GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Evening Star, Issue 3573, 5 August 1874, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

[By Electric Telegraph.] Wellington, August 4. In the Legislative Council, 0. lonel Brett brought up a report of the select committee on tho Canterbury Public Domain Amendment Bill, recommending that the Bill be not further proceeded with this session. Mr Millar briefly moved the sreond read* mg of the Colonial Bank of New Zealand Bill. Mr Waterhouse opposed the motion, as it gave unprecedented powers to the bank. Mr Holmes supported tho motion, arguing that all the banks directly or indirectly, had similar powers. The Colonial Secretary thought the Council should not depart from Us usual course.—Mr Williamson thought that such powers should not bo given to any bank. Campbell supported the motion, deprecating delay. In the House of Representatives, 3 he rop wt of the select committee on the Excise duties was brought up. it states that to immediately adopt the proposals of the Government would not be consistent with good faith. It was not expedient to altogether top the distillation; but in view of the less resulting to the revenue therefrom, and as the parties engaged express their willingness to accept compensation, the Government should endeavor to arrange with them on equitable terms. Mr Webster was granted leave of absence for the remainder of the session. Tho following Bills have been read a first time Wahataki Grant Bill; Native* Land Act, 1873, Amendment Bill; Bill to Validate Certain Orders in Council issued under Outlying Districts Sale of Spirits Act, 1870 : Bill to Amend tho Employment of f'emaleQ Act; Election of Mayors for Wanganui Bill; ukikaka Native Claims Rehearing Bill; Out* lying Districts Sale of Spirits Act, 1870, Amendment liill ; Awahuri Native Gran* tees bill; Goldfields Act, 1866. Amendment Bill. ‘ 1

Forests Bill, adj mrned debate. Mur* ray opposed the Bill, He thought it would be a better experiment to assimilate the land laws. The amount of forest land destroyed by fires was much over-rated. The private enterprise was quite sufficient to replace that removed long before a scarcity was feet. It -vas a useless measure, only calculated to inthe expenditure and the number of Civil Servants.—Mr Alacandrew regretted he was constrained to vote against tho Bill though anxious to extend and preserve the forests. Why should control of the forest la Ms be removed from those who had hitherto administered them? A great deal of what he might call “flapdoodle” had been introduced into the debate as to *‘ people of the Colony,” just as if the people, of the Provinces were not the people of the Colony. If tbe State did anything, why not distribute seed of forest trees by the million for the people to plant ? Why, if the State saw reason to engage in timber enterprise not grow grain or do anything else usually left to private enterprise? There was ample limber in the Colony to supply all requirements for hundreds of years. He objected to the Bill also as giving us another of those permanent institutions of winch, we already had too many.—Mr O’Connor supported tho Bill, though coming from a part of tbe country where there was considered to be too much timber He was convinced the Premier had shown a wise provision in drawing up this measure. 'ihere would be, no doubt, a supply wanted in thirty years’ time. It was dangerous to leave so important a question to the uncertainty of private enterprise. He believed

that it Otago and Canterbury were allowed to consult their own inclination in the matter of forestry, and the Colony prosecuted the enterprise without them, before many years they would be glad to‘ participate/ As for the other Provinces, they could not carry out the scheme at all.—Mr Buckiaed opposed the measure. There was too much inter* ference with private enterprise. What the country really wanted was hedge-rows and small plantations. Although Auckland utilised more timber than all the other provinces, it planted more trees than it cut down. These would amply replace the disappearing kauri forests, if the Government intended to establish a college, why not an agricultural college ? While admiring the thoroughness with which the Premier had done his work in thismatter, as in all others, he hoped he would confine himself to properly carrying but that other work in hand,' which was making his name famous. Mr llolleeton opposed the Bill. The provisions regarding forest land and disforested land ; seemed to have presented difficulty greater than the Premier could cope with. Ihe Bill pressed too heavily upon private enterprise, 1 a -L ' fcuo much. of the laud of the Provmces. Can erbury had already apprel

mated the necessity of providing' forest trees, in' 1870 the Provincial Government distributed 65,000 to be planted in reserves winch had been made throughout the Province The objects of the Bill had his sympathy, but nut its provisions. He was surprised that the Premier should think be would secure the approbation of the people i j * Provinces by appropriating their lauds for revenue purposes. He opposed because its effect was practically to cripple provincial ins citations in a way not calculated to benefit the people i/i Colony or the Provinces. —Mr Bluett did not think the hon. member who had just sat down represented the mind of the people of Canterbury. Such a measure was calculated to be of the utmost benefit. The want of forests on the Canterbury Plains often led to crops being so poor as not to be worth cutting,’ or else to all the grain 1 being blown out. He thought the principal provisions of the Bill seemed to be misunderstood. He highly approved of the idea of a training college, also of an agricultural tcbool. He would give the measure his

warmest support. Mr Bunny warmly opposed the BUI as a measure to confiscate Northr?! 8 °i th °A Co ] on y> specially of the k Is i an i- * ar as Wellington was concerned this Bill really might as well take icir whole estate, 9i) per cent, of which was forest laud. The object of Wellington was, he thought, to disforest their land. He would go wi|h the Government if they wished to resume the control of the waste lands of the Colony, but that was another matttr. The real way to preserve theft

forests Teas to sell them, and plant fresh ones, where required. —Mr Kelly thought that, instead of conserving the forest land, the Government should give them value by opening them up. Under any circumstances, there was no immediate necessity for the Bill. The destruction of forests was greatly over-rated. Tarauaki climatically would be benefited hy the removal of a great d. al of its interests. They had too much rair. Financially the scheme would be a failure! He hoped the Government would withdraw the Bill, All they had to do was freely to distribute the seeds of trees of the most suit* able kinds for the country.—Mr Walter Johnson opposed the Bill as quite uncalled for. He quoted the results of Prussian forestry to show that it could not pay He objected also because he could see m the clauses power to enable the Government to acquire money. They would be in a position to take all the lands fronting the sonnds and ail the bays on the west coast of the Middle Island, te lay out forest land in townships, and sell them. This w«uld place a large amount of money in the hands ef the Government, which, latterly, had shown a great desire to get hold of money. He felt certain they wanted it.—Mr Buckie supported the Bill as a sound, statesmanlike measure, for which future generations would thank the House. He regretted that information on this measure and the Polynesian papers bad not been longer before the public, so as to enable them fully to grasp many of the benefits presented. The chief opponents J’k 0 me > asure were the Superintendents, »nd those interested in keeping up the svstem of Provincialism—all connected by the tie of The strongest supporters of the Bill admitted the principle right, and only opposed the details.—Mr Hunter deprecated introducing matters of Provincial supporters as unjust, all being representatives of the people He had understood, With the majority of the members, that the measure would nob have been pressed further than the second reading, until the hon. member for Timarn had forced from the Government the statement that they intended to press the measure, if it seemed to be right, fpr the encouragement ef planting in the South Island ai d clearing in the .North, 'i he Government should not muddle with the Tand laws of the Provincos. The evidence regarding the climatic effects of denudation was not sufficiently authenticated, but he supported the Bill for other reasens.