HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 3422, 16 September 1885, Page 3

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

I The following is the continuation of this morning's sitting m ! COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY. Vote : Judicial, £33,227. Mr O'Callaghan moved to reduce the tola! vote by £4000. Tlio Premier accepted the reduction, ami the vote was then passed. Vote : Postal and Telsgraph, £8333.— Passed. Vote : Customs. — Mr Holme*, moved to striko out the item £4000, ono third tho estimated cost of the new Custom House tit Auckland. Tho nmendmeut. was carried by 31 to 24. Vote : Survey and Printing Otlice, £6000. The Hon. Mr Richardson said A'-iOOC might be struck off, and that course was adopted. Vote: Lunatic Asyluui9, £2300.— Carried Vote : Hospitals and Charitable Institutions, £13,000.— Carried. Vote : Quarantine Stations, £500.— Carried. Vote : School buildings, £68,230.— Carried, A r ote : Lighthouses, £10,-140. Dr Newman moved a reduction of £200, and it was carried. Vote : Harbor Defences, £250,000. Mr White moved a reduction of £50,000. Tho Hon. Mr Ballnnco accepted the amend' rnent, nnd the vote as reduced was passed. Voto : Postmaster-General and Telegrapl; Commissioner, £259,000. — Curried. Xote : Minister Native Affairs, £70,000.— Carried. Vote : Charges of Raising Loans, £60,000 — Carried. Progress was reported, and tho House rost at 3 a.m. Tho House met at 2.30 p.m. REPLIES TO QUESTIONS. Replying to Dr Newman, if tho Government will appoint a Royal Commission to enquire during tho recess into the causes oi the depression m commerce and agriculture m Xe\r Zealand, {or the purpose of discovering means for removing such depression, the Hon. Mr Stout said the matter would receivo attention during tho recces, but the Government would not pledge themselves to appoint a Royal Commission. Replying to Mr W. F. Buckland, if the Government will tako into consideration the advisability of offering v premium of, say, £100 for the best dovised scheme of local self-government, tho Hon. Mr Stout said the Government would be glad to avail themselves of the experience ol the hon. gentleman m the matter Replying to Mr Barron, if tlio Minister of Defence has had brought under his notice, and has considered the resolutions passed at a public meeting held m Dunedin on the 9th instant to hear an address fron) Rear-Admiral Scott, and to discuss the defences of New Zealand, and if he will givo effect to the recommendations contained m the resolutions, tho Hon. Mr Ballance said he did not agree with the opinions expressed by Rear-Admiral Scott, as they were contrary to the opinions held by the highest authorities. It was the intention of the Government to carry out the plan already agreed upon. Replying" to Mr Hobbs whether the Government will, during the recess, consider tho advisability of appointing New Zealand Residents at Samoa and Tonga, the Hon. Mr Stout said it wus a very important matter, and would be considered during the recess. NOTICE Or MOTION. Major Atkinson said he intended moving that the Governor be requested to place a sum of money on the Kstimates m recognition of the services of Sir William Foi, Commissioner for the West Coast. DISTRICT DAILWAY3 PCBCHA3E BILL. The Hon. Sir Julius Yogel moved the second reading of the District Railways Purchasing Bill. He said the Public Accounts Committee had reported favorably on this Bill with the exception of the Waimate line, and he should endeavor to show m Committee that that line should not be oxcepted. Mr Barron 3aid he hoped the House would not agree to the Bill merely because the Public Accounts Committee had reported favorably on it. The Committee also was not unanimous m its decision, He contended that there would be a great difficulty m forcing the ratepayers liable under the Bill to pay their rates. Mr Downie Stewart regretted tho Bill had not been brought forward at an earlier period of tho session. He felt disposed to think unless some substantial grounds were shown that those railways should be left alone. He should support any proposal to defer it till neit session. Dr Newman said ho had been inclined to support the Bi 1 with tho excep/ion of the Waimea Plains Railway, but he had now some doubt a3 to whether he would continue his support after the arguments he had heard against it. Mr Wakefield reminded the House that all the available information on the Bill had been laid before the House early m the session. He said it wa3 decided last session that the matter should be fully gone into this year, and he thought it would bo very unjust to the people interested m it who were not now decided one way or the other if this were not done. Mr Steward said tho management of tho Waimate liae was not calculated to make it payable. He considered the line was capable of extension through some of the best country m New Zealand. Ho could not see what objection there could bo from any point