HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1739, 19 December 1887, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

In Committee of Supply early 01 Saturday morning the following votei were carried : — Vote for asylums, hospitals am charitable aid tnstitut 000, £60,000. Vote~ Quarantine stations, £1000. Passed. Vote— School bnildings, £40,000. Pftßoed. Class 8, as amended, was passed ; The votes for lighthouses and harbo works were passed without amendment. The Committee then adjourned til next day. The House rose at 2 30 a.m. Saturday — Diobmber 17. The House met at 11 a.m. QUESTIONS, In replying to questions, Minister said that if Tawhiao and other native who had taken part with him m tho lat war for ward od their claims for land t< Government they would be considered that th<jy had not reooived a report froc Sir W. fitzhorbert of hie attendance a the Colonial Conference ; that they wouh appoint an independent commission t report on the alleged defective foundation of the Seacliff Lunatic Asylum ; tho Government had under consideration th question whether certain Legislative Councillors had lost their seats by bemj absent for two sessions without leave that they had no intention of introdupinj a Bill authorising tho straightening of th railway Hue between Wellington am Petone ; that Government would probabji placo a sum on tha Supplemental Estimate for the Melbourne Exhibition and would on a future day state th intentions of Government inconnectioi with the colony being represented at tha exhibition ; that the question of makinj any material alteration m the preeen system of education would be dealt wit] by the House ; that they hoped th Midland Railway Bill would be Introduce! m a day or two, IN OOMMITTUB. The House went into Committee to fur ther consider the Publio Works Estimates Vote, Harbor Defences— £Bo,ooo wai under discussion when the committee adjourned for lunch. The House resumed at 2.30 p.m. Sir Julius Yogel continued the discussion on the vote of £80,000 for harbo: defences. He contended that defenci expenditure was the result of a panii fostered by officers of the Imperial ser vice. He was quite prepared to admit th< responsibility attaching tp his Govern ment for this expenditure, and he wai quitejprepare.d to a'coept any blame for it but it was impossible for Government t< resist tho panic that was created owing tc the war scare that occurred a few yean ago. About 17 years ago Sir Donalc McLean, who was then Defenoe Minister, proposed a scheme of defence for the four principal harbors of New Zealand, which was to cost only £20,000, whereae now an expenditure of nearly half-« million was spent on the purpose. He considered that it was utterly uoelosf spending a largo amount of money fortifying the harbors of the colony, as the danger from foreign powers setting fire tq the towns was veuy remote. >Vhat waa required wrb a thorough strengthening oj tho volunteer force. He contended that ail the liabilities Bpoken of by Government could be Bayed if Government decided to do so, and the expenditure cou'd readily' oeaße without any harm being done. He was e^tir^y favorable, however, to making New #ealand a naval Ration, an^ (0 paying the coat pf two, w,&r vessels on tho coast. That was a much more effective means of defence than fortifying the harbors of the colony; He should not oppose the present vote on aocount of the liabilities entered into. Mr Marchant moved that the yoto ha reduced by £24,000. * After furthpr dlaoQuion the Premier aaid ho was certainly aitonlshed at the speech made by Sir Julius Yogel. Tbat epeeoh should have been made two or three years ago before tha colony was committed to this expenditure. He submitted that it was an extraordinary time for id exTreaturer to admit that he was a party to throwing away nearly half a million of money. He. did got altogether blame the late Government for inourrlng the expenditure daring a war scare, bat he blamed the manner In which the money was expended. The more they looked Into it the more they uarw the recklessness of the whole thing, and tbat there was no care whatever exercised m the matter. Tho present defences, he admitted, were absolutely useless for defences against $ squadron, but they would be exceedingly useful la oase of a threatened bombardment from a foreign ship unlesg aq Indemnity was paid, Jq this rejpeoti ho lid not think the money vraa at all wasted* Sir Jallns Yogel must know perfeotly trell that all naval powora are bound to iftve ports into which they could ran for >oals and for refitting purposes. If they efused this expenditure the British Gow trnment would certainly pot dq their share n defending parts into wtylah thplr strips tonld not run fp* refitting purpoaea. lie oritepdpd ' that the Government bad p.ted acogrdlng tp the best Information hat was available, and he hoped the louse would agree to the votei Governaent did not purpose to do any more than omnlete works already m hand, and urely It would be a wise thing foe the louae to agree to that If they refuaea a make provinion for possible f^ttaok, from, orelgn yesgela, and great damage re» ■ lilted m oonatquonce, there would bs a barp revolution of feeling all over tho ountry against suoh action, ; Mr Marohant'i amendmr nt waslj lost by ' sto 23, and the vote of £#3,000 carried ' Olaoo 11— Bates on, native land*, i 16,000^ Carried. ' 01.88 J^Xtiermil springs, i' 3200, j

