PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8361, 15 September 1890, Page 6

PARLIAMENT.

[BT TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Saturday. The Council met at half-past two p.m. THE OATHS WILL. The report of the Committee as to the reasons for the Council disagreeing to the amendments of the House in the Oaths Bill was agreed to. THE WEST PORT • (■ AK A AIT RAILWAY. The Westport-Ngakawau Bill was recommitted in order to insert a new clause giving the Commissioners running powers over the existing line. This was agreed to, and the Bill was reported, read a third time, and passed. PROGRESS OK MEASURES. The Railway Construction and Land Bill was read a second time on the voices and passed through its final stages without amendment. In Committee on the Gold Duty Abolition and Mining Property Bill, Mr. -McLean opposed the measure, and Dr. Pollen moved that clause 2 be struck our. The motion was lost by 1;" to 9. Sir George Whitmork moved the omission of clause 11 making the rating power permissive. The debate was interrupted by the five o'clock adjournment. The Council resumed at 7-30. The Gold Duty Abolition Bill was further considered. Clause 11 was struck out, and the Bill was reported with amendments, read a third time, and passed. The Gisborne Harbour Board Bill, the Administration Act Amendment Bill, and tho Midland Railway Contract Bill were Committed, read a third time, and passed. The second reading of the Distillation Act Amendment Bill was lost by 10 to 5. The Council rose at 11.20. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Saturday. Tho House met at eleven a.m. PUBLIC REVENUE. Captain Russell moved tho second reading of the Public Revenues Act Amendment Bill, explaining that if was a mere machinery Bill. The motion was agreed to. KUMARA SLUDGE CHANNEL. Air. Fergus moved the second reading of I the Kumara Sludge Channel Act Amendment Bill, which simply validated a portion of the Kumara Sludge Channel being vested in trustees appointed for the purpose. The motion was agreed to. COAL ROYALTIES. Mr. Fergus moved the second reading of I the Coal Leases Royalty Bill to enable a reduction to be made in royalties to the Crown under certain leases of coal mines situated in the Grey Valley. lie said the Government intended to appoint a commission of three gentlemen to consider the whole question of the working of the coal mines in the Grey Valley. Dr. Newman strongly opposed a Bill of such an important character being brought down in the dying hours of the session, and ho contended that if the royalty was suspended in this case there would bo many other applications from other mines in the same direction. Messrs. Fish, Peacock, and Cadman took a similar view. Messrs. Sf.ddon and Ward supported the second reading of the Bill, in order to give relief to the miners in the locality interested. Mr. Hocus moved the adjournment of the debate. Air. Fergus said the reason the Bill was brought down at such a late stage was that the miners had only just agreed on what form the Bill should take. The adjournment of the debate till Monday was carried by 30 to 28. RILLS PASSED. The Public Revenues Act Amendment Bill and Kumaru Sludge Channel Bill committed, read a third time, and passed, the latter causing a lengthy discussion. THE OCEAN" MAIL RESOLUTIONS. Mr. in moving the resolutions relating to the Ocean Mail Services, said they were of two-fold importance— of them being to reduce the ocean letter postage from Od to 2\d. He detailed the proceedings which led to the resolutions being moved, and said the reduction proposed would no doubt be largely appreciated by the people of the colony, as all letters could now be sent to any part of the world for 'Jki, except by way of Brinriisi, and the cost of which, of course, would be greater. The Government desired to reduce the postage rate to one penny, but this could not be done without entailing a heavy loss on the colony. The second proposal provided for a reduction of letters by the Brindisi-Naples route from one shilling to sixpence per half ounce. The third resolution referred to the San Francisco service. It would be seen from the correspondence before the House that the United States' Government agreed to pay £12, towards this service, arid tho Imperial Government had also behaved most liberally, as Hon. Members would see by his resolutions. He submitted that the advantages of this service oouid not be denied, as it was undoubtedly the best one for this colony that could be maintained. As to the direct service, the Government regretted that owing to the circumstances of lie colony, a larger subsidy could not be paid to it, seeing the enormous advantages that the colony derived from the establishment of a direct mail service. He contended that the colony would greatly benefit by the arrangements made for continuing both services, and the Hou<e and country were to be congratulated on securing what at one time looked like an impossibility. Air. Ballance said the arrangements made by the Government were very satisfactory, but he should like to know whether the terminal port would be in New Zealand. Mr. Alitg'Hklson said it would not, but if the Government were prepared to pay a larger sum, they could secure this. The company had said, however, that unless the Government received postages from Australia there was not the slightest chance of their continuing the contract. Mr. Ballance, continuing, said that I with regard to the reduction to 2UI, it was no doubt a large one, but not nearly so large as would be in force in another year, as a movement was now in progress for a universal penny postage, and they should look forward to a much greater reduction. Ho thought on the whole the Government had made the best arrangements for the San Francisco service, but an effort should have been made to have the terminus in this colony, even if it cost an additional £4000 a-year. He saw no advantage to be 1 gained by shifting tho port of call from Auckland.

