GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 420, 16 October 1875, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

[By Electric Telegraph. 1

From a Correspondent of the Press

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Thursday, October 11. The House resumed at 7.30. representation bill.

Mr Kelly asked to be allowed to amend his motion, so as to allow Napier one member to stand, with the view to that district including the boundaries he had given notice of. Sir D. Bell said it might be convenient to smother opinions on some subjects, but he hoped the committee would not do so on such a serious question as the Representation Bill.

Mr Buckland considered there were enough members already ; the country was over represented. To redistribute the seats would be the work of a session. He was willing to give an additional member to the Thames, to Christchurch, and to Dunedin, and to reject the rest of the Bill. Mr Pyke complaineti of a want of principle in the Bill, which merely gave representatives to certain favored constituencies, The Bill was so admittedly imperfect that the wisest thing to be done was to give an additional member to the Thames, and to reject the rest, and he gave notice of his intention to move accordingly. The Minister of Justice intimated that the Government would be deaf to any proposal of the kind. The Bill was not inconsistent with the proposal of the kind proposed by the member for the East Coast, but it would be for the House to consider whether or not it would accept such a boundary. Mr Sheehan challenged the member in charge of the Bill to give the committee information as to the area, population, or number of electors in the proposed district. If the amendment was carried, the member for the Bast Coast would have made things smooth for himself. The East Coast district, as at present constituted, was a large one, and contained two centres of population, Tauranga and Poverty Bay. The latter would vote against him, but if his proposition was carried he would have a district of about 400 electors, one of the lowest constituencies in the whole lot. The whole thing arose from a gross breach of faith on the part of the Government towards the House and the country to deal with the question comprehensively this session. Mr O’Conor opposed the proposition to give an additional member to Dunedin, contending that it was strongly enough represented in the House already. Sir G. Grey protested against the proposal of the member for the East Coast as an endeavor to disfranchise the Poverty Bay district by joining them on to the Napier district, which was in a position to outvote them. If the proposal was carried, and a third member was not given to the Thames, he must declare that a gross breach of faith had been committed.

On the proposition being put the division was— Ayes 43, noes 22 Mr Bryce then moved the addition of “ Wanganui one member.” A motion to report progress, with the view to Government considering their position in reference to the various amendments proposed, was moved by Mr Pyke, but rejected by 45 to 16. The amendment was put and carried by 29 to 25.

Mr Andrew next moved the addition of “ Waikato one member.” Mr Reeves asked if Government intended to go on with the Bill, since it was plain that they had no longer any control over it.

The Minister of Justice said the Government would, when the Bill came out of committee, consider that matter. If the

committee persisted in ranking additions, it would liwome, a (post ion for serious consideration wiih the Government whether * bey should proceed with the Bill to a third reading; but it was no re-son for the Government to thio'.v u-> tlie Bill because one member had been added. After considerable discussion, the amendment was negatived by 2'.) to 28, Then :ir D. Bell proposed—"Mataura, one member.” On a division, there voted—Ayes, 20; noes, 82. Next Mr O’Conor moved—Buller, one member,” and on tins there voted—Ayes, 27; noes, 29. Proposals by Mr Williams to give another member to Mougonui and Bay of Islands, and by Mr SWANSON to give a member to Newton, were negatived, the first on the voices, the other on a division by 32 against 11). Sir G. Grey having moved that “ Timaru, one member,” should be struck out, Mr Murray began to speak against time, and was assailed by discordant cries of Question” and “ Divide,” from all sides of the House, during the continuance of which not one word be said could be heard in the galleries. This amendment was negatived by 46 against G, the noes being Messrs Swanston, Murray, Yonder Heyde, Dignan, Thompson, and Sir G. Grey. Mr Pyke moved the addition of “Wakatip one member,” which was negatived by 34 against 21. Mr Murray then moved “ Waitaki one member” should be struck out, with the view of inserting Oamaru town, which waa negatived on the voices. On “ Dunedin one member,” Mr Fyke moved that the number should be increased to two; and Mr Wales, that the number should be three, but the committee, by forty against 13, declared that the number should remain as printed. Innumerable motions to report progress having been negatived, as also Mr O’Neill’s new clause to give a member for Upper Thames, the committee proceeded to the consideration of clause 6. Mr liolieslon’s amendment to divide Christchurch into electorates, as at present, was negatived on the voices, and Mr Ballance’s, thatin contested elections, where three representatives have to bo returned, no elector should vote for more than two members, was withdrawn after discussion. On clause 7 being reached, Government moved that progress should be reported, which was done, and very shortly before 4 a.m. the House adjourned. (Per Press Agency.) Friday, October 15. The Speaker took the chair at 2.30. WESTPORT COLLIERY.

