PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9469, 13 September 1889, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

[BY TELEGRAPH.PRESS ASSOCIATION]. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Thursday. PROGRESS OF BILLS. The Council met at 2.30. West Coast Settlement Reserve Act Amendment Bill was read a first time. The Public Works' Act Amendment Bill was recommitted, and the third reading fixed for Saturday. Mr. Stevens moved the second reading of the Naval and Military Settlers and Volunteers Land Bill. Mr. McLean moved it be read a second time this day six months. The second reading was carried by 15 to 11. The North Island Main Trunk Railway Loan Application Bill was read a third time ana passed. The Council rose at 5 p.m. till tomorrow. : .

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Thursday.

The following is a report of the proceed- ! ings of the House after 2 a.m. — NATrVE LAND COURT. The Native Land Court Act Amendment Bill was further considered in committee. After .a few inconsiderable amendments progress was reported. Several Bills which had been committed earlier in the evening passed, and the House adjourned at 2.35. The House mot at 2.30. live stock and RABBITS. Mr. Lance brought up the live stock and rabbit report. He regretted that more progress had not been made for the prevention of scab. A lengthy discussion ensued, and the report) was ordered to lie on the table. ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS. Replying to questions Ministers said they would make enquiries as to the desirableness of establishing a Government brand to be placed on cheese exported ; there was no power to stop the practice of sending money to Australia to the promoters of consultation sweeps on racing ; it had been decided to pay a bonus of £10 to each recipient of the New Zealand Cross, instead of giving land. The House rose at 5.30. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. TI£K MAIL SERVICES. Tho Chairman of Committees suggested that the discussion on the ocean mail resolutions should be taken as a whole, and the House should vote on each resolution separately. Sir H. Atkinson concurred, and said the House had directed the Government last session not to renew the San Francisco mail service, but to invite tenders for a direct service. The Government had received no tenders at all. The direct companies had sent in a tender to the effect that they should not only be paid by weight, but also receive a bonus. The Government had to consider what was the best temporary service that could be arranged. The San Francisco and direct Services would cost them £25,750, but £5500 of that was bonus for the direct service. He thought it was impossible to carry out the proposals of the member for Awarua (Mr. Ward) for the amount stated by that gentleman. The present proposal was only for twelve months. The Government of New South Wales had agreed to pay the cost of the steamers. No doubt Sydney had had the best of the bargain, but Sydney was our best market, and that should be remembered. The present proposal of the Government was a saving on the cost of the mail service of £12,000. Looking at the desirableness of keeping up connection with America till we see what Canada was going to do, it would be a most retrograde step to cut off the San Francisco service. Mr. Ward reminded the House that last year it resolved to discontinue the subsidy to the' San- Francisco service, yet now it was asked te renew that service by the Premier's resolutions. The Government bad not made proper efforts to obtain a fortnightly direct service, as was the expressed wish of the House last year. New Zealand was asked to pay out of all reasonable proportion to what the other colonies had to pay, when .New Zealand was the best contributor to the San Francisco service. The amount paid by New Zealand for her letters was greatly in excess of that paid from England to America, and out of all proportion to what the colony could afford in the present state of affairs. The colony was actually subsidising steamers to bring grain to compete with our own farmers, and the colony was paying a rival to compete with us in Australia. He asked those who voted against the continuance of the San Francisco service last yoar to reaffirm that vote. Sir J. Hall complimented Mr. Ward on delivering on able speech, but thought that four-fifths of it was entirely beside the question, and on the assumption that the service was to be kept up by New Zealand, whilst the Premier's resolutions were altogether to a different effect. He had voted against the proposal last year because it was then a question whether the San Francisco service should be continued, but as the steamers were to continue to call for 12 months, they had to consider whether they would avail themselves of that opportunity of carrying their mails. There was no question of the continuance of the San Francisco service before the House, and he hoped the proposals of the Government would be adopted. Mr. Saunders moved an amendment to the effect that no subsidy should be paid at all, but that the Postmaster - General may place mails on any ocean-going steamer, and pay for the same any sum net exceeding 2s per lb for letters, (3d per lb for books, and 3d per lb for newspapers. Mr, Buchanan supported the amendment submitted by. Mr. Ward. Mr. Withy said the San Francisco service was the quickest and cheapest service. Mr. Fisher opposed the Premier's resolutions. The Premier said if the Government resolutions were lost he should vote for Mr. Saunders' amendment, as he considered Mr. Ward's amendment impracticable. The Premier's first resolution was then put, " That in view of the expiration of the ocean mail service contracts in November and December next, it is desirable to make further provision for the conveyance of a mail fortnightly between the colony and Great Britain at a total cost not exceeding £28,750." Agreed to by 31 to 26. Mr. Saunders's amendment was lost. Mr. Ward then moved to "Strike out £28,750, and to insert £20,000. Lost by 33 to 24. The Premier's first resolution was then put and carried by 34 to 22. The Premier's second resolution was then put, " That, in order to give further time for the development of the proposed Van-couver-Pacific service, the Government be authorised to arrange for a renewal of the present services, via San Francisco, and by direct steamer, for a period of twelve months." Carried by 33 to 21. Mr. Ward's amendment, " That it is not desirable that further subsidies be granted to the San Francisco service," was lost. The Premier's third resolution, "To give effect to No. 1 and No. 2," was then put and carried. The resolutions were then reported to the House, and agreed to by 33 to 19. The House rose at 1.10 a.m. The following is the division list on Sir H. Atkinson's second resolution : — Ayes, 33.—Atkinson, Ballance, Bruce, Cad man, Dodson, Fergus, Fish, Fraser, Fulton, Goldie, Graham, Hall, Hobbs, Jackson, Kelly, La wry, Macarthur, M. J. S. Mackenzie (Mount Ida), McGregor, Mills, Mitcholson, Moat,' Monk, Moss, O'Conor, O'Rorke, G. F. Richardson (Mataura), Taipua, Taiwhanga, Tanner, R. Thompson (Marsdon), T. Thompson (Auckland North), Withy. Noes, 21.—Anderson, Barron, Buchanan, Duncan, Feldwiclc, Fitzherbert, Harkness, Humphreys, Hutchison, Izard, Jones," T. Mackenzie (Clutha), J. McKeuzie (Wailiemo), Perceval, Rhodes,. Seddon, W. J. Steward( Waimato), Taylor,Verrall ,Walker, Ward. PAIRS. For. — Hodgkinson, Carroll, Ormond, O'Conor, Valentine, Seymour, Samuel, Smith, W. D. Stewart, Pyke, Ross, Allen, Grey, Whyte, Russell. Against.—Turnbull, Loughrey, Grimmond, W. P. Reeves, Blake, Lance, J. C. Brown, Larnach, Joyce, Newman, Kerr, Fitchett, Parata, R. Reeves, Wilson.