SLEEPERS FOR OATLINS RIVER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2170, 26 September 1895, Page 19

SLEEPERS FOR OATLINS RIVER.

A battle royal raged over this question for some time last night. The member for Ciutha has had a grievance in this connection for some weeks, but the astute Premier blocktd his motions bo tbat he oould not get the matter ventilated. His opportunity, however, came last nighfc i n going into Committee of Supply. He seized it, charging the Premier

with duplicity and jobbery in sending faulty sleeper* from his district to a distriot I well supplied with valuable timber. The Hon. Richard laid birmelf out to annihilate Clubba. That gentlemau, he said, had lost the re»peol of the House, had moved motions, and the only teller he could get (in pity) was a Mnoii. He wanted to show Ciutha tint he had the fighting spirit cf Kumara still left. The whola trans* action was porf< ctly straightforward. No good timber wan to bo had at Cntlius. Mr Mitchel" Bon had soid so. Thu member for Cluuha bad insulted Mr Briton — and much to the same effect. air Thonus l\!<ckfi)zio replied that he w&a not crmbei. lit: quoted from a rdiablo authority at Catliup, who said a number of the sleepers were rotter, and worm-oaten. " Collusion was evident." Doub'e the ordinary quantity wjera required for tho bb. The personal abuie of the Pieuiier w«e characterUtio. Regarding his not getting tellers, the only occasion whno that occurrfd wa» on the Licencing Bill, when he (Mr Mackeissie) move! that no liquor should be sold to Natives in Native districts. No one would support him except Me Hooe H«k«. Regardiug the question of repeat he cared nothing foe the opinion of the Premier aid his followers. He preferred to unearth a job such as narrated and take the PremitrV abuse rather th*ntail along ou tbe smooth political surface irrespective of duty. The f»ot remained that faulty sleepera had been sent all the way from the Wrst Coast to C»tlinß, that the Premier was afraid to have the matter investigated, tbat the Pi culler's statement! were unreliable, and his explanations only landed him iv * worse position. He could perhapß excuee the hitler personal attack aa ha (Mr Mackeuscio) had jmt defeated the Government on two of their tariff proposal*. Tb* member for Ciutha han i eetived a letter from C*tlins asking if the Govcrnmeftt will not take 1000 or 3000 good totara sleepers. Mr Button explaiiHcl that Mr Mtokenzio had never insulted him. Mr Mitchelson denied ever stating that good timber was not to be had at Owaka. He considered kowbai imperishable. ADVANCES TO SETTLERS. A return has just be?n prepared showirig tha transactions of the Advances to ric! tiers Office to June 30, 1895, as follows: — Applications for loans for the purpose of releasing mortgages 1101, amounting to £570,053 ; the advances authorised being 440, amounting to £228,013. Advances applied for on freehold securities 134fy amounting to £713,159 ; on lea«oho'd eecnritiea 779, amouuting fco £155 579 ; o.i freeho.'d and lenpehold securities combined 32, amounting to £15,715 ;— total nnmber of applications 2158, amounting to £884,453 The advances authorised are ;— Freeholds 701 for £314,822. leaseholds 256 for £35.840, combined 8 for £4245 ;— total 965 for £354,907. The total number declined was 617 for £231,124.