GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 1011, 21 September 1877, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

[By Telegraph.] [per press agency.] HOUSE OF REPRESENTATI vTES. Thursday, September 20. The House met at 2.30 p.m. Replying to Mr Nahe, Mr Whitaker said that the Native lands, wherever held under Crown grant, were not liable to highway or county rates. Replying to Mr Sutton, Mr WniTAKER said the Government did not" intend to propose any addition to the law relating tc the sale of spirits to Natives. Replying to Mr Wakefield, Mr Whitaker said the fees and fines at the Timaru Magistrate's Court for the financial year 1877 amounted to £930, and salaries and expenses to £670. In committee, after discussion, leave was given to introduce the Bluff Harbor Endowment and Borrowing Bill (Mr Wood). On Mr Whitakee's motion, Messrs Gisborae, Stout, Macandrew, Stafford, Harper, Roes, and the mover were appointed a comniitteo to inquire into the aliened disqualification of Messrs Kennedy and Fisher. OTAGO CENTRAL RAILWAY. Mr Ptkk moved—" That in the opinion of the House the report of the Ofago Main Central Railway Committee should be given effect to forthwith." He reviewed the several routes which had been considered by the committee. They had tried to fix on a line which would piesent the fewest engineering difficulties, and open up the largest extent of Crown lands, and be in a true sense the Middle Island central trunk line. They had decided on the Strath Taieri line as possessing these advantages, as well as being the most central. Eventually, no doubt, other lines would he made, including one from Canterbury through Sinde's Pass to Cromwell ; but at present the Dunstan Pass was the only one available, and the only one by which railway communication with West land could be easily established. The Strath Taieri line was also the shortest, one from Dunedin to Cromwell, He traced the line from Taieri to Cromwell, showing how much land it would open at Hindon. It would pass through richly auriferous country, where antimony was also known, and copper supposed to exist. Splendid agricultural country would afterwards be opened up, and also a fresh gold country. The line presented i'cw engineering difficulties, even if carried to Jackson's Bay, on the West Coast. Two millions five hundred thousand acres splendid land would he opened up. Such a line, opening up the interior, and developing the resources of the country, would initiate the public works policy of the future, which would be more beneficial than that of the past, which had confined itself to coastal lines. The line could be completed in three years for the whole li!0 miles, by carrying on the works simultaneously at both ends anil in the middle also. The committee asked the Government to make it, or bring in a Bill to enable a private company or the counties to make it. He preferred the latter. The three counties concerned were willing to make the lines if given a pound's worth of land for every pound spent. They would then hand the line over to Government as soon as completed, simply looking fo the enhanced value of laud for their profit. He hoped the House and Government would support such an admirable scheme for opening up the country. Mr Joyce opposed. The, proposed reports was drafted entirely from a Dunedin point of view. It was a one-eyed report, while Otago ' had two eyes. The Bluff was the nearest port to Cromwell, and the railway already went into the interior 100 miles, leaving only forty to be completed. [lt would be madness to abandon this line, even though the Stratli-Taicri liuo might also be desirably. He did not approve of navmynt iu land for public works, as ho had seen ruinous results ensue. A fresh and fairer committee should be appointed to consider the matter before anything was done. Mr SHRIMSKI thought the report entirely one-sided and conceived from a merely Dunedin point of view. Mr Mandees moved the adjournment of the debate. Mr Caiuungton, as a member of the committee, denied that tljo report vras either partial or unfair.

After some discussion, the adjournment until Wednesday was agreed to. LAND PURCHASES. Mr Murray moved that a committee be appointed to inquire into certain land transactions in connection with the purchase of the Pauri or Hunia blocks, 1,2, 3, and 1, and other lands in the Waitoi district by Mr F. Whitaker, jun., and by Mr James Mackay, Government Land Purchase Commissioer, in the purchase or other negotiations in connection these or other lands in the Waitoi district, and also any proposed exchanges between the Government and Mr Whitaker, sen., and any alleged sales to one Fraser, the committee to consist of Messrs Ballance, Grey, Reynolds, Stafford, Wakefield and the mover.

Mr Whitaker said he was quite willing the committee should be appointed. He gave certain explanations in reference to his connection with the land question. There was nothing to conceal, although the story was a somewhat long one. He desired to see added to the motion an instruction to inquire whether any compensation was due to him for a breach of agreement by the Government with him in regard to these lands. Mr W. Murray accepted the amendment, and the motion was passed. The House adjourned at 5.30 p.m.