of view to this line being included m the Bill. He hoped the House would agree to all the lines scheduled m the Bill. Mr Montgomery was ono of the minority opposed to the Bill m tho Public Accounts Committee. Ho referred to the various lines included m tho Bill at some length. He thought considering that an additional liability of £500,000 or £600,000 would be thrown on tho colony by these lines it would be well for the Government to pauso before undertaking it or before committing the colony to such liability. He advocated the Bill should bo postponed for tho present, as it would bo most unprofitable for the Government to buy these lines, and a most profitable thing for tho companies to get rid of them. Sir George Grey said it would be a most unprofitable thing for the Government to purchaso tho lines on the terms proposed. Ho should do hia beat to prevent the Bill going through tho House. Mr Moss said the colony would gain nothing whatever by taking over some of the railways under tho Bill. With respect to tho Rotoruft and Kuihu railways, if tho Government could not secure thoao railways, there would at uli events be new lines added to tho railway system of the colony. He intended opposing the Bill. Mr Itcss supported the Bill, a» ho considered it was m tho interest of tho colony that thoso railways should be acquired by the State. Mr Fieher moved that the Bill ho rend a second timo that day six months. lie regretted that the Bill had not como before the Houso earlier m the session. With regard to tho Duntroon-Hakateramea lino, he said tho correspondence was of v. most unsatisfactory character. He contended that to ask tho colony to take ovor tho lines mentioned m tho Bill on the torms stipulated would bo to incur an ultogothor unjustifiable exponso. Mr Duncan supported tho Bill, and contended that tho late Government were largoly to blame for the Waimato lino not paying. Tho Hon. Sir Julius Yogel said it was true tho Government could tako the lines ovor after a certain period, but he pointed out that there might bo BOmo danger oinco the Government had to nccopt tho decision of tho arbitrators. Ho wishod to point out that the Government wero getting the lines cheap, Tho Houso must admit that tho Government had industriously and loyally carried out tho wish of tho Houoo oxprosned lust year that tho Bill should bo brought up again this session. Ho hopod tho Houso would not throw out tho Bill. 1 Tho motion for the eocond reading wns carried by 87 to 27. Mr Downio Stewart asltod whethor an interested person could vote. Tho Speaker said that m such a cose a man so voting would be liablo to liavo his vote disallowed. THE BUPEEMB COOBT EHPOETINO IJILT,. The Hon. Mr Tole moved tho second reading of the Suprono Court Reporting Bill, oi' plaining that it was brought m to onabh short-hand reporters to bo employed to report proceedings m Courts of Justice.

I Mr Downio Stewart supported tho Bill. 3 He said the system proposed to be introduced had been m operation m Scotland since IS6B and had worked well. Ho looked forward to tho time when tho Chief Justice himself would be a short-hand writer. 1 Mr Garrick regretted he could not concur m the advisability of placing tho Bill upon ■1 tho Statuto Book. Ho pointed out the expenses connected with the administration of - justice wero becoming greater day by day. He had heard that only ono of the judges was m favor of tho Bill, and ho thought the mani ncr m which tho Minister of Justice proposed 3 to initiate tho Bill stamped it as premature. He considered that the Hill would rosult m huga expense being attached to the civil proceedings m Court. > The Hon. Mr Stout hoped the Bill would 3 bo allowed to pass, on tho ground that it would greatly expedite tho business of tho ■ Courts of Justice. Ho asked tho House, if ■ they wished to lessen the expenses of litigation, to facilitate the business, and to lessen - tlio labors of tho Judges, to pass the second reading of the Bill. Mr Samuel opposed the Bill, and differed altogether from the Premier's argument. i Mr Conolly contended that tbo House should not at such o late stage of the session be asked to pass this Bill. He suggested thr.t the matter should stand over till next session. • Ho could not believo that the system would work at all satisfactorily. i Tho debate was interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment. The House resumed at 7.30. Mr Conolly continued speaking on tho '• Stipromo Court Reporting Bill. Ho considered the proposed system would entail c delay, and very great expenso m connection with reporting tho proceedings of the Courts. Ho hoped the debato would be adjourned. Mr Kerr moved tho adjournment of tho . debate for a fortnight. Ho thought the > session wns too far advanced to consider it. f Mr Fitzhcrbert supported the adjournment, > which wns carried on tho voices. IN COMMITTEE. , The House wont into Conimitteo on the 1 Wuinn a Plains Railway Rating Bill. ; In clause 