BEACH RAILWAY TO PENROSE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7650, 29 May 1886, Page 5

BEACH RAILWAY TO PENROSE.

Mr. Dargaville, this afternoon, reminded the Minister of Public Works of a previous question already put in respect to the early construction of this lino. The Minister led him to understand that a difficulty had been placed in the way of the Government by the large amount of compensation which was asked by the landowners along the line, He asked leave now to put a question without notice. The importance of the question would be his excuse for asking it without notice The question briefly was : Whether the Minister had received a letter from the chairman of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, stating that the owners along the line were prepared to cede their lands for the purposes of the proposed railway, most of them without any compensation; and those who did not actually offer to cede their land were prepared to surrender rights upon being recouped for specific loss or damage, apart from the value of the land. The Hon. Mr. Richardson said : "I am glad the hon. gentleman has asked me this question, for it enables me to make a statement to the House upon a matter about which there appears to be some misapprehension. It is true that I have received a letter from the Chairman of tho Auckland Chamber of Commerce which is to the effect he mentions. The publicity which has been given to the statement in Auckland has, I have no doubt, misled the hon. member and others as to the actual position of this matter. Now, I am aware that there are a great many of the owners of the land along this line who intend to claim very large compensation indeed, whenever their land is interfered with for the purpose of this line. I cannot ignore the intention which has been expressed in various ways, and which several of the owners of frontages along the beach have expressed to myself peraonally. I gathered a good deal information on this subject during the recess from the persons interested. It appears to me, therefore, that the letter to which the hon. member alludes must have been written under some mistake or misapprehension. But, at all events. I cannot overlook what 1 know to be the case." Mr. Dargaville : "If the hon. gentleman were assured that these claims could be withdrawn or greatly reduced would he be prepared at some reasonable early date to proceed with the work ?" Hon. Mr. Richardson : '* I cannot answer the question in the present circumstances. I saw some of the landowners, and they told me personally that their claims would be very large. That is a fact which I could not possibly overlook, so that I cannot answer the hon. member's question." PATENTS. The following applications have been made for patents :—For rotary plough, by Albert Potter, of Auckland; invention for cutting and splitting firewood, James Ronald Hardyside, of Hamilton ; invention for removing wool and hair from skins and hides, to be called Kingswool paint," by John King, fellmonger, and Harry Sedgewick Harold, labourer, of Auckland and Otahuhu. SMALL BIRD NUISANCE. It appears that the rabbit is not the only nuisance with which the farmers of the Southern Island has to contend. Captain Sutter obtained leave to-day to introduce a Bill for the destruction of small birds. Tho object of the Bill is to enable i?oad Boards to lay poisoned grain along the main roads. PONSONBY. Mr. Peacock this afternoon asked the Postmaster-General whether he would take steps to secure a more frequent delivery of letters in the popular suburbs of Ponsonby. The Postmaster-General said that there were 14 letter-carriers employed for the delivery of letters iu the Auckland suburbs, and some relief was said to be necessary, but the question of delivery was now under serious consideration by the department. The businosß of " delayed telegrams " had so increased that it would likely require greater development. He hoped to be able to give the relief asked to Ponsonby, as well as other placcs, at an early date. RETRENCHMENT. Sir J. Vogel has a sotto voce, way of utteriDg a sovere sarcasm occasionally. When some members were asking the why and wherefore aome salaries were big and others little, and suggesting that the little should approximate to the big, he interpolated in one of his answers, " Will the hon. member and other hon. members who put such questions on the paper kindly inform me whether they put tho questions in the interest of retrenchment?" INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL CHILDREN. In addition to a petition praying that the management of industrial children's homes should be placed under local control, presented by the Hon. Mr. Swanson in the Legislative Council (707 signatures), and the Hon. Mr. Bryce, in the House of Representatives (723 signatures), the Hon. Mr. Chamberlain has presented a petition on the same subject, with 323 signatures. Meanwhile the Petitions Committee has reported upon the petition presented to the Lower House in the following terms:—l am directed to report that the committee are of opinion that this petition should be referred to the Government for their consideration." James Young's petition : Tho chairman reported that the petitioner was a warder in the Auckland Gaol for several year*. His case had been previously before the House. The following is the report of tho committee : —" The committee can see no reason to alter the decisions arrived at in the last two sessions. VAILE'S RAILWAY REFORM. The Minister of Public Works has just obtained a committee, to consist of ten members, to roport upon tho petition of 700 residents of the Auckland district, presented last session, that the system proposed by Mr. Samuel Vaile, of Auckland, for the future management of the New Zealand railways be brought into operation, such committee to report within three weeks—the committee to consist of Hon. Major Atkinson, Mr. Go*e, Mr. Hatch, Mr. Macandrew, Mr. Mitchelson, Mr. O'Conor, Mr. Ormond, Mr. Walker, Mr. J. B. Whyte, and the mover, three to be a quorum. INSURANCE ASSOCIATION. Mr. John Lamb visited Parliament Buildings this evening on his way from Melbourne to Auckland. lie had some business with Sir Julius Vogel as chairman of the above association. He represents the temperance branch of insurers who now hold policies to the number of 3200, with 500 proposals, which are yet in abeyance. He is desirous, as the representative of this large interest, that the institution should bo re-placed under the control of the Government.