EVENING SITTING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6650, 14 September 1889, Page 4

EVENING SITTING.

The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. In Committee on the Native Laud Court Act Amendment Dill, the discussion whs still contained on Clause 20 by Sir G-. Gbey, who agqin pressed on the Premier the necessity of making some explanation on the question he hud raised in the afternoon. He spoke strongly on the great wrong that was about to be done by the transition referred to. ! Sir H. Atkinson appealed to the Committee to get on with the work of the country, and not to listen to talk of this kind. They had all heard before the speech just delivered by Sir G. Qrey. That ; hon gentleman, »»t the cloee cf every sea- j aion, discovered some ttxrible iniquity that i • was abon*. to V»« pc-rtK-trated by the Government, and he (Sir G. Grey) addressed him- ■ Belf to the unborn millions, instead of ; | practical work in the Home. The bon j gentleman waa a member of the Native ' Affairs Committee, but instead of attend- I ing to that Committee and making Bug- J gestions in the Native Bills, he refused to I attend its sittings, or assist in any way ! I to make the' Bills workable. i After a lengthy discussion, the motion , | for leaving the chair was lost on the ; I Voices, and Clause 20 passed without i 1 alteration. { Several other new clauses were added to f the Bill without much discussion or material alteration. ( The Hon E. Mitchblbon, in reply to Mr ! Ballance, said he Bhould consider the ! desirability of recommitting the Bill, in order to reconsider Clause 19, which also ' related to restrictions. j NORTH IBI.AND BAILWAY. j A message waß received , from the I Governor, recommending that the amend-

Island Trunk Line Application Loan Bill, by which land had been strnck out of the Taranaki district, and also that a third of the proceeds of land cold on deferred pay- | ments, should be payable to local bodies f ? should be dropped.] After some discussion, Sir G. Gesy moved the adjournment o£ i the debate until to-morrow. Agreed to. \ PROGHESS OF BUSINESS. ' Sir H. Atkinson moved — "That the House at its rising adjourn till hull-past ten to-morrow morning." He said he saw no reason why the necessary business ; should not ho finished by to-morrow night if tho House desired it. I Mr JBallance called attention to the I number of important Bills on the Order [ Paper, which, he thought, required some ! explanation from the Premier. I Sir H. Atkinson referred to the various i Bills in detail, and eaid he thought the i whole of the business could be concluded | by the time he stated. Motion agreed to. J NATIVE LAND COURTS. The Native Land Courts Bill was further I considered in Committee. Clause 29, equity and good conscience. The Hon E. Mitohelson moved that the ; words " Commissioners shall act R3 a Court of equity and good conscience " be struck ! out. Agreed to, and the clause passed. Thß Bill was then reported with amendments. The Hon E. Mitcdelson moved thafc the Bill be re-committed for consideration of Ciauae 19. Mr Smith moved that Clause 20 be also considered. Sir G. Gbey. moved a similar motion with respect to Clause SO. Mr Smith's motion was lost on the voices. Sir G. Grey's motion was lost by 36 to 18. Mr Taiwhanga moved to insert a new clause. Agreed to. The Bill was then re-committed. Clause 19 was struck out, and Mr Taiwhanga'a clause added to the Bill. LICENSING BILL. The Licensing Act Amendment Bill was committed, and passed without amendment. WEBTPORT-NGAXA.WATT RATI/WAT. The Westport-Ngakawau Railway Extension Bill was further considered in Committee. Clause 2 — The Governor may contract for an extension to Molrihinui. Mr Fish moved that progress be reported on fcho Bill. He thought; it was very undesirable that tho Bill should be proceeded with further. Lost by 25 to 23. Mr Fish said after the closeness of the division it was evident this Bill would not pass, and ho thought the Government should agree to report progress. He was much surprised that the Government intended to go on with the Bill after the declaration of the Premier that no new works would be proceeded with, and he therefore moved that the Chaiiman leave the chair. Mr Ekeves (Inangahua) hoped the motion would not be carried. Mr Phaser supported it. •••.--. The Hon E. Mitchelson hoped the motion would not bo agreed to. He pointed out that some time ago a Company had applied to tho Government to be allowed to construct the railway themselves, but the Government thought, as ifa was a portion of the main line, it should be constructed by the Colony, especially as it was not proposed to construct it out of loan money. Mr O'Conoe said if the House refused to allow thi3 line to be constructed, it would be dog-in-the-manger enough to refuse to allow the work to proceed by a private Company ; but this would entail additional charges on the pcop?e of the district. Those who were supporting this Bill were doing so in the best interests of the Colony, because on the one side there was monopoly, and on the other side private interests. By the adoption of the Bill a coalfield would be opened up which, under proper management, would pay half the taxation of the Colony. He would aak the House at any rate to pass the seventh clause of the Bill, whicti provided that the power of extending coa.mining leases should be restricted. The Hon E. Mitchelson said it wag quite evident that the Bill would not go through Committee that night, and before moving to report progrebs, he desired to say that the Government would be compelled to make arrangements with a Company tor the construction of the line. Mr Bakbon eaid he opposed this Bill principally because the Government had emphatically stated that no new works would be proceeded with after the rejection of the Otago Central Railway Bili. Sir H. Atkinson said it was a disgrace to the House the way Parliamentary politics were being carried on. If any hon gentleman voted in a particular way, it was quite sufficient to make him a marked man. The reason for the opposition to this Bill was because Mr O'Conor voted against the Otago Central Bill, and also because he had supported the Government on a noconfidenoe motion. He (Sir H. Atkinson) had taken up this line because he thought ib was very desirable in the interests of the Colony that the line should be constructed j and he thought serioua loss to the Colony would result if the Bill were defeated. Messrs Seddon, Withy, Fraser, Smith and Buchanan also spoke on the motion for reporting progre^d, which was agreed to on the voices. HOSPITALS AND CHARITABLE AID. The Hospital and Charitable Institutions Acfc Amendment Bill was further considered in Committee. In the House after 2 a.m., progress was reported on tho Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Act Amendment Bill. Progress was then reported on eeveral Bills dealt with by the Commibtfe, and the House rose at 2.15 a.m.