GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Evening Star, Issue 3570, 1 August 1874, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

[By Electric Telegraph. ]

Wellington, July 31. In the Legislative Council, Dr Pollen briefly moved ih> second reading of the Constitution Amendment Bill.—CMonel Kenny moved that the Bill ba referred to a select committee, which was negatived. The Hon. Robert Campbell moved that the Bill be read that day six months. The debate is proceeding. At the evening rutting of the House, the Registration of Births Amendment Bill was withdrawn, the Government promising to consider the matter during the recess. The second reading of the following Bills was agreed to Invercargill Gas Loan Bill, Wellington Volunteer Scrip Act Amendment Bill, Cromwell Waterworks Loan Hill, Wellington Laud Payments Bill, New Plymouth Exchanges Validation Bill, Auckland Waste Lauds Bill.

Bills passed :—Wellington Mayors Bill; Provincial Fencing Law Empowering Bill ; Wellington Education Reserves Ag£ 1871, amendment Bill; Fines Act, 1868, Amendment Bill.

Upon the Otago Waste Lands Act Amendment Bill being committed, twelve new clauses were introduced, tine for increasing the area of land to bo sot apart for deferred payments was opposed by Sir Dillon Bell and Sir Oracoft Wilson. A clause, proposed by Mr Mervyn, increasing the area allowed to a person on deferred payments to 310 acres, passed, and the Bill was reported with amendments.

After the meeting of the House to-day', Mr Bunny presented a petition from, over 1,500 male inhabitants of Wellington, praying that the Amending Licensing Bill introduced by the Pre -nier may bo passed without any material alteration.

Mr Fox presented a petition, signed by the chairman of the public meeting at Christchurch, praying that the existing license law be maintained in its integrity. Mr Atkinson received leave of absence for ten days. in committee, the Premier moved the introduction of several clauses into the Imprisonment for Debt Abolition Bid, prohibiting the power oi committal for non-pay-ment. In certain cases committals may be made to a public prison, the imprisonment not to operate as an extinguishment of debt. The Bill was reported, with amendments, and passed.

lu ihe adjourned debate on the New Zealand forests Bill, Mr iShochaa said be was convinced that the subject was of suffieieat importance to justify great labor being bestowed upon it by the Premier during the recess ; but ho was also convinced that there was little chance of the measure becoming law. As to the vast stores of information compiled, much of it was utterly useless and worthy of storage, compared with the means adopted in the Colony. lu timber-working wo were ages in advance of the German system. Tuere was much needless alarm raised about the pernicious effects of clearing forests. France and Switzorlend were once nearly wholly clothed with forests, and since a great portion had been cleared away the climate had been actually improved ; so it had been in Greece, tie doubted much whether the ancient empires once founded in the Baot owed their decline to the denudation of timber, From bis own personal observation, and other sources of information, he felt bound to say that the estimate

submiited of the disappearance of New Zealand forests was mucu exaggerated. besides, lie thought it almost impossible to conserve native forests, unhss they were fenc-d in, because whenever cattle, sheep, or European grasses found their way into the forests, the latter gradually disappeared. The scheme, moreover, if carried out, would have a mostiujurious effect upon the settlement of the Colony generally, especially upon a large number of people in Auckland, who existed by the export trade of timber, and would be benefiting America, New Caledonia, and other islands from which timber would be imported into this Colony. To show the extent to which the timber trade was carrie i ou in Auckland, ho would mention that 1,000,000 ft per week were turned out from one mill alone. ith regard to the effect of denuding timber upon the climate, he considered that charing tea tree and

other scrub had a w< rse effect regarding Hoods than felling large foicst trees hadT lie agreed that timber should not be treated as recklessly as had been the case, and he was happy to say that in Auckland it was no longer compel out for a man to pay L 5, audgo into the bush and cut what timber he liked. A good deal could be done to prevent want n destruction in other ways. Gum-diggers, for instance, were in the habit of burning away scrub, often causing great destruction to forests. He thought the existing highway sysiem might be made available so as to prevent the useless destruction in localities where the highway system was in operation, and that was more or less all over the Colony, It might not be possible to preserve native forests except in inaccessible places, but we might replace them to a great extent by planting American and Australian trees, the establishment of a college for the study of f ores.ry was far in advance of the tequipments of the Colony. Looking around on the settled, parts of the Colony, it would be seen that settlers were partially making amends for native trees they destroyed by planting other trees. He agreed with the Bill so far as it concerned the protection of our forests, but would reserve the right of opposing mauy of the clauses. Considering the very large amount of attention the Bill

