NOTES FROM THE HOUSE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVII, Issue 36, 7 September 1899, Page 19

NOTES FROM THE HOUSE.

PROCEEDINGS IN PARLIAMENT.

(From our special correspondent).

The House, on resuming on Tuesday afternoon, spent some time in the consideration of the Government proposals with reference to a Pacific cable. The resolutions submitted to the House by the Premier were to the effect that this Colony join in the cost of construction of a Pacific cable with Great Britain, Canada, New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland ; that the cable be owned and managed by the contributory Governments ; that New Zealand's share of the guarantee should not exceed in any case one-eighth of the whole cost. The Premier explained that the proposal was to take the cable through all British country, and therefore there would be less liability to mistakes in cablegrams ; and in case of war, the cable would be under British control. The fact that the Imperial authorities had joined in the proposal would mean that the line would be properly worked, and that the money would be got cheaply. Under the present system the lines passed through 17 different places, hence the necessity for an all red line from a national and commercial standpoint. He waa satisfied the line would be of advantage to this Colony. Nearly all the speakers considered it desirable that such a cable should be constructed, and in the course of the discussion it was stated that the charges would be reduced from 9s 4d per word to 4s, and that £180,000 would be the amount of this Colony's guarantee. The resolutions were slightly altered in Committee, and as amended were agreed to by the House. The remainder of the evening was devoted to consideration of the Estimates. On the item for Parliamentary reporting being reached, exception was taken to the action of the chief ot the staff, who, it waa alleged, had contributed a signed article to an American paper. After discussion the matter was referred to the Speaker. The whole of Wednesday afternoon was devoted to answering questions and formal business. A Loan Bill for one million sterling was read a first time. In the evening the Government Loan to Local Bodies Bill, which is a measure intended to confer the same power on town districts as on boroughs, with regard to borrowing, was read a second time. The Totalisator Gradual Extinction Bill, introduced by Mr. Flatman, was discussed for some time, and the debate thereon adjourned. The measure seeks to provide that the number of totalisator permits issued in 1900 shall not exceed 156 ; 1901, 117 ; 1902, 78 ; 1903, 39 ; and that from and after 1904 no licenses shall be issued. On Thursday afternoon the Premier laid on the table papers respecting the proposed sea service connecting New Zealand with the federal mail service at Sydney. It is proposed to call for tenders for a monthly service between New Zealand and Sydney, the time not to exceed four days six hours, and the contract to have a currency of two years. Penalties are provided for excess contract time, and the steamers engaged in the work are not to be less than 2000 tons. The present mail arrangements, said the Premier, were not satisfactory, and it was to save time that he had brought down the papers, which had been justified by the recommendation by the Extension of Commerce Committee. At present they had no alternative to the Ban Franoisco service, with which his proposal would not interfere. After considerable discussion the matter was referred to a committee of the whole House. In the evening the Loan Bill came on for the second reading. A protracted debated ensued, and from the remarks of the speakers it was evident there was very little opposition to the loan, the main objection being to the method of allocating the money. If only each member got what he thought was the right of his district, not one but ten millions would be required. On Friday afternoon the proposals with regard to the improved mail service were again discussed. A motion that the time between Wellington and Sydney be limited to four days was carried, after which progress was reported. The debate on the Loan Bill was then resumed, but the speech delivered contained little of general interest. The debate was carried on until the early hours of Saturday morning, when the second I reading was carried by 29 votes to 15.