LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Timaru Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 6062, 22 September 1894, Page 3

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Ihe Council met Bt 2.30 p.m. BILLS PASSED. The Tramways Bill und Hastings Borough Loan Yalidaticn Bill passed their final stages, BILL DIBOHABGBD. Mr Walker asked and obtained leave to have the Mackenzie County Bill discharged from the Order paper. bailway bill. Sir P. Buckley moved the second reading of the Government Bailways Bill whioh origin sted m the Houset Mr Stewart would not oppose the Bill but regarded it as a retrograde step. He congratulated the ex Commissioners on the manner m whioh they had conducted the railways during the last five years and expressed the opinion that the country, except* ing the farmers who desired produoe oarried at ruinous rate., entertained the came opinion* Mr Bigg supported the Bill. He thought that the railways should never have been placed under irresponsible control. The present system of conducting the railways was a gross nepotism. He did not altogether like the proposed board of appeal because the decision of tbe board was not final. Dr Grace spoke highly of the eervioeß rendered by the ex-Commissioners, and wbb opposed to the resumption of the railways by the State. Mr Pharazyn protested sgainst the assertion tbat publio opinion clamoured for a change of the present syatem.aa wss evidenced by the protest of nearly every Chamber of Commerce throughout the country. Mr Jennings warmly supported the Bill. The late Commissioners had refused to run trains for the convenience of the pubic. The railways were primarily started to open up the oountry and not for speculative purposes, and here the Commissioners had * failed m their duty to the people. . Mr Bowen considered the beat plan would be thst the State Bhould resume control of the railways rather than leave tbem io the hands of the present irresponsible Commissioners, but at the same time he paid a high tribute as to the work aeoompliebed by the ex-Commissioners at exceedingly trying times.' Mr Beynolds did not oppose the Bill, but at the same time spoke highly of the late Commissioners servioes. Mr Kerr supported the Bill bee .use he believed that every State Department should be administered by the Government, He felt convinced that the best interests of the working men would be considered under the Bill. Sir George Whitmore hailed the Bill vith some degree of satisfaction, as the railways would be direotly under the control of a responsible board. He considered that if the ex-Oommissioners were to be retained there would have been no need for the Bill. Mr Kelly supported the Bill. He had always been opposed to the railways being alienated from direot State control. , Mr Biobardson had nothing but praise to • say with regard to the administration of the t Commissioners, but thought it quite a mis* take to have appointed the Surveyor General, Mr MoKerrow, Ohief Commissioner* He should vote for the Bill. Mr Bolt supported the Bill as he believed ) publio opinion demanded tbat tbe railways c should be resumed by the Government, c Mr Stevens defended Sir John Hall's |a Ministry] of which he was a member, m g creating a non-political board to work (Ue railways. _ The oountry at the time demanded t the appointment of Commissioners m order t to do away with political patronage. Many of ( those who then VOted for the o_iaogs vrere now anxiouß that the State should resume t, control of the railways, notably the Minister c of Lands, the Minister of Labour, and Mr ,f Lawry, the Government whip. The Jail he 11 feared would prove entirely uncalled for, and of great danger to tho State. D Mr Jenkinson strongly supported the Bill 8 and acoused Mr Maxwell of incompetency !t and unfairness to the working men, and die* Q loyalty to bis late colleague]. His idea was , that the railways should be run for the pur* pose of opening up the oountry and benefit' ing settlers rather than with a view of paying interest. The debate was interrupted by the djnne. i" adjournment. ■ is The Council resumed at 7.30 p.m. A Mr Jenkinßon urged that many of the g crooked lines should be made straight, anc c suggested that the Government should hav< .i traction engines at oountry railway stations t; ■s feed the Government railway lines, tt Mr Shrimski thought it ill beoame a lati • servant of the Government railways to speal • so ill of the servioe from which he bad earnec o, his bread. It still lees beoame bim to act thi t. part of a detective and spy out two offioeri -* of the Bailway Department for drinking m i o hole', when es he said tbsy should have beei m their offioes. n Sir P Buokley m his reply said that hi Q regretted that Mr Jenkinson had made suol *•» an exhibition of himself as he bad done tha evening. He challenged that gentleman ti vote against fcho Bill m as warm a manner ai he bad spojken against it, and he ventured t< at say that he would never shpw himself again ii >y ohuroh.. Mr Jenkinson posed on every oooa t.. sion as a champion of the people, but he (.8j y Patrick) assured him tb» i» the member, o. th

Mini-try had the intereits of ths working elasi.s much nearer to their hearta than the | hon member bao. The Government would ] , never place the railways m competition with private enterprise, and would not therefore adopt his suggestion to employ traotion engines. The second reading was agreed to on the voioei. IK COMMITTBB. The Gisborne Harbour Aot Amendment Bill was committed aud reported with amendments. The Shops and Shop Assistants Bill was further considered m Committee In the interpretation clause hotel bars were exempted from dosing. An amendment m the s_mo clause to co v fer a half'holiday upon persons employed m banking, insuranoe, or commercial ofßoei, waa oarried by 14 to 11. A proposal to exempt the members of a shopkeeper's family from the provisions of the Bill was lost by 14 to 11. In clause 3 an amendment by Mr Rigg to make Saturday the day for observing the half'holiday waa rejeoted by 20 to 3 (Messrs Feldwiok, Rigg and Why te). In olause 4 ohemista' shops were allowed to bs opened on the day of the holiday between tbe hours of 7 and 9 p.m. A cub seotion was added to olause 9, its effeot being that a shopkeeper if he desires it may olose hi. plaoe on Saturday notwithstanding that the looal authorities may have decided on another day, on a vole of 12 to 7. Mr Ormond moved a new olause to the effect that all offices shall be closed not later than spm, on every day m the week* The olause was agreed to on the voices. After certain exemptions had been inserted suoh as shipping, newspaper acd tramway offices, Mr McGregor rsmarked that tha Bid had been so torn about that nobody would recognise it* The Bill was reported as amended, and it was agreed on the motion of Sir P Buckley that the whale Bill should be recommitted on Tuesday. The Oounoil rose at 10.50 p*m.