WELLINGTON.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2050, 30 July 1875, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

s Thursday, 5.5 p.m. ':. AFTERNOON SITTING. f In the House of Representatives— Mr Stafford presented a petition from Timaru in favor of the abolition of the Provinces ' i Mr Williams gave notice that hewouldi ask if Government intended to extend the telegraph to Wangaroa and Monganui. - ;i Mr Curtis gave notice of his intention; -to introduce a'Bill to raise a loan of— l thousand pounds for gas and water works! for Nelson. ' ••..-'; Mr Murray gave notice of a motionthat it would not be prudent toproceed : with the estimates until after receiving; the report of Finance Committee. The Speaker said the Committee was: a non-political body, and could not enquire into such a question. . ■■• ; The Native Minister gave notice that; he would ask for leave to introduce to-f morrow the Local Government Bill and; other Government measures. (Applause.) Mr Reynolds, in reply to a question; from Mr George McLean as to whether the Government used cypher in sending cablegrams, said that Government did so sometimes, but were guided by circumstances, as; experience had* shown them it was not] always desirable to f use cypher. ...—..... ... Mr George -McLean:asked at whafrate the banks buy Government drafts in London, and if the agreement on page 25 in papers relating to the. loan was now in; force. -.'...'. '>.-,.'... :' : : ..'. .. ; ",.-,r . : .'.:',.'.\, ' :.

Mr Atkinson said there was np ; arrange-i ment with the banks as to the ■'price of drafts, arrangements were from time to time altered as were cohtenient; as the second question of the hon. gentleman referredto the agreement made with the bank by Sir Julius Vogel he could not say whether that was still in force.

Mr Andrew asked -'whether the importationand .acclimatisation. of weasels is prohibited By any Act of JLegislature. Mr Bowen was not aware "of any Act relating to importation of weasels, Mr Swanson asked for the production of all papers. relating to certain charges made against. Captains Eowe and Scho-

field by Sergeant Craig and Sapper Fawcett, and what action the Governmenj^ibppk in the matter. » said he would layall c6i?re?^|nii|jMje on the table, and then ?jtate kcij.qx the Government took pNthef?inatfca-. g|| . # 4ffW? Iff If'- In repj^pgtwji question from-Mr Tj£; 'ICelly, MripJieprdsori said noth'ilg had) J^een s dp: no „tt»wifds the construc.tf^o&'M bridgH!er6sß%e Waimato and Waip'awaJ rivers, near Gisborne, but there would be as soon as the sale of a certain block of land in the district took place. ing the names of persons employed in the Survey of the colony as engineers. .:. -...Mv.. Richardson,, thought, the^^EQpjtion rather unfortunate^ an*!, calcHJated to do many worthy professibfral gentlemen a serious injury, though he had no objection whatever to lay the return on the table. He hoped, however, that sufficient time would be afforded those concerned to prove by documentary evidence and otherwise their exact status as engineers. "Mr Eeid trusted .the hon. member would withdraw his motion; -as ;it was calculated to do considerable mischief. Some other mode than that proposed should be devised to attain the end. sought Mr Fitzherbert - also opposed the motion.- He was quite satisfied with the supervision already exercised in employ-, ment pf engineers by; the Minister of Public. Works, -if they were, going ta have an examining .boajjd he-would ask who were to be the examiners. He 1 also considered such a course would be opening the door to greater abuses than those now existing./. j'i ; ■ ,-'; „.';: j. ■'„ j .{I H Mr Gibbs was conscious of the great evils which had resulted from incompetent engineers, especially in Otago, and he trusted; some: - hon.; member: would devise means for overcoming the diffi- ! culty complained of. Mr Geo. McLean defended Otago from the charge that-her public works were carried out badly. He thought the question before the House might safely be left in the hands of the _ Minister for PublicJWorks. •' ■) >.. ■* '.j ': : ' : , "■■}/■ - Motion withdrawn. •'; -:•= -'1 Mr Wakefield moved a series of resolui tions regarding an alternative or supplementary line to Wellington and Masterton, to run along tbfe West-Coast from a deep water wharf v along the coast to tKe end of:: Lowry Bay, Wairarapa : Plain ; also, for a committe to. consider and report^asrto janyi-means■ ]?yi^which; the Government might encourage a private company to construct such^works. y - -.;.:-.-, Mr Richardson said the country had adopted: then Wairarapa line,. and. had enough to dp -with that for the present. He felt-sure the ; Hpuse would npt be disposed to make any appropriation in thS direction suggested. It there were any private company preparedtd go into such an undertaking it.was their business first toapply to the Government.;- v Mr Brandon supposed the Government wouldoppose doing, any thingtowards the construction of the alternative line proposed, but still he; r;maintained that the collection of information regarding the suggested line would be found very valu-, able in future. -~^ : =-i ,

