PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Evening Star, Issue 3520, 5 June 1874, Page 2

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Thursday, June 4. At the evening sitting of the House for going into ('ommittee of Supply, Mr Fish expressed surprise that the Treasurer had not given a more lucid and diffusive explanation respecting the discrepancy in the balance sheet. He (Mr Fish) had been informed that the Treasurer, while acting as Provincial Secretary and Treasurer, thought fit to institute an entirely new system of beeping the accounts of the Treasury * and ue had every reason to believe it was in consequence of that alteration that the disorepaucy had occurred. If that were the case he thought that gentleman was mainly to blame for the incompietem-ss of the Provincial accounts. Mr J. 0. Brown suggested an adjournment to enable the Treasurer to answer the statements of Mr Fish.—(Laughter.) Mr Bastings called attention to the fact that L 38.000 was to be expended on the management of railways. While the total estimated revenue from that source was L 48.000. It was absolutely necessary, if they were to have a proper organisation of the railway system in this Province, that there should be a political head of the department who could devote his whole time to railway matters. Another matter deserving of the earnest consideration of the Government and the Council was that while there was a large amount to be expended on public works throughout the Province, there was a very inefficient staff to carry out k ad uo hesitation in saying that the Province lost thousands of pounds annually for want of a proper staff. There was a suggestion made by the late Government, and shadowed forth in his Honor’s address, that the two departments should be represented—that, in tact, there should he an engineer who was competent to undertake the construction of the railways of the Province, and also an engineer to undertake the management of public works. He could say from experience that it was impossible for any one man to give the necessary amount of attention to the supervision of all this work. Mr Kinross inquired if it was intended to assimilate the railway gauges. The Provincial Treasurer, referring to the remarks of the member for Tuapeka in regard to railways, said it was never contemplated by the late Government to have a different political head of the Kailway Department. This was totally unnecessary, and the Engineer had expressed himself of this opinion. He was able to do the work of the railways as well as that of the roads and other works. The expenditure on roads and works wa* large, but honorable members would recollect that a considerable portion of tins was authorised and contracted tor. Ihe engineering work had been done to some extent. The Provincial Secretary, alluding to what had fallen from the member for Oteramika, said the question of altering the gauges had been considered, and it was possible that a sum would be placed on the Supplementary Estimates for the purpose. The question, however, involved the matter of the sale of the present rolling stock, which might be disposed of in New oouth Wales, where the 4ft Sin gauge was being adopted. With reference to the discrepancy of 24s 6d, it might be satisfactory to honorable members to know that it was on the right side of the ledger. Ha did not approve of the appointment of a separate engineer for the Railway Department, for many reasons. The Council then went into Committee. On the item “ Secretary for Goldfields, L 400,” Mr Fish moved the item should be postponed,” wh>ch being ruled out of order he moved that the item be struck out as ihe vacant office was kept by the Government as a bait to dangle before the noses of certain members in case of another vote of want of confidence. This second motion being ruled out of order, he moved that the item be reduced to 1399, which was negatived by 7 against 21. He then moved a further reduction by L i, which was also negatived Then Mr Brown and Mr De \ir U T Ur f t0 ° k Y? the role » and - assisted by and tW° n ’ altema J el y moved reductions and that progress should be reported, Up tak™ ldm A ht i thirteeu divisions had been kwnnf " Ata,) out 2.30 a in., at which hour divisions had been recorded, the Chairman of Committees left the chair for an hour to allow members refresh l ’