The report of the committee on the Westport colliery reserve recommended that a commission of inquiry should be held upon the matter. Hon B. Richardson said that was the course Government had intended to adopt. representation bill. Mr Jackson gave notice to move the recommittal of the Representation Bill to add another member for Waikato. honorarium. Hon Major Atkinson gave notice that he would ask to introduce a Bill regulating the paymment of the honorarium of members. confiscated land. Mr Tairoa asked if any portion of the confiscated land in the Waikato would be restored to Tawhaio and others. Sir D. McLean said they felt bound to adhere to the laws of the Assembly, though they were willing to accede to any fair and reasonable claims of the natives. PRESS TELEGRAMS. Mr Richmond asked, without notice, whether Government would relax the regulations regarding day telegrams for press purposes, so far as to allow evening papers 000 words at evening rates. Hon Mr Reynolds said that having inquired into this question carefully after the telegraphic system became perfected in the colony, the Government came to the decision to allow evening papers 200 words during the day at evening rates, and beyond this Government were not prepared to make any further concession. Were any further concessions granted it would result in considerable loss to the department and to great delay in the transmission of private telegrams by blocking the wires, and thus give rise to considerable dissatisfaction on the part of the public. The hon gentleman read an extract from an Imperial report to show that the reduction in the cost of day messages for the press in England became a fruitful source of loss. He had no doubt that if that house appointed a commission to enquire into the matter, it would come to the same decision as the one at home had. Mr Pyke strongly urged the Commissioner of Customs toreconsider his decision. immigrants’ land act. Hon Major Atkinson moved the second reading of the Immigrants’ Land Act A.mendment Bill, the object of which he stated waa to remedy certain cases of considerable hardship and injustice, through persons desirous to emigrate b ing ignorant of the strictness of the law. The Bill will enable the Governor in Council, after being satisfied as to the reasonableness of the claims made, to authorise the laud to be sold, Mr G. McLean said the Bill was solely the result of maladministration, and should not be hurried through before the members had time to consider it. The Treasurer explained that the Act was not due to maladministration at all, but was only intended to remedy certain little injustices. The Bill was read a second time. {Prom a correspondent of the Press,') ■ CANTERBURY EDUCATION BILL. On the proposal to go into committee on the Canterbury Education Board Bill, Sir Cracroft Wilson protested against the indecent haste with which the Bill was passed through yesterday. The object of the present Bill was to get rid of the Minister of Education, and reinstate the Education Board, which the Provincial Council by a majority of two to one, had superseded on account of the extravagant expenditure it sanctioned. He defended Mr Knight, saying any man who undertook to check reckless expenditure was sure to cause a lot of offence. He hoped the House would not in few hours upset the Ordinance, which the Provincial Council, after many : days deliberation, had passed by a large majority. Mr Webb corroborated the complaints of the Lyttelton school committee against the Education Minister, Mr Bluett expressed surprise to see the Bill brought forward, particularly by. the member for Akaroa, who hitherto had been

•ir ■ 80 loud in supporting every net of provincial legislatures. Unendorsed the s'iiUtnent of the member for Heathcoto that the Education Board had been untie e'V 'y with < > account of its extravagance. He had juscome from Canterbury, and heard no com plaints of the manner in which education matters had been conducted [" On !”J lie would vote against the Bill. la committee, in clause 2, an amendment was moved to strike out all the words after “ Canterburyand add as below. Iho clause would then read—There will bo constituted for the Province of Canterbury for the purposes of this Act, the several educational districts, the names aud boundaries whereof are set fortn in the first schedule to this At t —viz, Ashley, with so much of Cheviot as lies in Canterbury province; Kaiapoi, Cyt-telton-cum-Heathcote, belyvyn-cura-Avon, Coleridge, Timaiu, Gladstone, Akaioa, Christchurch ea«t and west with subnibs. Mr Rollbston strongly opposed the amendment, saying he was convinced a nominated Central Board was essential to the beneficial working of the education G. B. Parker considered the Bill highly necessary. Without enquiry whether a nominated or elected Board was better, he considered it would be found impossible in practice to carry out the amendment, because the electoral were not coterminous with the school districts. Mr J. E. BROWN supported the amendment. The Bill was wrong in principle, because it handed over the expenditure and cost of education to an irresponsible board. The amendment was negatived on the voices. . , On Mr Andrews’ motion, in the second line of the clause, “five” was altered to “ six.” Mr Andrews intimated that he would move a proviso, that the Act should only continue in force until the end of next session of Parliament. Mr Rolleston would consent to the proviso if this was added, “ or until further provision is made.” The proviso was withdrawn, and a new clause added on Mi Bell’s motion, limiting the operation of the Bill to two years. The Bill was then reported, aud read a third time.

