GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6157, 10 August 1881, Page 6

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

{irr TELTOBAPH,—SPECIAL CORRESPOJTDEHT.] HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Tuesday. The House met at 2.30. THE £300 PAID TO MS. BKE3. The Public Accounts Committee, on the letter from the Controller and Auditor-Gene-ral relative to the £300 paid to Mr. Rees, reported that the committee having carefully considered the question remitted to it by tho House,, decides that further action devolves on the Government either to proceed against the Ministers who authorised the payment, or to place the amount on the Estimates as unauthorised expenditure. Mr. Sheehax desired that an. opportunity would be given to discuss the recommendation of the report. The late Ministry certainly had a right to be trJbcl by their peers. Mr. Hall said that the matter of the report had comc under the notice of Government for the first time now, and they were not prepared to say what course would be pursued in the circumstances. He promised to consider the matter, and inform the House what course the Government would take. TIIF. GOLD DCTI". The Goldfields Committee reported on the Gold Duty Abolition Bill, recommending the total abolition of the duty. Mr. Brows said that the Bill should be taken up as a Government measure. Mr. Kolleston declined, alleging that despite what had been said in the House to the contrary, they were not disposed to | think that the districts more directly interested were by any means anxious to see it carried. Mr. Seddon said that the remark just made had simply confirmed a report that mcmbera who had voted for the Bill had waited on Ministers, stating they did not desire to see it carried. The Bill was ordered to be committed on Thursday. THE FLYING SQUADRON. Mr. Hall laid on the table a copy of the correspondence relative to the Flying Squadron, and, in doing so, explained, in contradiction to a report circulated that the alteration in the programme by which the squadron would not visit New Zealand was due to the interference of the Government. He begged most emphatically to contradict the statement. The change was due entirely, he believed, to the serious illness of the Earl of Clanwilliam and the accident to the Bacchante. DANGEROUS GOODS. Replying to Mr. Levin, Mr. Johnston explained that the landing of kerosene only came under the operations of the Dangerous Goods Act, the enforcement of which was left solely in the hands of the Municipal Corporations, and the chocking of irregularities in the landing therefore rested with these bodies, not with the Customs. PATENTS. Replying to Mr. Ballaxce, Mr. Dick said the Government considered it very desirable that provision should be made in the various centres of population for supplying persons wishing to take out patents with information and facilities, and the best means for forwarding the purpose would be care full}- considered. REGISTRATION OFFICERS. Replying to Mr. Andrews, Mr. Dick said Government would cause to be advertised in the public newspapei-3 the name and residence of registration officers, also the hours and days for transacting registration business. TUAKAU AND WAIKATO RIVER.

Replying to Major Harris, Mr. Hall said Government had not seen its way to make pecuniary provision for a road to be opened into Crown lands in the northern part of Raglan county, near Tuakau, and he would consider the application for the use of the punt formerly at Te Rore, at the crossing-place selected on the Waikato river. TE WHAREFA. Replying to Mr. Kelly, Mr. Hall said that a copy of the despatch from the Governor to the Secretary of State, re commuting the sentence passed on Te Wharepa, the Chatham Island murderer, would be laid on the table shortly. OTAGO POLICE. Replying to Mr. J. B. Fisher, Mr. Rollhstox said long service pay had been given to men in the Otago police force, but Government did not consider it necessary to make the practice general throughout the police force. REPRESENTATION. Mr. Moss gave notice that, on the second reading of the Representation Bill, he would move as an amendment, "That it was undesirable that the proportion of the representation between the two islands should be disturbed, and that any redistribution of seats should be internal a3 regards each island." NEW" BILLS. The following Bills were introduced and read a first time :—Pxisons Act, 1872, Amendment (Mr. Dick); to provide for the better abatement of the rabbit nuisance (Mr. Rolleston); to shorten the duration of Parliaments, so that members may be elected year by year (Dr. Wallis); to amend the law of divorce (Mr. Wakefield). The Government promised to consider whether they would take up the Bill as a Government measure, the .object being to give to one jud_ge the power now exercised by three. HARBOUR BILLS. Tho Government refused to give its assent to the introduction of a number of harbour and other endowment Bills, which accordingly dropped. Sir. Whitaker gave notice that he would ask the Government to explain why they withheld their consent to the introduction of these Bills, while they gave consent to the introduction of similar Bills for endowment of Timaru Harbour Board and Gisborne Harbour Board. THE ESTIMATES. On the motion for going into Committee of Supply, Mr. Murray moved as an amendment, "That the estimates submitted be reduced £50,000."

.Mr. Rolleston said that it was unfair to table an amendment of this kind without indicating the direction which it was proposed the reduction should be made. He admitted the expenditure of the colony for services was too large, and out of all proportion to those of other colonies. In New Zealand it amounted to £35,000, whereas in New South Wales it did not exceed £18,000; Queensland, £11,000; 1 and South Australia, £1000. Recognising these facts, Government had made reductions, andwere still anxious to do so. He did not think the proposal in its present shape should be entertained.

Mr. TtnvsßULL spoke in' favour of. the amendment," and indicated various directions in which reductions could be made. Interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment.

[A report of the evening sitting, including the Public Works Statement, will be found elsewhere in our columns:]