GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Globe, Volume I, Issue 62, 12 August 1874, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

. * — (Per Anglo-Australian, Press Telegraph Agency.) __ Wellington, August 1i.7" In the Legislative Council to-day, The Lyttelton Gas Bill was read a second time. The adjourned debate on the treatment of lunatics was resumed by Colonel Brett, who passed a warm eulogium on the superintendent of the Canterbury Asylum. He hoped the effect of the motion would not be to supersede that officer. Captain ERASER stated that the Superintendents of the Canterbury, Nelson, and Auckland asylums were willing to introduce the modern system. It was announced by the House of Representatives that an amendment of the Couucil on the Conveyancing Ordinance Amendment Act, giving it future instead of retrospective operation, was agreed to. The following Bills were read a second ti me ;—lmprisonment for Debt Abolition Bill ; New Zealand University Bill ; Hokitika Mayor's Bill, The following Bills were read a third time and passed :—Presbyterian Church of Otago Lands Bill; Merchant Shipping Act Adoption Bill ; Municipal Corporation Act Amendment Bill.

In the House of Representatives to-day, The Premier, in making his Immigration Statement, said the number of souls introduced between June, 1873, and June, 1874, was 17.513. Of these, 7503 were brought under the Immigration and Public Works Act. There was now on the water 14,530, nearly as many as had arrived during the past year. He referred the House to the immigratidn correspondence laid upon the table, which showed the history and position of immigration. He could not deny to the House that immigration was not carried on to the satisfaction of the Government, but notwithstanding that the Agent-General and the Government were not at one, he had still worked most zealously accordin" to his own ideas as to selection. Me considered that on the whole, the immiorants were of a class such as the colony should be satisfied with. It was impossible that any care could always succeed in preventing :i few of an undesirable character being Introduced, so lone: as present great impulse to emigration to New Zealand was in existence. He would however, admit that room for improvement existed in the mode of selection ; more pains should be bestowed upon the system of nominated immigration. Another cause of dissatisfaction to the Government with the AgentGeneral was the unsatisfactory nature of the arrangements at the depots, and the shipping of immigrants. While recognising the zeal of the AgentGenerai. the Government must insist that their views are carried out, though no doubt allowances must be made for the difference between instructions given here and the way they are carried out 1 6,000 miles away. But all these questions would probably be discussed when the estimates regarding immigration were brought down. Having stated the causes of dissatisfaction with the AgentGeneral, he felt also that he had to bear testimony to the great amount of work he got through; to the many difficulties he had to contend with in organising his department, now a very large one, and in the.inefficiency of many of his assistants; and to the able assistance he rendered in their financial arrangements. He was not able now to say to what extent the Government were prepared to introduce immigrants into the country, which must to a great extent be regulated by the power of absorption shown by the colony. That had hitherto been very great and remarkably successful, notwithstanding that the large proportion of them arrived in the colony nt an unfavorable season of the year. He had to accord his best praise to the Superintendents of Otago and Canterbury, but to the latter especially, for th ir valuable co-operation and assistance in regard to immigration. The power of the colony to absorb immigrants, must depend more upon the absorbing powers of the interior parts of the colony than upon that of seaport towns. The hon gentleman described estimates for immigration, of which the following are the principal items. The Agent-General's department—The vote, owing to the great expansion and increased clerical labor and the establishment of branch agencies in the United Kingdom, was increasing largely, being £12,065 expenditure for introduction and location of immigrants, including the liabilities for immigrants on the way, and had increased from £250,000 to £275,000. The appropriations for the different provinces forming the various expenses incidental to immigration, and inclusive of advances for works in connection with the location of settlers, including advances for cottages, were— Auckland, £17,858; Taranaki, £20,125: Hawkes Bay, £12,136 ; Wellington, £66,285 : Nelson, £11,150; Marlborough, £16,535; Westland, £14,170; Canterbury, £9317 12s; Otago, £17,395, which with various other expenses in connection with the depots, stoam launches, &c, make a total vote of £181,161. In conclusion, the Premier said the estimates had been framed with a view to the different circumstances of each province in the colony. The following Bills were passed—State Forests Bill, Naval Training Schools Bill, Christchurch Drainage Debentures Bill, Oamaru Harbor Board Land Bill. The interim report of the Ward-Chapman joint committee was brought up and read. After recapitulating the leading facts of the ease, the report states —That the charges made by Judge Ward against Judge Chapman have not been substantiated ; that in issuing the order ex })arle., though not in accordance with the practice of the Supreme Court in other parts of the colony, Judge Chapman did not act partially. The committee suggested the desirableuess of making arrangements for periodically shifting the Supreme Court and District Judges on circuit. Wellington, August 12. In the House of Representatives last night the PREMIER moved the second reading of the Immigration and Public Works Act, and stated the indebtedness of the colony ; the amount of outstanding indebtedness after deducing the sinking fund due was £12.494,000 of which £9,229,000 is to colonial account, and £3,265,000 to provincial account, and is to be reduced by £ 100,000 Treasury Bills, which are proposed to be wiped off on the Ist November next. In respect of loans alrcndy authorised, and not yet raised, there are £807.000 of public works loans of 1870, five hundred thousand of public works lean-; of 1873; £192,000 of defence and other purposes; £531,000 general purposes and other loans besides

