HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 4, 4 July 1895, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

The House met at 2. 30. Hon. Mr Seddon stated he had consulted the Law officers with respect to Sir Geo. Grey's resignation^.and their advice was that the Speaker should cable to Sir Geo. Grey and obtain from him his resignation under his own hand. The Speaker said £his would be done. , The debate on the Midland Railway question was resumed by Mr Mills, who supported the Premier's resolutions, as also did Messrs Lawry, Collins, Buddo, O'Regan, MeLauchlan, Buick, G. J. Smith. Ho^g, ,E. M. Smith, Willis, Morrison and Pirani ; while Messrs Massey, T. McKenzie and W. Hutchison spoke against it. On division Gapt. Russell's amendment to postpone fihe question till after the Public Works Statement was lost by 40 to 19. Speaking on the main resolution, Mr Geo Hutchison said he was in a position to declare that the delay in the arbitration proceedings was not due to the colony, and he challenged anyone to deny this. If the award was given against the colony it would be chargeable to one man, the Premier, who had shown vindictive hostility to the Company throughout the whole proceedings. [Mr Seddon : Oh no.] He asked the House hot to tafe b step that would stultify the cofbi% Hon. Mr McKenzie said he tHotijght . it would have been better if Mr Geo. Hutchison, who had acted as leading, counsel for the Company in the arbitration proceedings, had retrained from saying anything on the subject. He distinctly denied the imputations made against the Premier, and said the postponement of arbitration was not taken at the instigation of the Government, who had nothing to gain by delay. The arbitrators themselves had thaught proper to make the postponemeiit. The charges made by Mr Hutchison against the Premier tyoto made with the intention of using t(hem in another place, where there would be no one to reply to them. Goi ernment found the railway in a complete muddle, and the Company tho lght they could do as they liked witty the Colony, but their representative. l here had found his match in the Prtemier, who would not allow matteia t< ) drift any longer as they had been do ing, Hon. Mr Seddon's motion tl a£ the House go into Supply to con aid er his resolution for the expenditure. of £SQOO on the Midland Railway was thcafi pat and carried by 39 to 25. V After a short discussion the! Premier's resolution was agreed to syLSiK, . to\i3, and was ordered to be reported^ to the House next day. Replying to questions it was stated that no correspondence had taken ■place between the Government'; and the flew Zealand Estates Company with regard to the proposed lottery of the new company's property. When Government saw the proposals they would consider them, but they certainly were not going to take & leap in the dark. That the evidence taken before the Licensing Committee with^rgfjjrance to Coker's Hotel, ChristcEarch, di<f not warrant interference by the Justice Department. That police have had instructions to prevent the use of Chinese premises for gambling purposes. } That when young men joined the Defence force they had no right to continue as active members of athletic clubs, as their so doing interfered with discipline and performance of their duties. . That Government did not consider it expedient to shorten the hours of labour in the Railway workshops. That Government saw no immediate necessity for starting a State coal* mine at Hikautai, .No. 1 Block. Mr Seddon moved the sec6nd reading of the Pharmacy Bill, Adoption of Children Bill, and the Contagious Diseases Act 1869 Repeal Bill. The Boundary Bill w&s committed . and put through its final stages.