PARLIAMENTARY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1301, 29 July 1886, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

V/eonbsdav, July 26

The Council met at 2.30 p.m. In reply to Dr Menzies, who asked if Government would consider the propriety of lighting night trains with the electric light, Mr Buckley said that the matter was under consideration by the railway authorities. Mr Wilson moved that Mr Bonar and Mr Wilson bo managers to further confer with the managers of the House, with regard to the Council’s disagreement on clause 35 of the Local Bodies Loan Bill.

A discussion ensued, resulting in an amendment i hat the former managers be appointed being carried on a division. The first Offenders Probation Bill was considered in Committee, and progress reported at 5 p.m. ‘ After a lengthy debate the motion for the second reading of the Salmon and Trout Bill was negatived on the voices. The second reading of the Sheep Act Amendment Bill and the Mining Bill were agreed to. Mr Whitaker moved the second reading of the Settled Land Bill. A discussion ensued, and the debate was adjourned till next day. The Government Loans to Local Bodies Bill was further considered in Committee, and progress being reported, the Council adjourned till next day.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday JtrLTj2B. The House met at 2.30 p.ra. WAIMEA PLAINS B ULWAY.

The Public Aoooauta Committee reported in favour of the Purchase of the Waltnea Plains Railway.

QUESTIONS. Replying to questions it was stated that Government would be g ! ad to assist the Auckland volunteers in the erection of a rifle range; that the question of re-letting by public auction gum fields whose leases have expired would receive the fullest consideration; that steps would be taken after the se?sion to ascertain which of the telegraph offices could be closed with advantage during the hours of 7 '0 8 p.m ; that engine-drivff » n d firemen of the New Zealand railways were classified, and their wages increased up to 13a per day, and no further increase could be promised ; that the unemployed question was receiving - the serious consideration of Government ; that the pratlce of allowing tobacco to prisoners has been discontinued for some time past BILLS Sir Julius Vogel introduced The Government Life Insurance Bill, and the Property Tax Bill. TOBACCO IN PBIS >NS Mr Moss moved the adjournment of the House In order to debate the question of disallowing the use of tobacco to udoonvicted prisoners, A lengthy discussion ensued, wh’c't was interrupted by the 5.30 p.m. adjournment.

EVENING SITTING The House resumed at 7 30 p m. BILLS.

The Gold Duty Redaction Bill was passed through Committee and read » third time. The Beer Duty Amendment Bill on the motion of Sir Julius Vogel was re stored to the order paper. The Treasurer moved the second reading of the North Island Trunk Railway Loan Application Bill, limiting the expenditure of that loan to the purposes of that railway. These were specified, as coat of railway, rolling stock, etc., and cost of acquiring Native land to an amount not exceeding £IOO,OOO, 2J per cent of which was to be devoted to hospital and charitable! aid endowments for the North Island ; the remainder to form railway reserves. Major Atkinson objected strongly to the last proviso. North Island members did not want money need that way to obtain special endowment, and personally, he held the laud fund belonged to the whole colony. If the Treasurer could not obtain hia £IOO.OOO any other way, he could strike some of the lines out of the schedule of the Loan Bill. Mr Montgomery also disapproved _ of taking the railway money to buy native land with, and a number of other members expressed similar viewa. Sir Julius Vogel offered to give up the proposition of ecdowments and railway reserve, but declined to yield the £IOO,OOO, and moreover said the Loan Btll was for railways only and could not be meddled with. The Bill was then read a second time.

LOAN BILL. The loan Bill was next considered in committee. Mr Bryce asked Sir Julius Vogel if there would be a loan next year. The Treasurer refused to be catechised, and declined to give any opinion. Being pressed he said so far as he could see there would be no necessity to negot’ate a further loan before September, 1888 A discussion took place on the question proposed in danse 3, naming the amount of the*loan till after the schedule was considered, during which Mr Bryce urged the reduction of the loan. 'i he Chairman refused to allow the schedule to be taken before all the clauses were disposed of. Mr Dargaville proposed an amendment allow ing part of the loan to be need for the purchase of nativo but the Chairman ruled it . u-. '• Major Atkinson pointed out that the clause allowed a sum not exceeding £150,000 to be raised, and argued if they reduced the items of the schedule it would not affect the danse, as they would only need to borrow to the reduced extent Sir Julias Vogel said the Government distinctly refused to accept less than a million and a half. Negotiations were already In progress with the AgentGeneral pointing to a loan of that amount being raised la October. Mr Wakefield said this was unheard of. The Premier had distinctly invited the House to cut down tha schedule, and now they were told Government were already committed to the fall amount before the House had given them any authority to raise a loan at all.

Mr Tarnbull said the plain fact was they mast have the whole amount simply in order to expend It in the country. It would be ruinous to be without it.

