GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 975, 10 August 1877, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

* [By Telegbavh.] [l"EB PBESS AGENCY.] HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Wednesday, August 8. The House resumed, at 7.30. HILLS HEAD. The Census Bill was introduced aud read a first time. The Port Chalmers Waterworks Bill was read a- second time, and ordered to be committed that day week. CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS BILL. The House went into committee on the Charitable Institutions Bill. There was considerable discussion upon, clause 3, which provides for incorporating institutions. Great objections were taken by Sir G. Grey, Messrs Kecs and Stout; on the ground that that there was no limit to the number of institutions which might be started,and which the Oovernmentjcbuld not refuse to subsidise, also that any fifty persons subscribing could have any hospital in the colony vested in them. Mr Rolleston moved an amendment, providing that the Bill do not apply to existing institutions supported wholly or in part by public funds, Mr J. E, Brown moved that the chairman leave the chair. Several speakers supported the proposal, and after a long discussion a division was taken, and the motion lost by 34 to 27. The discussion continued, when Mr Gisborne moved an amendment, by which the Bill would be made to apply to institutions half supported by private contributions, and the other half being provided by the Government. A. desultory debate followed, and eventually a motion that progress be reported, with leave to sit again, was carried, and the House adjourned at 12.10. Thursday, August 0. Sir Geoiuj'E Gbey presented a petition sigucedby over l-100jjersons, praying for some alteration in the licensing laws to prevent intemperance. • RAirVVAY EXTENSION. Mr Cpv asked when it was intended to call • nders for the completion of the 'railway i'roin to Hamilton, thpnee (-Q OhapO- ' TVfr OliUONti said the necessary papers were bpitig prepared, and tenders would be called fc r shortly, NATIVE SCHOOLS. In reply Mr to Taiboa, the Peeaiikk said the Government did not intend to bring in a Bill to amend the Native Schools Act, 18G6. SCHOOLS OF MINES. In reply to Mr Babkv, the Pp'" Government had taken sten» * ~ "f IE n lcl Pi qi i „p iw- - aOI' the formatior of two Schools ot "" " ■ /-, . u . • /-»• —.oies —one in Canterbury anc j^ ue Al> —and papers would be laid W 1 '..c table to-morrow. QUESTIONS. Mr Stoct asked (1) Whether the Chief Surveyor of the Otago provincial distriot fur nished any report to the (i'fQvernment of the cost of and road superintendence jn yuder. the provincial system. Whether the Government will prepare a tabh showing the increased cost of maintenanci and management of main arterial roads unde county management to what they were unde the provincial system. (3) Whether the Go yernment will prepare uwi lay before th House a return shoeing the amounts paid b; the Counfo Councils as salaries to chairmen clerks, engineers, and treasurers to counties siiso, the amount of honorarium aud travellin, expenses paid to County Council members. The Pf.ejiiee said the Chief Surveyor ha* been written to, and, as soon as his report w;i }t would he laid upon the table. I 3fe.p3y to the second question,he was not awar of any increased cost, and if the hon. gentle man had information to that effect; the Gc vernment would be glad to get it. To th ihird they would furnish a return as soon a obtained.. BILLS BEAD. The Medical Practitioners Amending Bil Wellington Reserves Bill, and Aucklan Grammar School Leasing aad Escharge Bi wejre jsa.4 a fi«t time.

