Friday, September 13.

Otago Witness, Issue 1974, 19 September 1889, Page 14

Friday, September 13.

bills dealt with.

In the Legislative Council, , The amendments made by the House of Representatives in the Native Lands Frauds Prevention Act Amendment Bill and Ngarara and Waipiro Further Investigation Bills were agreed to, and the amendments in the Selectors Lands Revaluation Bill were disagreed with. Progress was reported with leave to sit again on the Naval and Military Settlers and Volunteers Land Bill. The West Coast Settlement Reserves ActAmendment Act 1887 Suspension Bill wa& passed, jj

PUBLIC WOHKS ACT.

In the House of Representatives, The Hon. E. MITCHELSON moved—" That the amendments made in the Legislative Council in the Public Works Act Amendment Bill ba agreed to with the exception of the omission of clause 22, and the insertion of clause 31." The clause proposed to be omitted gave the railway commissioners power to lease for terms not exceeding 21 years, and the one he inserted gave harbour boards power to spend money in the construction of streets. — Agreed to, and a committee consisting of the Hons. E. Mitchelson, E. Richardson (Kaiapoi), and Mr Rosa were appointed to draw up reasons.

SECOND HEADINGS.

The Hon. Sir H. A. ATKINSON moved thesecond reading of the Licensing Act Amendment Bill to enable licenses to be transferred by married women, and to validate previous licenses to married women.— Agreed to.

The Hon. T. FERGUS moved the second reading of the Public Health Act Amendment Bill, which he explained was the outcome of the investigation of the Wellington City Council into the condition of the dairies and slaughterhouses of that city. The bill which provided for the regulation of dairies and the inspeotioa of slaughterhouses had been very carefully considered by the City Council of Wellington P and he hoped it would become law.

Mr FISH said the bill made a fundamental change in the law as it at present stood, and he did not think a bill of such a character affecting local bodies should be introduced so late in the session. He thought it unwise to pass a law of a general Hind merely to meet special cases, and unless the measure was one of great urgency it should be postponed till next session.

Mr IZARD objected to the crude way in which the bill had been prepared, although he did not oppose the bill itself.

Mr BLAKE 'said the bill would press very heavily on small dairies, which would not be able to bear the expanse that would be thrown on them. The clauses relating to slaughterhouse inspection should also be altered in the direction; of dealing with slaughterhouses within half a> mile of a city.

The Hon. T. FERGUS admitted the arguments against the bill, but he thought the House must recognise there was a very grave necessity for a bill of this nature. His opinion was that the city council should have some power of in* specting outside slaughterhouses.

IN COMMITTEE.

The motion for the second reading was lo3fc on the voices.

The Native Land Court Acts Amendment. Bill was further considered in committee.

Sir G. GREY suggested that the bill be withdrawn as it was improper to proceed with such an important measure so late in the session. The Hon. E. MITCHELSON said the Government could not consent to its withdrawal as the bill was framed in the interests of justice and mercy. He thought after the consideration given to the bill both by the Native members and Native Affairs Committee that the. House would do well to pass it into law.

Sir G. GREY referred to a person holdingvery high authority (Sir Jas. Fergusson) having dealings with Native lands, and asked the Premier for some explanation of those transactions.

. Mr HUTCHISON moved that the chairman, leave the chair, and traced the history of Sir J. Fergusßdn'B dealings, contending that these were illegal in their inception, and ought not to be validated.

The Hon. Sir H. A. ATKINSON promised to give full information on the matter next day. AD that had been done was done according to law.

Sir G. GREY pressed for information now, and threatened to obstruct the bill till it was produced. The Hon. Sir H. A. ATKINSON appealed to the committee to get on with the work of the country, and not listen to talk of this kind. They had all heard before the speech just delivered by Sir G. Grey. That hon. gentleman at the close of every session discovered some terrible iniquity that was about to be perpetrated by the Government, and addressed himself to the unborn millions instead of the practical work in the House. The hon. gentleman was a member of the Native Affairs Committee, but instead of attending to that committee and making suggestions in the Native bills he refused to attend its sittings or assist in any way to make bills workable.

After a lengthy discussion the motion for leaving the chair was lost on the voices, and clause 20 was passed without alteration. Several other new clauses were added to the bill without much c'iscussion or material alteration.