Sir G. Grey, Messrs Rollcston, Fitzherbert Sheehan, and others, leave for Dunedin per first steamer after proroguing, to attend the Macandrew banquet. The Government bill dealing with the honorarium, makes it a fixed charge upon the consolidated fund in future. A strong effort will be made to increase the amount to £220 at every sitting.

PROVINCIAL APPROPRIATIONS EXTENSION. [By Electric Telegraph.] I FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] The Bill intituled “ Provincial Appropriations Extension Act, 1875,” consists of seven clauses and a schedule, reciting the provincial Acts, which it is proposed to continue to the 30th of September, 1870. The following are the leading features of the Bill:—Clause 2 enacts the appropriation by each of the Appropriation Acts or Ordinances mentioned in the schedule of any moneys for the payment of salaries, and of miscellaneous and contingent current expenses in the maintenance of the Government of the province to which such ActorOidinance relates, is extended from the date of expiration thereof until the 30th day of September, 1876, so that all such salaries and expenses shall be payable until said 30th day of September upon the same scale as in such Act or Ordinance set forth. Clause 3 is intended to give effect to one of the conditions of the compact between the Government and the Opposition on the Abolition of the Provinces Bill, It enacts that whereby any such Provincial Act or Ordinance “ money is appropriated for any public work or other special service, the Superintendent of the Province may, subject to the provisions of the twenty-sixth section of the Abolition of the Provinces Act, 1875, enter into any contract or incur any expense for the execution or performance of such work or service, on or before such 30th day ,«f September, 1876, provided that no such contract shall be entered into, or expense be incurred, without the Consent of the Go.yernor, by which the total expenditure of , such province shall exceed the total estimated revenues thereof for the period ending on the said 30th day of September, 1876, .and the estimate of such .revenue shall be made by the Superintendent, and on being approved of by the Governor shall be deemed to be total estimated revenue for the purposes of this Act.” Clause 4 provides that if the revenues of any province exceed the expenditure chargeable thereon up to the 30th of September next, the Superintendent of such province may agree with the Governor as to any public work or works, grants to Road Boards, or other local bodies, or for any public service for the benefit of such province on which such excess may be spent, and may, with the consent of the Governor, but not otherwise, contract for or otherwise incur the expense of the execution of such work or works, grants, or services, at any time on or before the said 30th day of September, 1876 ; and all moneys so expended shall be deemed to have been appropriated by the Legislature of such province. The sth and >6th clauses provide for the raising of money by Treasury Bills to the extent of £90,000 in aid of the revenues of Auckland and Westland. Clause 5 provides that if the revenues of these two provinces sha'l be insufficient to provide for the expenditure chargeable thereon respectively, the Colonial Treasurer may at any time before the 30th September, 1876, make advances out of the consolidated fund in aid of the revenues of either oi the two provinces named to the extent of such deficiency, provided that the advance to Auckland shall not exceed £60,000, and that the aid to Westland shall not exceed £30,000. Clause 6 authorises the Treasurer to raise this amount by the issue or Treasury bills. Clause 8 is as follows: “ After the passing of this Act, shall not be lawful for the Superintendent of any province under the authority of the 12th section of the Ixovincial Audit Act, 1866, or under any other authority, to issue any special order directing the Provincial Auditor to certify any warrant for the issue of money in excess of or without appropriation of the Superintendent and the Provincial Council of such province, nor for the Provincial Auditor to certify any warrant in obedience to any such special order, unless such special order shall have been first assented to by the Governor; ami every such special order and warrant shall, without the Governor’s assent, be null and void.

