PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XVIII, Issue 1732, 11 September 1885, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

LOCAL BODIES FINANCE AND POWERS BILL. MACANDREW'3 SEPARATION MOTION NEGATIVED. CAPTAIN BUSSELL PROPOSES TO CUT DOWN THE PUBLIC WORKS EXPENDITURE BY £500,000. THE MINISTER FOR PUBLIC WORKS WILLING TO DO SO. THE PREMIER WON’T CONSENT TO ANY REDUCTION. THE MINISTRY ALL AT SIXES AND SEVENS.

In the House of Representatives ou Tuesday, in reply to a question, the Minister ef Mines said the Government would place a «nm on the Supplementary Estimates for ai 1ing prospecting and giving rewards for the discovery of goldfields. The House went into Committee upon the Local Bodies Finance and Powers Bill. In the emtse of tha discussion Major Atkinson asked whether the Premier would not move that the Oil lirtnvr leave the chair, and have done with the Bill. The Government could put ill mouths subfiiiiiea into the Estimates. He considered there was no possible reason for geiug ou with the Bill, and moved that the Chairman leave the ehair. Sir Julius Vogel said that if the Bill were thrown out the Government might have to go back to some larger system of locil Government. Major Atkinson asked what would be done in respect to liabilities under the Roads and Bridges Act. Sir Julius Vogel said the Government w mid fuiiil liabilities under the Act. Major Atkinson wanted to know what the liabilities were. Sir Julius Vogel said the liabilities under the Act were amounti applied for and that would have to be paid—L3o.ooo. Lliiti.OOO, to the best of his belief was the amount for completing works, the grants for which had not been sufficient to carry them cut. Major Atkinson wanted to know whether the Government was going to ae-lect particular works to be completed, Sir Jains Vogel repeated that the money was to be expended on works fur which particular grants had been made, A long discussion followed, and ultimately Major Atkinson withdrew his amendment, after which a number of clauses in the Bill were struck out. Progress was then reported and the subject dropped for a time. Then ensued a series of curious complications. On the motion that the House go into Committee of Supply to consider the Public Works Estimates an amendment was moved, That a Royal Commission be appointed to inquire into and report upon the advisability

ol a separate form of Goveruraent for in'Svor of this proposal, thou a Bill should be introduced next session providing for the establishment of such separate Governments.'' Mr Macaudrew contended that the colony, owing to its extravagant expenditure, was “ going to eternal smash." and that “separation " was the only remedy. A stiff debate followed, and on a division being taken the motion for going into Committee of Supply was negatived in favor of Mr Macandrew's amendment, which latter then became the substantive motion, and to that Caplain Russell immediately moved another amendment '* that it was desirable that the I’ublic Works expenditure should be reduced by a sum of

not leas than LoOO.OOO." To the profound astonishment of everyone in the House, Mr Richardson, the Minister for Public Works, said that the LoOo.oiM reduction could be effected, an I t-xprewd his willingness to take action in that directi -n when the House went into Committee. After some further discussion Hr Macandrew's motion was put and lost. Then the amendment of Captain Bussell had to be dealt with aud a debate followed, the most remarkable feature of which was tbs diametrical 1 } - oppo-ite opinions held hy the Minister It Public Works aud the Premier, with re-qa-ct to making the proposed reduction of 1.-V'O.OOO in the Public Works Estimates. The Minister for Public Works had previously stated his willingness to make the reduction should the House desire it, but the Premier now declared “ that the Government were not going to support the reductions but wool 1 vote atainst thorn."

This lei Mr Bryc- to inquire" if tho Tiemitr was going t > vot- a.* unst his colleague, the Minister for I’ueiic Works,’ 1 wherr-ueon the Premier promptly replied “ that iie would not vote for any ft Pactions whatever." It then bec.ii.re quite char that the Governm. ut was in a state of internal dissension, and that individual Ministers held opinions absolutely antag-minie to c aeh other. The House didn't exactly know whit to make of this peculiar state of affairs, rmd so in a bewildered frame of mind hon members kept np the debate for a little longer, when Mr Buchanan moved its adjournment, which was carried, and the House rise at 12.45. On Wednesday the chief business in the House of Representatives was a continuance of the debate on Captain RneselTs amendment to reduce the Public Works Estimates by L.500,000. Mr W. C. Buchanan made a good speech in which he pointed out that taxation was high, revenue decreasing, and the colony in a critical condition. He urged the necessity of cutting down expenditure and declared that he would vote for the amend-

meat. A long debate followed during the

coarse cf which Hir Julius Vogel said the Government would not regard the amendment it carried, as being equivalent to a hostile vote. Lltimately the debate was (tdjoumed and the House rose.