PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11151, 25 August 1899, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

[BY TELEGRAPH.— SPECIAL fcOIdIRSPO.N'DEXT.] Wellington - , Thursday, Questions AND answers.

Mr. Bollard asked the Acting-Minister for Lands to plate the slim of £400 on the Estimates to assist the local bodies interested to rebuild the Wliaii bridge, situated between the Counties of Eden arid Waitemata. Mr. Bollard pointed but that no one could get out of Auckland to the north by road, except by crossing the bridge. The Hori. fell-Jones said lie would give the matter careful consideration, but he would like to know how many more bridges there were leading but of Auckland. Last year the Government had given a large siiiri for repairing the Mangere bridge. Mr. Houston asked the Postmaster-Gene-ral if he would at an early date give the necessary instructions to have the telephone vires to the lighthouse, at Cape Maria Yah Diemen, strengthened, in order to prevent the constant recurrence of breakage in the line. Mr. Houston pointed out the importance of this matter from a shipping point of vieir. The Premier said inquiry would be fiiadej and the Government would certainly take such action as would be necessary to maintain the permanency of the line.

Mr. Monk asked the Minister fbr Railways if stipendiary magistrates use passes when travelling to attend meetings of licensing committees? Mr. Monk explained that he had been requested to ask the questioii by one of the local bodies which had been charged. Mr. Cadman said frefe passes were not granted, but each Department paid so much a yeir for officials travelling on public business. Mr. Monk remarked that if the money did not come out of tlie persons' own pocket, the local bodies ought hot to bo charged. Mr. Cadman said it would not come out of the magistrate's pocket , in any case. If the Magistrate paid for the ticket he would, of course, charge it again, if not, he had no right to charge. Mr. Symes asked the Acting-Minister for Lands whether he would; this session, place a sufficient sum tin the Estimates for the erection of the bridge over the Tongaporutu River, on the Awakino-Te Kuiti Road '! Mr. Symes said the bridge was absolutely necessary for the coiiipletidn of the road connecting between laranaki and Auckland. The Hon. Hall-Jones admitted the necessity of pushing on the road with all possible speed. Sonic provision would be made for a bridge when the Public Works Estimates came down.

Mr. Herries asked the Premier whether it was true that it was intended by the Assets Board to evict five tenants on the Waharoa Estate? Mr. Herries understood the above action was to be taken on account Of arrears of rent. He knew two of them to be hard-working honest men, but it was very hard to get work. Mr. Seddon said lie believed there were three tenants whose rents were two years in arrears. The Board had to get its rent the same as anyone else. Considering the arrears the Board could not be accused of dealing hardly with their tenants. He would make inquiries, and see what could be done. Mr. Herries: "Give them another year." Mr. Herries asked the Minister for Railways whether he would make arrangements for erecting a goods shed and horse-loading platform at Waibou railway station. Mr. Cadman said he would get further information, and see if it would be worth while to give effect to the proposal.

PETITIONS. The Public Petitions Committee recommend that the petition of Joseph Yaughan and others, of Umawera, for a grant for road work, be referred to the Government. The committee have 110 recommendation to make on the petition of Jas. Macky, of Devonport, for a grant for militarv services, and on the petition of W. F. Dalcly McWilliains, of Thames, for compensation for injuries, caused by Maoris firing on a survey party. The Railway Committee recommends that the petition of Samuel Vaile, for a trial of his railway system, be referred to the Government