PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8668, 10 September 1891, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

[BY TELEGRAPH. SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.'

Wellington, Wednesday. THE PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT. The public works proposals are nob by any means satisfactory to all of the Auckland members. Mr. Mitchelson says that strong objection will bo offered them. *He considers that if the money allocated • to the doubling of the Auckland-Penrose line must be diverted it should be expended in completing the Rotorua line, which it is now intended to carry for only four and a-half miles further. To spend tho money upon this work Mr. Mitchelson thinks would be of greater benefit than to apply it as proposed in extending the line from Kama to Hikurangi. Other Auckland members do not agree with the diverting of the money allocated for the second line from Auckland to Penrose, and it is probable that the question will be warmly discussed when the Public WorksEstimatoaare under consideration. Mr. Shera, however, believes that the proposals are satisfactory. Hesays that there was no immediate prospect that the Auck-land-Penrose line would be constructed, and therefore it is just as well thatitshould bo expended as proposed. He is satisfied with the proposals regarding tho Rotorua line. Mr. Jackson Palmer is greatly dissatisfied because the Government announce that they will not proceed with the construction of tho railway northwards from Helensville. Ho maintains that Mr. Seddon gave a distinct promiso to him and to Mr. T. Thompson that another section of the line would bo made, and that an Enabling Bill would be brought in this session, so that land could be token and the lino carried four miles further to the para Flats, at which point, according to the member for Waitemata, it would be payable. To Mr. Palmer's disappointment, however, Mr. Seddon does not intend to go on with the line at all; on tho contrary, the money is to be divorted to a railway near Hokitika. With regard to tho sum of £25,000 whioh appears as voted for expenditure on the railway from Helensville northwards, there is an amount of £21,384 to be charged against that as representing the liability on the 21st March last.

To day Messrs. Palmer, Houston, R. Thompson, and Shera went as a deputation to the Minister of Public Works to protest against the diverting of the money allocated for tho extension of the Helensville railway. Mr. Palmer complained that there had been a breach of faith in tho matter, and that a promise had been given that the line would be carried to a payable point. Mr. Thompson also submitted that a breach of faith had taken place. Mr. Seddon replied that the position was this : A sum of money had been voted to carry the railway to Kaipara Flat, and an Actsanctioning the construction of the railway to that point had been passed by the Lower House, bub tho Council would not authorise the line to bo taken further than the point to which the present contracts will carry ib; therefore, to expend tho balance of the money allocated they would have had to pass an Enabling Bill, and he had promised Messrs. Palmer and Thompson that that would be introduced. He had found, however, that that Bill could not be carried, so that the line could nob bo continued at present. He had accordingly borrowed the money allocated for this work. The money had merely been borrowed, and would still be to the credit of the line. Mr. Palmer said he supposod they would have to take what they could get, bub if the construction of the railway stopped with tho present contracts, roads would have to be made to meet it. Mr. Seddon stated that he would request the Minister of Lands to make a liberal allowanco for that purpose. HOSPITALS AND CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS. The annual report of Dr. McGregor on the Hospitals and charitable institutions of the colony was laid before Parliament today. He points out that the Auckland Hospital Board have agreed to return to the old system of having an honorary medical and surgical staff, and hopes that tho medical profession will admit they too had been unreasonable in their action, and that henceforth there will be no further difficulty in tho working of tho Hospital. The evidence given before the recent Commission clearly .shows-that some change is required in the provisions of the law in the direction of admitting some representatives of the medical staff to tho governing bodies of at all events the largest hospitals. Dr. McGregor hopes that with the appointment 0? Dr. Daldy, the public will become interested in the C'ororaandel Hospital. The Thames Hospital is in a most satisfactory condition, owing to the ability of Dr. Williams, Mi3S Stewart, and tho nursing staff. There has been a satisfactory decrease in the number of outdoor patients. Everything is in first-rate order at • the Waikato Hospital. Dr. Kenny is a skilful and painstaking surgeon, and the nursing arrangements are very good. The Costley Home is in excellent order. THE GOVERNMENT BANKING ACCOUNT.

Amongst the amendments given notice of on the question of going into Committee of Supply, i? ono by Mr. J. W. Kelly, as follows :—" That, in the opinion of this Honse, tho time has arrived when the banking account of the colony should be divided amongst the banks trading within the colony, instead of being confined as at present to the Bank of New Zealand, and that the Government be requested to take the necessary steps to give immediate effect to this resolution." Mr. Kelly could nob move this yesterday, as when Mr. Reea' amendment was defeated the House went at once into Committee of Supply. He intends to move it to-night, if the question of Supply is reached, and if he is successful in " catching the Speaker's eye." The Premier does not think the amendment will be carried. Ho will oppose it, because he does not consider that it would be desirable to deal with ! tho banking account of tho colony in the way proposed. Such a system, he says, has not been successful in the other colonies. However, if the amendment is carried the Government will consider the matter during the recess, and obtain all the necessary information. THE ESTIMATES. The House sat at half-past three o'clock this morning discussing the Estimates. Mr. Fish appeared as an advocate for retrenchment, and vigorously pleaded for the cutting down of salaries, condemning the Government for having increased the amounts paid to several officers. He moved for reductions without success, and then throwing up hir hands in despair said ho recognised that there would be no reduction on tho Estimator this session. The member for Dunedin was succeeded by Mr. S. Mackenzie, who complained of tho action of the Government in increasing the salaries of the gaolers at the prisons of the four chief cities. The Minister of Justice replied to the critics that money had been saved by an amalgamation of offices, and that the salaries of the gaolers has been raised according to classification, the maximum being £'100. The voles submitted pussed without reduotion. THE ON EH UNOA IRON WORKS. A petition was presented to day by Mr. Buckland from the men employed at the Onehunga works, asking that a duty be imposed on iron bars and block sheets imported into tho colony. They point out that wages and prices of coal are so much lower in the old country that it is almost impossible for the local article to compote with that which is imported. _ The petitioners are carrying on the ironworks under the supervision of a company. INTENDED PROGRESS OF PUBLIC WORKS. Mr. Seddon tells ine to-night that he has no intention of carrying on the public works expenditure in more little driblets if his Estimates are voted by the House. Ho holds that the late Government male a grave mistave in spreading the expenditure over so long a period, and thus spreading it out so slowly that it failed to provide adequate employment, and so there was serious loss of population. Mr. Seddon intends to spend the votes at once, and so both expedite the completion of the works, and provide promptly a considerable amount of employment, and thus as he hopes to check the exodus from the colony which still continues. He has for some time had the Public Works Department kept hard at work getting everything ready for the calling of tenders for all the works which in the Statement are proposed to bo gone on with; and if tho House will pass the Public Works Estimates, Mr. Seddon says he means to have all the contracts out within a month after the end of .the sesI sion.

