PARLIAMENT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1560, 16 September 1905, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

THE LANDB DEBATE.

SUBSTANTIAL VICTORY FOR GOVERNMENT.

(Per Press AGaociatfoa.) Wellington, ycstorday, After the tclrgrsph office closod, after furthor diecUßsioo, Mr Massey's amendment was lost by 44 to 20. Mr Taylor’s amendment was negatived by 68 to 11, Mosers Arnold, Barbor, Davey, Ell, Hogg, Fishpr, Hanan, Laureußon, Sidey, Tanner and Taylor being tbo minority. Mr Rhodes moved a furthor amendment in favor of Crown lesscos boiog allowed to puroha.ee tbe freehold at the original valae with a proviso that whoro the land was let at 4 per cent, an additional 1 per cent, should be e.dded, and that the money so obtained should be used for the purobaea of further lands for settlement, and that .; there should ■ be aggregation of large 68 M*r Hall-Jones moved the adjournment of the debate, which was agreed to, and the House rose at 1.40 a.oo. ' ' f The following is tho division list'.—For Mr Moesey’s amendment (20): Messrs Allan. J. Bollard, Buchanan, Dnthie, W. Fraeer, Fisher, Harding, Hardy. Hawkins, Herdman, Herries, Kahau, Kirkbridge, Lank, Lethbridge, Lewis, Mander, Massey, McLachlan, Mofs, Reid, Rhodes, J. 0. Thompson, J. W. Thompson, and File. Against Mr Massey's amendment (44): Messrs E. G. Allen, Arnold,- Barber,Baume, Bennett, Bnddo, Carroll, Colvin,. Davey, E. M. Duncan, Field, A. L, D. Fraser, Graham, Hall, HaU-Jones, Hanan, Heke, Hogg, Houston, Jennings, Kidd, Laurenson, Lawry, Major, McGowan, R, MoKenaie, McNab, Mills, Parata, Pere, Romsngton, Rutherford, Seddon,- Sidey, Smith, Steward, Byrnes, Tanner, Ward, Wilford. Willis, Witty, Wood. Pairs: For the amendment, Messrs Aitken, Ali« son and Russell; against the amendment, Messrs Millar, Flatman, and G. Fowlds.

PUBLIC WOBE3 STATEMENT. Wellington, last mght; The Publio Works Statement wag delivered this afternoon by the Hon. Me ■ Hall-Jones, Minister for Publio Works. Good progress, said the Minister, hag been made with the various works under* taken. The gross expenditure upon the > North Island Main Trunk railway during the year amounted to £164,436. The sum voted for all classes of roads was £410,976, agaimit which authorities were issued amounting to £469,444. The exceptionally wet weather experienced in the early summer considerably retarded the progress of some of the works, portion* larly road construction works, and conse* quently the expenditure up to the end of the financial year waa not eo large as I had anticipated. Since the period referred to good progress has been maintained. In view of the New Zealand Inter* national Exhibition, I desire to say the Government anticipates that either prior to the opening of the Exhibition or during the season, it will be proctioable to taka the through journey from Auckland to Wellington by the route of the North Island Trunk railway, and also to travel by road and rail in one day from Greymouth or Hokitika to Christchurch. The programme at present in course of execution and in comtemplation for the North Island Main Trunk lino provides for the rails at the north end reaching tha Waimarino plain and probably up to tbe site of the Makatote viaduct by the data referred to. By the semß date the rail head at the southern end Bhould be at Waioroua. From Waioroua to Baetihi a mail coach road already exists, and a railway service road between Baetihi and Makatote will be completed, so that a coach oould travel from rail heßd to railway head by . the commencement of tha Exhibition season. It will be possible to rail passengers, from Obristohuroh to the west side of Broken river, leaving, a poach journey of only 40 miles from there to Otira. 4 The ordinary expenditure for the year was L 1,219,838, in addition to wbioh L62,540was transferred to the Btate coal mine aooount, and other items brought tba total disbursements to L 2,082,078, leaving a credit balance at the end, of the year of L 881.670. . . rU' For the current year, it is proposed io provide additional funds an uoder '.—Balance of 1904 loan L 32.938, new loan of 1906 Ll,ooo,ooo,.transfer from the Consolidated Fund for publio works generally L 500.000, for development of water power L 50.000, i for irrigation water , supply L 50,000. This will give a total available ways and means of L2,494,607* The estimated expenditure for publio works for the current year is L 2,286,719,, leaving, a bal* anoe of L 207,888 to ho carried forward next year. Sinoe the Liberal Government took office in 1891 461 miles 76 ohains of railway has been opened for traffic; 105 milp<| 61 chains have been acquired from private owners, making a total increase of mileage of 667 miles 66 ohains. ! Gisborrie-Botorua—The seotion between Eailaratahi and Earaka was opened for publio traffic on the 13th April last. The survey of the extension authorised lasi year has been proceeded with, and several miles of the same are now looated, eo that it has been possible to make a start with the earthworks. Tbe trial survey has beon carried as far as .the summit on the Gisborne side of the Motu Valley. The summit is 1964 ft above sea levol, and tbe diatance from Gisborne is 43} miles and 25} miles from Earaka. Before permanently locating any further portion of tbe Una beyond the section wbioh has just been commenced, it is considered advisable to remove the snrvey party to the Opotiki side of the main range, as the question of the most advantageous point to enter and orose the Motu Valley is largely influenced by the question of the best point to leave that valley and to make a desoent to the 1 lowlands in the Bay of Plenty. The expenditure last year amounted to L 16,068. This was in exoess of the vote, but under all the cironmstances it was thought advisable to push on the works to comple* tion, so as to make the expenditure interest-bearing as soon os possible. For the current year a vote of L 20,000 is proposed. The Statement then refers to various

