PARLIAMENTARY.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 3689, 29 July 1886, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY.

(By Tblegkaph.) WBmywoir, July 28. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. In reply to Dr Menzies, who asked if Government -would consider the propriety of lighting night trains with the electrio light, Mr Buckley said that the matter was under consideration by the railway authorities. Mr Wilson moved that Mr Bonar and Mr Wilson be managers to further confer with the managers of the House, with regard to the Council's disagreement on clause 38 of the Loc»l Bodies Loan Bill. _ A discussion ensued, resulting m an amendment that the former managers be appointed being carried on a division. Dr Menzies moved the previous question, which was talked out on the clock striking four. The Waimato Bacecourse Empowering Bill was read a second time. The first Offenders Probation Bill was considered m committee, and progress reported at 6 p.m. After a lengthy debate the motion for the second reading of the Salmon and Trout Bill was negatived on the voices. The second reading of the Sheep Act Amendment Bill and the Mining Bill were agreed to. Mr Whitaker moved the second reading of the Settled Land Bill. A discussion ensued, and the debate was adjourned till next day. Government Loans to Local Bodies Bill was further considered m committee, and progress being reported, the Council adjourned till next day. HOUSE OB 1 BEPREBENTATIVES. The following is the conclusion of the debate on the second reading of the Loan Bill :— Mr Levestam reiterated hia former statement that the Tophouse branch was not a new line but was to be found m the original railway schemes and had better claims than such works as the Otago Central. The House divided on Mr Richardson's amendment. Ayes, 30 j Noes, 17. The amendment was lost and the bill was read a second time. The following is the division list :— Axes, 30. Bevan Cadman Duncan Fitzherbert Eraser Gore Guinness Hatch : Holmes Ivess Lance Larnaoh Levestan McKenzie, J. McMillan O'Callaghan Eeeso Beid Eichardson, B. Eosa Samuel Seddon Smith Stoat Taylor Thompson, X. Tole Turnbull Yogel Walker Nobb, 17. Atkinson Bruce Buchanan Buckland, W. F. Conolly Fulton Hatnlin Birst ; Hobbs Lake Macarthur Montgomery Newman . Kichardson, G. 7. Bolleston Trimble Wilson