NATIVE LAND BILL, I informed you some time since that in consequence of the strenuous opposition of the native members to the Native Land Bill it was likely to be postponed till nexb session, and this statement is borne out by tho fact that at a meeting to-day of the special oommittee that was set up to consider the Native Land Bill, a resolution was passed -by 12 to 3 that tho Government be requested to postpone the Bill till next year. Mr. Rees strongly protested against the question involved in this Bill being allowed to drop, and he this afternoon gave notice of the following resolution:—"That ; a special committee be set up to considor the provisions of a Bill to be introduced to deal with certain pressing matters in relation to native lands, the committee to consist of tho Hon. Mr. Mitchelson, Mr. Carroll, Captain Russell, Mr. Taipua, and the mover, and to report by Tuesday next." ' PETITIONS. A petition from Mr. J. McLachlan, asking for a grant of land for military services was presented to-day by Mr. Rees. Regarding Mr. John Lundon'a claim for consideration on account of services to the Government of New Zealand in Samoa, the Public Petitions committee state that at this late period of tho session, there is not sufficient time to get the evidence of Sir J. Vogel, Mr. Tote, and Sir R. Stout. The petition is referred to the consideration of the Government. JOTTINGS. The salary of Commissioner Hume was attacked this morning by a small economist party, of whom Mr. Fish appeared to be the loader. The item was £700, and ib was moved that it bo reduced by £300, but this was lost.

In roply to Mr. Rolleston, the Premier said to-day that the Government intended, to bring the business of the session to a close as soon as possible, probably by the end of next week. He would mention tomorrow the Bills which the Government did nob intend to proceed with. •. Tho Bankruptcy Bill ia one measure which the Government hope to carry through before the session closes. Tho Premier says that the Bill has been carefully dealt with by the Select Committee, and that he has boon assured ib can be passed in three hours.

Dr. McGregor says that there is no proEer provision for drainage at the Costley [otue. He thinks that a great mistake was made in building in such a position, and on a piece of land only seven acres in extent.

In reference to the votes for works in the Auckland district as stated in last night's Estimates, there are liabilities to be charged which will considerably reduce the sums in several instances.

The postal and telegraph revenue increased -£ per cent, last year, and the expenditure decreased by 4$ per cent. A surplus of £72,732 in receipt over expenditure was shown by tho Postal and Telegraph Department last year. . During the past year 21,501,937 letters were posted and 22,415,263 delivered. The correspondence of all classes as well as telegrams, money orders, and postal notes, exhibited a large increase during the financial year as compared with the preceding year. ■ At the beginning of the current year the aggregate deposits in the Postal Savings' Banks amounted to £2,441,876.

The reduction in the postage rate to England caused a very large falling off in the postal receipts duringthelasb quarter of tho year. Property tax, to the amount of £234,031, was paid through tho Post Office in the last financial year. In the past year 20 new newspapers were registered, and 13 ceased to publish. Thirty-five magazines and trade catalogues were registered. The parcels' post returns exhibit an increase of 15 per cent, for the past year. The proportion of " dead" letters to the total correspondence is smaller than in any other colony, and only in Great Britain is it smaller.

Savings Bank depositors received £92,319 interest last year as compared with £84,809 in the previous year. The average time of the San Francisco mails between London and Now Zealand during the past year was 35 days e.ich way as against 41 and 46 days respectively by the direct service.

It is pointed out that the San Francisco mail leaving London a fortnight after the direct mail has reached New Zealand the same day as the latter. A curious conundrum is offered by the post office report. The average time homeward by tho direct steamer service is stated to have been 41 days, and the shortest 45 days. Evidently there is some mistake here.

Mr. Seddon says ha is much gratified at the reception his Public Works Statement has met with. Everybody seems to recognise that he has done the best in his power with the limited material at his disposal. I hear indirectly that when the Workmen's Lien Bill comes out of the Legislative Council its own father will not recognise it. The fate of the Female Suffrage Bill still hangs in the balance. I hear that it will be decided by a majority of only one or two, and at present nobody knows for certain on which side that majority will be. The first to catch the Speaker's eye when tho motion for Committee of Supply was moved to-night, was Mr. E. M. Smith, who gave the House a dissertation on the subject of New Zealand iron sand, and moved an amendment suggesting a trial of that article.

In the discussion of the Estimates Mr. R. Thompson said he would voto for a reduction all round if that were proposed, but he would nob vote for the cutting down of ono man's salary whilst another's was allowed to remain.