WELLINGTON.

Otago Witness, Issue 1032, 9 September 1871, Page 4

WELLINGTON.

(from ouk own correspondent.)

August 27th.

The second week of the session has "been a singularly quiet and uneventful one. In fact, the House has had nothing to do, and one day onty sat for two hours, and another day for only three hours. The Government has as yet brought nothing forward, and the reason is popularly — and I think, correctly — said to be that until Mr Vogel came back, and could be consulted, the other members of the Government were afraid to commit themselves to anything. On Tuesday Mr Vogel took his seat, and as he went back to it after taking the oath, Mr Macandrew tried to get up what in theatrical language would be termed a "reception." Mr Macandrew, however, signally failed, for only one member —Mr Tribe — joined in the hand-clapping demonstration. These two clapped their hands long and loudly ; but as the rest of the House sat by in solemn silence, Mr Yogel looked a little discomfited. When on Friday he spoke for the first time this session, and promising the Financial Statement in a fortnight, he sought the indulgence of the House on account of the exceptionally difficult circumstances in which he was placed, he was again listened to in silence, and sat down without receiving the faintest sign of approval from the House.

On Tuesday, the Government took the first steps towards obtaining an imprest supply. The House went into Committee, and Mr Gisborne asked for an imprest vote of £150,000, which he said would cover the unauthorised expenditure, and enable the Government to carry on up to tlie end of September, by which time they hoped the Appropriation Act would be passed. The sum

already spent a\ ithout appropriation, and since the end of the financial year, was, he said, between £20,000 and £30,000. On this Mr Hall got up and asked how the Government had got this money from the Controller without appropriation. The House, he said, had for years been trying to make it legally impossible for the Government to get money without appropriation, but if the Government had got £20,000 or £30,000 it was evident that there was some defect in the law, and that it would be possible for them to have got much larger sums. In reply, Mr Gisborue reminded the honourable member that money drawn from the Controller was not necessarily spent on the purposes for which it was drawn. In the present case the Government had done as other Governments had done — drawn money from the Controller under the appropriation of permanent Acts, and had then spent it in meeting departmental and ordinary expenses since the termination of the tinancial year, trusting, of course, to receiving indemnity from the House. The Imprest Supply Bill has since passed through the iiivt stages. On Friday the Speaker laid on the table a communication from the Controller, enclosing an Order-in-Council which had been directed to him, authorising the issue of deficiency bills for the sum of £60,000.

The Port Chalmers Railway Bill, the object of which is to validate, as from the time of its being passed, the Provincial Ordinance authorising the construction of the railway, and to grant authority for the line being curried over the foreshore between high and low water mark, has beun passed through the Lower Hou.se, and is now before the Council. An attempt wni made to hurry it through there also, but Dr Buchanan and Mr Holmes objected ; and I think it is not improbable, from the way in which they urged delay, that one or both may oiler some opposition to it.

The first Land Bill of the session which has received the assent of the House to its principle is the Nelson CroAvn Lands Leasing Bill, the object of which is to allow blocks of not more than 200 acres of agricultural land to be leased for 14 years at a rental of 10 per cent, on the valuation of the land made by the Waste Lands Board. This rental of 10 per cent, is to cover both rent and purchase money, as at the end of the 14 years the land is to be the freehold proper tj 7 ' of the lessee without any further payment. This Bill was warmly supported by Mr Curtis, Mr Shepherd (of Nelson), Sir David Monro, Mr Fitzherbert, and other members, and was read a second time without opposition. It now stands referred to the "Waste Lands Committee, but its passage through the House in the way described bliows how great is the disposition to liberalise the Land Laws of the colony so as to encourage and promote settlement. Another .significant 33111 which has been passed is one authorising the borrowing of £30,000, for the purpose of erecting gasworks and extending the waterworks in the City of Nelson. This Bill contains clauses expressly setting f orth that neither

the colonial nor provincial revenues are to be liable for either the interest or principal of the loan, which is secured entirely on the city rates. This Bill Avas unopposed, and Auckland and Christchurch are also in the field as candidates for the privilege of raising loans for drainage and other municipal works on similar terms. The Christcluirch Bill has been read a second time. In fact, the House seems to be strongly disposed to encourage as much as possible the borrowing of money in this direction, and to be anxious, moreover, that the money should be borrowed in the colony.

