GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1984, 3 July 1880, Page 4

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

[FEB PEE SB ASSOCIATION SPECIAL WISE.] LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. FeIDAY, JULY 2. The Hon. Mr Masteh gave notice to ask if the Government are aware of the existence of the guinea worm in some of tho docks of the colony. The Thames 'Water Supply Transfer Bill was read a second time. A motion by the Hon, Colonel Whitmore for an enquiry re Volunteer outrages and one by the Hon. Mr Taiaroa re draining rates and destroying Native fishing rights were postponed. Nearly the whole sitting was occupied in Committee on tho Native Lands Courts Bill, Native Succession Bill, Native Lands Frauds Prevention Bill and tho Fencing Bill, which were all reported with numerous unimportant amendments, and tho Bills ordered for the third reading on Tuesday. Tho Council rose at 4 50. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Fbiday, July 2, The House met at 2.30 p.m. NOTICES OF MOTION, Sir W. Fox gave notice that ho would move that a clause be inserted in the Education Act providing for reading the Bible in public schools, subject to a conscience clause. Mr Saundbbb gave notice that ho would ask the Government under what circumstances James White, who gave evidence before tho Civil Service Commission, was dismissed from his employment at Christchurch by order of tho South Island Railway Commissioner. QUESTIONS. Replying to Mr Shanks, The Hon. W. RollebiON Said that Government was of opinion that it would be a great misfortune to seo tho deferred payment settlers in arrears turned off their lands, and that they would, as far as possible, taka care that, with a due regard to public interests and the provisions of the law, the interests of the selectors were duly observed. Replying to Mr Shanks, The Hon. W. Rolleston said that a Bill was about to bo introduced to enable one class of education reserves, those for High Schools, to be opened for sale or lease. When it was brought down the House would have an opportunity for expressing its opinion how far it was advisable to extend that provision to other reserves. Some 4000 acres in Otago and Southland were soon to be in the market, and it would be desirable to see the effect of that before a final determination was come to regarding these reserves as a whole. Government were quite resolved that they should not be allowed to stand in the way of settlement. Replying to Mr Fulton, The Hon. J. Hall said tne Government was not yet prepared to say whether or not they would, in the interests of economy and brevity of speech, recommend this House to dispense with the expenditure onHansard.” When the vote came up they would be prepared to say what they proposed doing. The Hon. W. Qisbobnk asked whether Government are in possession of any official information relative to the alleged discovery of gold between Paringa and the Haast, on the West. Coast of the Middle Island, and if so, will they communicate it to this House. Tho Hon. R. Oliteb replied that on June £sth last, the Chief Surveyor reported that two miners had worked the ground for about seven weeks on the tap of a spur of the ranges. They had struck rough gold, getting 41b# weight for the seven weeks’ work. They had spent two and a half months’ time in trying to bring in vater. The locality was surrounded by many hardships, and at the present season a rush would be highly inexpedient. Replying to Mr Hutchison, Tho Hon. T. Dick said that in point of fact there wore no persons in the colony not civil servants and carrying on private business, who received salaries from the Government for discharging duties appropriate only for civil servants to perform. They employed a ■ number of persons to do Government work who also did other work, such as storekeepers, who acted as district postmasters. These could not be placed on the civil service proper without swelling thq service to an enormous extent. Mr Hutchison asked whether Government will consider the desirability of printing a note on the new forms proposed to be issued for the collection of the property tax to the effect that a person need not state the amount of their debts, whether secured by mortgage or otherwise, unless they wish to have a deduction of these made from their property. The Hon. Major Atkinson replied that under the law nobody need make the return unless he liked. Government would consider the matter of the “note.” Replying to Mr Macdonald, The Hoa. Major Atkinson said it was not their intention to impose a duty on maize imported from America or the other colonies. Replying to Sir George Grey, Tho Hon. R. Oliteb said that he had communicated with the local authorities relative to the discovery of alluvial gold at Te Aroha by Colonel Ohesney, R E., as mentioned by Mr Commissioner Maoksy in his report on the Thames goldfield, published in the journals of the House for 1869, but a reply had not yet been received. Replying to Mr Sutton, The Hon. R. Oliteb said that the amount credited to the Railway Department on account of special trains ordered by Ministers during the period from Ist July, 1878, to 30th September, 1879, was £569 17e. The Hon. E. Bichaedson asked whether the Minister for Public Works would immediately call upon the witness who gave evidence before the Royal Civil Service Commission, referred to in their report (page 6), to substantiate the evidence given by him, with a view to explain the answer given to question number 5 on the order paper number 18. The Hon. R. Oliteb repeated what he stated yesterday. Government was averse to discuss this subject by means of question and answer. The report would come up for discussion in the usual course. On Wednesday last, in reply to a queetion, he read a report from the South Island engineer. The following day, while the House was sitting, he received a communication from the officer whose evidence had been impugned, and as Be expected, it traversed the report of the other. The engineer desired to make a further statement, but he (Mr Oliver) declined' to be made the medium for any more of these communications. The Civil Service report would be fully discussed, and Government wonld then be prepared to go into the matter -Solly, ’but could not do so now. The Hon. W. Gisbobnb asked when it is probable that the report of the Commission on the Middle Island Native claims will be laid before this House, The Hon. J. Bbyoe said he would very much like himself to know when. The -Commission had already cost £I7OO, and they had seen no practical results. He had applied to the Commissioners time after time for a report, or an interim report of their labours. No such report had ever been forthcoming ; on the contrary, all the reply he could get was a requisition for further advances. He bad seen one of the Commissioners a few days ago, who waited more money for tho ostensible purpose of continuing tbeir labours. He refused to comply with that request, pointing out that no report or interim report had even been furnished of what they were doing or had done. Mr Muekat—Have you any objection to name the Commissioners ? The Hon. J. Bbyoe —No ; there are two of them, Messrs Smith and Nairn. They got £2 2s per day. Replying to Mr Pyke, The Hon. R. Oliteb said that sufficient time had not elapsed for Government to decide whether or not they would give effect to the following recommendation of the Civil Service Commission:—“The system of obtaining railway stores from contractors in the colony should be at once discontinued, and all articles of large ordinary consumption imported.” THE IMAGINAEY SWAMP. Mr Hamlin rose to make a personal explanation relative to his visits to the Woimato Plains. Sir W. Fox rose to point out that this was a matter open to discussion, and it would be but right that provision should be made for that discussion according to the forms of Parliament. The Speakeb ruled that Mr Hamlin was in order. Mr Hamlin continued to say that contradictory statements had been made as to what he had found in connection with the making -of the Waimato plains road. He was therefore about to mike an explanation as to what