THE MAIL SERVICE. [By Electric Telegraph. ( From, a correspondent of the Press.) I Fun her correspondence re the mail route was t>i bled today. Writing to the English p ( st i tllce authorities on the 25th of August, Mr Thomas Bussell and Sir Daniel Cooper pay :—“ I he ships to t>e employed upon the Pacific part of the route will be much better and larger than those hitherto used, and it is hoped they will keep their time with tolerable certainty, but it is apparent to us that unless we can connect at New York with the fast boats that leave that city on the Saturday or the Wednesday, the arrival of mails here must be very uncertain and irregular, and the usefulness of the service be much impoverished. We enclose the time table for your approval. Under it the homeward mail will be due in San Francisco on the Thmsday, and if so timed should leave San Francisco by the Friday morning express, and reach Now York on the following Friday morning, about thirty hours before the departure of the Saturday boat (two in the afternoon of Saturday, we believe, to be the ordinary hour of sailing). This margin of thirty hours we have allowed to meet the contingency of the non-arrival of the boat at San Francisco on the Thursday, and to cover any delay that may occur on the railway between San Francisco and Now York. Onr desire is that the mail should beMespatched by one of the fast boats leaving New York on Saturday, but that if at any time the mail should not arrive in time for the Saturday boat, then it should be held over for the Cunard boat on the following Wednesday ; that in fact the homeward mail should not be sent by any vessels except the fast Saturday boats of the White Star, Inman, or Cunard, or by the Cunard steamer on the Wednesday. When we made the contract with the American Pacific Mail Company, we remembered and recognised the fact that the American people have a large interest in the success of this line, and we believed in making the contract with a powerful American company, we should interest them still more in the enterprise, and eventually secure a more speedy transfer of our mails across the Continent. In the meantime, however, we think the plan we have laid down of seudiug our mails from New York to England by the boats we have named on the Saturdays and Wednesdays, and by no others, will effect a great improvement in <-be service, and we beg yon will move the postal authorities of Washington to give effect to this request. “ The time tables are enclosed with the coi - respondence. According to them the mail leaves Loudon every fourth Thursday evening, beginning with Thursday, October 215% and* arrives in Auckland every fourth Sunday, commencing with Sunday, December sth ; Port Chalmers every fourth Saturday, commencing with December 11th. The outward mails leave Port Chalmers every fourth Wednesday, at 6 a.m., commencing with Wednesday, November 17th ; Auckland every fourth Monday at 5 p.m., commencing with Monday November 22nd, and arrive in London every fourth Thursday, commencing with Thursday, January 6th.”

THE PIAKO SWAMP. • [By Telegraph.] (From a correspondent of the Press.') The report of the Select Committee rc the sale of the Piako-Waikato Swamp is as follows: —“The committee appointed to enquire into the sale, or proposed sale, of the Piako Swamp to Mr I. Russell has taken the evidence thereon of the following witnesses namely, the Hon Dr Pollen, Hon Sir D. McLean, Messrs Murray and Sheehan, M*. U.K.’s, Major Heaphy, V.C., and Mr O’Meara. 1. The opinion of Mr G. B. Izard has been taken on the transactions, and the official papers and correspondence connected with the case have been considered by the committee, 2. I am directed to report that the laud in question consists of a block of 80,000 acres, and is known indifferently as the Piako-Waikato, or Great Swamp. It lies between Hamilton, on the Waikato river, and the head waters of the Piako river. 3, The Piako swamp is a low lying swamp, a considerable portion of which is overflown by the flood waters of the Waikato river, which has the additional effect of backing up the local waters of other and higher portions of the swamp. It could only be drained by a comprehensive and ■■expensive system of diainage, and the quality of the soil must be considered as indifferent. 4. Under the regulations of 1867 this block of land, or portion of it,could have been selected, and it remained open and unapplied for until 1871, when the conditions of sale were altered. 5. In 1873 a proposal was made to the Government by Mr T. Russell, for the purchase of the block at 5s per acre, less 2s 6d per acre, to be expended in the construe tion of a road twenty-five miles in length across the swamp. The payment of the purchase money was to be made in two years from the date of the agreement. This proposal was accepted by the Government, and an agreement was made, embodying substantially the terras of the proposal, 6. That the road, the construction of which formed part of the agreement, and which is now in course of construction, considerable progress having been made, will, when completed, be one of great public utility, affording access to land beyond the swamp, and connecting the Waikato district with the head of the. navigation of the Piako and the Thames. 7. 'That the power of the Government to deal with the laud in question appears to be derived from the New Zealand Settlements Act and the amendments to the said Act of 1864, 1865, and 1866 ; that the 6th section of the New Zealand Settlement Amendment and Continuance Act, 1865, provides ttiat the order and manner in which land shall be laid out for sale and sold under the provisions of the said Act shall be in the discretion of the Governor, who shall have power to cause such land, or any part thereof, to be laid out for sale and sold from time to time in such manner, for such consideration, in such allotments, whether town, or suburban, or rural, or otherwise, as he shall thiuk fit, and subject to such regulations as he shall with the advice of his Executive Council from time to time prescribe in that behalf, provided that no laud shall be sold, except for cash nor at a less rate than 10s per acre. 8. The proviso of the above quoted section is repealed by the 2nd clause of the New Zealand Settlements Act Amendment Act, 1866, which goes on to enact that “ it is hereby expressly declared and provided that the land in the said section referred to shall be sold for such consideration or at such price, and whether for cash or otherwise as the Governor shall from time to time prescribe.” 9. The last-named Act in the Bth section further provides that “ all lands sold

