PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 7170, 8 November 1884, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

[BY TELEGRAPH!— SPECIAL OOREEaPONDKNT.] Wellington, Friday. SPECIAL POWERS AND CONTRACTS BILL. . . The Special Powers and Contracts Bill was reported from the Waste Lands Committee yesterday, with amendment. The Bill give* effect to the recommendation of the committee on the petition of Eliza Ormeston, widow, re land at Whangarei and Mangapai. A grant of an allotment at Awanui is made to Kopata Wahawaha, in accordance with a promise of Sir D. McLean. An acre of land at Alexandra ie set apart for a site for a residence for Wahanui. A grant of 50 acres at Te Aroha is- made to Hera Nikora as a settlement of alleged nn»afcisfied claims over Te Aroha and Tauwhare blocks. ■ An exchange is made in the Earaka block, Thames, in the caoe of a lot found to be affected by gold mining rights. Authority is given for two acres land at Takapuna to be charged from an endowment for primary edueation to a recreation ground. Provision is made for the site of a public hall at Mercer. Authority ie given for the foreshore of Manukau harbour, at Poroporo and extending to Matakawau Point, to.be leased to the New Zealand Iron and Steel Co, Effect is'given to the recommendation of the Waste Lands Committee on the petition of William Robertson, settler, of Raglan. Provi«ion is made for the site for a public hall for the inhabitants of road district of Mount Eden. PROSPECTING DEEP LEVELS. Amongst the items on the supplementary estimates passed last night was £10,000 in aid of prospecting deep levels. This , earn will, it is understood, . chiefly go to the Thames. ■ " - MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS ACT. ■ In the House yesterday Mr. Stout moved that the amendments made by the Legislative Council in the Municipal Corporations Act be agreed to. It was better, he thought, at this period of the session to agree to them. Mr. Peacock asked the Premier if the Government would deal with the subject next session, as it was necessary something should be done. Mr. Stout said the Government recognised the necessity for a consolidating measure. WAIUKU RAILWAY. Mr. Hamlin drew attention to the omission of the Mnuukau, Waiuku, and West Coaat Railways from tbe schedule to the Railways Authorisation Bill. No railway could be made which would pay so handsomely as this, and it would assist other lines to pay which were iiot paying at present. A survey had been ma.de, and a promise made that the line should be constructed. In reply, Mr. Richardson said this , railway had been before the Public Works Department, and had been partly surveyed some twelve months back ; but it was thought that, it the line was put on the schedule, it might raise the hopes of the people in the district that it vrould be constructed at an early date, and as matters stood now he did not see his to do so. Bridge across waikato at , HUNTLY. Mr. Shrimski again strongly opposed.the construction of the bridge across the Waikato at Hnntly. Mr. Kichardson, Mr. Rolleston, Mr. Lake, Mr. Peacock, Mr. Hobbs, and Mr. Fitzherbert, supported the Bill.. Mr. Larnach opposed it, and moved, " That progress be reported." His amendment was defeated. Mr. Smith moved, "That the clause be struct out." Lost by .49 to 8. The olauoe then pasted. A new clause was subsequently added, providing for a toll on every ton of coal crossing the bridge. SUBSIDY FOR ISLAND TRADE. It will be noticed that amongut the items in the iiupplementay estimates passed was i one of £5000 to subsidise boats trading between New Zealand ports aud the Islands. In reply to a question by Mr. Hobbs, as to whether the vessels- would call as the Bay of Islands, Sir J. Vogel said that would bo a matter for the company to consider. . . AUCKLAND PETITIONS. . - The petition of Arams Karaka, of Kaipara, has been referred to the Government. : The PublicPetitionsCommittee recommended that .the: amount .claimed.-, byJMr. John London, £43 7s, on account-of surveys of- land at Lower Waihou, be paid to the petitioner. The Public Petitions Committee repoFt as follows on the petition of Margaret Higgin*; of Ohehunga :—"The committee are of opinion that the looal body, before placing the property in auestion in the hands of the Public Trustee for sale or lease, should have exhausted all available means to find out the owner of the land, and this they do not appear to have done. The committee would draw attention to the very large proportion which the expenses in this case bear to the rates. The rates for .two years amounted to only 3e 2d, but the amount which Mrs. Higgins had to pay was £5 Is, and the sum of 12s 6d is still unpaid. As, however, the law does not seem to have been broken, the committee do not see their way to make any recommendation for relief. The committee would point out that Mrs. Higgins is. in error in regard to paying the same rates twice over. The rates on which the Public Trustee took action were the county rates, but the rates she paid to the local body were the' rates due to the Road Board." The committee report