EVENING SITTING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4788, 4 September 1883, Page 4

EVENING SITTING.

The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. IBTTBB PBOM THB ATOITOB-GBITBBAIi, The Spbakbb read the following letter:— "The Hon the Speaker of the House of Bepreaentatires. "Tbo Controller and Auditor feels it bis

duty to report to the Home of Bepreaenta* tires that it came to his kuowledge that the mm of £18,000 had beon paid to the Public Works Department by the New Plymouth Harbour Board for the purpose of construct, ing a railway from the harbour works to the town, of New Plymouth. This amount the Controller and Auditor-General considers to be of tho nature of publiomoneys entrusted to the Government for publio purposes, and for the disposal of whioh the Government is responsible to the depositors and the publio. Under the seventh Beotion of the Publio Bevenues Aot all suoh moneys are declared ' to be publio moneys within the meaning of the Act,' and are required to be either paid into the publio aocounts or otherwise dealt with and accounted for by the persons having custody thereof, 'as the Treasury, subject to this Aot and tho regulations in force thereunder, from time to time direot.' By the 6th section of the Aot of 1882 every person having possession of or control of any Buoh money is a reoeiver within ths meaning of the Aot, and by the 23rd and 24th seotions reoeivera are required to aooount to the Treasury at stated periods, and the Treasury is required to send all auob. aooounts to the Native officer. The sum in question has not been paid into the publio account, nor has it been aocounted for by any officer in whose possession it has beon plaoed, nor has any reply been returned to the memoranda whioh have been addressed to the Government by the Audit Office on the point in question. The Audit Office is aware from the papers which have been referred to that the money has been paid to the aooount of the Hon Minister of Publio Works ia the Bank, but is still unaware whether it is contemplated that the Audit Office shall have any control over its ouetodj or expenditure. " Jame3 Edmund FitzQhbaed, " Controller and Auditor-General. "Sept. 3." Sir G. Gbbt moved that the letter be taken into considerat'on to-morrow evening, at 7.30. Major Atkinson was glad to find the Auditor-General was at last waking up to a sense of duty. He had sent a similar memo to Government, but had not waited for a reply. Ha did not think any officer should treat the Government so. Me moved, as an amendment — " 2'hat tho communication be referred to the Publio Acoennts Committee." The Hon W. Johnston said the Controller's authority only extended over th» funds of the Colony while this money was the property of the New Plymouth Harbour Board. , Mr MoNTGOMEBXiaid that the money had been paid in more than a month Bgo, and ho contended should before this have be»n paid over to the publio aocount. He supported the motion, as if sent to the Publia Aooounts Committee they would hear no more about the matter. Mr J. Btxohanan imputed any remisness on the part of the Auditor to the fact that so little interest was taken by Parliament in the question of fiaanoe. He held that the money having once been paid into the publio account, could not be taken out until a vote to that effect had been passed by Parliament. Mr Babbon hoped it would not be referred to the Publio Accounts Committee, as th&t body would be unable to oome to a deoision within a reasonable time. The Hon W. Johnston said that, aoting on the belief that the money had been paid into the publio account, he proposed to place it on the Supplementary Estimates with tho v>ow of refunding it »s direoted by the House. Ho found, however, on enquiry, that it was paid into his own aocount as Minister of Publio Works, and no vote was requisite for refunding it. Mr Tvbnbttii£ moved that they should adjourn till Wednesday to enable Government to get thia and some other things put straight. Major Atkinson saidthat until 1.80 to-day he had no idea any question would arise about this matter. He then ascertained for the first timo that the money was deposited in the name of th« Minister of Publio Works. Government had referred the matter to the law officers to ascertain how it should be refunded to the Harbour Board now that Parliament bad decided nofe to proceed with the work. All these circumstances being known to the Controller, he was surprised that gentleman Bhould write suoh a letter. Sir G. Gbbt said Government had brought down a Bill to provide for this work. Did the Treasurer now attempt to tell them that before doing that he did not ascertain whether the money was deposited in the publio account. To attempt to get through a Bill in that way was most reprehensible. If it waß done by mistake then Government was culpable ; if designedly then the thing waa still more reprehensible. He took strong objeotion to the terms in whioh the Auditor had been spoken of by the Treasurer. The whole thing was most discreditable. He would ask that the officer be introduced to the bar of the House to defend himself. Mr Shbbhan said it could not be contended that the money was not publio money, and could only be paid jbaok by appropriation of Parliament. It was a pity the sum had not beea larger, as in that case he would have been prepared to assist them to keep the money and have put it to some better use than the Harbour Board was likely to do. Mr Sha-w could see no reason for referriog the matter to any Committee. The Board appeared to have followed a wrong oourse, but, under the oiroumstanoes, it beoame immaterial, as Parliament had determined not to go on with the work for which it was paid. At this period of the session it was useless to go any further in the matter. The question for adjournment was put and negatived on the voioes. The question was put that the communication be considered by the House to-morrow night. Negatived on the voiosß. On the motion of Mr Sbddon, the amendment to refer the dooument to the Publio Aooounts Committee was further amended by the words "to report forthwith" being added. The motion, as amended, was put and carried. MISOHLLANKOtrS. On the motion of Major Atkinson, the report on the Otago Dook Trust Bill was adopted, and the Bill read a third time and passed. The Hon W. Johnston moved the second reading of the Gore-Kelso Bailway Construction and Authorisation Bill. Carried. The Hon W.Boheston moved the second reading of the Thermal Springs Aot .Amendment Bill. Mr Shbehan said the object of this Bill was to do just tho very opposite of what the Euisell Land Exchange BUI proposed doing. The original Bill was not carried out in the spirit in which it was passed by the House. It was never intended to tie up the extent of land wbioh had been looked up. He called upon Government to restriot themselves to what was really required for the protection of these Springs, and allow the rest to be dealt with for the ordinary purposes of settlement. Mr Moss strongly opposed the passing of the Bill. Mr Toicoana also objeoted to the Bill, and moved the adjournment of the debate. The Hon W. Bollhston said that if the second reading was agreed to he would not move the Bill into Committee until, tomorrow, so as to give all persons interested time to look into the matter. Mr Tomoana withdrew his amendment for the adjournment of the debate. Mr Holmes moved that it be referred to the Native Lands Committee. The amendments were negatived, and the Bill read a seoond time. On the motion that it be committed presently, Mr Moss objected, and moved as an amendment — "That it be committed tomorrow." The Committee divided on the .question that the Bill be oommitt ed presently :— Atbs, 32; Nobs, 19. The Gore-Eelso Bailway Construction and Authorisation Bill was passed through Committee, reported wish amended schedule, read a third time, and passed. The Thermal Springs Aot Amendment Bill was considered in Committee. The clause having a retrospective effect was lost by 25 to 16. Mr Moss protested against tho Bill, but would offer no further opposition. The Bill was reported without amendments, read a third time, and passed. The House rose at 12.45 a.m