H0USE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Waikato Times, Volume IV, Issue 192, 2 August 1873, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 30. The Juvenile Offenders Act, inlrwliu-ed by Mr Srewnrd, provides for punishment of niaK". under sixteen years of age, and may be cited before any Ke «ident Magistrate. For a breach of the Act the offender may be sentenced to solitnry confinement with or without whipping, and whipping may bo ordered without imprisonment. When whipping is ordered to be inflicted the punishment must be inflicted within the precincts of the gaol. In the "Upper House, in reply to Mr Chamborlain, the Colonial Secretary said the Government had not any intention of taking steps regarding the discovery of coal in the Raglan District. The information the Government had received showed that the coal was not suitable for steam purposes, and the Government had only intended to take action where the coal was suitable for such. In the House to-day Mr Eolleslon asked the PostmasterGeneral whether the Government will extend the steam service between Fiji and Auckland to the Southern portion of the colony, and so as to embrace other islands of the Pacific, especially the Saraoan Group ; and whether the Government were in possession of any information as to whether action had been taken, in accordance with the suggestion of the Postmaster-General, to promote bringing these islands, or any of them, under the protectorate of Great Britain. Mr Vogel said the Government desired to extend the Fiji service to the Southern provinces ; but, the first invitation for tenders not being responded to, the Government closed with an advantageous tender of £100 per month. The Government would communicate with the present contractors on the subject ; and if the service could be so arranged, the Goverment would, place a sum on the estimates for that purpose The Government perceived tha importance of New Zealand's commercial relations with the Pacific islands. With regard to the question of a protectorate, communications would be sent home by the current mail. (n reply to a question by Mr Mm ray, the Premier said that instructions had been given in accordance with the Intercolonial Conference, for the preparation of a bill to render the patent laws of the colonies uniform ; and, when drafted, the matter would be considered. At a meeting of Mr Stafford's supporters to-day Mr Stafford informed them that his private affairs would prevent his continuing to act as a leadear of a party with constitutional ability, or taking office in event of the existing Government retiring from otfice. The organised Oppo»ition Avas therefore dissolved.

(Extract vvlox. Uansabd.) Mr "Williamson asked the Premier, on what date, according to eflluxion of time, it will become necessary for the Governor to dissolvo the Provincial Council of Auckland ? He had been induced to put this question in order to remove certain doubts which existed in Auckland as to the time when the present Council would be dissolved. Candidates and electors were alike anxious on the point, a great deal of interest being taken in the forthcoming election!. He (Mr Williamson) had been informed that one of the candidates for the office of Superintendent considered that the time when the dissolution should take place, or, at any rate, «hen the elections should be held, rested very much with the Provincial Government ; but he (Mr Williamson) was not himself aware that such was the ense ; be know that it rested entirely in the hands of Mie General Government when to dissolve the Council and to issue the writs, and with the Returning Oflloera to decide when the elections should take place. Mr Vogel replied that he was advised that the date for the return of the writs for the election of the present Provincial Council of Auckland was the 18th January, 1870, and the Council would therefore have to bo dissolved on some day prior to the 18th January, 1874. Air Williamson asked the Minister for Public Works, if it be the intention of the Government, during the preient session of Parliament, to ask for authority to extend the line of the Waikato Enjluvy, now in course of construction, to some point on (ho upper boundary of the confiscated territory ; and nlso to connect the main line with the Thames district at Tnraru? His reason for putting the question was this: He had recently visited the Waikato districts, and was very much pleased to find that a large number of persons had become settlers on the confiscated lands. Numbers of , the old military settlers who were introduced for the purposes of defence, and other people, with their families, were now located there, and naturally desired to have increased facilities for the transport of their produce to the market towns. In districts where there were now ten?, he believed — nnd it was generally believed — there would be hundreds of settler*, if transport were made more easy to the towns and ports of Auckland and the Thames. Ho woo quite aware this matter wns not now newly brought Under the notice of the ttovoruuient. The subject of the

proposed Thames connecting link was brought under the notice of the Minister of Public Works when he last visited Auckland. He understood the reply given bj that honorable gentlemen to the deputation which waited upon him WBs, that it wa* the policy of the Colony to make trunk lines o( railway, and not branch lines. This, consequently, was not r now matter, and ho should' also mppose that the Government had already considered the propriety of extending the Waikato railway from Mercer to the outer boundary of the confiscated land, the utility of doing which was beyond doubt. The construction of this railway, above all others in the Colony, was of the greatest importance in every point of view, and it would bo a very profitable one. lie knew that petitions from the Waikato settlers had been presented to the House ; but these would, no doubt, after being duly considered by the Petitians Committee, only be remitted to the Government. He had put this question thus early in the session in order that the seLtlers in the districts might be reassured that everything which could be done, over and above Constabulary defence, would bo done by the present Government to allay any dismay that might now or hereafter be felt by such occurrences as had recently taken place, as well as to encourage them, and ensure their safety as settlers. Mr Vogel said, in the absence of the Minister of Public Works, he would reply to the question, and it would give him an opportunity of making a statement which, with the permission of the House, he should have made even without the question being put. Representations and strong recommendations had been made to the Goverament in reference to a vast quantity of public work* throughout the colony, — not only railways, but works of every description ; and if the Government were not misled, it was likely that applications would come in for works to a very large amount — an amount, perhaps, of millions. Under theie circumstances, it would be obvious to honorable members that a very important question of policy was really involved in dealing with these questions, and the Government proposed to come down at an early date with a statement upon the whole subject. He thought it would be found convenient to make that statement at the tame time as the annual financial statement, which he was in hopes, should nothing unusual occur to prevent it, to be able to make within a fortnight from that day. He trusted the honorable member would, therefore, consent, to wait for an answer to his question until that time. Mr Williamson signified his consent.