HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 4127, 14 October 1884, Page 3

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Monday. The House met at 7.30 p.m. PETITIONS. A number of petitions from Otago were presented in favor of reading the Bible in the State schools. The Christchurch Free Thought Association presented a petition protesting against the heresy laws being enacted by the New Zealand Legislature, seeing that there Avas no State religion in tho colony. MINISTERIAL STATEMENT.

Tho Premier made a Ministerial statement. Members Avere aware that they had been long in session, and the Government were desirous of facilitating tho progress of business and tho close of the session. He stated that there were several bills which the Government Avished to push as rapidly as possible. These were the East and West Coast and Nelson Railway_ BUI, ' tho Government Insurance Bill, the District Bill, and the Bill relating to West - Coast harbors. Efforts would therefore be made to proceed with these measures before the estimates were further considered, or tho Public Works statement brought down. Tho Minister of Public Works Avas having Tjlaiis etc. prepared of the North Island trunk railway, in order that contracts might bo let in a few weeks. He could not offer a decided arrangement concerning private bills, but at any rate the policy bills of the Government must be taken first. EAST AND WEST COAST RAILAVAY DILL Mr Wakefield resumed the aobato on tho sccimd reading of the East and West Coast and kelson Railway Bill. Ho asked why the Govei'innent did not bring; down the whole of their Policy instead of cbsoussing 5 Piecemeal as'at present Their scheme appeared to be that the whole of their measures should be carried m pieces by the different sections of the House interested. He looked on the work as very important and desirable one, but there would not be a ~ood immediate return. He would oppose Im~c burrowing, and argued that tho colony was not in a position to Win or these large works. Members should careV fully consider tho magnitude of he proposed grant, and he said, if the bill passed, the company would simply be a vast squatting incorporation, by this means preventiug settlement. This group of financial bills should never have bean brought forward this session, and he predicted that the policy now being developed would be most detrimental to the welfare of the colony. Mr Sutter supported the bill. Mr Gillies argued that the returns from the railway would be small. Looking into tho proposals he was appalled at the magnitude of its provisions. It actually Scant giving this company land to the value of one B million. He opposed the second re Mr n Holmes said the bill before the House •was one of tho best in the interests of the colony that had been before the House since 1877. Tho charges by land carriage Avould "be cheaper than by water, and he was assured tho nett revenue accruing from the line would be from 4_ to 0 per cent, on the cost of construction. The railway woidd tmen up vast forests and mineral property. Mr Bryce contended, if the Avant was so important, it was the duty of the Government to undertake it. He objected to large tracts of land being handed over to a comJSy The settlement of the laud was an Important function devolving on the GoveSient, and it could not be carried out if SSsuch as this were given to private oioo . -r T „ .nnvprl n H an amendment, companies. Hchioacc, a , I -That it is not expedient to alienateaast tracts of public land and mineral piopeity of unknown value to a private company as a premium for engaging in rail way speculation in New Zealand, as railways works, when of largo colonial consequence, ought to be undertaken and executed by the Government." Mr Montgomery supported the bill, and Mr Hobbs said he would do so if the measure Avas altered so as to connect tho East and West Coast of the North Island by running a line from Hokianga to the Ray of Islands. Mr Grigg moved the adjournment of the debate, which Avas negatived. The motion for the second reading Avas

put and carried.—Ayes, 30 ; Noes, 12. Sir Julius Vogel said, in reference to the proposal made by Mr Wilson, to the effect that a better route shotdd be found, the Government were inclined, from the information at hand, to tho belief that the route suggested by that gentleman was the best, and tho matter Avould be considered. The House adjourned at 1.25 a.m.