PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

Waikato Times, Volume I, Issue 68, 5 October 1872, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

Wellington, Tuesday Jtight. In committee on the Maori Representation the clause giving tin additional member was curried by 30 to 29. On motion to go into supply, Mr Vogcl oal)*"! tho attention of the Government to. tho desirability of reducing the priee of press; telegrams, so that tho newspapers could get inore.■news''without the revenuo suffering. Mr Curtis said the subject was under consideration, lie believed the charges could bo reduced vvith benefit alike lo tho public and the revenue. It was also cnotemplatcd to make a reduction in shipping telegrums, and to curtail the present extent of ofllcial telegraphy.

Mr \ r ogel called attention to the desirability of subsidising a steam service between New Zealand and the Fijis, pointing out the importance of keeping the South Sea Island trade in the hands of the colony.

Mr Gillies expressed a desire to cultivate to the utmost eominercinl relations with the Island, but. tho colony must now limit its desires by its means, and he did not see thai the Government now hud means to grant such a subsidy unless the colony was willing to provide moans-through taxation. Mr Sheehan said the Island trade was now ours, but it was slipping away, ami it would bo too Into to talk of encouragement when oneo the trade was in the ha-nclr of .Sydney or Melbourne.

Mr Yogel intimated his intention to bring down a motion on the subject.

in committee of Supply Mr Vogel intimated his intention at the proper time to discuss the Financial Statement, which he said w.os full of matter calculated', to create a false impression. Mi* Gillies replied that, he fully understood that proceeding with the Estimates did not preclude such discussion. The whole of the votes in clauses two and three were passed. Wednesday. In reply to a question by Mr ITallenst.ein, Mr Stafford said the Government, could not see its way to make miners' rights run over the whole colony, the revenue being.practically provincial. In reply to a question by Mr linllonstein, Mr Stafford said that tho only modo of stopping the inllux of Chinese, or making thorn contributors to the reveiiuOj.seenuHl to bo by direct tax, which the Government was not prepared to recommend. Mr Uillios introduced a bill to confer borrowing I power* on the Iload Jioards. Mr Keader Wood moved, with reference to the report of the Committee on Public Buildings, " That, this House is of opinion that, no-more money should be spent, on Government .Buildings at Wellington, beyond what, is necessary to keep thorn in a tenanluble slate of repair, until the house has had an opportunity of considering the character and details of the 'administrative machinery differing from thai, which has hitherto existed,' referred to by the Pio;iiier in his statement of September 13." His resolution, he said, aimed directly at tho seat of Government, which was still an open question, that had never been decided, and would never be permitted to rest whilethe seat of Government remained at; Wellington. He regretted that Mr Stafford had departed from the pi'aetico of previous Ministers, in making tho question a Ministerial one. He had supported Mr Stafford in tho late debate, and would continue to support him in obtaining the prudent and economical conduct of public works, but was under no party obligation to support him on such a question as tl.oseat of Government, which had never been raised in the late debate. So far as tho unity of the colony depending on the seat of Government remaining at Wellington, he thought its doing so perilled unity. The debate which the Government promised to initiate next session, and to which tho resolutions alluded, would finally settle the question, and until that was done, it would be waste of money to patch up the present buildings. If the Government, remained at Wellington altogether, new buildings would be required.

Mr Stafford said Mr Wood had entirely misapprehended his meaning, if he thought the Government intended next session, or at any other time, to invite the Legislatu:o lo consider any question involving theunity of the colony, or the seat of Government. Tlio latter question had been settled in 18(55 ; but really it seemed as if there was no such thing as finality attaching to any decision of our Legislature. What the Government intended to do was simply te consider whether they would be able to devise a more efficient, and if possible more concoinical mode of executive administration, and, the opinions both in the Legislature and the country being so changeable, he was not very sanguine that any proposals would prove acceptable. He had opposed the removal of tha Government from Auckland, and thought now that the removal was one of the greatest mitsakes the Legislature ever made, but it having been made they should not wander about without any fixed ideas, but show some steadiness of purpose.

The debate was interrupted by the dinner hour while Mr Stafford was speaking.

The Public Works Statement will be made to-night, Thursday, 3 p.m.

Mr Vogel gave notice to move, on the next witting day, that the House has no confidence in the present Government.

It is rumoured that extraordinary revelations respecting offers on Mr Brogdcn's behalf to a member of the House will be made to-day.

Mr Harrison, M.G.A., lias sent a letter to the Speaker, stating that Captain Holt, private secretary to Mr Brogden, desired to arrange with him, on behalf of Mr Brogden, to assist in securing the impress of the colony to Mr Brogden's goldfields water-works scheme, which proposed to obtain capital from the home country towards the expenses to be incurred. The letter says further, that in the course of the negotiations, Mr Holt informed Mr Harrison that if he received remuneration he would be expected tosupport Mr Brogden in the House ; and also to use his influence with Mr Yogel to prevent him from bringing on any motion that would involve the defeat of the Government, as it was for Messrs Brogden and Co.'s interest that the Stafford Government should remain in office for at least the current year. The Speaker is now narrating the facts to the House. PUBLIC WORKS STATEMENT. Wednesday night. The Hon. Mr Reid made his Public Works statement after the dinner adjournment on Wednesday.. He said, his predecessor having recently explained what had been done during the past year, he would confine himself to |a concise account of the position of the colony in regard to works, loans, contracts, and engagements already .existing, the estimated cost of completing the same, and works intended to be commenced and, carried on- during the current year, amounted to £910,823. To complete these lines would require a further expenditure of £506,201, while the amount authorised by Parliament was £1,036,007. £380,328 would thus be required to be voted to complete the works already contracted for out of the Middle Island' Railway Fund. Upon roads in the South-west goldfields the expenditure and engagements amounted to £29,409, being £8,962 in e:ce>s of appropriation. In Westland the expenditure and engagements amounted te £38,085, leaving an unexpended balance of £3,608. £4,000 had also been: spenfc on Gteymouth. harbour works, and £600 on : unauthorised railway surveys. The total expenditure,, liabilities, and engagements on account of Middlei Island railways and road?, was this: —£1.£89,203*.

