THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Evening Star, Issue 3249, 19 July 1873, Page 2

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

[By Telegraph.]

Wellington, July 18. The Upper House met to-day to consider the Address in Reply. Mr Waterhouse, speakiag to the motion, congratulated the house that the Colony now bad a Governor who was experienced in official life. He then proceeded to critise the Speech. The departmental administration had been loose. He had seen a number of blank forms with Governor Bowen’s signature, kept in drawers in the Colonial Secretary’s Office, and he ordered the Under-Secretary to lock them up in a safe. He hoped there would be ho repetition of this under the present Governor. He (Mr Waterhouse) called such practices frauds; a tighter system of administration was necessary. The most important requirements of the Civil Service Act had been neglected: the only department which was classified being the Custom House. The Laud Act had been a dead letter. The Attqraey-General’s salary was legally fi*ed at LI,OQO, yet he received L 1,200. The money voted for roads in the North Island was not properly applied. The allowances for travelling expense bad been exceeded Ministers and Judges were allowed two guineas a day for travelling expeases, but drew four. The Auditor-General was blameable for passing such accounts. The prosperity of the Colony was not entirely due to the Public Works policy, but to the prosperity of the pastoral interests and the increased price of wool which brought three millions into the country. He was a supporter of the Public Works policy. He criticised other parts of the Speech. The Address in Reply was agreed to. Mr Richardson read a telegram from the Agent General stating that 2,650 souls had been sent to the Colony iu May and June ; probably 1,200 would be sent in July. 16,500 tons of railway plant had been shipped, and the quantity includes sixteen locomotives, thirty-one carriages, and 163 waggons.

Mr Steward asked the Minister of Public Works whether he was aware of serious blunders having been committed in carrying out the jetty works at Port Moeraki?—Mr Richardson replied that he was not aware of any. Mr Steward also asked whether the Government intended to take steps to amend the works, so as to facilitate the shipping of the Port ? Mr Richardson said the Government would only use the present material. In the House to-day, Mr Harrison moved for a detailed return of the expenditure on the water supply on the goldfields, and the amount and estimated sum required to com* pleto the works already authorised; also a return of the amount of the costs charged by the Government Solicitors for preparation of the mortgages on water-races, which were agreed to. Mr Shephard’s motion, for supplying copies of Hansard and Parliamentary papers to all the mining associations, was carried. July 19. Mr Fox has given notice of motion asking what is the intention of the Government regarding the petitions for an amendment of the licensing laws. Mr Waterhouse has given notice that he will move the appointment of a committee to consider the best means of reconstructing the Legislative Council Mr Steward has given notice of a motion to ask the Minister of Public Works whether the materials imported for the Waitaki Bridge are of the description ordered by the Colonial Government; if not, by whose authority material of a different description was sent. If the present materials are unsuitable, to what use are they to be applied*

Mr Cuthbertson has given notice for a return of the number of immigrants landed at the Bluff, and what instructions were sent to the Agent-General regarding further shipments of immigrants to the Bluff. Mr Thomson has given notice for introducing the Clutba Public Works Loan B 11. In the Upper House yesterday, Mr Water house gave notice of a motion for the names of the agents employed in negotiating the Four per Cent, l oan, and for a Select Committee t© examine into the working of the immigration policy.