Mr Stafford the other day rather nonplussed Ministers by moving for the production of all papers connected with the San Francisco mail service not already on the table, and explaining that he did so because he had received from Mr H. H. Hall copies of tAvo tenders, one offering to undertake the service calling at Auckland, for £17,000 a year ; the other service, calling at Auckland and coasting to Dunedin, for £20,000 per annum. Neither of these documents was on the table. Mr Gisborne professed to have no recollection of having received those tenders, but admitted that he might have done so. They have since been found and laid on the table.

Mr Mervyn the other day moved for a return of the amount of revenue collected under the Gold Duty Act, ISSB, the Gold Duty Act, 1870, the Mining Companies Act, 18133 and 18G0, the Goldfields Act, 18(36, and the several Goldfields Acts passed by this House since 18GG, and any regulations made in conformity with the said Acts, for a period of three years ending 30th June, 1871, in the province of Otago. The return to show in detail the amount collected in each district of said province, under the folloAving heads : — miners' rights, business licenses, rents and fees for Avater-races, sluices, &c. , gold mining leases, rents and royalties, registration fees, miscellaneous receipts, fees and fines Wardens' Courts, gold duty. Mr Reynolds and one or tAvo other members objected to the return as xmnecessary. the required information being included in a return previously ordered on the motion of Mr Bradshaw. On this Mr Mervyn became very savage, and declared that he wanted the return in order that the various Goldfields districts might know what they respectively contributed to the revenue, and Avhat they were consequently entitled to have expended on them. The opposition of Mr Reynolds he attributed to the asserted fact that Dunedin now got all the money and expended it on itself, and the Dunedin members did not Avant this found out or made apparent. The return was ordered.

In reply to a question from Mr Steward, the Government has promised to bring in a Bill to extend the franchise by introducing a lodger qualification. The feeling of the House is decidedly in favour of this step. The Government has also been so far moved by the arguments of Mr Murray as to have promised to bring in a Bill similar in principle to the Imperial Drainage Acts. Mr Murray has theref < >re abandoned his motion for leave to himself to bring in such a Bill. The Vaccination Bill, which was lost last session, is to be introduced again this session. The first motion ever made in the House by a Maori member was one made by Taiaroa the other day, to the following effect :—": — " That, in the opinion of this House, it is desirable that a Council of Native Chiefs should be formed for the Middle Island, -whose duty it Avill be to deA'ise measures for the better administration of affairs relating to their lands, Avhich may or may not at present be held under CroAvn grunt, and to their property generally. Such measures to be submitted to the General Assembly for final approval." The honourable member made a very good speech in support of his motion, pointing out several matters to which the attention of the Council might be directed, and saying that he proposed that body should consist of twelve members, and should meet in Dunedin. Mr M'Lean supported the motion as being a useful one, and Mr J. W. Thomson said a few words as to the impropriety of encouraging the Maoris to consider themselves a separate people from us, an idea which would be fostered by the motion before the House. He also pointed out that as the resolutions of the Council Avere to be subject to the approval of the Assembly, tuipleasantness would arise if the Assembly found it necessary or desirable to Avithhold its approval. Mr Thomson's remarks were not replied to, and the motion Avas carried.

The petition of the Chancellor of the T T niversity of Otago, praying that the Otago University may participate, in proportion to the population of the province, in the New Zealand University's grant, has been reported on by the Public Petitions Committee, which body refuses to recommend the prayer of the petitioner to the favourable consideration of the House. The only other petition yet reported on, and which calls for any notice,

is one from a number of merchants of Auckland, who had a quantity of kerosene stored in the kerosene store established under the Dangerous Goods Act, and which building was some time ago burned down, and all its contents of course destroyed. The petitioners now ask for a refund of the duty which they had paid on the kerosene so destroyed. This request the Committee has recommended to the favotirable consideration of the House.

