POLITICAL NEWS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 3387, 5 August 1885, Page 3

POLITICAL NEWS.

(By Telegraph.) (fbom our own correspondent.) WBLLIIfGTON, August 4. The Waste Lands Committeo have agreed to certain new clauses m the Land Bill by taking tho administration of educational endowments out of the hands of the various School Committees and vesting it m the Waste Lands Board, who are also empowered to take up to 6s per acre of the proceeds for road making on ondowinonts before these proceeds are handed over. Mr Macandrew, however, has obtained a recommittal of these clauses, and they will bo further considered to-morrow, so that tho matter is not yet settled. Mr Reignolds, Dr Menzies undßegg, tho Otago High School Commissioners, have been summoned by Mr Macandrew to give evidence beforo the Committee on tho point, and Mr Rolleston has asked for the evidence of the Surveyor-General. Sir Julius Vogel's petition was before the Public Petitions Committeo this morning, and his written evidence was handed m. Tho annual report of the Marine Department wns presented to Parliament to-day. It gives a full account of the coastal lighthouses, beacons, &c, and states that the sum collected as light dues during the year was £8526, being £332 moro than in' the previous year. It states that the Hinemoa has had her boilers refitted, but will soon need new boilers. Tho Stella requires a now boiler at once, and sho is to have one. She Btearaed 18,890 miles during the year, was 2529 hours undor steam, burned 816 tons of coal, landed 1267 tons of cargo, and carried 260 passengers. The shipping casualties were not bo numerous as last year, being 63 of 9222 tons as against 91 of 16,382 tonß last year. The total losses and loss of life were, however, greater, the former being 4236 tons against 3293 tens lost year, and the latter being 48 against 31. Tho cost of maintenance of New Zealand lighthouses was £10,645. Tho total numbor of masters, mates and ongineors examined during the year was 232, of whom 184 passed and 48 failed. Tho annual report of the Inspector of Machinery, laid on tho Table tin's evening, showß that 1678 boilers were inspected during the year, of which 41 were found dangerous, and 139 moro or less defective. Accidents to life and limb had been much less frequent than m former years, and tho machinery had been better looked after. No boilor explosions occurred during the year. From a return laid on tho Tablo, it appears thai tho total value of produce exported to New South Wales during tho year ended 30th Juno, 1885, was £666,952. Midnight. By an arrangoment mado thiß morning tho motion relative to tho Meiggs 1 proposal was postponed to this evening, and tho debate on tho Native Land Disposition Bill was continued this afternoon. Tho Maori members distinctly condemned the Bill, and repudiated its being considered a. Maori measure. " No," they said, " it is a half-caste BUI." Mr Pyke mado a very incisive onslaught on tho Bill, and look occasion to retract all ho had formerly said against Mr Bryce's nativo policy, declaring that ho was now convincod Mr Bryco had saved tho country from a nativo robollion, whilst Mr Ballance's policy tended directly towards producing native dissatisfaction. Tho voting is expected to be very close on this question, and it is quite uncertain which way tho division will go. At present tho members for and against tho Bill seem exactly equal, but ono or two on each Bide may be labellod as " doubtful." On tho Houso reassombling this evening Sir Julius Yogel moved the resolution of which ho had given notice m favor of referring tho Mciggs' proposals to a Select Committee. His speech was an extromcly clevor and ingenious piece of special pleading m support of the scheme. Tho only othor feature of any interest up to midnight, except porhaps a vigorous speech by Mr Fisher, was a remarkably humorous and telling ono by Mr Pyke, who was m immonso form and delivered a most ' trenchant speech, denouncing the schemo altogether, and made somo very nasty knocks against tho Government for mixing themselves up m such a scheme. It is token for granted that every Canterbury, Westland, and Nelson Member must necessarily speak on this question to snvo his credit with his constituents, so that it Booms hardly likely the debate will closo to-night. Estimates still givo a substantial majority against tho proposal. Some say tho majority will be 12, but this is quite uncertain. It is deoniod posaiblo ono or two votes may be swayed by Sir Julius Vogel'B speech to-night. (Pkr Pkkss Association.) Tho following figures wcro quoted to-night by Sir Julius Vogol during tho dobnto on tho East and West Coast Railway proposals : — Estimated cost from Springfiold to Brunnerton £1,767,500, estimated cost from Nelson to Brunnerton £1,361,500, total cost of tho East and West Coast and Nelson Railway £3,130,000; estimated traffic on the Springfield to Brunnorton lino £88,375, less working expenses, say 66 per cent of tho traffic, £6827, not profit on 96 miles of railway, .€80,048. Besides yielding £88,375 of direct rovenuo, as abovo estimated, tho construction of this railway would oho croate trafllc to tho oxtent of say £44,000 on lines already constructed botweon Tininru and Waikari. Taking tho half of this latter sum as profit, which would bo a reasonable estimate, tho total profit arising out of tho construction of tho lino from Springfiold to Brunnerton might be fairly estimated ivt £30,000. Tho estimated trafllc on tho Brunnorton to Bolgrovo line is £37,600, and this, less the estimated working oxponsos of £33,750, gives a not profit (on 150 miles of railway) of £4750. Besides this profit, thoro would also bo tho piofit arising out of tho additional traffic which would be crontod on

the existing lines at Nelson and Greymouth. Estimating this traffic on the same mileago basis as for the railway from Brnnnerlon to Belgrove, it would amount to £70,000, and the half of this, as m the case of the Canterbury lines might be estimated as net profit. The total profit for traffic on and arising out of the construction of tho Brunnerton and Belgrovo railway would be about £7500. Tho total net profit direct and indirect arising out of the construction of the whole line from Nelson to Springfield and Brunnerton would be not less than £59,000.