other works. The total appropriations proposed for railway construction purposes amount to <£860,500. This is materially in exoess of last year’s vote, and is a consequence of the more vigorous programme adopted. Roads and Bridges—Last year <£258,972 was spent under this head, and with lia< bilities at the end of the year the work in hand during the year totalled £329,941, The appropriations proposed for this year total £498,969. Last year L 26,112 was spent on roads on goldfields, this year L 50.000 is aßkod for. It is proposed >0 spend L 30.000 on development of go fields (L 6258 last year). On tourist and health resorts L17,i08 was Bpent last year, drainage works at Rotorua absorbing L 5445. This year’a authorisation, inoluding new bath houses at Rotorua, is L‘28,153. Telegraph extension last year absorbed L 72.298, thiß year LIOO.OOO is asked for. On publio buildings L 152.946 was spent. Votes of L 248.100 uro proposed. Provision is made on the estimates now submitted for new court houses at Hatnil* ton, Te Kuiti, Tauranga, Dannevirkr. Eltham, Taihape, Masterton, Brightwater, Hawkesbury, Kaiiangata and Campbelltown, and for important addM tions at Auckland, Stratford, North, Feilding, Ohristohurch, and Alexandra, etc.

Gaols.—The expenditure under this head was not large. Provision is made on the estimates for new gaols at Gisborne and Inveroargill. Polioe stations.—The vote for rolioe stations embraced a considerable number of items, but none of them were of anv magnitude. The total expenditure on po T C L b “ lldiD ß 3 dariD S the amountod to L 6772. For the current year tha principal items are : New polioe barraoks at Newtown (Wellington) and Christ* ohurch, new stations at Helensville, Avon, dale, Karangabake, Waiuku, Raglan, raumamnui, Tologo Bay, Newtown (We!iingtoo), Oolliogwood. Kmgslend, Oorisloburcb, Addington, Ngapara, and Gore tiubslantial additions at Wellington (Lambton Quay), and new quarters at Nelson. Post and ielegraph.-Und*r this class- "»• was oot l»rg?, fo® largeei

being for «be new poet office* at Eltham, Otaki, and Katapoi. The appropriation proposed for the current year provided for new office* all Waiapu, Newmarket, Pat' sell. Cambridge, Whakarewarowa, Tanrange, Whakatane, Waipiro, Tokomaru, Tupacoß, New Plymouth, Waltotara, Taihape, Bulls, Palmerston North, Manakau, Lower Hutt, Nelson, Gollingwood, Miller* ton, Brunnerton, Qreymouth, Moroington, Winton, Otautau, and Half-moon Bay (Stewart Island), extensive additions al Christohnrob, additions at Auokland, Napier, Botorua, Dannevirko, Fahiatua, Greytown, Wellington, Gore, and Bluff, new quarter* at Havelook and Arrowtown, the purohase of a property at Linwood, and of additional land and providing a water aupply at Wakapnaka. Lengtly referenoe is made to the subject of u'ilising the colony's water power for generating eteotrioity, and the Minister concluded : “ In allocating the amount proposed for the various public works, a very oarefnl consideration has boon devoted to the elaims and necessities of the different parts of the colony. The total amount proposed to bo voted this year is £2, 881,616. It is with feelings of pleasure, therefore, that I look forward to the year a work. If New Zealand is to maintain its proud and prosperous posiiion, facilities must be providad for the development of Its natural resources, and this cannot be better aooomplisbod than by a vigorous public works policy ”

AFTERNOON SITTING. ;(Per Press AsaocAalion.) Wellington, last night. The Council met at 2.80. The Shop* and Offices Bill wo* road a second time. The House met at 2.30.

After the Fublio Works Statement was laid on the table the House went into Comm'tieo of Supply for further consideration of the general Estimates. The vote for the State Forestry Department WM under disoussion until the dinner adjournment. EVENING SITTING, The House resumed at 7.30.

The estimates were under discussion the whole evening. The votes for the State Forests Department, Government Printing Office, Mental Hospitals and Charitable Department passed unaltered. The Defenoe Department estimates gave rise to a lengthy disonssioD. Mr Seddoa, dealing with harbor defenoe, said in view of the long range of gnns they had to improve the armaments, which would be dooß at Auckland and Wellington. The commandant objectod to the slow progress of the work, and in this connection Government proposed to ask the House for au increased vote to enable the work to be oarried out expeditiously. He intimated that it was proposed to continue the term of office of Major General Babinglon ai commandant of the forces, which will expire next year.