The Hon. B. MITCHELSON. in reply to Mr Ballance, said he should consider the desirability of recommitting the bill in order to reconsider clause 19, which also related to restrictions.

NATIVE LAND COURT BILL.

The Native Land Court Bill was further con* sidered in committee.

Clause 29, equity and good conscience.

The Hon. E. MITCHELSON moved that the words "commissioners shall act as a court of equity and good conscience " be struck out.— Agreed to, and the clause passed.

The bill was then reported with amendments.

The Hon. E. MITCHELSON moved that the bill be recommitted for the consideration of clause 19.

Mr SMITH movecLthat clause 20 be also considered, and Sir G. GREY moved a similar motion with respect to clause 30. Mr Smith's motion was lost on the voices, and Sir G. Grey's, after a division, by 36 to 18. Mr TAIWHANGA moved to insert a new clause. — Agreed to. The bill was then recommitted, clause 19 {■truck out, and Mr Taiwhang&'a clause added to the bill.

BILL PASSED. The Licensing Act Amendment Bill was coca mifcted and passed without amendment,

WESTFORT-NGAKAWAU RAILWAY,

The Westport-Ngakawau Railway Extension Bill was farther considered in committee.

Clause 2, the Governor may contract for an ixtension to Mokihinui. i

Mr FISH moved that progress be reported on the bill. He thought it was very undesirable the bill should be proceeded with farther. — Lost by 25 to 23. Mr FISH said after the closeness of the division it was evident this bill would not pass, and he thought the Government should agree to report progress. He was much surprised that the Government intended to go on with the bill after the declaration of the Premier that so new works would be proceeded with, and he therefore moved that the chairman leave the chair.

Mr REEVES (Inangahua) hoped the' motion would not be carried.

The Hon. E. MITCHELSON hoped the motion would not be agreed to, and pointed out that sometime ago the company had applied to the Government to be allowed to construct the railway themselves, but the Government thought as it was portion ot the main line it should be constructed by the colony, especially as it was not proposed to construct it out of loan money; Mr O'CONOR eaid if the House refused to allow this line to be constructed it would not be dog in the manger enough to refuse to allow the work to be proceeded with by a private company, but this would entail additional charges on the people of the district. Those who were supporting this bill were doing so in the best interests of the colony, because on the one side there was a monopoly, and on the other side private interests. By the adoption of the bill a coalfield would be opened up which, under proper management, would pay half the taxation of the colony. He would ask the House at any rate to pass the seventh clause of the bill which provides that the power of extending coal mining leases should be restricted.

The Hon. E. MITCHELSON eaid it wbb quite evident that the bill would not go through committee that night, and before moving to report progress he desired to say that the Government would be compelled to make arrangements with the company for the construction of the line.

Mr BARRON said he opposed this bill principally because the Government had emphatically stated that no new works would be proceeded with after the rejection of the Otago Central Railway Bill.

The Hon. Sir H. A. ATKINSON said it was a disgrace to the House the way parliamentary politics were being carried on, and if any hon. gentleman voted in a particular way it was quite sufficient to make him a marked man. The reason for the opposition to this bill was because Mr O'Conor voted against the Otago Central Railway Bill, and also because he had supported the Government on the no-confidence motion. He (the Premier) had taken up this line because he thought it was very desirable in the interests of the colony that the line should be constructed, and he thought a serious loss to the colony would result if the bill were defeated.

Messrs Seddon, Withy, Fraser, Smith, and Buchanan, also spoke on the motion for reporting progress, which was agreed to on the voices.

THE COUNTIES ACT.

The Government have abandoned their intention of introducing an Amending Counties Act this session, but will bring down such a measure early next session. The numerous amendments which members had prepared, therefore, have to stand over for a year.'

railway matters.

Mr Valentine informs me that the railway commissioners have under consideration extensive and very important improvements at the Gore railway station. The growing importance of the place is attracting attention, and no opportunity seems to. be lost by the members for, the district in keeping this well to the front. Messrs Valentine and Feldwick interviewed Mr M'Kerrow to-day on the subject of treating the Invercargill, Kingston, and Waimea lines as branch lines, and the injustice of the differential rates and the extra charges on the Waimea line. Mr M'Kerrow undertook to consider the questions fully. He had always thought the Kingston line should be treated as a trunk line. Until the Waimea line was removed from the category of district railways he could not promise a reduction of rates, but would consult Ministers. The deputation urged that all lines under the control of the commissioners should be worked on a uniform basis. Mr M'Kerrow said he quite agreed with the views expressed, and the whole matter would receive full consideration.