Sir Julios Vogel aaid he too was in favour of restricting borrowing for other purposes than railways, and in that h e agreed with the Premier. They had been spending on an| average ten shillings In the pound of their loans for works outside of railways. The Premier and he were quite agreed *o the '-eoesslty for tapering off borr «i gon uureprodnetive works. He thought Major Atkinson’s way of re "ding clause 3 correct, and undertook that if the amount were left blank, Government would not ask to have it filled in with more than the total of the schedule.

Major Atkinson said the Treasurer ought to have said this plainly at the start. He complained that the Premier bad left the House. He ought to be present to sustain the promise he had made in his speech, Tha Treasurer had threatened the House that they were committed to the loan. Sir Julius Vogel explained that he had only written io the Agent-General mentioning that the loan was likely to be proposed. t . , At this point, the Premier re-entered the chamber amid some applause, and M-jor Atkinson said they had got the House to water, but he didn’t know whether they could make them drink.

The Premier raid hat if the Opposition were earnest for eo momy *hsj would Dot

propose to cut down one i'eoi merely to add to another. He wished to give the committee an much fre-dom in discussing this Bill as Major Atkinson had given in discussing his loan measures. Tn answer to Mr Dargavillo he refused to promise that oat of any savings tn the schedule money should be obtained for Native land purchase.

Mr Kerr begged that whatever was cut

out should be ssved altogether. After some desultory d suasion the' clause was passed as it stood. The succeeding clauses were passed up to 16, which Major Atkinson objected'to ra not sufficiently earmarking the different Items. The Premier said that could be done tn another Bill. Tbs remainder of the clan-ei were passed without comment. On reaching the schedule. Mr J. O. Backland moved to strike out the Hamilton-Grafaamstown Hue, £5300. Mr Fraser said the line from Grahams* town to Te Arohs would be an excellent paying one. Government had already built a section which was most doubtful as to yielding a profitable return. A brisk discussion ensued as to the population and resources of the district. In answer to Mr Fergus, Mr Richardson said it would take £70,000 more to finish

the line. ... , Mr Hurathoose moved a further amend* merit, to omit the Helensville northwards, £50,000. Lost by 64 to 13. Mr Bnckland’s amendment was then lost by 47 to 26. Captain Sutter moved to omit the item Grey mouth to Hokitika £76.000, which at once excited opposition on the part of the West Coast members The amendment was lost by 40 to 34. Mr Allwrlgbt moved the excsion of the Westport-Inangahua line £63,000. Mr J. C. Bockland said he would Ilka to hear the Minister of Public Works say something in favor o! this line. Mr Richardson said it would be wanted to connect Westport harbor With the ! Midland railway A discussion followed of some length. The Item was struck out by 41 to S 3. Mr Reid moved to omit the Blenheim. Toph ’use, £68,000 Ayes 22, nres 50. The item was struck out. Mr Ketr moved that i em Otago Central, £140,000, be reduced by £IOO,OOO. Sit Julius V jgel said he did not propose to finish the schedule that night. Government would consider how they should allocate the money which had been struck off. Mr Bryce objected Mr O’Callaghan complained that _ the southern portion of the colony had received scant justice, and moved to report progress. _ After some discussion Sir Julius Vogel said Government proposed to leave the question of appropriation of amounts struck off for future consideration. He wished to have time to consult with hie colleagues. As two items had been deleted he would consent to £44,000 being taken off the vote for rolling stock, etc. Motion for reporting progress lost on the voices. Sir Julias Vogel hoped Mr Kerr would not press bis amendment to reduce the Otago Cen ral vote. Mr Gore said he was inclined to support Mr Kerr, as the reduction of the item would bring the neglect of this line to a climax, and force the people to give expression to their opinion on the matter. Mr Kerr withdrew bis amendment, but moved to strike out Edendale-Fortrose, £28,000. Mr Hatch supported this, because the line was not wanted by the people of the district, who preferred the Seaward Bush railway. Sir R. Stout said the Fortrose people had no concern in the line, which ended 16 miles from them The money, already spent would be wasted unless further provision were made for carrying the Uno through the tunnel to the point where It joined the main road. Mr Holmes moved that the Chairman leave the chair, on the ground that tho schedule had got into a satisfactory (?) state. Nelson and Canterbury were totally neglected. After discussion the motion was withdrawn

Mr Pearson moved to strike out Siversdale to Switzers, £20,000. Mr Cowan defended the line as opening up one of the best districts in the colony. Item retained by 33 to 5, Mr Kerr’s amendment was also lost by 38 to 19. Mr Pearson asked if Government would entertain any idea of making a railway between Christchurch and Snmner, which would pay better than many others. A long discuss’on took place on the item £150,000 addition to opened lines, the Nelson members especially dwelling on the claims of their districts to consideration at the hands of Government. The item £370,000 for permanent way rolling stock, etc., was reduced to £326,000, and Sir Julius Vogel then moved to report progress. The motion was carried, and the House rose at 3.45 a,m.