Paibb, For, 22. Macandrew O'Conor . Ballanco Joyoe Harper Locke Menteath Stewart Steward ' Pratt Cowan Brown Garriek Allwright Hursthouse Wi P«e Bradshaw Grace Dargaville Pearson Korr Coster Against, 22. Johnston Moss Peacock - Pyko : Russell -.Grey Barron WakeSeld Moat Ttf ackenzie, S. Ormond Hislop Thomson, J. W. Fisher Bryce Buckland, J. 0. Mitchclson Whyto Dodson Fergus Beetham Hurst The House rose at 2 a.m. The House met at 2.30 p.m. today. The' Tremier moved that Government business take precedence on Thursdays for the remainder of the session.' Sir George Grey hoped that the House wonld not allow the motion to be carried, a3 several important bills m charge of private members were on the Order Paper. The motion was agreed to by 47 to 19. The Public Accounts Committee reported m favour of the Purchase of the Waimetf Plains Railways. ■ Replying to questions it was staled that Government would be glad to assist the Auckland volunteers m the erection of a rifle range j that the question of re-letting by public auction gum fields whose leases have expired would receive the fullest consideration ; that steps would be taken after the session to ascertain which of the telegraph offices could be olosed with advantage during the hours of 7 and 8 p.m. s that enginedrivers and firemen on the New Zealand railways were classified, and their wages increased up to 16a per day, and no further increase could bo promised ; that the unemployed question wns receiving the serious consideration of Government j that the practice of allowing tobacco to prisoners has been discontinued for some time past. Sir Julius Vogcl introduced The Government Lifo Insurance Bill, and the Property Tax Bill. Mr Mom moved tho adjournment of the House m order to debate the question of disallowing the use of tobacco to unconvicted prisoners. A lengthy discussion onsued, which was interrupted by the 6.30 p.m. adjournment. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. Xhe'Gbld Drity Beduction Bill was passed through committee and read a third time. . The Beer Duty Amendment Bill on the motion of Sir Julius Yogel was restored to the order paper. ' The Treasurer moved the second reading of the North Island Trunk Bailway Loan Application Bill, limiting the expenditure of that loan to tho purposes of that railway. These were specified, as coßt of railway, rolling stock, etc., and cost of acquiring native land to an amount not exceeding £100,000, Zi per cent of which was to bo devoted to hospital and charitable aid endowments for tho North Island ; tho remainder to farm railway reserves. Major Atkinson objected strongly to the last proviso. North Island members did not want money used that way to obtain special endowment, and personally, ho held the land fund belonged to tho whole colony. If the Treasurer could not obtain his £100,000 any other way, he could strike some of the lines out of the schedule of the Loan Bill. • Mr Montgomery also disapproved of taking the railway money to buy native land with, and a number of other members expressed similar views. Sir Julius Yogel offered to give up the proposition of endowments and railway reserve, but declined to yield the £100,000, and moreover said the Loan Bill was for railways only and could not be meddled with. The bill was then read a second time. The Loan Bill was next considered m committee. Mr Bruce aakod Sir Julius Vogcl if there would be a loan next year. The Treasurer refused, to be catechised, and declined to give any opinion. Being pressed he said so far as he. could sco there would be no necessity to negotiate a further loan before September, 1888. A discussion took place on the question proposed m clause 3, naming the amount of the loan till after the schedule waa considered, during which Mr Bryce urged the reduction of the loan. The Chairman refused to allow tho schedule to be taken before all the clauses were disposed of. Mr Dargaville proposed an amendment allowing part of the loan to be used for the purchase of native land, but the chairman ruled it out of order. Major Atkinson pointed out that the clause allowed a Bum not exceeding £150,000 to be raised, and argued if they reduced tho items of the schedule it would not' affect the clause, as they would only need to borrow to the reduced extent. Sir Julius Yogel said the Government distinctly refused to accept less than a million and a half. Negotiations were already m progress with the Agent-General pointing to a loan of that amount being raised m October. Mr Wakefleld said this was unheard of. The Premier had distinctly invited the House to out down the schedule, and now they were told Government were already committed to the full amount before the House had given them any authority to raise a loan at all. Mr Turnbull said the plain fact was they must have the whole amount Bimply m order to expend it m the country. It would be ruinous to do without it. Sir Julius Yogel said he too was m favour of restricting borrowing for other purposes than railways, and m that he agreed with the Premier. They had been spending on an average ten shillings m the pound of their loans for works outside of railways. The Premier and he were quite agreed as to the necessity for tapering off borrowing on unreproductive works. He thought Major Atkinson's way of reading olause 3 correct, and undertook that if the amount were left blank, Government would n»t ask to have it filled m with more than the total of the schedule; Major Atkinson said the Treasurer ought to have said this plainly at the start. He complained that the Premior had left the House. He ought to bo present to sustain the promise he had made m his speech. The Treasurer had threatened the House that they were committed to the loan. Sir Julius Yogel explained that he had only written to the Agent-General mentioning that the loan was likely to bepropoßed. At this point, the Premier re-entered the chambor amid some applause, and Major Atkinson said they had got the House to water, but he didn't know whether they could make them drink. The Premier said if the Opposition were earnest for economy they would not propose to cut down one item merely to add to another. Ho wished to give the committee as much freedom m discussing this bill as Major Atkinson had given discussing his loan measures. In answer to Mr Dargaville he refused to promise that out of any savings m the schedule money should be obtained for native land purchases. Mr Kerr begged that whatever was cut out should be saved altogether. After some desultory discussion the clause was passed as it stood! The succeeding clauses were passed np to 16, which Major Atkinson objected to as not sufficiently earmarking the different items. The Premier said that could be done m another bill. The remainder of tho clauses were passed without comment. On reaohing the schedule,' Mr J. 0. Buckland moved to strike out the HamiltonGrahamstown line, £5300. Mr Eraser said the line from Grahamstown to Te Aroho would bo an excellent paying one. Government had already built a section which was moat doubtful as to yielding a profitable return. A brisk discussion ensued as to the population and resources of the district. In answer t Mr Fergus, Mr Richardson

said it would tako £70,000 more to finish tho line. Mr Hursthouso moved a further amendment, to omit the Helunsville northwards, £50,000. Lost by 64 to 13. Mr Buokland's amendment was then lost by 47 to 26. Captain Sutter moved to omit the item Greymouth to Hokitika £76,000, which at once excited opposition on tho part of the West Coast members. . The amondment was lost by 40 to 34. Mr Allwright moved the excision of the Westport-Inangahua Hdo £63,000. Mr J. O. Buckland said he would like to hear the Minister of Publio Works say something m favour of this line. Mr Richardson said it would be wanted to connect Westport harbour 1 with the Midland railway. '".."■ A discussion followed of some length. The item was struck out by 41 to 32. Mr Reid moved to omit the BlenheimTophoufe, £68,000. Ayes 22, noes 60. The item was struck out. Mr Kerr moved that item Otago Central, £140,000, bo reduced by £100,000. Bir Julius Yogel said he did not, propose to finish the schedule that night. Government would consider how they should allocate the money which hod been struck off. Mr Bryce objected. [Left sitting.]