THE OTAGO CENTRAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9451, 23 August 1889, Page 5

THE OTAGO CENTRAL.

THE BILL REJECTED.

THE PREMIER'S THREAT.

ALL WORKS TO BE STOPPED. Try TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL correspondent.

Wellington, Thursday. The debate on the Otago Central Bill tonight was a very animated one. The surprising feature of it was Mr. Ballance's opposition to the Bill, seeing that ho spoke in favour of it earlier In the same debate. His objection to-night was that the line is to be made out of trust funds, and he suggested that if a poll of the Savings Bank depositors was taken they would be against it. Sir H. Atkinson spoke after midnight, and warmly taunted Mr. Ballance, Mr. John McKenzie, Mr. Larnach, and others with expressing approval of the Bill and then turning round to oppose it in order to give the Government a slap in the face. He thought it was a bad thing for Parliamentary government that they had a leader of the Opposition who did things of this kind. Ho contended that in bringing in this Bill the Government were simply obeying the J order of the House hist session. As to the trust funds lie offered to pub a clause in tho Bill making it impossible for the Government to use trust funds on this lino. Ho would put these members to the test in that way, for it was just as easy to make tho line as cheaply in other ways. If the proposals of the Government- were accepted there would be no need for further works for many years. What they wanted was to give the country political rast, and to bring the works to a reasonable position. Tho Government's scheme was a whole scheme to come to a resting point. As to Mr. Smith's amendment, he emphatically declared that the Government were not prepared to go on with other works. They would take this amendment if carried as a direction to go on with no works(cheers)and they would not go on with any unless the Otago Central formed one. (Mr. Fisher: "Hear, hear! That's what wo are going to work for.") The second reading was eventually re jeeted on a division, the numbers being For 17 Against 33 and the amendment was carried by 32 to 20.