PARLIAMENT IN SESSION.

Otago Witness, Issue 1918, 24 August 1888, Page 16

PARLIAMENT IN SESSION.

Wednesday, August 15. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. BILLS DEALT WITH.

The following bills were read a third time and passed : — Mackenzie Country Land, Ross Compensation, Clyde Domain and Recreation Ground Grants, Waikato Agricultural College, Model Farm, Post Office Foreign Parcels. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Replying to Mr Steward the Hon. Sir H. A. ATKINSON said the Government proposed to expend £10,000 on the establishment of labour settlements, as recommended by the deputation of Canterbury members. THE MINES ACT AMENDMENT BILL. Mr SEDDON resumed the debate on the motion that the amendments made by the Legislative Council in the Mines Acb Amendment Bill be disagreed with. He moved as an amendment that they be agreed to, and spoke at great length on the question. The motion of the Minister for Lands was then put and carried by 33 to 25, Mr Seddon's amendment being lost. NATIVE BILLS. The Native Contracts and Promises Bill was read a third time and passed. The motion that the amendments be agreed to was then put and carried. The House divided on the motion that the bill be read a third time — Ayes 65 ; noes 13. The bill then passed. DISTRICT BAILWAYS. The Hon. T. W. HISLOP moved that the District Railway Purchasing Act Amendment Bill be committed. Mr WALKER expressed disapproval of the hill as being calculated to inflict great hardship pn the settlers concerned. Mr COWAN said he had taken certain objections to the bill on its second reading, but the Colonial Secretary had done his utmost since then to meet those objections. He pointed out, however, that the Waimea Plains railway was in a different position from other district railways, being a continuation of the main line, and also yielding a profit of 3 per cent, on the cost. He thought these facts should be takeu into consideration by the Government when this bill was in committee. Mr DUNCAN protested against the injustice that would be inflicted by this bill at the present time upon a large number of settlers. He considered it was a most unfair transaction for the Government to do to levy rates on the Duntroon line under the present circumstances. The bill should be thrown out altogether. If not, it would have to be amended in some way, so as to necessitate its being dropped. Mr VALENTINE agreed that Mr Hislop had gone some distance to meet their wants; but he had not gone far enough. .No doubt £2 10s would relieve a good many settlors, but it would also leave many who are altogether unable to pay rates. He thought if there was any line that deserved special treatment it was the Waimea line. Mr WHYTE thought the House was determined to pass this bill, but he should like to point out that the Rotorua railway was certainly entitled to special consideration, owing to the damage inflicted on the district by the Tarawera eruption. The bill in question, as far as that district was concerned, meant nothing short of the issuo of distress warrants-all over the place, in order to pay rates. < Mr MOSS objected to the constituents of particular members being relieved of burdens which they were entitled to pay, and he also objected' to arrangements of this kind being entered into to meet the wishes of Government supporters. An important measure of this nature should not be considered at such a late hour, and ha moved that the debate be adjourned. The SPEAKER ruled that he could not move the adjournment, as he had spoken to the question. Mr,DOWNIE STEWART agreed with the view taken by Mr Moss, and contended that those settlers should not be relieved at the expense of other parts of the colony. He would oppose all future attempts of this kind to relieve parsons of burdens which they should legally pay. The motion was agreed to, and the Honse went into committee on .the bill. Mr WALKER took exception to the proposal to submit accounts of receipts and payments of railways to the Auditor-general.

The Hon. T. W. HISLOP saw no objection to that, and he thought the Auditor-general, as an independent officer, was the most qualified for the position.

Mr VALENTINE moved that accounts shall be open for inspection for 40 days instead of 20. — Agreed to. The Hon. T. W. HISLOP moved an addition to clause 4— "That the Auditor-general may allow reasonable costs to objectors to account for the expenses of themselves and their witnesses. w Dr NEWMAN strongly objected to a provision of this kind, as being open to grave abuse. The Hod. T. W. HISLOP safd similar provision was made in' every rating act that was passed where expenses were allowed to objectors by resident magistrates, and he contended that the Auditor-general would not be ' likely to abuse the power more than a magistrate. Mr MONK moved that the words "if objections be sustained" should be inserted. — Lost on the voices, and Mr Hislop's amendment carried. MORE ABOUT THE LABOUR SETTLEMENTS. Since despatching my previous message on this subject, I have gained some further information regarding the Government's labour settlements. The £10,000 which the Premier promised to place on the Supplementary Estimates will only be given conditionally, in case the Crown Lands department cannot provide sufficient land for the proposed settlements. The Minister for Lands informs me that he hopes through the Public Reserves Bill to be able to provide all the land necessary in order to placate the Northern members. It is proposed to place a sum on the Public Works Estimates to be spent on village settlements in the North Island. THE TIMBE3R INDUSTRY. An authority on the timber trade informs me that the operations of the big Kauri Company are likely to be of great benefit to the Southern ports of the colony, and also to certain districts in the North. The company's monopoly of the kauri trade will bring into prominence rimu and maitai, which are plentiful in parts of Otago and Southland. A large mill owner of Wellington has received large orders for these timbers both locally and from Australia. From all I can hear, rimu and maitai will prove a formidable competitor to kauri. „ CROWN TENANTS. Mr Cowan and Dr Hodgkineon waited on the Premier this forenoon" with reference to the case of the tenants of the Crown who expected to have received relief if the Pair Rent Bill had become law. The Premier informed the deputation that no pressure would be put on deferred payment and perpetual lease settlers. A measure was in course of preparation by which relief would be afforded to the Crown tenants. VILLAGE SETTLEMENTS. A deputation of Auckland members having waited on the Premier to urge the necessity which exists for assisting the village settlements, the head of the Government has decided to place £15,000 on the Supplementary Estimates for that purpose. This is to be expended on village settlements where situated, and not to be confined to the Auckland district. The fact of £10,000 haying been set apart for the labour settlement inspired the Auckland representative with the idea of forcing the Government to assist the village settlements. Auckland in Ihe eyes of its representatives is the "hub" j of the universe, and the rest of the colony may sink so long aB their qwh provincial district swims.