The Timaru and Gladstone Board of Works some short time ago asked the Government to procure the services of a competent marine engineer to give an opinion on the proposed harbour works there, and offered to contribute a portion of the cost of obtaining such an engineer. Mr Stafford the other day asked whether the Government intended to take any steps in the matter, and Mr Gisborne replied that Mr Carruthers, the new en-gineer-in-chief, had been brought up as a marine engineer, and had had very extensive experience in marine works, having amongst others been entrusted with the task of erecting a fortress at the mouth of the Nile. The Government intended sending him to Timaru to inspect the works, and it was not contemplated that any expense would accrue to the Board. When he is at Timaru the Otago authorities might, I should think, find it expedient to get him to go a little farther, and give an opinion regarding the Oamaru harbour works, for instance, and the Port Chalmers Dock also, perhaps. Some days ago Mr Collins placed the following notice on the Order Paper, and some curiosity was felt as to how it would be received. ' ' Mr Collins to ask the Prime Minister whether any urgent necessity existed for sending the Honourable Colonial Treasurer to England, when Dr Featherston was so shortly to follow as Agent-GeneralforNewZeaiand. Also, what was the expense of Mr Vogel's embassy, and how and by whom the duties of his Department were fulfilled during his absence ?" Mr Collins had scarcely spoken two words when Mr Fox interruptedhimby objecting that he was importing debateable matter into his question. The Speaker ruled Mr Collins to be in order, but that gentleman had not completed another sentence, when Mr Fox again interrupted him, and this time the Speaker upheld the objection. Mr Collins tried again, and was again interrupted ; and the Speaker read him a lesson from May. By this time, the whole House was laughing, and Mr Collins tried once more, when Mr Gisborne jumped up, and as a matter of precedent, asked whether such questions should be allowed to be put, quoting May to show that they should not. Before the Speaker could reply. Mr Gisborne having been whispered to by Mr Vogel, withdrew his objection, and Mr Vogel as a personal favour asked that the Speaker would waive order andallowthememberfor Collingwood to say what he liked. The Speaker replied that he could not as a favour to any one allow a breach of Parliamentary rules, and called on Mr Collins to go on. That gentleman, however, not seeing his way out of the difficulties by which he was surrounded, contented him self with simply putting the questions. Mr Fox replied to them categorically as follows : — To the first question, yes. To the second, that the cost would be made manifest to the House in the 3ame manner as the cost of the previous missions of Messrs Stafford, Fitzherbert, Reader Wood, and Sewell had been made manifest. And to the third question, that the duties had been performed like the duties of the gentlemen last named had been, by the other members of the Ministry. There was a good deal of amusement caused by the very small amount of information elicited by the questions.

The disagreement between the Hansard printers and the Reporting Committee continues, and is every day assuming graver proportions. The men are willing to take Is 4d per 1000, or to go on time wages at the same rate as the ordinary hands, but the Committee will not do anything beyond offering Is 3d. Four men were brought down by the Luna from Napier, but on arriving here they said they had been induced to come by misrepresentations, and they refused to work. The proprietors of the paper which, they left in the lurch, the Telegraph, vow vengeance against the Government for seducing their hands. The Luna has gone to the West Coast with Mr Didsbury, the Government Printer, to try and get hands ; but he is not likely to succeed, for the men have warned the others per telegraph, and if he got five or six hands to accept the terms, matters would only be made worse for the eighteen permanent hands engaged in the otlice have agreed to support the others, and to turn out if any hands came into the office to work for less than Is 4d. The general idea is that the Committee is badly advised in the course it is taking. Certainly much more than the Id per 1000 in dispute will be wasted in sending the Luna about the colony for men ; and if the permanent hands strike,

the whole business of the session will practically be brought to a stand-still, as without printing, the work of legislation cannot go on.

Mr Macandrew's resolutions are likely to be more fully disctissed, and aro attracting more attention than I at first thought they would. They have been postponed until Tuesday week, and Mr Macandrew had promised Mr Rolleston not to bring them on in his absence. The idea actually prevails that Mr Macandrew has brought them forward in the interests 01 the Government, and for the purpose of anticipating certain resolutions which it is said Mr Stafford contemplated moving in a somewhat similar direction. If the movement now in progress towards the formation of an organised Opposition under Mr Stafford's leadership has come to a head prior to the debate on the3e resolutions, I think it very probable that important amendments will be moved on the propositions of His Honour of Otago. In the Council, Dr Buchanan has carried a motion in favour of subsidising one or more of the local papers to publish condensed reports of the proceedings of Parliament day by day. No practical result, however, is likely to follow, as it would be almost impossible to find men capable of producing a faithfully condensed report. They would have to be intimately acquainted with the bearings of the questions discussed. Dr Buchanan's idea is that one man could do each House. I should not envy the two men their work.