4, providing that the cost of tho j railway be ascertained from time to time, Mr Downie Stewart moved that tho cost should . be ascertained by a Judge of the Supremo ■ Court instead of v Commissioner as proposed , m the Bill, and the amendment wus carried 1 on the voices. > A lengthy discussion ensued on the clause . as amended, after which Mr Turnbull moved ] that the Chairman leave the chair, which was lost on the voices. F A further amendment whs proposed to \ strike out tho word " value " iv tho -Ith i clause, and to insert tho words " that the cost i or value of the railway shall be ascertained 1 upon the cost of the works at the date they • were executed." ; The amendment was lost on v division by , 35 to 15. j Captain Sutter mover! that progress be rel ported on the motion, which was agreed to. i Tho House went into Committee for the . further consideration of the Local Bodies > Finance and Powers Bill. Mr Downio Stewart moved that elau?o 11 . providing that District Railways may be con- ■ structed be struck out, which was agreed to [ on the voices. Mr Fergus moved to strike out clause 42 which provided that fishing rights m a hike may be vested m a County Council. — Agreed to.' , Mr Seddon moved m clause 4f>, providing | that water rates may be vested iv local bodies, L to insert " and sludge channels" after " water races." Tho Hon. Mr Stout moved to eliminate clauses 48, 49, 30, and 51. Ou clause 57 being reached, providing for ' the repeal of the Roads and Bridges Con--1 struction Act, Major Atkinson said he hoped 1 the Government would again consider their ! decision, and not allow the Act to be repealed ' for this year, at any rate. Tlio Hon. Mr Stout said it would be admitted • by all that the Roads and Bridges Con- ' struction Act required amending. The pre- ! sent Act was only an empowering one, and a ' more comprehensive measure would bo neces--1 sary next year. ' Mr Rolleston also hoped the Act would not 1 be repealed till next year. 1 Major Atkinson moved an amendment to suspend tho repeal of the Act till next ses- ' A further amendment was proposed to ' repeal the Crown and Native Lands Rating 1 Act which was lost by 35 to 23. j Major Atkinson's amendment was then put ' to strike out the word " repealed " and to insert "suspended for 12 months from the 1 passing of this Act," the amendment being > lost by 50 to 22. ' The Hon. Sir Julius Yogel moved to substi- ( tnto for the clause " That there shall be paid 1 to the Council or Board of such County, Road District and Borough with respect to ' rates collectable and collected half the 1 amounts to which they would bo entitled • under tho plan of distribution rleseribed m ; tlio first schedule," "£50,000 of tho aforesaid > payment shall be paid by the Colonial ' Treasurer out of tho Public Works Fund, and ' the remaining amount required to be paid out 1 of tho consolidated fund."— Agreed to. Mr Seddon moved a new clause providing ' that local bodies m mining districts may set '" apart a portion of the moneys received as gold ' duty and goldliclds revenue m prospecting for r gold, diamonds, silver, and tin. 1" Mr Guinness moved to strike out the words f "gold duty on goldfields revenue." The amendment was lost by 48 to 15, and 3 the clause pae3ed. Several umendmouts were made m tho ' schedule. 1 Mr Macarthur moved that all amounts over 1 £2000 for subsidies to goldlield counties bo ' struck out. Dr Nowman moved as an amendment that ' goldfields subsidies be for hulf a year instead ' of 51 years. ' A discussion of considerable length fol- ! lowed. 1 Mr Macarthur's amendmont was put and ' carried on the voices, and nil the votes for ! Goldfiolds Counties were struck out. ' The Hon. Sir Julius Yogel moved an ndr dition to the schedule Hint for tho purpose of the schedulo monies collected on gold duty fc should bo considered to be monies collected ' by rates, but this wns lost on a division by 35 • to 22. ' The schedule was then carried by 47 to 11. The second and third schedules weroßtruck 1 out, and tho Bill was reported with ameud--5 inents. > Mr Guinness movod the recommittal of the ! Bill m order to consider clanso 57, which re- > pealed the Roads und Bridges Construction 1 Act, 3 Mr Mcnteath opposed its recommittal. ne said Mr Guinness win prompted m moving " tho motion by Major Atkinson, who wus an ' onomy to the goldfiolds. 3 Tho Hon. Mr Stout hoped the motion would 1)0 withdrawn. ' Considerable, discussion resulted m which 3 Mr Seddon, Mr Fergus, Mrßevan, Mr Mobs 3 und Mr Buckland took part. Major Atkinson claimed to bo tho best 3 friend tho goldfieldß ovor had. Tho gold- ' Holds districts throughout his term of oflice » had received their full sharo of rovenite. Ho ' wished to nay that whon Jiis Ctovernmonf. put. 1 a voto on tho Kuliinnlos they put the full ' Blrongth of tho Govcrnmont to carry that voto. Tho motion for tho recommittal was lost, ' and tho Hill read a third timo and passed. Tho lloubo roso at 1.50 a.m.