JOTTINGS.

The Premier has informed Mr Scobie Mackenzie that it is impossible to deal this session with the question of enabling the Mount Ida Water Trust to borrow for the completion of the works under their charge.

Annie Auld,of Waitahuna, whose late husband died of injuries received when in the service of the Railway department, petitioned for relief as she was left in poor circumstances. The Publip Petitions Committee think that if upon inquiry the facts are found to be such as are stated the case is a fair one for a compassionate allowance.

THE LAWRENCE BRANCH.

Mr J. C. Brown recently called for a return of the revenue and expenditure on the Lawrence railway line for the year ending 31st March last, The return shows that the revenue for the year was £6684 18s 3d ; expenditure, £5757 Us 8d ; net earnings, £727 6s 7d.

OBSTRUCTION.

As was anticipated, the opposition, to the Westport-Ngakawau Railway Extension Bill was too strong, and the Government at last was compelled to report progress on the bill, much to the disgust of ■Mr O'Conor and other West Coast members. There were some warm passages between Sir H. A. Atkinson and thq Otago members, the Premier inainuatiag that Messrs Fish, Barron, and others opposed > the bill out of revenge for the loss of the Otagd Central railway, and because Mr O'Conor voted against the Otago Central. Then Mr Fish! rounded on the Premier, but went off at a tangent to attack Mr O'Conor, and there was pretty lively work for five minutes. Colonel Fraser came in to express his contempt for " a rail sitter" like the member for Builer. At last members cooled down, p ogress was reported, and the House went on with the Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Bill, about which there is not by any means unanimity of opinion, and some time is likely to be occupied with the bill. '

SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATES.

To-night the Supplementary Estimates werei circulated. The amounts of the various votes' are as follows :—: — Services chargeable on the consolidated fund— ■, Ordinary revenue account, £36,823-; ! Land fund account, £6154. !

Services chargeable on the public works fund, £51,285. ; Unauthorised expenditure account, £44,246 9s

Among the general items are the following : — ; To defray the expenses of J;he Governor enter-: taining during the exhibition in Dunedin, £1000; advance to New Plymouth Harbour Board to berecovered, £2200; supply of materials, &c. for, prison labour op fortifications hitherto charged

to loan, £10,000; intercolonial rifle competition, £1000 ; purchase of copyright and stock oh hand of "New Zealand Justices of the Peace" and « Reports of the Court of Appeal," by the late Mr Justice Johnston, £300 ; repairs to Cook Straits cable, £924; San Francisco mail service (10 voyages at the rate of £11,250 per annum), £9326 ; interprovincial services, £500 ; refund of duty paid at new tariff rates, £712 ; protection of fish and oysters, £300 ; collecting and preparing mineral exhibits for Dunedin Exhibition, £200; repairs to Government house (Auckland), £500 ; to Government house (Wellington), £300; sanitary improvements to departmental buildings, £500; sanitary improvements to Parliamentary buildings, £250; expenses in detection of sly grog-selling, £200'; expenses in removing the Agnew family to ' Naseby, £20; dairy instructor (including travelling expenses), £400; immigration of separated families and relatives, £1000. ! j The Otago items are :— Refund of rent, Fyffe run, £60 ; collecting and preparing mineral exj- j hibits, Dunedin Exhibition, £200; contribution to assay and metallurgy instructor, Dunedin University, £200; compassionate allowance to W. Halligan, porter, Dunedin railway station, £50; additional expenses attending search for the body of Professor Brown, £36 ; expenses incurred in connection with the removal of the Agnew family from Wellington to Naseby, £20 ; miscellaneous roads and bridges — Waikoikoi bridge, £125 ; Riveradale-Switzers, £500 ; compensation to Ofcago Harbour Board for improvements on land taken for railway purposes!, £4500; Government Insurance, Dunedin agency 1 , salary of district agent on sick leave, £155 ; unauthorised expenditure, expenses incurred during the search for Professor Brown, £45 17s Bd.