RAILWAYS AUTHORISATION BILL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12698, 28 October 1904, Page 5

RAILWAYS AUTHORISATION BILL.

SECOND READING DEBATE.

NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION.

[BT TO-ECnArn.— association.]

Wktxixgtox, Thursday. In the House of Representatives to-night Mr. Hall-Jones moved the second reading of the Railways Authorisation Bill. He said the House would have been somewhat alarmed if all the lines asked for had been included. The most important, however, had been selected, hut. ho explained that none of the works proposed could be carried out until money had been voted for the purpose. He went on to say that tho averago cost of railway construction during the past 1C years had been £7189 per mile.

Mr. Maejjey moved as an amendment, "That tho second reading he postponed until after the bringing down of the Public Works Statement and Estimates." Hie' urged that it was a simple farce bringing tho Statement and Estimates down in the dying hours of the session, but the reason was that the Government knew that many members were afraid to vote against the Government until they knew what votes for their districts they bad got on tho Estimates. As to the Bill,, he objected to authorising a number of new lines until the main lines were completed.

The Premier said he could not accept tho amendment. He had promised that tho Public Works Statement and Estimates would bo down on Thursday night, and tho Leader of the Opposition was responsible oi the delay.

Mr. Massey: There is not the slightest indication, ot the Statement and Estimates being brought down.

Mr. Speaker: Dc/ I understand.that the Premier declares this a want-of-confidence motion?

The Premier: Yes.

Mr. J. 0. Thomson complained that the allocation of votes seemed to depend on what members said and did in the House, and not on public requirements. Ho was satisfied that the conduct of public- works was unsatisfactory, and not in the interests of the colony.

The Premier charged the Opposition -with laving from the beginning of the session deiberately blocked the; business of the country, and lite declared the, Public Works Statement and Estimates would have been i>rought down that night but for the action j'l the Leader of the Opposition. Let the Eouse, he added, puss this Bill and the Loan Bill, and the Public Works Statement and Estimates would bo laid on the table. The action of the Leader of the Opposition in bringing on this amendment without notifying the Premier ' was absolutely unprecedented in the history of political warfare in the colony. With regard to the Public Wijrkr Estimates, he said the Government would this year ask the Souse to agree to a renewal of 75 per cent, of tho works authorised last year. If the Government asked for a number of railway lines (Which must be extended before many years)/the Government would 'be playing into the hands of thisse who would cable Home tod say on the floor of the House that the Government was going in for a large borrowing and sqltanderiiig policy. Mr. Jas. Alien (said if the Premier had kept his :|tt v dmise'>M- brought down the i Public Works Statement to-night, the Bail- j ways Authorisation Bill and Loan Bill would* have been disposed of by this time. He characterised the action of the Premier in accepting Mr. Massey's amendment as a want-of-eonfidence motion as a piece of ab- | surdity. Mr. Mauder hrgec'6 that the North of Auckland '.line should be put on the same footing as the Midland and Otago Central lines.

A MILE A YEAR.

BY TELEGRAM!. —SPECIAL COftRF.SPOSbEN'T.I

Wellington, Thursday.

Speaking on thb Railways Authorisation Bill, Mr. Mauder said he voted against a similar Bill last y?ar, and the Government evidently thought it would catch his vote by authorising an extension from Maungaturoto to Maungabitpere, a distance of about 20 miles. At the pi-esent rate of progress, it would take 30 years to get to Maungaturoto, am* he asked what necessity there was to authorise the line further on. What they wanted was something they had asked for, not something they had made no application for. They wanted the present line extended at a much more rapid rate than a mile a year, which was the rate of progress for the last 18 years. The line should be put on the same footing as the Otago Central and the Midland Lues. They knew there was no intention tc spend any money on this extension, because the Government would hive to construct 30 miles of railway before they reached the beginning of the proposed extension. He would- take the responsibility of voting against the proposal in the Bill for the extension, and take the consequences,