WELLINGTON.

Evening Star, Issue 3591, 26 August 1874, Page 3

WELLINGTON.

[By Electric Telegraph.] (From our own Correspondent.) August 25. In the Legislative Council, The Hon. Mr Fraser, in moving to know what steps had been taken towards the introduction into the gaols of the Colony of the European Reformatory system, made a characteristic speech, and said our gaols were a seething mass of crime. The prisoners were well fed, had warm beds to lie upon ; their work was light, and pleasantly performed in the midst of a sympathising and admiring population. When long-sentenced prisoners came out they left the gaols stronger and healthier men than they entered j but they came out more determined ruffians. He urged the Government to make a change in the gaols, and suggested two central penal establishments : one for the Middle Island in i yttelfon Harbor, and one for the North Island at iSoames’ Island, Port Nicholson. The Hon. Dr Pollen replied he was quite conscious that, excepting by a central penal establishment, the objects Captain Fraser desired could only be attained. Up to this time the Government had not seen its way to the establishment of such institutions ; but the time was now coming when the obstacles to it were about to be removed. He assured the Council if nothing practical were done between this and the next session, the Government would be in a position next suasion to propose to the Assembly the necessary means of establishing a central penal establishment.

On the second reading of the Dunedin Gas Works Borrowing Bill, the Hon. Mr Waterhouse mentioned that when the Municipal Corporations Bill was before the Council, objections were taken to the rata for the payment of the principal and interest of the loan, because he felt it would be competent for tenants to throw the burdens of taxation to a great extent upon propertyholders. So in this Bill a provision likely to lead to any cheap gas, which could only be satisfied at the expense of the holders of property in a municipality. It was desirable to give power to levy a compulsory rate for water, which was an absolute necessity, but not fu* gas, which was a luxury. A public hsihtmg compulsory rate was desirable. He suggested as a way of getting over the difficulty, that a compulsory rate for gas might be allowed to the extent of threepence in the pound. If sufficient in the case of Invercargill, as the promoteis of the Invercargill Bill told him, it was ample for Duaedin. The Hon, Mr Holmes pointed out that the Dunedin Gasworks realised a revenue of LI,OOO yearly, which was increasing, and left a good profit. It was desirable the Corporation should possess works before the present lighting contract ceased. There was very little probability of the citizens being called upon to bear any great amount of the taxation. The Invercargill works were not yet erected, and it woijld paralyse the efforts of the municipality if the Bill did not pass. ™aa very necessary tbe municipalicy should have power to rate themselves for the first year, in order to enable them to establish the works. tteu Dr Pollen said to get over the difficulty he would recommend to be struck out all clauses after tho se-.ond, adding a new clause extending the powers under the City of Dunedin Borrowing Ants 1871-1872. The Bill thus amended passed the third reading to-day. ®

Gn the second reading! of the Otago Re serves Bill,

The Hon. Mr Waterhouse said the Bill was a reward to the importunity of the Provincial authorities, and showed the desirableness of opening the mouth wioe in order to get moderate allowances. Probably if they had asked 600,000 acres in the first instance they would have got 100,000 If they had reserved the whole Province they might have got two million. The present endowments were entirely for educational purposes. Nothing was said about endowments for the hospital, but that institution was contemplated in the original reserves. Whatever reserves were made should embrace those objects. They had granted 43,00 * acres for the Oamaru bos-, pital, 52 00 i for the Clutha Fiver Trust, and possibly more Bills would come up, and so the Province might get the two million originally set apart. Half a million acres should include the Clutha Trust, and certainly the contemplated charitable endowments. He must not forget the public lands of the Colony, were more or less security to the Colonial creditor. They might be less or possibly more, but he looked forward to the time when the Provincial estate would be regamed as Colonial property. The Hon. Mr Holmes pointed out that the Provincial Council had power in itself to reserve land for educational but not for other purposes. The effect of upsetting that arrangement now mado by the settlement of this matter, would be that two million of acres reserved would remain reserved until settled, because the Province htftl no power to unreserve. Instead of being made the subject of animadversion, the Province was entitled to all credit for endowing public institutions with lands. The Council should be satisfied that the objects were good. If the administration of the reserves was efficient, no opposition should be made to the Bill The Hon. Mr Buckley hoped Mr Waterhouse would not press his objection. Canterbury followed the example of Otago in reserving immense quantities of land for charitable purposes, which had, been abandoned when they found the Government would not issue a Crown grant. If an alteration were made, now that Otago nad given reserves for benevolent purposes the same demand would be made by other " r mT mC u —Ganterbury in particular. Jhe Hon. Dr Menzies objected to the sneering allusion of Mr Waterhouse to the Province. Dr Pollen, in reply, said there were some disagreeable, selfish people in the ° o ? re gr®tted such au immense grant was not Colonial estate, and were strongly of opinion thati the public spirit of Otago was earned a little too far m the direction of anpreprinting these endowments for the future lhat was the real cause why a settlement had not taken place long before. On the whole, it had now assumed a reasonable wpeeb by the Provinces exercising tho virtue of asking a great deal in order to get a little.

lie agreed with Mr Holmes, that so long as the objects were good there should be no difficulty in allowing the reserves. The Hon. Mr Waterhouse was determined to press giving to the Province the option of taking benevolent endowmentsout of the and carried his amendment for the insertion in the ninth line of clause five, after “ educational” tbe following woids : “ Hospital or benevolent institutions.” August 26. Mr Richardson stated, on the Bouse meeting this afternoon, that the Tararua would be detained till Saturday, to enable members to go South. The Luna and Taranaki go North also on Saturday.