GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Globe, Volume VI, Issue 681, 25 August 1876, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

(Per Press Agency., HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Thursday, August 24. reward to goldfields discoverers. In reply to Mr Dignan, Hon Major Atkinson said the reward offered in 1873 for the discovery of new goldfields, was not now open, and Government did not intend to renew it. BRUNNER GORGE BRIDGE. In reply to Mr Barns, Hon E. Richardson said the two Commissioners of Audit were the Commission who were enquiring into the circumstances attending the fall of the Brunner Gorge Railway bridge, and all of the evidence would be laid before the House as soon as completed. CENSUS. Mr Lumsden moved, that in compiling the next census tables of the agricultural statistics of the colony, the number of freehold and leasehold holdings should be shown separately. This was agreed to. Mr Murray asked for a return showing the total cost of the railway from Dunedin to Olutha. and how much had been expended upon rolling stock, additions, &c, by the Provincial Government of Otago. The motion was agreed to. petitions committee. A good deal of discussion ensued upon a motion bj Mr Kelly that the public petitions' committee quorum be reduced to three. Great objection was taken to this by several members. The Hon G. McLean suggested that members who found they could not attend oughtjto be enabled to be represented by other members. Mr Swanson pointed out that mainly the only difficulty was in obtaining a quorum. The motion was rejected on tha voices. liabilities.

On the motion of Mr MURRAY, it wa? agreed to furnish a return showing the current liabilities incurred under the Immigration and Public Works Acts, which must be met before the Ist of January, 1877. * WORKS NORTH OF AUCKLAND.

The interrupted debate on Mr Sheehan's motion that the provision proposed for public works north of Auckland was inadequate to requirements and necessities of those districts was resumed by Mr Russell, who supported the motion. Whatever boon other districts in the colony might have derived from the expenditure on public works, in the way of increasing the value of the land, the districts north of Auckland had not so benefitted. There was an immense area, and a large population that had been entirely overlooked.

Mr Rees supported the motion and expressed his astonishment that any objection should be taken to it by anyone, and dwelt at considerable length on the way in which the •vast districts north of Auckland were neglected. The population of those districts paid at least £BO,OOO per annum into the Colonial Treasury, and in return did not get more than £SOOO a year spent upon them. There was not another district in the colony which did not get more Government expenditure than the districts north of Auckland. In common justice the House should agree to give back to the districts a portion at least of the amount of interest on the public debt which they contributed. Mr Ormond pointed out that as there were many districts in the colony that were in exactly the same position. He could not see the justice of picking out one for relief amongst a number equally well-entitled to .assistance. He was quite ready to admit that it was time Government should devise some plan by which they would be enabled to deal more liberally with the outlying districts.

Mr Lusk did not agree with remarks of the last speaker, inasmuch as he was better able to show that the districts north of Auckland were worse treated than any other than the member for dire was to show that they were not. Speaking from an intimate knowledge of the roads north of Auckland, he ventured to say that the £IO,OOO proposed to be given was utterly inadequate to open up the main road to the north of Auckland. To open that road, and a short cross one to Wangarei, would cost £55,000. Hundreds of settlers in those districts were unable to get a sack of flour to their homes except oh a horse's back. That was a disgrace to .the colony. He would have blamed the Provincial Government for this, but that he knew they had been robbed of all their means by the General Government. Mr Reynolds read a, compilation to show what percentage each province had received out of the consolidated revenue, and the general loans during eighteen years up to 1874. The returns showed that Auckland received out of the revenue 42 per cent in proportion to her contributions, and 31 per cent out of loanß ; Taranaki, 82 per cent from the revenue, and 79f from the loans ; Wellington, 46 per cent from the revenue, and 31£ from the loans ; Hawke's Bay, 87§ per cent out of the revenue, and 40 per cent from the loans ; Nelson, 47 per cent ont of the revenue, and 16 per cent from the loans ; Marlborough, 96 per cent from the revenue, and 66 from the loans ; Canterbury, 32| from the revenue, and 23f- from the loans; Otago, 42 per cent from the revenue, and 16| from the loans. But if they considered the native and defence expenditure, they would find that the North Island received £IBO for every £IOO it contributed to the revenue ; while the South Island got only 64i per cent. Mr Cox quite agreed with the motion, but moved as an amendment that it be made to read districts North and South of Auckland. Mr Kelly thought the motion ought to be made to apply generally. Mr Stevens thought these exceptional cases should be dealt with in the public works statement in the ordinary way. Mr D. Reid argued at considerable length to show there was great inconsistency in asking the Government to expend money in this way, while they were in the same breath accused of reckless extravagance. Besides, such a proceeding would be unjust to the rest of the colony. BILLS INTRODUCED AND READ A FIRST TIME. Lawrence Recreation Reserves Bill, Dunedin Waterworks Extension Act Amendment Bill. Dunedin Exchanging Reserve Bill. After the House resuming at 7.30, the second reading of the Wanganui Endowed Schools Bill was moved by Mr Bryce. It appeared from the Bill and the arguments in its favor, that during Sir G. Grey's Governorship of the colony, an endowment in the city of Wanganui of 250 acres was given for the education of children of indigent persons of all races in the islands of the Pacific, the trusteeship being placed with the Church oi England. It was alleged that the objects

of the trust had not been carried out; that only about twenty children had been educated, with two Maori children in Wellington; that the land was worth £25,000, and that the results of the management of an estate of such value were ridiculously incommensurate with the original intent, and that the House was justified in interfering. It was also alleged that none of the trustees resided at Wanganui, and that in order to see the endowment administered beneficially it was necessary the endowment should be administered by people with a local knowledge. On the other hand it was argued that the trustees did their best under the circumstances, and that it would be a dangerous precedent for the House to iuterfere with a trust of this kind ; that if there was any dispute it should be decided before a court of law.