The House adjourned one p.m. The Speaker resumed the chair at halfpast two. Mr. Ward had read the proposals very carefully, and upon the whole they appeared to be of a very satisfactory character, and the results now achieved showed that those who, in 1888, endeavoured to effect the reformation of the San Francisco service, were fully justified in their efforts. He pointed out, however, that New South Wales was not called upon to contribute anything at all to the service. He hoped that during next year every effort would be made to induce that colony to join in maintaining it. Personally, he believed the time would come when the ocean mails will be carried without any subsidies whatever, but that time had not yet come, and he thought the pclicy of the colony should be to help to bring about as early as possible a universal system of penny postage. Mr. Beetiiam also offered his congratulations to the Postmaster-General for the results achieved, and he agreed with Mr. Ward that they justified the efforts of those who had striven in 188S to reform the San Francisco service. He should move, however, that each steamer should bo provided with a cool chamber suitable for carrying fruit and produce. Mr. Laknach considered the Government were to be congratulated to this extent — that the arrangement now made was better than any previously arrived at, bub he was of opinion that they should be able to transmit their correspondence at a penny a letter. He thought, however, that Wellington -vould be much more suitable for tho port of call than Auckland, as no one could dispute the fact that Wellington would be the great commercial centre of the colony. He should therefore move in committee to substitute Wellington as the port of call instead of Auckland, as Wellington was more central for the colony, and it would also be a shorter route. Mr. Peacock desired to join in the congratulation over the arrangement made for continuing the service, as a few years ago

there seemed very little chance of its being kept going. He oould not agree with Mr. Ward's proposal as to New South Wales joining in, and he believed the Committee would not agree to changing Auckland as the port of call to Wellington. Mr. Bryce said that, compared with the previous proposals made for this service, the Government deserved congratulation for making the present arrangements. He could not help thinking, however, that the proposal to reduce the postage on ocean letters was an indiscreet one, in the present state of the colony, although he should not object to a reduction on the rate of inland letters. The resolutions as a whole were so remarkable for their moderation that he had groat pleasure in accepting them.

Sir John Hall said that assuming the Government were able to complete arrangements with the Company it would be a satisfactory one for the colony to undertake. He was not so much in favour of the reduction on ocean postage as some hon. members were, and he did not think it would lead to such a large increase in correspondence as was supposed. He was not prepared to allow the Government the right to extend the contract for three years until they saw how it worked out, and he should move a proviso to that effect. On the whole, ho thought the resolutions were satisfactory. There was one change he thought might be made, and that was, the reduction of postage on books from the old country, and as that would lead to a better class of books being imported than was the case at present. Mr. Buchanan advocated New Zealand being made the terminal of tho service, and he combated the assertion made by Mr. Peacock that the contractors could prevent Wellington being made the port of call instead of Auckland. The advantages to be secured by Wellington being the port of call would be felt all over the colony, even in Auckland itsolf.

Mr. Moss did not consider for a moment that anyone desirous of bringing strangers from Europe and giving them a good impression of New Zealand would take them to Wellington in preference to Auckland. He denied that, as asserted by Mr. I.arnacli, Wellington was nearer San Francisco than Auckland was.

Mr. MrrcHELsoN also hoped that Mr. Larnach's amendment would not bo carried, and he pointed out to tho member for the Peninsula that the distance from San Francisco to Auckland was 5897 miles, while the distance from San Francisco to Wellington was 6133 miles, making a difference in favour of Auckland of 236 miles.

After further discussion, in which Messrs. Withy, Allen, Newman Verkall, Kerr, Thompson (Marsden), and Fisher took part, the first resolution was moved as follows :—" That the House agrees with the proposal of the Imperial Government (already accepted by the Australian colonies) to reduce the ocean letter postage from (3d to 2kl per half-ounce, provided that the reduction shall not apply to letters from colony intended to be transmitted by way of Brindisi-Naples." Agreed to. The second resolution was then put, that the House also approves of the Br in Naples letter rate being reduced from Is to 6d per half-ounce, and that only specially marked correspondence be forwarded by that route.

