Monday, August 20. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1918, 24 August 1888, Page 17

Monday, August 20. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Both Houses of Parliament adjourned on Monday out of respect to the late Hon. Dr Menzies, the Council adjourning for the day. The House of Representatives resumed in the evening, when the Premier announced the business which it was intended to proceed with. After some opposition the Crown and Native Lands Rating AcO Repeal Bill was considered in committee. The part of the act referring to Native lands will remain in force, but the new measure provides that only one-half the rate shall be paid on Crown lands next year and one-fourth the following year, after which the payment of rates will cease. The measure was eventually read a third time. The hon. the Premier in announcing the measures which his Government proposed to proceed with this session, stated that he saw no reason why the work fehould not be completed this week. Parliament may therefore be expected to prorogue either at the end of this or early next week. THE BUSINESS TO BE PROCEEDED WITH. The Hon. Sir H. A. ATKINSON made a statement as to the intentions of the Government respecting the business for the rest of the session. They proposed to ask the House to discharge all the orders but the following:— Crown and Native Lands Rating Act Repeal, Local Courts Procedure, Rating Acts Amendment, Fencing Act 1881 Amendment, Justices of the Peace Act Amendment, Slaughter Houses Act 1877 Amendment, District Railways Purchasing Act Amendment, Land Transfer Act Amendment, Public Works Amendment, Harbours Act 1878 Amendment, Property Tax, Special Powers and Contracts Act 1886 Amendment Bill. Five of these bills bad passed the Legislative Council, and it would not take much time to pass most of the bills. With reference to the Harbours Bill, that was a most important measure, involving questions whether or not local bodies should bo allowed to repudiate. He proposed to bring it forward, and in doing so to set forth the reasons for introducing the bill, which were serious and far reaching, for the bill was not a local one, as many mem,bers seemed to think. With the exception of the Crowu and Native Lands Rating Act Repeal and District Railways Purchasing Bill there were no measures likely to lead to long discussions, and there was no reason, so far as tho Government could see, why, [f the House was so disposed, the business should not be finished this week. With reference to the Chinese question, the Government intended to try and get another conference with the Legislative Council, and hoped to be able to agree upon a bill which would satisfy the House and the Council putting the limitation, say, at one Chiuaman to every 100 tons. As to deferred payment settlers, the Government regretted very much that they had not been able to get the Fair Rent Bill passed in the Legislative Council, but they had after consideration decided to make full inquiries, through their officers, into the circumstances of the settlers. In the meantime they would not collect any more rent than was considered fair by the officers, and the information obtained through the officers would bet submitted to the House next session. He was afraid there was no possibility at all of getting the Naval and Military Settlers Bil' passed. Thursday morning would be given for local bills, but it must bo understood that such bills as were likely to be talked out could not be considered . H»* moved that all tho orders of the day after those he had named be discharged. Mr R. REEVES (Inangahua) spoke at somo length on the Foul Brood Among Bees Bill which was among those to be destroyed. — After ho •had spoken nearly an hour and a-half tho motion was carried. " A GENEROUS ACT. The Hon. W. J. M. Lanwch has peifqrmed a most generous act by presenting to the Magdalen Asylum the full amount of his honorarium. The Rev. Father Ginaty, who is at present in Wellington, informs mo that this is Mr Larnach's second gift to the deserving institution. The Magdalen Asylum is situated at Mount Magdala t near Christchurch. THE MOKAU JONES CASE. The commissioners have drawn up their report, nud it is said to be favourable to Mr Jones. It is rumoured that the Premier is much annoyed at the turn things have taken, as it will be remembered that before the commission was appointed Mr Jones could get no redress from the Government. THE PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT. The Post says : " Sir Harry Atkiuson used to pose as the prophet of thrift and prudence. We regret we cannot recognise either in the public works proposals now bofore Parliament. Their general effect, we think, is wasteful rather than economical, in the true sense of the term, and If they are accepted by Parliament they will intensify instead of in any way relieving the too prevalent depression which weighs upon the colony. They show no trace or indication of statesmanship, nor any just appreciation of the real circumstances or needs of the colony." The Press remarks, " The Public Works Statement is very unsatisfactory in two important particulars. In the first place it does not carry out the policy which the Government profess to have determined upon. The Minister of Public Works states that policy to be to cease all expenditure on railways beyond liabilities which will not ba .immediately l'eproductive. We are actually in view of the exhaustion of the Loan Fund, yet the Government have not the courage or rightmindedness to break away from the vile traditions of the past, but must needs use the last melancholy remains of the colony's once magnificent Public Works Fund for a groedy

scramble among the daughters of the horseleech."

The New Zealand Times observes: "The Public Works Statement delivered by Mr Mitchelson on Saturday morning exactly fulfilled anticipations, and therefore calls for little comment. It embodies in practical shape the Ministerial policy of ' tapering off ' public works expenditure, so that this shall by degrees reach a vanishing point, and disappear wholly from the colonial budget."