GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Globe, Volume I, Issue 51, 29 July 1874, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

(Per Anglo-Australian Press Telegraph Agency.) Wellington, July 28. In the House of Representatives to-day, Mr Thompson asked the Government whether they possess information as to the successful working or otherwise of the Canterbury Forest Trees Encouragement Acts, and in Otago of the G!)th section of the Otago Waste Lands Act. The Premier was understood to state that the Government had no information on the subject. In reply to Mr White, who asked if the Government intended to extend telegraphic communication to Stafford Town and Goldsborough, Arahura district, Westland, The Premier said the engagements of the department wore so heavy, that he was unable to give any assurance that the work would be carried out at present; but arrangements would be made as soon as possible. The following Bills have been introduced and read a first time ; —Oamaru Harbor Board Land Bill;; a Bill to make better provisions relating to the construction of works below high water mark ; a Bill Jo amend the Goldfields Act, 18(1(1, with the view of making better provision for the necessary fouling of rivers and watercourses by goldmining; the Invercargill Gas Loan Bill.

The Premier moved the second reading of the New Zealand University Bill. He referred to the difficulty annually presented by the University question. He was now happy to say that the question was satisfactorily settled by the present Bill, which repeals the Act of 1870. Bead a second time.

The consideration of the estimates was resumed. The following items were passed : Petty Sessions, £350 ; Criminal prosecutions, £5300; Justices of Peace Act, 18G6, £500; Coroners Act, £1200; Juries Act, £400; Contingencies, £ISOO ; Land Transfer Department, £8825 ; Deeds Registry, £8490. On the Postal and Telegraph, £58,165, being put, several questions were asked regarding the smallness of the salaries at certain places.

The Premier said he would like to see the estimates framed, so that each member named the" allowances j|and salaries Ifor his own district. He said the estimates were no guide to the salaries of particular officers, as they were changed so frequently. Mr J. K. Brown said the country post offices were miserably supplied from the head offices with stationery.

Sir Cracroft Wilson asked why the door to the boxes at the Christchurch post office were closed on Sunday. The Premier said, looking at the question generally, he considered that the servants of the department should have their Sundays, and if the post offices were to be opened on Sundays, they would simply have to increase their staffs, so that officers could relieve each other, and let them be paid for it. He promised, however, that some arrangement would be made.

On a question put by Mr Luckie The Premier explained that the Government were much indebted to Mr Lemon for his valuable services in regard to the duplex telegraph, and had signified the same by a vote of thanks from the Cabinet. He had suggested to Mr Lemon the advisableness of taking out a patent, but as he was not actuated by pecuniary gain, he allowed the Government to have any benefit derivable therefrom. The invention, he explained, was not new, as it is in work in several places, but the details working it out he believed were entirely Mr Lemon’s invention. No other special recognition of Mr Lemon’s services had been made.

Mr Mervyn asked that telegraph operators at stations on the Clutha river should be instructed to notify flow of floods and sudden freshes in the river, as that would often save property and life. The Premier thought it would be better to keep the department as it was, purely mechanical. Let it dispatch news but not collect it.

Mr Reynolds was understood to say that the matter would be considered in connection with the storm signals.

Item carried

The Customs Department, £10,597 17s 2d, passed without discussion, but considerable discussion was created on the amount, under the head Marine Naval Training School at Kohimarama, £2OOO.

Mr Reynolds said that it was for the purpose of buying the schooner Southern Cross and the old mission station as a commencement for establishing a system of naval training in the colony for its boys. Mr Macandrew thought the item very unsatisfactory, and suggested it be struck out.

Mr J. Evans Brown failed to see why there should be a shore establishment in connection with a training vessel. Mr Wakefield thought it looked like an arrangement to enable the mission to part profitably with what they no longer had occasion for.

Messrs Sheehan, T. Kelly, W. Kelly, and Swanson supported the item. To settle the difficulty Mr Andrew suggested, that as all were agreed that a naval training school of some sort was necessary, to strike out Kohimararna.