the amount of* £22,000 not raised, under the North Otago Public Works Act. The total receipts to June 30th last, were £3,870,000 including £150,000 advanced out of the consolidated revenue, as explained in the financial statement ; the various disbursements to June last had left them with a balance of £144,000 cash,, and £123,000 outstanding advances. With the loan proposed this year the total indebtedness would be 10 millions. Of this 6£ millions had been voted for railway purposes; 1J million for immigration purposes; £460,000 for roads in the North Island ; £350,000 for water works on the various gold fields; £700,000 for land purchases ; £400,000 for telegraph extension, lighthouses, and other public works. Although the money asked for was not immediately required, it was thought more desirable to have authority to that amount on the market, so as to place the country in a position independent of any sudden depression in the money market, by having money in hand to carry out the great undertakings that the country was pledged to. Mr Fizherbert was glad there was £BOO.OOO out of the guaranteed million for a rainy day. He approved of the idea of securing themselves against any sudden changes in the money market, but could not see why the maximum rate of interest should be fixed at six per cent. Mr T. B. Gillies called the attention of the House to the pace they were going at, though it was clear they must support the Bill. The lion member criticised the figures submitted, and said that the indebtness of the colony, after the four millions asked for, would be eighteen and a half millions. He hoped that the prudence of the Treasurer was not coming too late. He (the Treasurer) was now acting on*the advice he had poohpoohed in 1872. He was glad that the House had its eyes opened at last. Mr Beeves said that the explanation of the Premier of the intentions of the Bill, fell far short of what ought to be expected from one in whom such unparalleled confidence was placed. Be thought that the Bill gave novel and peculiar powers, which were likely to be dangerous.' He objected to its being pressed forward any further for the present. In reply to some apprehensions expressed by hon members at the financial statement, the Premier said that the increase in revenue during the last four years was sufficient to pay the interest upon ten millions. He denied that there was any cause for alarm, or that any new or peculiar powers were granted by the Bill, which was framed exactly like that of last year. Mr Reeves pressed the Premier not to press the Bill through in one night, and in their shortest session.

Mr J. E. Brown hoped he (the Premier) would press the Bill. Mr Cuthbertson, speaking with some kuowledge of finance, supported the views of the Premier. He denied that the Bill Contained any novel power. The Bill was read a second time and ordered to be committed to-morrow, in deference to the wishes of the minority. The consideration of the Licensing Bill was resumed in committee, and up till 3.10 a.m., when it was reported with amendments.

Mr Fox's amendment, that a club should pay a license, was defeated by 24 to 10. The clause prohibiting hiring young girls to dance with with men where liquor was sold, was carried without discussion at 2 a.m. Mr Fox made a vigorons speech against the practice of keeping barmaids, or allowing females to serve in bars ; his amendment was negatived. The thirty years of age, barmaids clause was then withdrawn. The bringing all bars where barmnids served, under the employment of the Females Act, was negatived.

A division was called for on the clause for having the fronts to public houses plain open glass. The motion was defeated by 24 votes to 9.

Mr Steward obtained the introduction of a clause, that no females except a wife or daughter of the publican be employed in the bar before eleven'm the morning, or for more than ten hours in a day. The Premier withdrew his proposed amendment clause for facilitating the obtaining of license.