MANUFACTURE OF BEET SUGAR. A Select Committee was appointed to enquire into the best means of establishing the manufacture of beet sugar. RAILWAY MANAGEMENT. Mr Brown (Ashley) moved for a committee to enquire into and report upon the present system of management of the rail- x ways of the colony. He expected the Government would derive great assistance from such a committee. Mr Ormond had no objection, but he would j move to make the committee larger. f BILLS COMMITTED. fi Committees were appointed to enquire into fi the Sheep and Cattle Bill, and the Fencing j and Impounding Bills. t OTAGO RAILWAYS. The adjourned debate on Mr. Maoandrew's resolution regarding the construction of £ several railways in the Otago provincial dis- j. trict was resumed. T Mr Bastings thought it would be a good thing to refer the whole matter to a select t committee for them to devise some plan c whereby these lines could be constructed. As the Government had announced their intenlion to bring down a Bill to enable branch ■. railways to be constructed, he would move j the adjournment of the debate. j, Mr Beadee Wood, while concurring in all that had been urged by the proposer of the f resolutions, said there were fatal objections to the plan. There was no money, and if the , money were raised out of the land there was ~ still no local body who could carry out the work. Mr Macandeew had no objection to the . adjournment, as he was most anxious to see the Bill the Government had for the con- , struction of branch railways. , The debate was adjourned till Thursday next. j.THE BOROUGH OF THAMES OVERDRAFT. _ Mr BEES moved for a Select Committee to J inquire into tho whole of the circumstances / under which the Government paid off the overdraft of the borough ot Thames. Mr Bolleston thought the Government £ ought before this to have informed the House of all the particulars of the case. There had ~ been a great deal of talk about the matter, and it was discussed in the papers. [The ? hon. gentleman then detailed all the circumstances of the case as given by the Mayor of Grahamstown.] When notice of motion was ' made Ministers ought to have made'a clean breast of the affair to the House. ° The Premier was not then going to gratify the curiosity of the hon. member. The mover : of the motion very properly asked that a com- ' mittee should be appointed to inquire into : the matter. That ought to have satisfied the 1J hon. member. As there had been something f said about bringing the question before fcho Public Accounts Committee, he would move a an amendment to that effect. f This was accepted by Mr Bees. ', Mr Bolleston thought it was a new doctrine put forth by the .Premier to decline * to enter into any explanation, especially when a * prima facie case was made out. The Ministry were not doing themselves justice in refusing £ an explanation. > - Mr Gisborne was of the same opinion, and * quoted House of Commons precedents. Mr Whitakek said the Government did ° not oppose the appointment of the committee and would afford it every information, and that surely ought to be enough. He did not ° care to go Into the matter then, but, so far as he was aware, the Mayor had told a very c fanciful tale for the amusement of the t hearers, probably under the influence of some- v thing which stimulated his imagination. Mr Stafford was of the opinion that the * Ministry ought to have taken the earliest opportunity of making an explanation regarding * the statement. ! The Premier's amendment was then agreed to. • '^ native lands. f Mr Bees moved f[ That returns be laid before 8 the House of all lands to the conveyance of J which in fee-simple by native owners the * assent of the Governor had been given during l the last twelve years." x DISCOVERY OF GOLDFIELD3. ' Mr Gisborne moved—" That the Gold- ' fields Committee be instructed to report what T rewards should be authorised by the House J to bu offered in the North and South Islands, ' ■ and on what terms, for discovery of payable -> goldfields ; what steps should be taken for tho encouragement of prospecting for gold > and other precious minerals." _ ' Mr Barl'l', in seconding the motion, said J , tho motion was not a goldfields question at ' ; all, but one which interested the colony. Nothing, he thought, tended more to increase ' the population of the colon v so much as the discovery of a new goldficld, and a few 1 . thousands spent yearly in that direction ' i would lead to. kirge an'(j pennai'ient b.enejjtg. • He instanced the cage ot Kumara as one in ; which a reward should be paid. Tim Cpunty ' Council had passed one to, that effect, but ' I looked to 016 Government to pay it, as they r had no money. j ]\lr Joyce pointed out that there were about two millions of unexplored ground in ' 3 the South Island, where even the rive-l's I in it were not laid down upon the ruaps.»»- * they could not hope,, .to have tlia* — ,u j without some substantial ' v ' 3 - explored I country might be fo»- " ..uucement. That i He had " n d of incalculable value. found ' *a to believe that gold had been .in the South Island, but was not I uivulged, in the hopes that a reward would be d offered. n \ The motion was agreed to. y telegrams. d Mr Bees moved —" That a Select Committee be appointed to enquire whether telegraph oflicials peruse telegrams with view of •- altering, or amending the same without the (• consent of the senders." He held that they e had clone this for some time past and that they ;e ought not to be allowed to do so. 5); Mr McLean was -very glad that the matter le was brought forward, but he suggested an :e amendment by the addition of words to the 3r effect that the committee be also instructed to sr define what should be accepted as press a-. telegrams. ie The motion was agreed to. >y FREE RAILWAY PASSES. , n,i Mr Suari' moved —"That the resolution' s;; requesting the Government to grant free lg'j passes on railways bo rescinded." He thought ! members of the House, after having free id passes to and from the session, should as relapse into the position of private indiIn viduals. He believed that the free pass re system had been much abused, e- Dr Wallis, who seconded the motion, said o- tire action of the House last session in inlie creasing their honorarium was a scandal to as the community ; so was tho granting of free f passes. Some gentlemen who lived within a ! few miles from towns he believed used these 11, passes regularly, instead of paying, ad Messrs Joyce, Morris, and Mureay ill opposed the motion. ilia dahato was interrupted at 0.30 p.m.