PARLIAMENTAEY.

Ohinemuri Gazette, Volume VII, Issue 450, 11 December 1897, Page 3

PARLIAMENTAEY.

PUBLIC 'WORKS AND LAND SETTLEMENT. On Wednesday last Mr Seddon moved the second reading of the Aid to Public Works and Land Settlement Act Amendment Bill, which proposes to empower the raising of £250,000, of Avhich £200,000 is to be devoted to railway repairs and the providing of rolling stock; £25,000 for school buildings, and £25,000 for technical schools. He referred to tht necessity, owing to tho floods, for repairs to the railway lines, and for additions to the rolling stock owing to increased traffic. Captain Eussell contended that if the railways had been properly managed there would not have beenany necessity for borrowing £200,000 for repairs and additions. He admitted that Mr Cadman had managed the railways creditably, but he denied that the Commissioners had left the rolling stock in a bad condition. He said that while the Commissioners had the management the traffic revenue had increase i, and a large aniounl of repairs had been effected out of revenue. Mr Cadniau said the question of the desirability of State or Com- ! missioner to control was one for the country to decide. He did not profess that the Government policy had been 1 responsible for the whole of the increased traffic on the railways, but he claimed that the reductions mad» in the rates had materially assisted in increasing the traffic. He qxioted figures showing the large increases which had taken place in connection with the railways since 1894. Tho amount proposed to bo expended (£200,000) was not excessive considering what had to be done.

Mr Seddon said he was gratiiiod to hoar so many members conipliinont his colleague on his railway management, and his administration had proved that the Government was competent to efficiently manage the railways. He contended that the proposed expenditure would be reproductive, and said a much larger expenditure on the different workshops in the colony was also necessary, and would be equally reproductive. The second rea ing was agreed to jon the voices. EXPLANATION BY MR MCGOWAN. Mr.'McGowan is annoyed at a statement said to have been made at the Cii^Jyr of Mints in Auckland by

Mr Jas. Kussoll to the effect that lie (Mr McGowan) had said that he did not care about how English capital was treated. "What he did say was in reference to the stamp duties imposed on companies which have taken power in their articles of association to enter into general business. In that matter he made the remark that the companies had brought the tax on themselves by the manner in which they had drawn up their articles of association. Mr McGowan says he is as conscious as any man is how essential English capital is to the mining industry. MrMcGowan says his remark is being misinterpreted to his disadvantage at the Thames.