PARLIAMENT.

Evening Star, Issue 4179, 19 July 1876, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

[By Tblboaaph.] Wellington, July 19. In the House of Representatives yesterday at 2.30 p.m., In reply to Mr Wakefield, The Hon. Mr Bowen said that the Government had no knowledge of r-ullivan's wherealJouts, nor as to whether he intended to return to New Zealand. A message from the Governor was announced, recommending that L 3.000 be placed on the Estimates for the unmarried children of the late Dr Featherston. The Premier asked that the House take the message into consideration at once. There was no longer any doubt upon tb» matter. The hon. member read two telegrams referring to the death of Dr Featherston, and then proceeded to refer to the high and distinguished services Dr Featherston rendered to the Colony, and to the eminent position he always occupied as a politician. He was the first Agent-General of the Colony, although, from our democratic form of Government, there had been some dissatisfaction from time to time, yet the Government always expreseed their confidence in him. Now, looking back on the past, and considering the many thousands of immigrants he had sent to the Colony, there was reason for every satisfaction. Dr Featherston had done good service to the Colon"- The Premier then referred to the well knoWn patriot an d disinterested character of the dj: tor » whos ? W* integrity had always **7 ired . hu ? . the ad * miration of men of all politica, opinions. Sir G. Grey, who rose to ieooil? th .°. motion, did so in tremulous tones, 09 »» affected with emotion. He had known Br' Featherston over thirty years, and he never was acquainted with one who was so entirely unselfish, and he thought the House could do nothing better or more worthy of them than to cheerfully and liberally recognise hiß great services. Dr Featherston had shown singular capacity in managing public affairs and delicate negotiations, and underwent hardships and fatigue for the service of his country.' He regretted that he had not known of this motion, so that he might have urged upon the House the desirability of acceeding to the motion in language more worthy the subject. The motion was agreed to without any further remark.

Upon the House going into Committee upon the item, the Speiker, Mr Eees, and Mr Stafford spoke feelingly in reference to their associations with Dr Featherston.

The Premier then explained to the House that if it was the wish of the members who supported the Government, as well as those who did not, that further time should elapse before debating the Financial Statement, the Government had no objection to accede to the request. He moved that the Bill be made an Order of the Day .for Friday next, when he presumed hon. members would be in a position to take the discussion. If a still further postponement were required, the Government would offer no obstacle to hon. members discussing the Bill as soon after as they could do so with satisfaction to themselves.

Mr Macandrew hoped.that the Public Works Statement would be made by Friday. The greatobject of the delay was to enable the House to have the whole of the Government financial proposals before them in their entirety.

Mr Whitaker intimated that the House would not be prepared to discuss the Government Bills on Friday, unless they had all the papers and information they wanted, such as the tables accompanying the Financial Statement, Public Works, &c. He hoped the Premier would inform them exactly when they might-expect to have what they wanted —all the tables in connection with the Statement.

The Premier said no advantage was to be gained from bringing th.3 statement down so early in the session, and it would be useless to do so in future. There did not appear to him, however, any very great difficulty in entering into questions of financial policy now. The tables would be brought down as early as possible, but he did not think they could be before ten days. The Public Works Statement might be a week. He wished to understand whether they could the x go on with the discussion of the Government measures, which, of course, did not involve approval or disapproval of the Statement.

The Hon. Mr Richardson said he could promise his Statement on Tuesday next. The figures, however, would not be absolutely correct ; but if the tables attached to the Statement were also required, he would not be able to make his Statement on Tuesday.

Mr Wakefield had no wish to postpone business, but thought it would be very desirable to have all possible papers and information in their, possession before discussing financial proposals. He would be willing to meet the Government in any way to further business.

The Premier considered its was unfair to move these.resolutions, and then propose to Government to go on with. Ordinary business until such time as the House was ready to take up the financial debute, and keep these resolutions hanging over the heads of the Government.

Mr Stafford recognised the right of the Government to decide an fco how its business was most convenient to fae carried on but this was not a case in which the wishes of one or two members w««re, concerned. The whole House was interested in this matter and had equally a right to exercise a voice in determining the time and manner in which the question, should be considered He was not prepared to say that the Government should, be ready on the spur of the moment to speak, and thought they might fairly ckim till next day before announcing to the House the position in. which they felt themselves placed by these resolutions. The bon. members would also have an opportunity lor consideration upon a matter so important.

