PARLIAMENT.

Evening Star, Issue 4163, 30 June 1876, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

[By Telbqbaph.]

Wellington, June 3& In the House of Representatives at 2.30 p.m. yesterday, Mi Bees gave notice that he would ask the Premier if he intended to introduce a Bill to indemnify people who suffered by accidents caused on railways of the Colony by carelessness of railway employes. Mr Atkinson cave notice that he would move that Mr name be placed on the Public Accounts Committee. The Hon. Mr Richardson said, in reply to Mr Wakefield, that the Government had for some time been considering the planting of railway reserves, but deemed it best not to take any action in the matter until the question cf plantations was gone into and some general system devised. Mr Manders moved that the subject of rents and fees for occupation of land for gold and silver mining be referred to the Goldfields Committee to report upon. Mr Curtis thought it inadvisable to do 80 on the eve of such important changes. Sir J. Vogel saw no objection to referring the matter to a Select Committee. Sir G. Grey moved that, on Wednesday next, the House resolve to place on the estimates L4OO, to defray the coßt of a work on native grasses with nature printed plates of each grass, and a description of Bam& the work to be preceded by an essay oh 'all grasses Ukely to %b New'Z#fc* The Premier said they had no objection

to appointing a Committee to inquire into the matter. He had no doubt that suoh a work would be of great benefit to the country. Mr Stafford doubted whether L4OO would be anything like an adequate Bum to cover the expense of such a costly work as that must be. If the House agreed to a thousand pounds he believed it would be profitably anjriit money. *r D. Reid agreed with the last speaker, and thought that five times the amount asked for would not be too much to spend upon that subject. It was most desirable that the country ahould know all that it was - possible to know about our native grasses. Mr Murray-A ynesley said that, unless the work wal done thoroughly, it would be quite useless, therefore great care should be taken to have so important a work prepared properly. Sir G. Grey said that a most careful comEutation of the probable cost of the work ad been made. There were those in the Museum quite competent to describe the grasses -botanicaUy as well as the soil, and Mr Buchanan, of the Museum, could execute the nature-printed plates. As the work would no doubt sell well, the ultimate cost to the Colony could not possibly amount to more than L2OO.

The motion was agreed to. Mr Wakefield's motion that the Government take over all the railways with as little delay as possible, was withdrawn, as he understood there would be opportunities of discussion when the Government measures were brought down. Mr O'Rorke explained the alterations recommended by the Standing Orders Committee to be made in the Standing Orders of the House. They were as follows:- That instead of the quorum of the House being a varying one - 2ixat one period of the session, IS at another, and 15 at another —it should be fixed at 20. 2nd. That no new business be taken after 12.30 at night. 3rd. That no one member should any longer have the power to order strangers out of the gallery. The present practice of the Imperial Parliament was that, unless a member who .moved for exclusion of strangers was seconded and agreed to by the House, strangers should not be excluded. He moved that these alterations be agreed to. The Premier said that the Government quite agreed with the alterations proposed. Mr Seymour and Mr Beader Wood exf>ressed doubts as to any convenience being ikely to arise from the second alteration. Mr Macandiew suggested that a good alteration would be that a morning sitting ahould be held to discuss unopposed business. Mr D. Reid opposed the alterations, as he considered they would only be broken through before the Session was over, by those who agreed to them at the beginning of the Session. Mr Stout recommended that the debate be adjourned to give members time to carefully eompare the new alterations with the Standing Orders. The debate was adjourned till to-day. Sir George Grey moved a series of resolutions asking for all papers and correspondence in connection with a number of land < purchases made by Mr Thomas Russell from Natives.

The motions were agreed to without a word of objection of any kind.

The House rose at 5.30.

(From our Special Correspondent.)