Public Works Department, £5000. Carried Olaaa 2— Ballways, new works, £96,000. Mr Allen moved to reduce this vote by £21,000, but subsequently withdraw It, The vote was carried. Permanent way, sleepers and rolling stock, £26,100, Carried. Survey?, £4000. Carried. Glass 3—Roads, £20,000. Carried. Olaflu 4— Purchase of Native lands, £29,700. Carried. Olaeo 2— Kallwßya, new works, construction and land ; Helemville uorthwardo, £10,000. Carried. Grahamstown to Te Aroha, £10,000. Carried Rotorna, £40,000. Carried. Woodvllle to Palmeruton, £40,000. Carried, Maogannhoe to WoodvMe, £25,800. Carried. The House rose at 5.30 p.m. The Hoae resumed at 730. Blenhetm-Awatere, £7000. Otrrled. Greymouth-Hokltllra, £24.000. Carrfe! Upper Anhbnrton bran oh, £7000. Carried Livingstone branch, £6500. Carried. Otsgo-Oentral, £70,000. Carried; Oatlln's River branch, £2000, and BlversdaleSwlfzers, £3000. Both carried. Seaward bath, £6000. Carried. Wyndham-Fort-rose, £9000. Carried. Additions to open lines, £40,000. Carried. Permanent way, sleepers, and rolling stock, £50,000, and Pabllo Works Department, £6000. Both oarried. 01ms 1, Immigration, £16,720. The Minister for Immigration made ft brief explanation on the vote, and said that Government were unable, In consequence of tha shortness of the time at their disposal, aod the lateness of the ananolal year, to make any ohange m the vote for Immigration, Mr . Moss moved that the whole be ■truokout, ac he wai opposed to taking thl» vote oat of loan. If a vote was to be passed It should appear on the general estimates, and not b j voted oat of loan, ! Mr Seddon defe.i led the vote, and said that there was apr at demand at present for domestic serv ■■ a. He denied that It would bring elO'or ruin or desolation »s stated by the member for Parnell. Mr Anderson thought that the vote should be reduced, as he saw no good to be gained by Importing people from Home who would afterwards go to the Australian colonies. Mr Peaoook hoped that the class of Immigrants to be Introduced would consist of farmers and agricultural laborers, and not of the artisan olaaa, of whom there werej already too many In the towns. Mr Rlohardoon said that, as to the dais of Immigrants, he thought the House must be at on a with the Government. The olass wbloh It was desired to Introduce were those with a moderate capital men desirous of going into farming, and having the requisite knowledge. Oar lauds were nothing to us as they were without peopte, and he contended that, instead of increasing the unemployed, the introd action of this class would decrease them by giving more employment. A part of the money was to be spent on nominated immigrants, and he considered that no better guarantee oould be given of the class of Individuals than that their friends m the colony were prepared to pay their passages la part. The premium given Bllghtly lessened the cost of cbmtng to tho colony as agalnat that of going to other places. With regard to the question of loan money being spent for this purpose, he said ft was m contemplation by the Government to adopt seme system of giving land aorlp In place of passage money, but they had not time to oonslder tho matter. Mr Sooble McKenzle hoped that the vote would be struck oat to mark the House's disapproval of immigration out of loan money m the present oondltlon of the oolony. Mr W. P. Boevea (St Albans) considered It monstrous that they should spend money on immigrants when their young pnople oould not get employment. Mr Richardson said that £10,000 was all that was proposed to be asked for In addition to engagements, He did not think that was too muoh to ask for. Mr Fulton moved that the vota be reduced by £10,000. Dr Fitobett suggested that the vote be reduced by £3QQO. A lengthy disoaislon ensued. The Premier believed it would be a fatal mistake tolmroduoe more labor at thepre- | sent time, but their aim should be to provide land for people with a little capital coming Into the country, as well as for their own young men. He fliald it was utterly Impossible for a few years lo provide means for Immigration of this kind out of revenue, and surely It was a prudent course for them to adopt that, while they continued their borrowing, they should devote a small portion to the encouragement of a class of immigrants with a little capital, so as to promote settlement of our land, Mr Fulton's amendment was osrrled by 36 to 23, and a vote of £6720 oarried. The House then considered the general estimates. . Legislative Department £.26,000 In reply to questions the Premier said It was not proposed to pay salaries to any chairman of oommltteea. No extra salaries would be allowed to officers, and statutory officers would remain aa at present, their salaries being fixed by Aot. The other offioersfof the service would participate In the general rednotloa that would be made next year. Government would bo able to tell the Honse definitely whether they could recommend tny par- 1 tlcular votes on the estimates. It was not proposed at present to reduce the Speaker's salary (£800) ; he was a statutory officer, and he (the Premier) was not prepared to aay whether the Govern' would deal with the salary during the recess. Mr; HwtobJsou moved to reduoa the salary of Chairman of Committees of the Leplalatlve Oounoll (£420) by £120. A lengthy disoussion followed. Me O'Oallaghan eventually moved to strike off £670 from the total vote. The motion, was agreed to, Mr Tujnbull mo ved that the £250 for Sergeant-atArms be struck ont. He afterwards substituted an amendment that the vote be reduced by £5, which was lost by 30 to 80. Colonial Secretary's Department £151,803.—Oarried. Colonial Treasurer's Department, £38.903. Carried. Stamps md Deeds, £26,460. Oarried. Postal md Telegraphic Department, £274,437. Carried. Customs and Marine, £6.6,413. Jarrled. Justice Department, $108,665. Jarrled. Marino Department. £20,888 Jartlod, Wording railways '£725,000 ;??!?.& £ a y raent 9 t0 local bodies, £13,000, Carried. Lands and surveys =P,3P7.. Oarried; Bates on Crown and*, £42 000. Carried, The Premier moved to report progress, The motion was carried. The Houae rose at 11 30 a.m.