Agreed to. The third resolution was then pub as follows : —" That as the Imperial Government has agreed, in the event of the colony renewing the four-weekly contract services by way of San Francisco, to allow the colony 12s per lb on the letter portion of the said mails for carriage from San Francisco to New Zealand, and also defray the cost of sea transport of the homeward mails from New York to London, the colony to provide for their transit from San Francisco to New York, and to credit the colony with 12s per lb on letters and half the book and newspaper postage on the outwards mails forwarded by the Direct contract steamers from Plymouth, the House empowers the Government that the basis of payment shall be the rate of 12s per lb on the net weight of letters conveyed (excluding those from America), that all receipts received by New Zealand from the Imperial Post. Office and non-contracting colonies for carriago of mails shall be paid over to the contractors (the colony's direct liability, however, is restricted to the payments of its. outward mails, which on those of 1889 would, it is estimated, have amounted to £5720) ; that the contract route shall be San Francisco to Auckland and Auckland to San Francisco, but the steamers may proceed to Sydney ; that the time between San Francisco and Auckland shall not exceed twenty days either way ; no bonus tu be paid for early arrival and penalties at the rate of £4 an hour to be imposed only when late delivery at cither Auckland or San Francisco, exceeds 4S hours ; that the Government bo also authorised to defray one-half the cost of transit of the homeward mails from San Francisco to New Y'ork, the other half to be borne by the contractors or the American Government ; that tho four-weekly direct service be renewed for twelve months on the payment of 12s per lb on letters, J9d per lb on books, and 3d per lb on newspapers; that all receipts received by New Zealand from Imperial Post Office, and from other countries be paid over to the contractors, but the colony's direct liability to be restricted to the payment for its outward mails ; the time to be forty-five days from Plymouth to New Zealand, and forty-two days from New Zealand to Plymouth ; no bonus to bo paid for early deliver}' of mails, and penalties at £4 an hour not to be enforced except when late arrival exceeds forty-eight hours on either voyage; the service to be for two years in the event of the San Francisco service being similarly extended/' Mr. Larn'ach moved an amendment that Wellington be the port of call instead of Auckland. Post by 31 to 29. Mr. Fkldvvicic moved to include Wellington with Auckland. Mr. Mitch nr.son said if that were agreed to the company would refuse to carry out their contract at all. Dr. Fitoiktt suggested that Wellington and Auckland be used as port of call alternately. .Os by 32 to 27. Mr. Fulton* moved, as a further amendment, to insert after Auckland "or Wellington, at the option of the contractors." Carried by 33 to 31. Mr. Beetiiam moved that each steamer to San Francisco bo provided with cool chambers for tho conveyance of fruit and produce. Mr. Mitchelson" opposed the amendment on the ground that it would be unreasonable to ask the company bo go to such a large expense. After some discussion Mr. Beetham withdrew his amendment. Sir J. Hall moved a new clause to the effect that should the Government nob be able to make an arrangement with the San Francisco Company the Government be empowered to desDatch alternate fortnightly mails by the direct mail steamer, either at 12s per pound or the usual ship letter gratuity. Agreed to. Tho resolutions as a whole were then reported to the House and agreed to. THE PRIMAGE DUTY. Mr. Mitchelson moved the second reading of the Primage Duty Bill, to provide for the imposition of the Primage Duty till 30th September. Mr. Mackenzie (Clutha) regretted that the Premier had not seen his way to continue this duty to the close of the financial year, especially in face of the prospect of a deficit next year, and he hoped the ActingPremier would take the matter into consideration. Mr. Goldif. was surprised at any member advocating the increase of the burdens of tho people in this manner. What they should aim at was to decrease expenditure, but not to add to taxation. Agreed to, and the Bill was committed. Mr. Fisii also regretted that the Government had not retained the duty till the end of the financial year, and he held they would be justified in doing so owing to the present labour disturbances, which were likely to cause a serious deficit next year. The Bill was reported, read a third time, and passed. . PROPERTY TAX. Mr. Mitchelson moved the second reading of the Property Tax Bill to authorise the imposition of a property tax of Id in the £ for the coming year. Agreed to. The Bill was committed and passed without amendment. The third reading of the Bill was carried by 40 to 14. ;

On the motion that the Bill do pass a lengthy discussion ensued, which was interrupted by the half-past five adjournment. The House resumed at 7.30.

The Property Tax Bill was read a third time and passed by 43 to '21. *.

ADMINISTRATION OF AN ESTATE. On going into Committee of Supply an amendment that the report of the Public Petitions Committee, recommending that an inquiry into the administration of the estate of James McDonald by the Official Assignee of Dunedin be given effect to, was carried by 38 to '24. THE SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATES. The House then went into Committee of Supply for the consideration of the Supplementary Estimates. Legislative department. £427. The item £117, for five waiters at Bellamy's, was reduced by £116. Colonial Secretary. Electoral department, £10,000. Carried. -Miscellaneous services : Mrs. Featon's book on New Zealand flora, £300, was struck out. The other items passed unaltered. Supreme Court : Salary of Commissioner and Judge Edwards, £1621. This item provoked a long discussion, which was interrupted by the clock striking midnight. Progress was therefore reported, and the House rose till 11 a.m. on Monday.