GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10598, 16 September 1896, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

I TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15. The Connoil met $t 2.30 p.m. rsnsotJAL. ! A petition from Sir Walter Buller, praying ! to be hoard at the bar of tbc Couacil, w*s pro- ! sented by the Hon. Me Bo wan. i . DESIGNATION 01' DISTOICI'S. j The Hon. Mr BOWEN asked the Miniate: ' for Education whether any action had besD ' tsketj under " The Designation of Districts Ace , 1894," and, if bo, what wero the names of tba ] places that had been altered, and what mis- ■ spelt 6c corrupted Maori namai had basn : rectified. He referred to several place* which the lUilway department continually misspelt, and said that if the names of towns could Dot ! bo conveniently altered, at least the Railway j department might use tho pninb brush on its stations and spell their names correctly. i The Hon. W. C WALKER said that the Dames of several towns had bceo altered under the provisions of the act. No doubt the post i office could do a great deal in this matter, but he would call the attention of the Railway department to the matter, and he had no doubt but that a proper .edition of oar stations' uatnes j would be issued. ..-.•.• " ' \ ASIATIC RESTRICTION BILL. j Tha Hon. Captain MOKBIS moved the adjournment in order to call she attention of the Government, with reference to the Asiatic Restriction B.U, to the clause in the treaty batvresn Great Britain and Japan which allowed the : subjects of either Power free ingress into the dominions of the oth<-r Power. j The Hon. W. C. WALKER said that this j colon/ had »n opportunity of ratifying or dis- j senting from that treaty, but that the time had now passed and tho treaty had not been ratified i by New Zealand. j THE LOAN BILL. i The Hoa, W. C. WALKBR, in moving to | commit the Loan Bi!i, contended that the indafiniteneiis o£ the scherinle was not uuusual, but rather the customary practice in bills of j this. kind. The item of £200,000 for the de- ' velopment of the goldflelds included money for tha development of roads on. the goldflelds, and ! the amount named included £65,000 which wag already pledged for different works in connection with the Thames deep level operations, works on the West Coast, and water conserving in Central Otago. It was contemplated that the question of proclaiming rivers and creek? as sludge channels should be taken up during the year out of this vote, and tha construction of roads on the goldfields would probably absorb the remainder. The item of £50,000 for the development of the Thermal Springs, scenery, ice, was rightly appropriated, as we had a valuable asset in these localities at present. The authorities were much distressed at how to put Rotorua into proper condition to receive and accommodate visitors who go there or want to go there, and £55,000 at least should be spent in that locality. It_ was the intention of the Government to procure from England some properly qualified gentleman who would put the place in a proper condition and would best know how to utilise the curative waters. Tha Mount Cook health resort also reqnired opening up with roads ami bridges, and there were other places ou wbieh rnnney would be well speut. As to the £250,000 for railway works, these were mentioned in the schedule. Of the £250,000 for laud iiniirnveraent £127,000 was afc-ady pledged. Of £250,000 for Native land purchase £88,000 whs already pledged. What was asked for io this loam, he concluded, was not excessive or extravagant. The Hon. Mr OKiXIOND said that the Council should be satisfied that it had taken «. wiso and prudent oourae iv taking the stand it had taken on this bill. From the information vouchsafed it appeared to him that a large part of tha loans had been anticipated. It had beeu tha cuiitom previously for loan bills to be preceded by the Public Works Statement, not succeeded »s in the present instance. That was a very grave departure from a practice which practically conserved tha rights of Parliament. It would be a very serious thing for the Council to step in and prevent the Government from psying for works it hsd already entered upoa. However, the House had already passed tha present bill. These proposals should have bcon at the beginning instead of at the expiry of this Eeasion. The vote for tho purchase of Native lands from year to year was simply a vote in aid of revenue, and was therefore entirely unbound. Under all the circumstances there was no other course open to the Council but to pass the measure. He thought the beet tbing to do before passing the measure was to put on record an expression of opinion by the Council, and he moved the fi;l'Oi*;ug resolution as an amendment, bat not one th.ic would anVct the passing of the bill beyond delaying it for one day—" Th*t before going into Committee oa the Loan Bill, the Council places on record its opinion that the bill does not give EnfSeien': information as to the services for which tno loan is to be applied; als'j, the Coancil regrets that the policy of non-borrowing which wss affirmed when tho present Parliament was elected i should be departed from on th? eve of a general election ; hut whereas the Council is informed that the proposed loan has been to » considerable extent anticipated, therefore such expenditure must be provided for, as tho stoppage of all public works and consequent throwing out of employment of a large number of persons would ensue, the Council do not feel justified in refusing to allow the bill to proceed." The Hon. Mr KELLY spoke in defence of the measure. Tho Hon. Dr GRACE held that this anticipating of revenue meant nothing but extravagance, and must prove unsatisfactory to the country. The Hon. Captain MORRIS wanted it plainly put to the people what position the Government was in iti reference to this loan, how long this borrowed money was expected to last, and how much ef it was already spent. The Hon. Mr KBHR protested againet the amendment as unnecessary. It would simply be a censure on the Government and an apology to the public for doing what the Council had to do. The Hon. Sir G. S. WHITMORE supported the resolution. The Hon. Mr PEACOCK favoured sticking to the protest, and saying that the Council wonld agree only to allow the Government to borrow what it had anticipated. The resolution was not a sufficient protest. They should put down their feet, and defend the Government from its own friends. The Hon. Mr STEVENS considered that things had gone too far bo it for the Council to reject the measure. The amendment was than put and carried by 20 to 16. The voting wts as follows : — Avrs (to commit the bill) 16.—Messrs Stewart, Baillie, Aciand, Smith, Arkwrigut, Kerr, Kslly, Rigs, .loucs, Jenkinsou, Taiaroa, .Reeves, I'eldwick, M'l.ean, Bolt, W. C. Walker. Noes (for the ameadmeut) 20—Messrs Reynolds, Richardson, h. Walker, Whitmore, Scotland, Birnicoat MacGragor, Swinson, Williams, Jcnninjs, Morris, Bonar, Stevens,Ormoud,Bowen, Johnston, (Jr.»ee, Holmes, Peacock, Montgomery. Tha Hon. W. C. WALKER then gave notice to commit the bill on tha nexl. sitting day

ADVANCES TO SETTLKBS. In Committee ou the Uuvernmeut Advances to Settlers Act Amendment Bill, section 6, which allows advaucas ou suburban land», was struok out on the motion of the Hon. Mr Stevens, the voting baing 15 to 7.—The ue.ii three clauses were consequently struck out ou the voices. On the motion o£ the Hon. Mr Stbwabt section 10, which allows of advances up to £4000, was struck out by 20 to 12. Sub-section 2, of section 11, allowing advances oq deterred payment small grazing runs( was alto struck out on the motion of the Hon. Mr Stewart. Section 12, dealing with mortgages of Native Lunds, was struck ont on the motion of the Minister in charge, and after & new sootioa ou the.same subject proposed by the Hon. Mr Stewart had bean alno rejected, th« muchemaaoulated measure »« rejected.

ABATTOIRS. The Council went into Committee upon the Abattoirs and Slaughterhouses Act Amendment Bill, but after some discussion on clause 3 progress was reported. At 5 p.m. the Council adjourned.