had already received throughout the Colony, the safest and the best course would be to accept the second reading, and, alter ventilating the clauses, to bring down a more suitable measure next session.—Mi tribe opposed the Bill as unnecessary in the Colony, where ihe ground was encumbered with timber.—Mr Cuthbertson, while admitting that the country was indebted to the Premier for bringing the subject forward, thought fuller cousideratiou should be rtasrved for a future session—Mr ihumaon considered the subject most important. ihe Waste Lauas Board of utago had recognised this, aud acted accordingly, i'ho Bid was not such as he would have expected as a digest of the vast store of information on the subject winch the .Premier evidently p>sstsa<jU. ia that .respect. The bill is veiy snort. He was doubtful about the scheme ot planting new forests as an experiment j but had no objsction to seeing a few' hundred acres planted as forests. He failed to see the use of establishing a college aud bringing out two or three high-salaried gentlemen to teach forestry. Ho was opposed to mixing up the question of forest trees , with public works aud our national debt, and objected to the idea of paying off the national debts out of forests in twenty years

or any other period. Tie d uib'ed, in fact, whether we should ever pay it off; though, when the population increased, the head money might not amount to much.—Mr Carrington supported the second reading of the Bid. He would suggest that the matter be not proceeded with further ; that during the recess the various Superintendents bo communicated with, as to t''6 forests of the various Provinces, and asked for a report showing by colored maps the extent of the different forests.-—Mr Bryce, while admitting that the Piemicr deserved the thanks of the country for able manner in which he brought the subject forward, reminded the House than tbs Timber Floating Rill was the very opposite in its tenor to the Forests Bill, wh cb found its stringent measures supported by the prcs.-nt Premier. Much of the information gathered was quite inapplicable to toe circumstances of our easo. He doubted whether the native forests could in all cases be protected. Cut a road through, and dram a white-pine forest, aud nothing oould save it. Altogether, he thought the Government too paternal. '{ it was to the people’s interest to preserve their forests, they would . v 0;, * *' e Government should allow private individuals to manage their own affairs. He had no particular wish to oppose the second reading, but he would prefer the matter being left to a future occasion. The present Bill was of uo use.—Mr M‘Neill could not agree with that view. He disagreed with the horn member for Kodney that Dr Hector’s estimate of the destructi n of timber was over-stated, and ha was guided by his own perso al observation. Go where you would you would see forests li tered with waste timber ready for the first fire to sweep it all

away. Superintendents had already been applied to for information upon the subject, and all, except the Superintendent of Otago, failed to give any. No doubt felling forests indiscriminately seriously injured the climate. One valley in Franco, than once supported a population of over 20,030, was how a desert of shingle. He was convinced that a largo income to the Colony could be ssoured by the judicious management of forests. He hoped the House would second the efforts of the Premier towards the consarvation of forests.—Mr Gibbs thought it almost impossible to conserve our forests ; and, whi e wo wanted timber, we ought to use what was to our hands, instead of.importing it. He thought the planting of settlements in forests was not the way to conserve them. The only way to sscure a future supply of timber was by planting new forests.—Mr Wales thought legislation iu this direction wou'd be immediately remunerative, but the subject had much better b© delayed, with the view of arranging that Provinces should assume the control of forests instead of the Colony. A great deal might be done at once in preventing the timber being cut at an immature stage of growth, and at an improper season of the year. He was confident that the destruction of our forests was going on seriously, because he learned that, of the land which had passed into private hands, one quarter of the timber had already been destroyed. So far as he could observe, the natural forests failed in the way of natural increase by self-sowing. This made it clear some st ps should be taken to stop their rapid decay.

Upon the House meeting to-night, Mr Reader Wood reiterated his statement that Mr Creighton's constituents wanted him to rosigu, and said he made the statement upon the authority of the gentlemen who proposed and seconded Mr Creighton at hja election. A petition has been presented from over. 1.500 inhabitants of Wellington praying that the Premier’s Licensing Amendment Bill may be passed without any material alteration.

Major Atkinson has got leave of absence for ton days.

Mr b ox has presented a petition signed by the chairman of a public meeting of Christchorea, Paying that the present Licensing Law be maintained in its integrity.

r t T August 1. in the Legislative Council, the debate on the Constitution Act Amendment Bill was continued. Hr Measles said the objects of the Bill were to neutralise the opinion of the Council, and the measure was calculated to uncle l mine the influence of that body.—Mr Wat"rhouse did not regard the Bill with feelings of apprehension, but looked upon it as a piece of political bunkum, and that the Government wore not sincere, as shown by their bringing it forward so late in the session—Dr Pollen thought the Council had taken a selfi .hj view of the subject, and had not looked beyond the Council. Not a single member had assailed the policy of the Bill.— The amendment that the Bill be read, a second time that day six months was carried by 25' to 8. , ■

Mr Waterhouse, in moving tfie second reading of the Deceased Wife’s Sister Biff, said it was useless, iu the prescut feeling of the Council, to adduce arguments.—Sor Stokes move an amendment that the Bill be read a second time that day six months,—The motion was seconded by Mr bobinson Gray, who said be was iu favor of any measure giving greater liberty. He should vote for the Liii,—Air Mautell had supported the measure before, and would do so again, as the existing prejudices had been overcome. Ihe time wouli come wheu the measurs would pass.—Mr Meuzics entered at length into the Scriptural arguments against the Bill. Col. Brett said he had promised his dear wife that he would vote against the measure, as she had a handsome sister of whom she was jealous.—The amendment was carried by 18 to 11. J