GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1818, 18 December 1879, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

HOUaE OP REPRESENTATIVES, WBDRBSrAY, DkCEITBBB 17. AFTERNOON SITTING. DISTRICT RAILWAYS. On the House resuming at 3 p.tn.,, a message was read from the Governor recommending the House to make provision for the purchase of District Railways. Sir G. Grey moved the following :—“ In reply to the Governor’s message on the subject, the House of Representatives of New Zealand in Parliament assembled, respectfully represent aa follows: —They are willing to proceed to the consideration of the subject referred to in your Excellency’s message during the next session of Parliament, and humbly pray that they may not be required so to do until next session for the following among other reasons (1) The Bill mating provision for this matter was not brought before the House for consideration by the Government until the very last days of the session, when members had either retired or were preparing to retire to their home ; (2) it was brought down in a wholly different form from that set forth in his Excellency’s message; (3) it proposed, in fact, to authorise the Government to purchase four district railways, which were private property, in a manner which would entail a charge of considerably more than £400,000 upon the colony ; (4) none of these railways had previously or subsequently to the commencement of their construction been submitted to or approved by Parliament; (5) throughout the session the Government has steadily declined to entertain proposals or to give assistance to railways on lines of communication which many members considered of great public importance on the ground that there were no funds available for additional public works, and members have therefore refrained from mating proposals for several railways or public works, for fear of uselessly delaying public business ; (6) that the expenditure of any moneys on those district railways until the claims of other parts of the colony have been fully considered would be an act of great injustice : (7) that various other plans for the expenditure of any surplus public funds, such as settling families of settlers, many of whom are now out of employment, on public lands, should be considered before large sums of public money are disposed of without due notice to the House or country ; (8) that up to the present moment no information of a definite kind has been afforded to this House by the Government of the sums which have been expended upon these several railways, how far they are completed, or what sums will be necessary for their completion, what Crown land they open up, whether they run through public land, or private property, though there is reason to believe that some of them run wholly through private property : nor is there any information before the House to show this House the number of inhabitants of the districts through which they runlor are proposed to be carried, f„r we do not even know that they have all been commenced ; (9) that some members of the House are largely and personally interested in these district railways ; (10) that the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. R. Oliver, who is promoting the measure in the House, is personally interested in one of them p (II) that the sudden manner in which the Government has varied its proposals for dealing with the question shows how imperfectly it has been considered; (12), that, therefore, on the grounds of the unexpected manner in which the question has been brought before us, the insufficiency of the information afforded, the injustice it would inflict on other parts of the colony, and on the people of New Zealand at large, the magnitude of the sums involved in it, the fact of members of the House who are supporters of the Government being so largely personally or indirectly interested in it, and for various other good and sufficient reasons, we respectfully pray that the consideration of this question may be delayed until next session, that is, for a period of little more than four months, that this House, and the people of all parts of New Zealand, may in the meantime have on opportunity of considering and discussing a question in which so many and such large interests are involved.” Messrs Maoandbew and McLbAN spoke against the resolution. Mr Rbxd supported the motion. He did not expect it could he carried ; still, ho was glad it would be placed on record as a protest against what he considered a most unjust proposal. Dr. Wallib said ho had paired with Mr Hurst on all subjects involving want of confidence in the Government. Ho would vote for the address unless ho was assured by the Premier it would be accepted es a no-confi-dence motion. Mr Hall said it imputed censure on the Government, and as such it would be accepted by the Ministry aa a no-confidence motion. Mr DbLautodb said it had been admitted by the member who introduced the Public Works Bill, Mr Oliver, that ho was interested in one line to the extent of £2OO. The sum

! might be, comparatively speaking, email, still in Parliamentary practice no degrees of that kind could be taken into account. He would vote for each of the twelve propositions, . which he said were literally true in fact. He had followed a party in the House for years, and it was with deep regret ha felt that the leader of that party was now aiding in carrying through this very questionable proceeding. He would now consider himself relieved from all party ties. Sir G. Geey said ho had only one object in view, and that was to give time for the fair consideration of the proposal to purchase these railways. Ho looked upon tho fact that these four railways had been selected to the exclusion of all other private railway lines with grave doubts. No one had canvassed him for his vote in the matter. Ho had been told other members had been pressed in a way disagreeable to themselves. He did not regard this natter as a party question. All he contend* for was that the question be delayed. Mr Hall said tho tenor of the Address in Beply left no doubt but it must be accepted in tho light of a party question. He would not say that tho statements set forth in the Address were incorrect. They were simply, however, those half-truths which were tho worst of all lies. Tho question was then put and negatived. The question was then put that the House gc into Committee on the Governor’s message, and a division took place when the ayes were 39 and the noos 14. LAND DILI. Before going into Committee, the Land Bill was reported from the Upper House with amendments. These amendments not having been agreed to, a committee was appointed to draw up reasons for dissenting from them. EVENING SITTING. The House reassembled at 7.30. DISTBICT BAILWAYS. Mr OiiiVEE moved—“ That the House go into Committee on the Governor’s message recommending the House to make provision for guaranteeing the debentures of the undermentioned district railway companies to tho extent of seventy-five per cent, upon the amounts which they shall respectively prove to the satisfaction of the Government to have been expended in the construction or in procuring rolling stock for such railways. Schedule—Waimato Plains Bailway Company, Duntroon and Hakateramea Bailway Company, Waimate Branch Eailway Company, Ashburton Forks Railway Company.” On the motion for going into Committee, Mr Babeon said although he objected to the principle of taking over private railways, he would support the Government in carrying through the proposal. Still he hoped they would see their way to withdraw the objectionable clauses. Mr Tubnbtjll objected to the proposal in to to. Mr Maoandbbw spoke in favor of these companies being aided in carrying out their works rather than of the proposal for purchasing tho lines. In committee considerable discussion took place. Mr Olitbb explained the views of the Government at considerable length. They would make the best terms as business men which they could. The House then adjourned in order that there might be a conference of the Committees from both Houses on amendments made in the Council on the Land Bill. After an interruption of an hour, the committee on the Public Works Bill resumed. Mr Oliygb continued his explanation as to the course which tho Government intended to pursue. Several other members followed, and expressed opinions with regard to the Bill generally, but particularly in reference to the 30th clause. Sir G. Gbey considered the explanation cf the Government insufficient, and said he should oppose the proposal at this stage. LAND BILL. The report of the free conference on the Land Bill was brought up and adopted. It was to the effect that the Council had abandoned its amendments to all clauses except 14, and that the House should not persist in its objection to the amendments in the latter clause. DISTBICT BAILWAYB. On tho Committee resuming the consideration of the Governor’s message re district railways, Mr Montooueey moved an amendment to the effect that the information available on the subject was insufficient to enable the House to come to a conclusion on the matter, and it therefore respectfully submitted to the Governor that Ministers should during the recess obtain information which would enable his Excellency to recommend more acceptable proposals next session in regard to these lines of railway.” The question was then put—“ That the words proposed to be left out stand part of the question,” on which tho House divided. The Ayes were 24, and the Noes 13. The resolution was reported and agreed to. ADJOUBNMENT. . As no new business could be taken up, the hour being 12.55, Mr Hall said instructions had been given to detain the steamer Hinemoa until 2 p.m. for the convenience of members who wished to remain till business was concluded. He moved that tho House adjourn till 11 a.m. Mr Pykb proposed that the adjournment be for one month. The adjournment until 11 a.m. was put and carried, and the House rose at 1 a.m.