leaving a balance of £547,992 available for future works. The discepancy between this and the amont given in the Financial Statement arose from the omision in the latter of sums necessary to complete necessary work ho a-s to reder them useful, and also certain outstanding engagements. The House would b<! nsked in the Kail way Hill to make provision for (lie £380,328 reqvirod to complete existing works. The total expenditure and liability for roads in the North Island was £172,925, leaving an unexpectedbalance 0ffc227,08!. The goldfields water supply cngiigetnentH, and contractor, were — expenditure, £3,415"; subsidies, £1<2.534 ; Thames water race, £51,4 f JS; leaving unappropriated, £233,3.">5. Thus on all accounts, the sum available W/H ' £1,012,040, subject to reduction of departmental exprnuM and the expenses of raising the loan. During '.he year it was intended, to the full extent made, available by the appropriation, to press forward the construction of roads in the native district* of the North Island. .But it was impossible to specify or indicate particular works. The Government would endeavour to secure the co-operation o| thei natives in the work*, and would use native labour. With regard to the Middle Island roads, he would ,uk for a vote; of £3,000 from the railway fund for road.s from Wesl.port to Nino-Mile Creek, and £:.',0.50 f,,r a lu-idl■' track from Ahatira to Amuri, and the.ice to Kaikoura. The expenditure of the latter sum would 1)0 conditional on Canterbury and Nelson each contributing .B15"0. A vote- would be proposed fora Burvey to ascertain the cost, of a road from Ahaura to the Thirty-second Mile-post. The balance of the Wcst.larid" Koad Fund would probably siilHee for the necessary widening of roads between Ross anil Kanieri. The Government were fully alive to the importance of waterworks on goldliclds, and would do their best |o secure a reproductive expenditure while providing »n adequate water supply to the principal goldfidds. They would consider applications for assistance as soon" as possible In regard to railways it was intended to commence the following works during the current year: -From Lower to Upper Jfutt, oonhl ruction 71 miles, formation Umile.s; Nelson and li'oxhill, formation 20 miles ; Rakaia and Ashburton, including Ashburton Bridge, construction 20 miles ; Timaru to Temuka, construction 12 miles; Moeraki 1o Waitaki, construction 10 miles; Tokomairiro to Lawrence, formation 20 miles; VVint m to Kingston, const no ion 1.2 miles; branch line from Rollcston to Malvern, construction 20 miles ; Bruniinr coal line, o instruction 7 miles; Kawakawa coal line, construction 5 miles ; making in all 108 miles to bo undertaken in the year, lie recognised the necessity of constructing branch lines as feeders, and during the recess lie would carefully consider the terms upon which svic.h lines should be undertaken. It was intended t > take up the bill prepared by their predecessors authorising branch lines from Oamaru to Wairikii, on condition that the land for the line should he given free of cost, and the owners and occupiers of hind in the district through which the line passed should consent to their properties being rated to an extent sufficient to cover at least onehalf, or at the option of the Minister of Public Works, live-sevenths of the annual charge in respect; to the cost of construction and maintaining and working of the lines. The (Tovei-nment, however, had no intention of proceeding with this line during the recess but took up the bill to enable them to ascertain the merits of the proposed line, and the feeling-* of Ihe landowners in the districts. It was intended to push on and complete surveys and working plans of the following lines, so as to be able next session to make definite proposals with regard to their o.nst ruction: Auckland to R.verhead; Pakipaki to Ruataniwha; Hutt to M aster to n ; Ficton to Blenheim extension; Ashley River to the north bank of the Kawa ; .Ashburton to Temuka; Moeraki toWaiknuaiti: Winton towards Kingston; tfio above amounting to 232 mil.*, to be prepared for contract. The Mnnawatu to Wlmngnnui, and the Waitara to Wlmni'sinui, 1 i>S miles: preliminary surveys to be completed as far as possible, and a portion of the working Hurveva to be made. The preliminary »urvevs to be made of the Mercer to Upper Waikato, mid the Waikoimiti to Dnnedin lines, 95 miles. Workin" plans for 70 miles of the Cnnle:-burv branch linos to be made, and also for the Mount Roehfort. coal line 12 miles. Borings to be made and plans to be prepared for the Clutha bridge and protective works. The cost of the above survey he estimated at £11000, for which a vote would be asked. These proposal's wcro decided on after careful consideration. Keeping in view the amount of labour that would prohablv be available, the Government had endeavoured to proceed without undue precipitancy on the one hand, and with careful prudence on the other. Some districts might bo disappointed, but it was impossible that all intended works could bo commenced immediately with auv reasonable prospect of early or economical completion even if the neojssory funds were immcdiatcly nvailable—which was not the case. The Government, therefore, felt it to bo thoir duty first to proceed with those lines likely at the earliest date to yield the largest results to the colonv as compared with tho cost of thoir construction. Mr Vo«*el "ave notice to move to-morrow that the House has no confidence in the present Government.