EVENING SITTING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4789, 5 September 1883, Page 4

EVENING SITTING.

The House reaumed at 7.30 p.m. BILtS BBPOBTED FBOM THB OOUNOIL. The Maohinery Inspeotion Bill, as reported with amendment from' the Legislative Counoil, was adopted on division by 34 to 87. The amendment was the elision of tho clause rendering Government railway machinery subjeot to inspection. The Hon W. Johnston promised to make sufficient provision for this under the Publio Works Aot. The following were also reported from the Legislative Counoil, acd tho amendments adopted— Publio Works Act Amendment, Native Lands Act Amendment, Boad Boards Aot Amendment. THB CONTBOI.LEB- GBNEBAX AND THB TBBABUBBB. Mr Moss brought up the following report : — " The Publio Aocount b Committee, to whom was referred the letter of the Controller and Auditor- General, laid on the table of the House on Sept 3, have the honor to report that the Controller seems to have aoted with proper motives in sending the memorandum to House. That in the opinion of tbe Oommitte there was nothing in the minuteß from the Controller and Auditor-General (whioh are attached, as is alao the letter from the Ohairman of the Harbour Board, intimating that hi has lodged a sum to the oredit of the Minister of Publio Worka at the Bank of New Zealand at New Plymouth) to make it apparenb to the Treasurer that a direotion from the Treasurer to transfer the deposit to an acoount to be named was a matter of urgenoy. That the Controller did not verbally inform the Seoretary to the Treasury that in his opinion such a direotion was a matter of urgenoy until yesterday morning.. Ihat the Seoretary had no opportunity of informing j the Treasurer until one o'olook yesterday, when the Treasurer directed him to ascertain from the Controller what should be done under the oiroumatancea. That the Secretary thereupon asked the Controller and AuditorGeneral how, in hia opinion, the monoy should j properly be dealt with, and that the Controller and Auditor-General declined to give an opinion on the subjeot. That it appears that had the Controller and Auditor-General understood that the Secretary to the Treasury asked the question by direotion of the Treasurer in ordsr that the Treasurer might give effeot to the Controller's minute, the memorandum by the Controller and Auditor-General to the Houae would not have been sent. That the money deposited is publio money, but that no further action need be taken by the Houae, aa it is the intention of the Minister of Publio Works to immediately re-pay it to the Harbonr Board, in aocordance with the expressed wish of the Houae." Mr Montgomeby said that the report of the Committee was arrived at on a division of six to four. He desired to point out that the report did net impute any blame to the Auditor -General. Mr J. Buchanan moved— "That the minutes of proceedings of the Committee be read." The House divided :— Axes, 26 ; Noes, 39. On the motion tbat the report lie on the table, Sir G. Gbby concurred in the opinion that the Controller had aoted rightly, nnd that the report aubmitted in no way dealt j with the question really at issue, whioh was, the right of a Minister to become an impreatse of publio moneys. He moved that the report, minutes, and evidenoe be printed. Agreed to. BUSINESS 07 THB HOUSE. On the motion of Major Atkinson, it was . arranged that the Houbo meet at 2 p.m. tomorrow, for Government business only. In reply to Mr Feldwiok, it was stated that Government eaw no proapeot of the Licensing Aot Amendment Bill being gone on with. Mr Montgomhbt, Sir Gt. Gbey, end others appealed to Government .to sit all the week for the proper despatoh of ordinary business, but no response was made. GOVBBNMBNT INSUBANOH 'DBPABTMBNT. On the motion for going into Oommittee of Supply, Mr J. Buohanan took exoeption to the manner in which the Government Insurance Department was conducted, and the prinoiple on whioh it was founded. The praotice of canvassing for bußineaa waß, to hiß mind, most reprehensible. Again, the method of depositing tho £&5,000 waß wrong. The amount ought to have been invested in real security or in the publio funds. He moved as an amendment — "That in the opinion of the House the security of the Colony should not be given to any insurance polioy isaued after Oct. 1 next, and that this prinoiple should be embodied in any Bill amending tho Act by Government." The amendment was negatived on the voices. On the original motion being put, Major Atkinson denounced the debate aa & most unjustifiable proceeding at a timo like thiß, when the last moments of the session had arrived. Not only that, but the debate was oaloulated to do incalculable injury to the Insurance Department. That was about all the speakers had achieved, and he had to congratulate them upon their achievements. He quoted from the statistics to show that no office had a better class of lives than this office. That was bis answer to the assertion made and reiterated that they were in the habit of insuring bad lives. He compared the statistics of the business done, funds accumulated, ko., with other offioes doing business in this and other Colonies, and showed that tho balanoe was largely in favour ef the Government oflice. All things considered, he argued that no more oarefully conduoted business existed. A great deal had been made by Sir G. Grey of the sum of £225,000 on fixed deposit in the Bank. As a matter of faot, that Bystem of deposit commenced with the Government of whioh Sir G. Grey was Premier. He quoted from Parliamentary papers to show that during the Grey Government ea muoh as as £252,000 of theae funds were ao deposited, and that when they left ofiioo they left a deposit of £150,000. He blamed Mr Buohanan for having brought down such a| motion without notice, and at the very close of the ■ session. '

The House tben resolved to go into Com- ■ mittee of Supply presently. un tho Hon E. T. Conolly's motion, the Bouse agreed to insist on its amendments in tho Property Law Oonsolidation Bill, and Meßsra Feldwick, Barron, and Conolly were appointed to draw up reaaona. tub rstihatbs. Tho Houae at 12.30 a.m. went into Committee of Supply. Vote, Legislative Department, £41,843. — Mr Tubnbull moved that the item, " Chairman of Committeea,' Legiilative Council, £100," be struck out. The Oommittee divided :— Ayes, 36; Nobs, 21. Struok out. Item, Olerk to Oounoil £200.— Mr Bhbphabd moved that it be £100. Oarried on the voioos. Item, Clerk assistant, £400 ; reduoed by £50. Becond clerk assistant, £225 ; reduced by £25. Contingencies, £200 ; reduced to £100. Houte of Representatives, second olerk assistant, £450.— Mr O'Oallaghan moved its reduction by £50. The Committee divided :— Atbs, 6; NOBS, 33. Passed as printed. Item, Sergeant-at-Arms, £250.— Mr TUBNbull moved that it be reduced by £100. The Committee divided : —Ayes, .38 ; Nobs, 4. [Left sitting.]