The Premier supported the Bill, and said the Government would supporb it. The debate was animated throughout, and it was not concluded till one o'clock, when the second reading was rejected by 29 against 18. POLITICAL NEWS. {From a corespondent of the Press.) Eighteen Otago members met to-day, being all that are now in Wellington. The mpeting had been called by Mr Reid at the suggestion of the Premier, Mr Macandrew in the chair. The meeting was inconclusive, except as to the number of counties proposed in the Bill being too numerous. The first proposal was Mr Reid's—" That Otago be two counties, Otago and Southland." Some of the Southland members agreed if they could split the province by extending the Southland boundaries to Mataura. Then each member made his own suggestion. The result was that nine agreed to three counties, and nine were divided as to there being two, four, or five. Mr Reid alao raised the question of equalising the revenue among the counties, but this was objected to. Mr Macandrew summed up all the ideas propounded, but the meeting separated without recording any resolution. The hope of the goldfields members is that they may carry four counties—north, central, south, and interior.

The lattst current gossip, quite as reliable as what went before, is that in the event of Sir J. Vogel going home, Mr Fitzherbert will vacate the Speakership to lead the Government and be succeeded in the chair by Mr Rolleston. The subject of these rumours in each case is the worst informed in the city. The Government whips were rather out in their calculations as to the division on the Whitaker- Murray motion regarding the Taranaki central prison. Several members required looking up but this might not have altered the result, A considerable section of? the members who vote steadily with the Government on their general policy, voted for the motion. The Premier, Mr Brown, and Major Atkinson spoke strongly as to the necessity for prison reform, and referred to the recent evidence of the judges on the subject, but the House was apathetic. It was rumored that the tender for the building bad been accepted, but the Premier promised no tender would be considered till the item on the estimates was disposed of. The terms of the motion do not preclude the subject being brought up then, but it is supposed to be practically shelved. Mr Murray has still a notice on the order paper that the subject should be referred to a Select Committee.

Regardless of Mansard reporters and last year's experience, Mr Manders proposes that the discussion in committee on the Counties Bill should be fully reported. The Lyttelton Public Reserves Vesting Bill has been read a second time. The other Canterbury business on the paper for the night is the second reading of tho New Brighton Bridge Bill, and the committal of the Christchurch Drainage Bill. Business generally is now lees picturesque, but eminently practical. {From the Press.) The Otago Daily Times of Wednesday publishes a telegram from a correspondent at Wellington, to the effect that the Ministry is about to be re-constructed as follows : " Sir Julius Vogel goes home as AgentGeneral. " The Government is to be reconstructed. Tho changes will be as follows : " Mr Stafford—Premier. «' Mr Ormond—Native Minister; Sir D. M'Lfian retiring. •■ Mr Stevens—Treasurer. " Mr D. Reid is to be offered the position of Minister for Public Works ; Mr Richardson^retiring." We give the above for what it is worth. Our contemporary professes to have received it from a gentleman "whose source of information is beyond doubt correct." That Sir J. Vogel has an eye to the Agent-General-ship, is pretty well understood, and we believe Mr. Stafford has been looked to by Ministers as his successor. But we have no reason to suppose that any such arrangement as above described has been effected. Hitherto the Daily. Times has invariably been wrong in its political predictions, and we believe that on this, as on other occasions, the rumour which it has accepted as gospel is merely a fancy sketch, and contains little that is, or is likely to be, the fact. {From a correspondent of the Press.) REPORT OF THE REGISTRARGENERAL OF LANDS. The report of the Registrar-General of Lands for the year shows that the land transfer receipts, exclusive of the assurance fund, has been £12,527, and the expenditure about £9220. The report states "that a Surveyor-General having been appointed for the colony, it is much to be desired that arrangements should be made for placing the licensing of surveyors under the Land Transfer Act, and survey work of the de partmeut generally under the supervision of that officer." The receipts of the Deeds Registry Department during the past year have been £15,733. and the expenditure £9229. The total amount for fees and land assurauce received under Act for the whole colony during the year was £15,556. The total amount remaining secured by mortgage under the Act was £4,244,013. TELEGRAPH REPORT.

The annual report of the Telegraph Department states that the expenditure exceeded the receipts by £2703 Is. This is partially owing to the expenses ncarred in repairs to the Cook's Strait cable, £3363, and partly to the increased number of stations

and additional lines erected : The cable with Australia was opened on the 21st February last, and has been largely used. The Wakapuaka station has since forwarded to New Zealand stations 3467 telegrams, of which number 3395 messages were received through the cable from Sydney and places beyond. The number forwarded from New Zealand through the cable was 3268, with an average of tweaty-one words. An addition of 621 miles of wire has been made during the year. At the close of the year there were 3154 miles of line, showing an increase of 168 miles upon the previous year. The number of stations now opened is 142, fifteen of which were opened during the year. The nominal strength of the department is 567 against 509 for laßt year. The duplex system has been further introduced on the circuits between Blenheim and Christchurch, and Wellington and Napier, and proved very successful. The gross earnings of the" department for the year amounted to £19,537.