or otherwise disposed of or all scrip issued under this Act shall be sold or disposed of or issued under regulations to be made by the Governor in Council, which regulations shall be published in the New Zealand Gazette. 10, 1 am directed to report that with respect to the Piako swamp such regulations have not yet been issued or published in the New Zealand Gazette , and that although an agreement to sell has been made by the Government, the laud has not yet been actually sold or Crowngranted to Thomas Russell. That the land was practically withdrawn from sale by private contract by the regulations of 187 i, which provide that all sales should be by auction after survey, and that the transaction was not in accordance with the provisions of the law in force at the time, winch clearly required the making ami publication of regulations should precede sale. 11. That it is evident that the agreement made between the Government and Mr Thomas Russell tacitly implied that regulations should be issued in terms of section 8 of the New Zealand Settlements Act, 1866, which should enable the Government to sell the land in accordance with the conditions of the agreement so entered into. That the land was sold without sufficient inquiry as to its value or the possibility of its being drained, although the General Government agent and the Inspector of Surveys both recommended that such inquiry should be made 12. Finally, while it appears that the price to be p’aid for the block was not inadequate, and that public benefit will accrue from the construction of the Piako road, your committee are ot opinion that dealings by private contract with the public landed estate are inexpedient, and they arc glad to observe that the Government have proposed to bring the confiscated lauds under the operation of the ordinary waste land laws of the colony. 13. With regard to the petition of John Crosby, referred to this committee by the House, your committee recommend that the petition be remitted to the Executive Government with a view to the case being inquired into, and such redress granted to the petitioner as the facts of the case may warrant. (Signed), John Bryce, chairman.”

CANTERBURY EDUCATION BILL.

[By Electric Telegraph.]

(from our own correspondent.] [Through a misprint of the Education Bill you only got one part of it last night. I now supply the rest as the Bill came out of committee this afternoon.] The first meeting of the Board shall be held at such time and place as shall be determined by the Superintendent, or in case of default of the Superintendent to fix such time and place within one month from the date at which the latest appointment of a member of the Board has been made, then the Governor shall determine the time and place of such first meeting, and the time shall be notified by proclamation in the Provincial Government Gav.ette, and all subsequent meetings shall be held at such times and places as the Board may by any regulation in that behalf determine, provided that at the least one meeting shall be held in every month after such first meeting. The Board shall at its first meeting elect one of its members to be chairman thereof, who shall preside at the meetings of the Board, and shall have one original, and where the number of votes are equal, also a casting vote thereat, provided that if the chairman shall be absent from any meeting the members present shall elect one of their number to preside in his stead at such meeting, and such presiding member shall have the same power at such meeting as the chairman. Any member shall be removable by the Superintendent on a requisition to that effect signed by at least six members of the Board being presented to him, praying for such removal. If the chairman shall cease to be a member of the Board, or shall, by notice in writing to the Superintendent, resign his office or be removed by the Superintendent, the Board shall at its next meeting thereafter, elect another member to be chairman in his stead. If any member shall absent himself from the Board for three consecutive meetings without the leave of the Board, his seat on the Board shall become vacant. Any member of the Board may resign his seat thereat, by signifying in writing to the Superintendent his desire so to do and the vacancy caused by the resignation, death, removal, or absence of a member, shall be filled up by appointment as aforesaid. The member appointed to fill up a casual vacancy shall retain his office so long only as the vacating member would have retained the same. All questions coming before the Board shall be decided by a majority of members present, and there shall be no meeting of the Board unless at least four members be present. It shall be lawful for the Board from time to time to make and to revoke and alter such regulations as they may think fit for the conduct of the business of the Board, provided that all such regulations and every such vocation and alteration shall be subject to the approval of the Superintendent, or of the Governor, if the Superintendent should neglect so to approve of the same within one week after the passing thereof. The Board shall entertain and decide upon applications for grants of public money for establishing or aiding the establishment and maintenance of new schools, and for aiding exiting schools. Notwithstanding anything contained in an Ordinance of Superintendent and Provincial Council of said province, entitled the Education Ordinance, 1875, all powers, duties, functions, authorities, and liabilities which by virtue of the said Ordinance were vested or continued in, or imposed upon the Superintendent of the said province or Secretary for Education created under the said Ordinance, shall bn, and the same are hereby vested in and conferred and imposed upon the said Education Board constituted under this Act. New clause —“ The operation of this Act shall only be for two years from it being assented to.”