On resuming at 7.30, On a formal motion being made to consider the Governor’s speech, Mr Reader Wood took advantage of the opportunity to make a speech, which looks as if he were aiming to lead the Opposition. Promising by saying he was an Abolitionist distinctly and decidedly, but not on the Premier’s terms, he, while disclaiming all intention of being so, becqflu fearfully personal, culminating in mining back at the Premier his insinuation that he (Mr Wood) was actuated by sordid considerations. With great warmth he cried, “ I make the hon. gentleman a present of the paltry salary r receive, to play 100 with.” This was too much for the House, which fairly cried him down. Answering Mr - Moorhouse’s assertion that the Opposition composed the fag-end of Provincialism, he said “No,*’ Auckland wished Provincialism reinstated there. There was a party in the House with distinct objects and views. He proceeded to state that members from Auckland were sent down pledged to agree to nothing that would continue the compact of 1856, which was so injuriously prejudicial

. to Auckland ; Canterbury and Otago might keep their land fund - Auckland did not want to touch or interfere with it, if those Provinces Would carefully consider Auckland’s case, and give that Province, under the proposed arrangements, such compensation and allowance as was considered reasonable—give Auckland her fair proportion of her customs’ revenue to spend themselves. But more than f this—they want it secured in such a way that it cannot be taken away by legislative -action of the Central Assembly. Let Auckland manage her own affairs, and in such a way that she cannot be legislated around by a superior power. Let them have an Act limiting the powers of the Assembly to the public debt, postal and customs, and let the Provinces collect their own revenues, to be paid into the Provincial Treasury—not into the Colonial Treasury. If that was done, . Auckland did not want to impose a-constitution on any other part of the Colony ; and do not let other parts impose one on her when she does not want it. If Wellington, Canterbury, or Otago wanted to be created separate Colonies, he would assist thsm in carrying it out. A united Colony was impossible—Nature was above all legislation. Instead of a central legislature overriding them, all they wanted was four independent Colonies constituting a confederate disunion of New Zealand. (Opposition cheers.) Sir Julius Vogel, in reply, said he was content to leave the member for Parnell’s personal remarks as they stood.— (Cheers.) The hon. gentleman complained of the absence from the speech of information as to finance, but it was not usual to make a financial statement in the speech .from the throne. Since he had touched upon one subject—that of revenue . there was no object in withholding from the House what that hon. member was perfectly aware of—information that although the revenue had not come up to his colleagues’ estimate last year, which was over-sanguine, it was very much in excess of • the revenue of the previous year. He deprecated members making our financial position appear in a worse light than it really was. But for the Piako Swamp affair throwing cold water on the proceedings at an early period of the session, he would have been prepared to make his Financial Statement to-day. If the House was willing, he had every hope that be would be able to deliver it on Tuesday. There might possibly be some technical objection through the House not ha ving yet arrived at the condition of ways and means ; but if the House granted facilities for doing so, he would deliver it as stated. The member for Parnell seemed to think abolition could not be approached because of the laud question, but he (Sir Julius) was of the opinion that when the proposal of the Government came before the House if would be found that the House would have no difficulty in coming to a decision. The member for Parnell objected to being told that he was now a Provincialist, but he (Sir