as follows, on the petition of Mary Tautari, widow' of Hemi Tautari, of Taumarere :— " Th»t, a* it appears from evidence that the case is at present under the consideration of the Government, with a view to its settlement, the committee has no recommendation to make." The committee are of opinion that John McDell, late warder,' Auckland Gaol, has no claim against the colony, TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION WITH THE NORTH. In reply to a question asked by Mr. Peacock to-Say, Sir. Julius Vogel said the Government are quite sensible of the inconvenience arising from the primitive nature of telegraphic communication with Auckland, and were considering the means of carrying through an alternative like of communication. The hoi), gentleman might rely upon it that the subject .was receiving the earnest consideration of the department; PETITIONS. ... The Public Petitions Committee report as follows:—"On the petition of Samuel Stephenson, of Auckland : The petitioner states that under the new Licensing Act, the diatrict in which he resides was petitioned, whereby he lost his license. His property was confiscated for three years, and himself and family were brought to rain. He prays for. compensation. I am directed to report that the committee consider ' the, petitioner has no claims against the colony.' The Public Petitions Committee report aa follows on. the petition of Joseph Mackay, who claimed "£IO,OOO. The committee have ex amined Mr. Luckie, Mr. Thome, Mr. Stout, Mr. Munro, and the petitioner. They also had , before them a large amount of documentary evidence. They are satisfied that the petitioner is innocent of any criminal intent. Aβ, however, the petitioner acted injudiciously and in contravention of the rules of the department, the committee cannot recommend a large turn by way of compensation. TakiDg all the circumstances into consideration, they are of opinion that a payment of £50 would meet the case, aud they accordingly recommend the payment of this sum to thepetitioner as an ace of grace.—R. Turnboll, Chairman." The committee report as follows on the petition of Amelia Jobnstone, of Raglan :—" The committee are of opinion that the Government should inquire ic.to the case, and if the amount of the award lias not been paid, the same should be paid. The committee are of opinion that James Harper, of Ohaupo, Waikato, has no claim sigainst the colony. The petition of Honora Oakes has been referred to the Government for consideration." REPORTING THE DEBATES. The. reporting Debates and Printing Committee brought up their final report today, as follows :—" The committee have the honour to report that they have had under consideration a proposal for a daily issue of Hansard, the reports of speeches to be in the third person, and condensed under proper editorial-supervision, extended reports, of. speeches of Ministers desiring to be reported in exlenso to be published as an appendix at the end of the session. While the plaa proposed would have many recommendations, tbe committee find that to carry it into effect would be attended by considerable difficulty, and they are unable to recommend the proposal for adoption. With a view to adding to the facilities of the reporting staff they have decided to make a trial of the caligraph as used;in America and elsewhere, and have sanctioned the ordering of four of these instruments, ' which will be , available for use at the next session of Parliament. The committee have much pleasure in bear-

ing testimony to the efficient manner in whioh the Hansard staff have carried oat their duties during the session, and to the general accuraoy-of the reports.taken. . COST OF RETURNS..-' -..'..,-■ The committee also draw attention to the' costly natnre of some of the returns asked for during the session, and suggest that the House should be made aware of the approximate cost of any return moved for prior to the return being ordered, i ; ; '. ■•'.'■' . " EXPLORATION IN THE KING . . ' In reply to a queitiou torday,_ Mr. Stout' said that a communication had been received from the Agent-General in reference to Mrv Kerry Nicholls'book, "The King Country." A number of copies would be purchased by: the Agent-General and distributed by him throughout England. He (Mr./ Stout) had, not read .the work, but from what.he had' heard of it, it contained a great deal of very useful information. • ■ ■•■■'••-• '-■ ■• -^' '-• MAILS TO THE GEAT'BARRIER. Sir G-- Grey and Mr. Moat' are urging on the Government the necessity of subsidisinga mail service' to the. Great Barrier Island. They are to have an interview : with ' the Postmaster-General (Sir J. Vogel) on the subject. •. r THE LITTLE BARRIER. . " A now clause was inserted, in. the: Special' Powers and Contracts Bill, last" evening, providing for another hearing of the claims' to the Little-Barrier-Island.'...■'.'•-* ; THE AUCKLAND MEMBERS. The Hinemoa, with the Auckland members, will leave on Saturday.night; - and arrive at Manukau on Monday morning. Mr. Stout announced last night' that ha. hoped the House would be in a position to prorogue on Saturday. . : •