The House adjourned at 5.30. The Ward-Chapman committee have got an extension of fourteen days to report. The will bring up a separate report. Judge Ward is now on his way to Wellington. Wellington, July 29, In the House of Representatives, last night, A petition from certain inhabitants of Lyttelton, that the Lyttelton Gas Bill should not be passed, was presented by Mr Curtis. Mr RICHAEDSoN presented a petition from the Mayor and Councillors of Christchurch, that certain fees and taxes may be secured to the municipality. Mr Macandrew resumed the debate. He hoped the training school item would not pass before the Rill could be brought in. The Premier considered the experiment to be of great importance to the colony, and an opportunity was afforded of obtaining the Southern Cross, and a station which was very favorable for testing the experiment. Mr Rolleston hoped to see similar establishments all over the colony. The item was passed on the voices. Mr T. Gillies offered opposition to the item of £3OO for the Wellington Botanical Gardens. The item was carried. Mr T. Gillies .ridiculed the idea of a steam-launch for Auckland, where there were plenty already, and besides it would be cheaper to charter one. The item inspector of lunatic asylums, £BOO, was opposed by Mr Reeves, who said that the first natural consequence of such an appointment was the appointment of a second officer.

The item was agreed to. The remainder of the estimates, excepting one item, passed without alteration, and with little discussion. On the the item militia and volunteers for the South Island, £7401 7s (id, Mr J. E Brown moved that the item be struck out, as they were perfectly useless, and it was sheer waste of money. Volunteering was a mere sham. He knew of fifteen officers of the militia and volunteers who would receive £2500 out of the whole amount. Mr Maclean said the Government intended to ensure greater efficiency amongst the volunteers than had been the case up to the present time. The Municipal Corporations Gas Works Bill was read a third time and passed. The remainder of the sitting was occupied by a debate on the Qualification of Electors Bill, and Mr Heid opposed the measure as unwise, and generally unfair to the propertied class ; and calculated to give the Ministry of the day too much power, by giving increased electoral privileges indiscriminately to new arrivals and all others. He moved that the Bill be read that day six months.

Mr Reader Wood said the Bill did not go far enough he was sorry it was not the game as the Bill brought down by Mr Gis-

borne in 1872. He hoped that might yet be substituted. He would, however, endeavor to get the Bill amended in several directions such as—To provide for the consolidation of existing electoral laws ; any member accepting oflice to vacate his seat and meet the electors but to be eligible for re-election ; writs for elections to be issued more speedily, and a Triennial Parliament.

Mr McGillivkay supported the Bill, though he would like to see it greatly modified.

Mr Tribe opposed the Bill as against the interests of the miners.

Mr Steward thought the Bill was calculated to have a prejudicial effect upon the politics of the colony, when so many new arrivals weie pouring in who would soon have electoral powers.

Mr Parker could not see that such a measure had been called for in any shape by the general public. Mr O’Neil considered that the Bill was doing great injustice to that class of men who did more for the colony than any other. Mr J. L. Gillies said that the general fault of the Bill was that it did not go far enough. Electoral privileges were shut out from too many intelligent people in the colony. He accepted the Bill as a step in the right direction but would prefer Mr Gisborne’s Bill.

Mr Luckie supported the second reading of the Bill, but would like to see the period before granting the electoral privileges extended.

The Premier thought the great feature of the Bill was that it did not interfere with existing rights, excepting as regarded the power to vote by purchasing miners’ rights. He thought the Bill might be amended in the direction of extending the franchise to women. He endorsed the view of the member for Parnell, in compelling members accepting office to go before their constituents ; he would; even go so far as to compel those who received Government pay even for Royal commissions to go before their constituents. If they found no fault no one else had any right to do so. Mr T. L. Shepherd strenuously opposed the Bill which he considered ought to be intituled a Bill to abolish miners’-right to the franchise. It was highly impolitic and unjust to treat such a wealthy and powerful class in that way ; the mining property of the colony represented over one million and a half of money. Mr White also opposed the Bill as a virtual disfranchising of the miners.

Mr Stafford said as the debate was one of the most interesting of the session, and as a great many members would speak, he moved its adjournment to Friday. The House then adjourned at a quarter past twelve.