad to see at last» disposition to do justice to the North of Auckland. He had for a long time fought the battle and been opposed by the late Government. He thought these works were fairly-Provinoial liabilities. So, indeed, were many other works in the district north of Auckland. ■On going into . Committee the Government would take such , action as the financial condition of the country permitted. After the Financial Statement _ the House would know wbat’funds wore available; and if the finances permitted it, more ju«tioa would be dope to North Auckland than was doptem* plated On the! present estimates. district was a valuable one; which required opening up, and the Government had every disposition to do all they fairly could for it with the funds available.

Mr Bebb pointed ont the very low ajnount of the Auckland Provincial liabilities as compared with those-. of other provincial districts. The motion only asked for a very small instalment of justice. The people there were heavily-taxed l to pay interest on money spent in public works elsewhere. Oat of some £BOO,OOO, provincial liabilities and supplementary estimates to be provided for this year by the Colony, Auckland wafl only to get 6ome £20,000, although in area the largest, and in population and contribution to revenue the second”provincial district id the Colony. ' The Hon W. Gibbobkb thought that the late Superintendentv of. Auckland bad not been as wise in-his generation as the other Superintendents,-who, os children of the light had been able to make all sorts of appropriations in conjunction simply with the Colonial Treasurer under the Provincial Appropriations Extension Act, which this to be done. Taranaki and Marlborough hsd absolutely each committed the Colony to a larger extent than Auckland. These liabilities were imposed by consent between the Superintendents and the Government of the day, and the Bouse should do justice now as far as possible to those- provincial districts which had not been time favoured. The Hon W. H. Eb* HOLDS said the land revenues in Otago and Canterbury would ultimately cover their'liabilities;* Ho contended, and ooidd p'rovefchat irithin the last 20 years the expenditure in proportion to the contribution to revenue was greater in Auckland than in either Canterbury or Otago. Within the last three years no province had received any thing like so much as Taranaki. Mr Keiii and Major 'Atkinson declared ■ this statement to .be totally fallacious. The Hon J.Maoandekw pointed out that the provincial liabilities of Otago were nearly all oontraole extending over some years, and not arrangements between she Superintendentand Colonial Goveriiment. - ; _ Mr HtrifTßß made a similar explanation in regard to Wellington. The assets would meet the whole liabilities. " The motion was agreed to. The Native Land Act Amendment Bill (Mr Bees) was ordered to be committed this day three months.: . ' ‘ COUNTY AHD BOBOtTQH ENDOWMENTS. Mr Mueeay moved — (I) "That; each county in New Zealand should have a permanent inalienable endowment' of Crown lands in proportion to the area of snob oonnty, and the endowment where possible to be within the county}” (2) ” That each municipality in New Zealand should have a permanent inalienable endowment of public lands in proportion to population, and the endowment where available to be within the municipality.” • • Mr O’Eoekb drew attention to the manner in'which advantage - wae being taken of. the law allowing Manioipalitiee to acquire endowments of land. • Manioipalitiee in Canterbury were getting 2000 acres each outside their bonudariM and without the House Wtojl °P n ’ suited, White he aotually could not, without the assent of the House and /Governor, obtain a small endowment for Onehunga, although the land was within the Barongh. He would move an adjournment by way of an .addition to the effect that no more endowments outside Municipal boundaries—under the Municipal Corporations Act, should be made, and new grants be issued before the close of next session, so as to enabjio the House then to con-, rider the question of endowing Municipalities' on a uniform system. Mr Buens‘ objected, that it would he very unfair to thus suspend” the operation of the law. . . Mr Mohtgombey proposed to assist the works “ in proportion to' the. area; of such County” in the first resolution. He; thought Mr. O’Rorke’s proposal most unfair. The whole subject of endowments would no doubt have to be considered at an early period, and fin connection with the subject of subsidies. -Mr Stevens'supported the motion, ns it indicated a proper direction, Although no practical effect might immediately follow. Ho could not support Mr O’Rorke’s proposal. The time was rapidly coming, if it had not oeme, ’ when subsidies . from the • Colony ; to local bodies mast, cease. The only thing then to be done was to give them an endowment from the public estate. The Hon J. MAoasdbsw thought that Mr O’Bdrke’s proposal, would be Very unfair, especially as several applications for endowment were pending. After farther discussion, .__ , Mr WHiTAKBB supported Mr 0 Eorso s proposal. The Boroughs throughout the Colony should be dealt with on some uniform o, efrG.Gbey Said that.,iGovernment would naost oatefully oonaider th© eubjoot of endowmeats during the recess, and endeavour to devise a measure to give praotioal effect to Mr Murray’s proposal. They felt bound to try and make the institutions they found existing as effective and useful es possible, and endowments such as proposed were one means towards this end. .

Mr Mooehoubb pointed out how very unfairly Christchurch bad been treated, in the matter of endowments, and the 2000 acres now granted was a ridiculous compensation for the reserves of which, for the good of the Colony, the pity had years ago been deprived. Eo should continue to agitate foraaeqaatb inssioe being done. • , . . Mr Bowbh. thought it would be most unjust to prevent the endowments already applied for by boroughs, being granted as

Oosed by Mr O’Barke. Booh oasa should salt with on its merits. * Mrßcaua opposed Mr O’Borke’s proposal as a tapsl unfair-onb. , C » Thodabate was iutarruptedat this point., . I _ [raoM ora ownoobbmpondbht,] I The Canterbury Bon -Clauses of the Land Bill were warmly lost night, end ttrongly:opposed by. Sir George Grey. . The, matter was an open one with Min isters how*', ever, and Mr Lsrnaoh votedfor the lO years, and the other Ministers against. Mr Sheehan was so poorly that he had to give charge of the Bill to Mr Beet, and to-day bis throat was so bad that he ooald not make bis Native Statement, which is postponed till to-morrow." The rest of the clauses of the JLand Bill did notoanse much discussion until a new clause proposed by Mr ■ DeLaatour dealing with Biparian Bights, and in purport similar to the olamoinMr Shepherd’s Goldfields Aot No 2 0f1875 was reached. Orerthia (here was a long disoaesion, and oh division it was read a second time by a small majority, but before it could be added to the Bill, Mr Held, who opposed it, by a majority of one, carried a motion for upsetting progress. The appen* dioes, As, will be considered to morrow.. Sir G. Grey’s answer, to-day,, to Mr Sfcaf• ford’s question, about civil servants, withholding information, was very diplomatic and eng' gestive. .It was aim|iy that the statements referred to were not mode by the authority of the Government.

Several members of the Opposition say that they will be no parlies to any farther faction contest, but not 'much reliance is placed on the statement, and there is suspected to be something up. No one, however, knows exactly what. Bnmoor has it, that Mr Stafford is to replace Major Atkinson as leader, and will make one more attempt to unseat Sir Q Grey. With ordinary precautions, however, the Premier will hold his seat in. the Council.

The Strath-Taieri Hallway Bill met with very vigorous opposition from a number of Canterbury and Southland members. It has now been referred to Select Committee, which, from its composition, is pretty certain to prove hostile.