HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3488, 11 September 1882, Page 3

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Saturday. The House met at 2.20 p.m. In reply tn questions Ministers said they considered the Hon. Mr Pharazyn's disqualification a question for the Legislative Council to decide. THE LAND BILL. A committee was appointed to prepare reasons for disagreeing to some of the Council's amendments in the Land Bill. BILLS. The Public Revenue Act Amendment J3ill and the Banks and Bankers Bill

■ were read a second time, and, with the ! Tauranga Hot Lakes Railway Bill and the Public Reserves Sales Bill were passed through committee. The Registration of Births and Deaths Amendment Bill passed through committee, and it and the Bankers Bill, Tauranga and Hot Lakes Railway Bill, and Public Revenues Bill were read a third time and passed. The Council's amendments in the District Railways Bill and the Road Boards Bill were disagreed to. MINISTERS SALARIES. Major Atkinson intimated hie intention of asking the House to express an opinion whether Ministers would not now be justified in drawing the 20 per cent, by which they voluntarily reduced their own salaries some time ago. THB SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATES. On the motion for going into Committee of Supply on the supplementary estimates, Mr Montgomery asked that the Treasurer would explain where the extra amount proposed to be charged to the ponsoKdated revenue was to come from ? Major Atkinson said that the Government did not intend, as at one time proposed, to reduce the property tax to a halfpenny. The Government did not anticipate any deficit, but if there was a deficit it was better there should be than than that any extra money should be taken out of the pockets of the taxpayers. The motion for going into Committee of Supply was put and carried. Class 1, Legislative £3608 — Item £3000 for introducing tbe electric light. Passed after discussion. Item, cutlery and glass for Bellamy's £133, objected to by Mr Shepherd and others, but passed by 40 to 9. Item, librarian addition to salary £50, struck out by 31 to 14. Item, lawn tennis ground £40, struck out, the committee saying they had not asked for it. At the request of the Speaker, Major Atkinson promised to pay an additional £100 to the Clerk's assistant, and an extra £50 to the Sergeant-at-Arms out of unauthorised expenditure, and the vote as reduced was passed. Class 2, Colonial Secretary, £11,465. —Item £500 for London international fisheries exhibition. Retained by 26 to 16, and the vote passed, as also the votes of Class 3, Colonial Treasurer, £18,167 ; Class 4, Minister of Justice, £2421 ; Class 5, Postmaster-General, £680; Class 6, Commissioner of Customs, £5088 ; Class 7, Stamps, £158 ; Class 8, Education, £9170, including £6000 subsidies to district libraries; Class 9, Native Affairs, £2129 ; Class 10, Mines, £2460 ; Class 11, Public Works, £44,681 ; Class 12, Defence, £7045. and including £500 additional to the Rifle Association. Considerable discussion took place over the item £50,000 for harbor defence but the item was ultimately agreed to. On the item pay lo Thames Volunteers for service at Parihaka, as recommended by the Public Petitions Committee, Mr Bryce moved that the item be struck out. He considered the mercenary spirit displayed by this claim was a disgrace to the Thames men, and brought the whole volunteer force into contempt. Major Harris, Mr Dargaville, and Mr Whitaker warmly defended the Thames volunteers. At 11.55 the discussion was interrupted, and the House adjourned. Monday. The House met a f 10 a.m. DETECTIVE FARRELL's PETITION. On the motion to go into Committee"of Supply Mr Sheehan moved that the House take into favorable consideration the report of the committee on the petition of Detective Farrell. Mr Macandrew supported. Mr Bryce objected to interfering with discipline. The amendment was withdrawn. COMMITTEE OP SUPPLY. In Committee of Supply the debate was resumed on the item, Miscellaneous Defence, Thames "Volunteers. Mr Sheehan supported, and Mr Hursthouse opposed the vote. Mr Bryce said the corps were entirely mistaken regarding their engagement. They expected only to be engaged for a couplfi of weeks, but he informed them explicitly that they might be required for two months, or till lawfully discharged. After thirty-one days they were lawfully discharged. The officers of the corps bad acquiesced in the compromise already carried out. Mr Sheehan said the telegram was explicit enough that the terra of engagement should be at least two months. Mr Ro'ileston thought they had been liberally dealt with. The motion to omit the item was carried by 30 to 26, and the vote as reduced was passed. Crown Lands £150, and Miscellaneous £9784, including £3695 to meet the awards of the Military and Land Claims Commission. A division took place and the item, compensation and interest to John Kelly for loss of land £1,500, which it was proposed to reduce by the amount of interest to £560, but this item as printed was passed by 31 by 30, and the total vote passed. Mines Aid Prospecting £500 ; Colonial Treasurer, miscellaneous, £3,508 ; Public Trust Office, £220 ; Native Reserves, £301 ; Government Insurance, £8,500; Printing Brogden I papers, £400; Havelock wharf, £400. All were passed. Publin Buildings, £21,000.— On the item £20,000 for Parliament Buildings, Mr W. Johnston said the £10,000 suggested by Mr Montgomery was found insufficient to provide a fire-proof library, widen the corridor, erect a new kitchen, and other absolutely necessary improvements. Mr Barron opposed the vote. No further expenditure should take place until a Royal Commission had reported on the question of the removal of the seat of government. Mr Montgomery thought £10,000 ample to provide a fire-proof library, improve the ventilation, and to erect a better Whip's room. Better abolish Bellamy's than erect a new kitchen. Even if the seat of government were to be removed next year £10,000 were not too much to provide for the comfort of members, but not to go beyond that. Major Atkinson did not think the removal of the seat of Government likely, but deprecated discussing it now. Whips' rooms were urgently required, acd so was a kitchen for Bellamy's. He thought also a suitable room should be provided for the use of the leader of the Opposition. Mr Fergus, as a practical man, said £10,000 would not do the works required. Mr Shepherd said to reduce the amount would be parsimony, not economy. Mr Macandrew opposed spending more than £3000. Mr Wright considered better provision should be made for strangers, as there wae constant interruptions from behind the Speaker's chair. Replying to a question, Mr W. Johnston said that the services of a professional architect outside the Government would be called in. Sir John Hall thought that a comprehensive plan of the improvements should be submitted to Parliament,

The amendment that the item be admitted was lost by 26 to 33. Mr Barron moved that the sum be reduced to £3000. Lost on the voices. The motion to reduce the item to £10,000 was carried on the voices. Mr Barron moved to reduce it to £5,000. Lost by 31 to 25. The item £10,000 paesed. The remaining votes on the supplementary estimates were passed as printed. CONFERENCE OP LAND BILL. A conference was appointed with the Council on land bill. The House adjourned at 1.20 p.m.