Julius) was still right in saying it was a simple fact. In 1874 no one was stronger against Provincialism in any «hape and form than he. They were then in very confidential relations with the hon. gentleman, and had it not been for Auckland being largely represented in the Government at the time they would have been glad to receive him as a member of the Ministry. He mentioned this to show that so far as the Government was concerned they had every reason to suppose he was on the most intimate relations with the Government. The hon. member might console himself with the reflection that he would be one of the last members of the Provincial Government of Auckland. Lately he (Sir Julius) had heard a great deal about the land question, but it was not desirable to enter upon a discussion thereon at present. When the hon. member spoke so slightingly of other parts of the Colony he should remember that the South was only wealthy because it exacted a large price for its lands, when Auckland gave hers away for nothing, and so far as to the hon. member being placed in a humiliating position he (Sir Julius) might be allowed to say he displayed no evidence of it. During the recess his communications had been most friendly, with one exception. The Treasury promptly replied to-his requesffor monies to carry out the affairs of Auckland. That excaption m as when it came to the knowledge of the Government that money was being asked from the Colonial funds for education, when the Provincial Council for the sake of popularity abstained from enforcing the education rate imposed by law. He hoped the House would uphold the action of the Government in saying to Auckland that she must endeavor to carry out the law and obtain funds for education in a proper manner. When that was done the General Government would find the difference required if the rate did not produce sufficient. Referring to the member for ParnelTs sketch of what Auckland was willing to adopt, he said that during the last few months he had heard what Otago was willing to do in this matter, but when he came to sift it Auckland meant Auckland City and Otago meant Dunedin. A large part of the territory of those two Provinces would sooner have any form of government that could be devised than Provincialism.—(Loud OppositionOh's!) Coming to the question of the Middle Island, he had heard a great deal to the effect that Otago was to give useful lessons to the rest of the . Colony—was to teach the Colony a lesson in self reliance. They were afterwards told Otago was prepared to share her land fund with the rest of the Middle Island, which was to become one Province. He would like to know if nine-tenths of the Middle Island would consent to have such form of Government as Otago would give them —he rather thought that nine-tenths would be as soon governed from* the Bay of Islands as governed from Dunedin. Though the member for Dunedin (Mr Macandrew) was very popular and a good •Superintendent, his policy was not shared in by a large portion of the Province of Otago. —("Oh, from Mr Macandrew.) He (Sir Julius) knew ingenuity was at work to make certain proposals this session. Otago was willing to give so and so and Auckland so and so, while Canterbury was to have this and Westland allowed that. This was very nice while it went on, but if decided in that groove Jthe recollection of it would soon pass away. It struck him that whatever were the results of this session what the country really requires is, to put it in its present most |naked form, separate local government for towns, and separate government for districts not included in towns—(cheers) —whether counties, road districts, or whatever they liked to call them. The country had had enough of joint government —it wanted independent government in the future. This was what was imperatively demanded by nine-tenths of the Colony—separate local government for towns and country districts without any intermediate form of government between them and the General Government. (Cheers.) The Boards of Works were an intermediate form of Government—they meant a repetition of Provincial Government. Better we should continue Provincial Government than build up another feeble imitation of it.—(Cheers) He believed the House would be of that opinion—he was certain thecountry was. In a few days it would be known exactly what the Government proposals were, and he hoped that in approaching such grave and momentous considerations all personalities would be avoided.

ABOUT THE LOBBIES. (From our Special Correspondent.) Mr Hislop was yesterday afternoon introduced by Mr Macandrew and the Defence M : nister, and took his seat. In the Council Captain Fraser is to ask whether the Government took into consideration and with what result the proposition submitted to the Minister of Justice in December last by Mr A. C. Strode, Visiting Justice to Dunedin Gaol, on the part of Mr Caldwell, Governor of the Gaol, who undertook to build a central gaol at Taranaki with prison labor under artisan warders. In discussion on the public buildings yesterday afternoon, Mr Reynolds strongly urged that proper postal accommodation should be provided at Port Chalmers, and called upon the Government to redeem the promise he made when Acting-Postmaster-General. There is little more immigration correspondence affecting Otago. Messrs Patrick Henderson and Co. give a flat denial to Mr Macandrew’s complaint that any of their agents issued immigrants’ certificates under the Act of 1873. The firm also defends the captains of the ships Christian M'Ausland and Peter Denny from the charges of intemperance brought against them. Sir J. Vogel has prepared a lengthy paper on the advantages of manufacturing sugar from beet. During Sir Julius’s visit to England, a company of capitalists proposed to erect works and expend L 150,000 in the undertaking if they could get a free grant of 10,000 acres of land (near the Taieri River, if possible), 3,000 of which were to be brought under cultivation within five years. Sir Julius was favorably inclined to the proposal at first, but, on consideration, con eluded that if the industry was to be successsful it must be open to all. He proposes jjthat for seven years an advantage equal to a penny in the pound in the way of difference between the import and excise duties on sugar should be given; for the next four years |d; and for the next four years a halfpenny- condition being made in the Bill that unless a certain quantity of sugar is produced within a certain period the Act would be repealed. He suggests the appointment of a Select Committee to consider the question.