Mr Rollesfcon saidfit would have been better if the motion of the member for Yvaikato should be considered in the same way as that oF the member for Geraldine m Mr Reader Wood said that it was quite, impossible for the House to consider the financial statement without further information. Hy had endeavored to do so with tho material placed at their disposal, but found he was unable.

The Premier then moved the postponement of the Order* of the Day 1, 2, and 3, to Fri-d-vy next. The Debtors and Creditors Eill was after fhsuiissioii re id a second time. It is to be. committed nn Friday. Mr '•-■• hitaker to move, when in committee on the Provincial Abolition Financial Arraugomeuts Bill--"That clauses (!, 7, «, 9, 10 be omitted, and in lieu thereof that the following clauses, to come into operation on the 20th September next, bo inserted : 'All revenues arising from the waste lands of the Crown are part of Her -Majesty's consolidated revenue of thf Colony. All sums of money and cxnendi tare heretofore charged on revenue aViainfrom the wasto lands of the Crown aj'r hereby, charged on and made payable V Her Majesty's consolidated revenue • a ji v-ssets.and liabilities of the several Province are assel» and habilitioß oc the Colony, yrZ vided that the ca»h rn baud on the 20th da-* of September, 1875, received from lands of the Crown shall be expended in the

Provinces in which it has been received on such public works (not otherwise provided for) as the General Assembly shall determine." Mr Wakefield to move, on the motion for goinw into Committee of Supply—" That this House do resolve itself into a Committee of the whole, to consider the following resolutions :—The gross proceeds of all land sales or leases either for pastoral or mineral purposes (except with respect to goldfields) to be chargeable with expenses of land and survey department. After such deduction, one half net revenue from these sources to be Colonial revenue, other half to be paid to local governing bodies of districts within which such revenue is raised. The cost aud expenses of the following services to be <\ diwyed from Colonial revenue, viz. (1) all existing legislative and executive departments of Government, including civil list; (2) interest and sinking fund of all loans, whether Colonial or Provincial; (3) primary education; (4) Her Majesty's Gaols throughout Colony; (5) Police ; (6) Lunatic Asylums; (7) all public Eailways, whether constructed by Colony or Provinces ; (8) arterial roads and bridges; (9) subsidies to road districts and municipalities in proportion of Ll tn Ll raised by rates or tolls. All annual sur plus of Colonial revenue over appropriation to be applied to reducing any unfunded debt of the Colony, or if there be no such debt, then towards extinction of funded debt. The cost and expenses of the following services to he defrayed by the local governing bodies, viz.:—(l) Koads, bridges, and other local public works other than arterial: (2) hospitals and charitable institutions ; (3) penitentiaries and reformatories, not being public gaols; (4) the ordinary revenue from goldfields, including the export duty, to be paid to local governing bodies of the districts WUmI? which such revenue arises, and to be oxpendea ou public works therein. Harbors to be by local boards, who shall receive sna °xpend all moneys applied on account of or appropriated to the purposes of such harbors. tf J ABOUT THE LOBBIES. (From our Special Correspondent.) Welungton, July 19. There is nothing doing in the House tcday. Yesterday's proceedings upset all previous calculations, and it is impossible to say what .will be the result. No one thinks Mr Wakefield's resolutions will pass, but whether Mr Whitaker*s will or not much depends on the action of the Government. If they make it an open question, they are certain to be carried ; if otherwise, it is reckoned that they can count on fifty five sup. porters, thirty of whom have no sympathy with them on any other question. In answer to Mr Wood to-day, Sir J. Vogel said he would have no interfering with, the constitution of the Upper House. It is very unlikely the big debate will come off next woek. It is stated in the lobbies that the Canterbury section wanted Mr Stafford to propose* the resolutions proposed by Mr Whitaker, but gaV9 way before stiong opposition on the part of Mr Maeaiidrow and the Auckland contingent. The Government have received advices of. the sailing of six immigrant vessels for the Colony during last month, only one of which is for Otago. 'J his is the Invercargill, which sailed from the Clyde on June 23. The Provincial Offices here are to be closed on the 2itb, out of respect to Dr Featherston's memory.