THE ESTIMATES.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 3572, 26 October 1898, Page 3

THE ESTIMATES.

At 5.15 yesterday afternoon the House went into Committeo-of-Snpply for the oohr si location of the Estimates,

AGRICULTURAL DEPARTMENT. Class 10, Department of Agriculture, total vote 4157,235, was first taken. • Captain Russell urged that in'future all stock inspectors appointed should be veterinary surgeons, as at present there was not sufficient veterinary skill to enable settlers to know what was really wrong with their flocks. Hd*klso asked the Minister to give inspectors leave to extend the time dnrieg which dipping might take place. The Minister of Aobioultdee replied that if the' Stock Aot Amendment Bill was not passed this session he would do as Captain Russell had requested. As to veterinary surgeons, nothing would please him bettor than to get them as inspectors, and he would fake into consideration the advisableness of having one veterinary surgeon in each district.

Mr Hunter urged that more trouble should be taken to keep down the rabbits on Crown lands, and he asserted that rabbits were increasing unduly on some of the Crown lands in Hawke’s Bay. Captain Russell mad,) a siuu'ur complaint, remarking that the large landowners had taken groat pains to keep their land tree from rabbits, and ho thought the Crown should do tho same. Mr Brown urged that a dairy school should bs established in Taranaki, whioh, he contended, was particularly suited for such a purpose. Mr Buchanan thought the Government was not sufficiency liberal in an educational direction under the Agricultural and Pastoral Department.. Dairy schools, necessarily did an .ii;.menso amount of good, because the industry was comparatively a mw hue, and tho Minister hoed have no fear of want of encouragement from both sides of the House in taking su-h a course, Mr Lewis said ha regarded the salary of 43225 of the poultry expert as wasted money, and he moved that that item be struck out ■ The Minister said tbs expenses of that department. outside the salary of the expert, were -6259, for tho purohaso of inonbators, eggs. &o. The travelling expenses amounted to .£43. In return they sold eggs at a very high price, and there was a big demand for them all over the colony. The new dairy expert was expected to arrive by the next Vancouver maji boat, and as soon as possible after that a dairy cohool would be established in eaoh island. The position of tho schools would be decided by the department, but no place had been fixed upon at present. Last year the Govern, ment paid 411197 to tho Hawke’s Bay Babbit Board for keeping down rabbits on Crown lands,

1 Mr Pieani said ho had known the present poultry export for 23 years. Ho was a New Zealander, and from the time he. was 11 or 12 years of ago he had made a study of tha poultry question, and he did not believe there was a man in the colony who knew more about it than Mr Hyde. The Minister had made a good appointment and had put the right man into tha position. Mr Monk doubted whether there was any necessity tor a poultry expert in New Zealand. ■ There were better bitds exhibited in the poultry shows than the Government had, aui private enterprise was doidg all “that was necessary." ‘ The Minister said Mr Hyde had not been appointed through favouritism, bat be was chosen as being thy best of those who applied for the position. Mr Tailor urged the importance of havipg the Home boats travel via Cape Colony, where there was an immense opening for New Zealand produce, which -they were now debarred from owing to the difficulty of shipping. In support of this, he stated that some little time ago a business man in Cape Colony placed an order in this oniony for 8000 head of poultry per month, hut it was found that that nnmber was not available. Mr "Wilson said ho had known Mr Hyde for nearly 14 years, and he had always borne th» reputation of an oxp-rt. in th ! s pirtionlvr industry. 11' wag wnpprd up iu his work, and he was giving groat satisfaction, Mr Fisher said the Government could not have madp a fetter selection for such a position. ’ The motion to strike out the ipem was lost S3yoices,

Some discusHion to fie place on the subject of compensation for-diseased a took destroy ed, and the hope was expressed that the Liu providing compensation would be passed this session. , „ . . , In regard to the collection of agricultural statistics, Mr Wilson said that work was being done this year at the Hutt by the local constable, who was already considerably overworked, and he if that work was to bo done by police constables all over the colony. Tho Minister said wherever possible tho work was done by stock agents. The class passed u ic.ltered at 9.25 p.m. LANDS AND SURVEY. Class 15, Department of Lands and Survey. Total vote. .£109,204. Mr Taylor, referring to a statement that £GOO9 had baen expended for clerical assistance, asked if the numbsrof temporary bauds employed was about tho average. The Minister said seven years ago there were not so many temporary hands employed, but it must bo understooJ that at that time only £60,000 was being expended on roads. Now they were spending close on £300,000, and that entailed a large increase of clerical work. When he took office there were just about as many temporary hands as now. Mr Montgomery urg<»d that lads who bad passed tho Civil Service examinations should be permanently employed instead of temporary clerks. Mr Pieani spoke in condemnation of the work done by Mr McKerrow in investigating old soldiers’ claims, and he moved to reduce the item, £6OO, in that connection by £l, as showing the opinion of the House on the perfunctory manner in which the work of investigation had been carried ont. This was negatived by 26 votes to 25, and the class passed unaltered. WORKING RAILWAYS, Class 11, Working Railways Department. Total vote. £371,000. Tbo Minister of Railways, replying to various remarks, said it had bean decided to stop all extraneous work at the various workshops in order to push on with the construction of waggons as fast as possible, Tbo new locomotives ordered from America were expected to arrive in about 10 days. The through passengers on tho Wellington* Napier lino were only about 6 por cent, of tbo total, and the present service could not bo altered for their benefit. Mr Taylor asked if it was true that a liquor bar was to bo opened at Mastorton Railway Station shortly. Mr Hogg said there was no demand fop such a bap at Mastortm, and bo was sorry to hear that an effort wai to bo made to demoralise one of tho most sober places in New Zealand.

Mr Buchanan urged that a dining-oar should bo placed on that line, and that tho five miles extra charge should ba abolished. The Minister, in reply, said it coat from £SOJ to £9OO to build a* decent dining oar, and at least twelve cars would be required for tho railways of the colony. The workshops had been* busily engaged for the last two years making rolling stock, and oven if he had the money at his disposal now it would bo impossible to provide dining oara for some time to coma. Plans were bring prepared for dining cars to suit the colony’s lines, and having those it would only be a question later oi of providing funds. Aa to a liquor bar at Masterfcon station, it was suggested to put a refreshment room there, but there was no intention, as far as he knew, of having it licensed. As to tho five miles extra charge on the Masterton line, the expersa of the incline was very heavy, but his idea was that the solution of the whole difficulty was to deviate the line. The class passed at 1.5 a.m, VALUATION DEPARTMENT. Class 16. Total vote, £J3,148, Complaint was made of the cost of recent valuations, and it was stated that some valuers had valued property without going near it. The Minister said the matter would be inquired into during the recess. At 2 o’clock the vote passed. The votes for lunacy and charitable aid also passed unaltered. The Labour Department was under consideration when we went to press.