The . motion was negatived on the voices. ,-' ■.. '■':■ ■■•'■'••■: ■■■■.'" ••..--.;. "■•■■;■■'■' ;'

I Sir George Grey moved for all-corres-pondence regarding the purchase of the Tairua and Pakirrarahi blocksV v

The Native Minister said thje-strictest' inquiry would be made :int6 tfee 1' transaction and the fullest inforinatioja.; afforded the House. " l "•'-■; -:^^<-<-\ -■'"■■=•'■•-"-,'.'' „

Sir George Grey; also asked for all correspondence betyveen' Col. McDbnnell and the Native Minister relating to the employment of Mr'Brissenderi as land purchase agent in :the f ; Jffprth. Island,.or as tojthe removal o? Colonel: McDonnell frpm^a similar^ position.;.; .- r -;;; ' The' Native Minister said he had iio objection to afford the fullest, information, but suggested that the papers tlaid before^the committee, and-noj; upon the table of the Housed as it was uuadvisable in the public interest to do so.

Sir George Grey said he would prefer the; papers being laid upon ■ theytable. : Mr Reynolds wished to know, if the papers:;were laidiuppn,the:table- whether they would be accessible to the Press.

■ \ 3?he. Speaker iaid.papers were the property of every member of the House. Mr Buckland andt.Mr,:W,. Kelly suggested that; the member for Auckland City: /Wesfci ; accept -: the proposal.••of- the^ Native Minister.

Mr Swanson suggested Sir Geo. Grey: and.the Native Minister should confer as to what papers should or'should be laidvupon ,^he table of the House, and settle;theMatter simply; . v- ■■-'■■ .-£-■''■''*'■''•/■ ■-_■■ \ Sir George Grey sjaid; if the Government had always sndwtf such readiness to afford information many motions tabled; by him w^iild have been unnecessary. He instanced a case in which he, as; Superintendent of Auckland, had failed 5 to get information from the Government which it was very important he should, have had. -_ TJiey; had .not even, condescended to reply to'his letter. He would,' however, accept the.. suggestion of the Natrve' iMinis<ier^.' V;=C\''^;;-:' J"? '•":::''-■''■

Mr Rolles'ton moved that it be an instruction -to -the; Public 'l Accounts Committee to inquire into and report upon the conditions under 'which the banking business of the; Government is- conducted by the Bank of New. Zealand, and whether- . these : conditions, imperatively required that so' Targe a' sum as L between three and four ..millions should be de-: posited with one institution ; and further, to report whether, in such cases, it is not in the interest of the Colony at large that other arrangements should be made for the future. Committee'to report in three weeks. He thought the country and the House felt that there was in the, banking .arrangements between;the Government aniijthe Bank of ;New. Zealand. ';• ' ■ ■['■': :•• "':-■• ''"■--'■- .;'--'■•• ; : :' :- ■>

Major Atkinson said that under the circumstances, and the motives with which the: motion: was made, and as it was done with no political object, there would be no objection raised to the re«; quest made. ■

-■ Motion-agreed to. - - >■" ■'"•:;■ VI ■■■-■ /Mr >":!W. I''-Kelly-;'*inpyedi that; in the opinion of this House, it is desirable that it should at once put in thorough repair the forest,road between and 'KotoruaT '■*'.' '■ '■ '■■■f'---^^^-'' i-"- : ;- •. - :

Mr. Eichardson said he had an estimate from the Engineer that the road would cost ten thousand pounds. . : Mr White said the question was a Boad Board one, and ought to have been settled in the Auckland Provincial Council.

Mr Sheehan explained that the road was a great arterial work, and had nothing to do with the Auckland Provincial Council. He thought they paid £2000 a-year for carriage of mails and passen-

gers along it, although it was not kept' passable for horsemen. ''■■■■! A^the^e^uesjbjpf Major Atkinson, and] sqg^|tjon«bfjseveral members, thej Pption |Tpjs withdrawn until after the! made. ! l^fThe Hbns> rose at 5.30. [