HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 1881, 3 August 1874, Page 3

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wellington, Saturday, 5.5 p.m. THE FORESTS BILL DEBATE.

There was a brilliant debate last night, after dinner, upon the Forests Bill. Mr Stafford, in an eloquent speech, supported the second reading. He said that so thoroughly did he believe in the bill he would sooner put it on the statute book with all its imperfections, and supposing every clause required amendment, than see it shelved for future legislation. The Government could carry the moasure if they desired, and he hoped the Premier would show he was in earnest by pressing it upou the House. Why cry out it interfered with the provinces? They had already shown that they could not carry out such a great scheme, and were they some little God Almighty that the colony must bow if they objected? Ekceptiug they had all shown a cold shoulder to the request of the Premier for information upon the question. Some provinces undoubtedly could deal with the matter unassisted, but the financial statement showed that the majority wore asking the 'colony for aid to carry out their ordinary functions. As to ridiculing the idea of a scientific college, without it the whole schemo would fail. For climatic reasons alone they should pass the bill, and make a commencement. He had by personal observation seen a fertile and populous valley on the lihine depopulated, and converted into a desert of shingle by the mountains adjacent being denuded of timber. He hoped the Government would show a willingness to accept any bona fide amendments, and invite the co-operation of the provinces. Already the colony was going to Oregon for sleepers for railways. He granted that the kauri forests of Auckland would

last 30 years, but after that, what then P No new kauri was growing up to replace the old.

Mr Wakefield, Mr G. B. Parker, and Mr McGlashan supported the second reading. Mr J. L. Gillies said he regarded it as an open attempt to wrest from the [provinces the control of three per cent, of the lands of the colony. In any case they were the most competent bodies to carry out such a scheme. He had good reason to doubt the accuracy of the figures given as to the rapid disappearance of the forests of the colony.

Mr .Richardson supported. Mr T. B. Gillies made a bitterly hostile speech, He denounced the question as being one between the provinces and the colony. He doubted much of the facts and figures adduced. The denuda. tion of forests was not always injurious, but sometimes beneficial, as in forest-covered provinces like Auckland. Though tree planting might be required in the treeless plains of Canterbury, the General Government had too much to do without looking after the forests of the whole colony. As to computations of the probable income from conserved forests, any of them might make such calculations regarding our oyster beds as to make it appear that you could derive revenue from them to pay off the national debt of England. The bill would give the Government powers which should be in the hands of the House only. The only reason why they were sending to Oregon for timber was because of the viciou'sneus of our native land laws in locking up the kauri forests of Auckland.' Such bills were easily put on the statute book, but it was difficult to get them off, especially when they provided for salaries. The bill held out a cunning bait, and he hoped the colony would refuse to take it. MrEtzherbert made a long and characteristic speech in condemnation of the measure, as one which, however disguised, practically meant taking away from the control of the provinces the control of two million acres of the most valuable of their land without affording any equivalent. He had no objection to experimenting on the conservation of forests, but this -was like making a.model the same size as the ship you intended to construct'.

Mr Header Wood concurred in all that fell from the hon. member for the Hutt. He made an effective speech against the bill. _ He said while agreeing with its principles he wished it relegated for more serious consideration.

Mr Murray moved the adjournment of the debate.

The House rose at half-past 12 a.m. Mr Chas. O'Neill will ask the Premier on Tuesday when arrangements will be completed by Now Zealand, New South Wales, and Queensland, for the construction of an electric cable between New Zealand and New South Wales, and from Northampton in 'Queensland to Singapore, in terms of an agreement now ratified by the parliaments of the colonies.