toent. After resuming, the |item L4OO for Goldfields Secretary was again put from the chair, Mr Brown being absent from the Bouse,and Mr De Lautour al.owed the question to be put from tho chair, when it was declared that the ayes had it. Mr Pe Lautour then stated that he had been on his legs to make an amendment before the division was declared, but it was ruled by the Chairman that such was not the case. Mr Brown, who had in the meantime come into ;he Council Chamber, stated the following case for ruling ; That, as it was stated by Mr De Lautour that he had been on his feet (and other members being of the same opinion) to speak to an amendment to the motion before the Committee, he desired the Speaker’s ruling, and requested. the Chairman to ask for a ruling on the point. The Speaker having taken the chair, the point of order was put by the Chairman of Committees.—ln reply (o a question of the Speaker, Mr M'Glashan stated that he would not take any member by surprise ; and in this case, expecting some amendment to be proposed by Mr De Lautour, he cloaety watched the member for Mount Ida; but the hon. member at the time was in conversation with the member fer the Arrow (Mr Clark), and did not rise until after the vote was deolaied for the Ayes. After this explanation, the Speaker ruled that the Chairman of Committees’ ruling was strictly in order. At 4.10 a m. progress waa reported, and the Council adjourned. Friday, .June 5. On the House meeting, Mr M‘Kenzie called attention to the following paragraph in a leading article in this morning’s ‘Daily Times’ “We do not care to characterise the action of the members who have made such an exhibition of themselves: we rather publish their names. In Par lament it is the highest disgrace saving, perhaps, expulsion—for tho Speaker to name a member. Let thetpeople of Otago learn the names of those members who, out of private pique, attempted to force a large majority to yield to them, and we have no doubt fitting reward will be bestowed upon them for their conduct. We need not single out Mr James Clark Brown and Mr Cecil Albert de Lautour. We are sorry to say that th Other members of the faction—they 4 * not deserve the name of Opposition—are almost equally to blame. They walked out of the House —excepting Mr TuRTON,-who remained to advise Messrs Brown and De Lautour.” He wished to explain that he divided «n the question when it was first put, and again on the motion to report progress, but he demurred to the statement going forth to his constituents that he formed part of a faction. He had not countenanced such a line of aption, and sooner than rest under such an imputation would resign his seat,—(Hear.) Bis constituents had not. sent him to the Council to follow blindfold the lead of either the hon member for Caversham or the hon. member for Taieri. The speaker : The hon. member is now trespassing beyond the bounds ©f the question of privilege. The Provincial Secretary remarked that if he were so sensitive as to. notice newspaper remarks he would have to lay half a dozen newspapers before the House. Mr J. C. Brown, speaking to the question of privilege, said he was referred to in the article in question as having con ulted with Mr Tuhton ; and, further, that there were onh two members who bad obstructed the business. To th'-se statements he gave a denial. Twelve members bad gone to a division, but only two members had taken upon them selves the duty of calling for the divisions. Mr Fish, referring to the same matter, said he had not intended -to notice it, but it having been brought up hjy L the hon. member for Waihemo, he called attention to the paragraph and the article, which read thus—“Mr De Lautour and Mr Brown remaining to obstruct, while the other members of the Opposition, led by their Head, wait in an adjoining room, ready to give them assistance should they require it.” He wished to say that when he found the Government would not postpone consideration of the item, he withdi ew bis opposition and retired from the House. In making those remarks he did not wish it to he considered that be thought the course pursued by the hon. members alluded to was an improper one; it was one forced upon them by the obstinacy of the Government. A second question of privilege was raised by Mr J. C, Brown, who called attention to the report in this morning’s ‘ Daily Times ’ in which the Provincial Treasurer was report* d to have said that “ during the recess he had managed to save a good deal of public money that the hen member [Mr Brown] had desired to get hold of.” He wished to know if the hon gentleman had been correctly reported, bee use it was due to himself, to his constituents, and the Council, to ascertain if there was any truth in the statement said to have been made. He took that opportunity of saying that he had not had any communication, either verbally or by letter, with the hon. member for the last twelve months ; in fact, he had avoided speaking to him. ir.'e bad in no way used the public money for himself or any other person, and during the ten years he bad been a member of the Council he had not received one farthing of the public moneys for any services he might have rendered outside the Council, The Speaker suggested that as a matter of courtesy, the Provincial Treasurer might answer the question. The Provincial Treasurer : I don’t know whether I used those words, but they convey what I meant, and are exactly what 1 intended to say,—-(Loud laughter ) At a later stage of the proceedings, Mr Brown gave notice of his intention to move that it was desirable to inquire into the truth or otherwise of the Treasurer’s statement. [Left sitting.]