he had seen himself with respect to that road. On Thursday, the 24th June, he arrived at Stoney River and the following morning he rode two miles along the Beach road, and then turning at right angles, found himself on a road two chains wide, and cleared of flax a distance of two miles. There were several streams in the road, footbridged over. Although only tho embankments wore made, which rendered the road impassable for drays, it could bo used by horsemen. Apparently Government had found the construction of the two chain road too slow and expensive, and they had continued it as a track, which was between twenty and thirty feet wide, going towards Parihaka to the present camp. From the second camp up to the present camp, the road was perfectly traversable for drays, but the other part was not so good, because the bridges were cot completed. The House wonld now seo that ho had no intention whatever of getting debatable matter introduced by n kind of side wind. Tho Hon. J. Beycb said that what the hon. gentleman had stated was perfectly correct, and it was quite in accordance with what he had stated to the House tho other day. He had himself driven from Parihaka to Now Plymouth, a distance of thirty miles, along this road, in four and a quarter hours, and the only instance in which they had to leave the road was at a place where the culverts had not been completed. LEAVE OF ABSENCE, Leave of absence for fourteen days was granted to Mr Whyte, on account of bad health. THIED EBADING3. The Election Petition and Pharmacy Bills were reported, read a third time, and passed. THE LICENSING BILL. The House went into Committee on the Licensing Bill, and after discussing a few clauses adjourned at 5.30. EVENING SITTING. The House resumed at 7.30. THE LICENSING BILL. The Licensing Bill was again resumed in Committee. An amendment moved in clausa 6, subsection 3, to make it read—" Ridings of counties, as herein defined, the smallest being in every case adopted,” was agreed to. Clause 12, sub-section 15. Mr Speight moved that the quorum bo three instead of two. The amendment was put and carried. Sub-section 1, clause 18, was amended, on the motion of Sir W. Fox, to read “ onehalf,” instead of “two-thirds.” Mr Macanueew moved that the whole of sub-section. 2, clause 25, be struck out. It proposed to do away with the bottle licenses. These licenses had been tried in Otago and found to work very well. Members who took an interest in the point were absent, under the impression that the Bill would not come on that night. On the suggestion of Mr [De Lautoue the motion was altered to a postponement of the whole clause. The Hon. T. Dick said he had reason to believe that a number of petitions were in course of signature in Otago against tho retention of the bottle license. Ho would not opposed the proposal for postponement. Mr Bowen objected to the postponement. The (objections came only from Otago and Nelson, where this class of licenses had been in foice. This was another instance of vested interests dishing with what was for tho general good. Mr Moss said that it was against the will of many parts of the colony that they had not this form of license. In Auckland they could not get a bottle of liquor or less than two dozen unless they went to a public-house, and liquor there was dearer than in other establishments. He had seen the working of the system in Otago, and despite all that had been said against it he was favourably impressed with its operations. Messrs Fulton and Andebws objected to tne postponement. The latter said that the Good Templars were well pleased with the Bill as it stood. They were impressed with the idea that the Government in this matter was legislating for the good of the country. The motion for the postponement was put and carried. Sir W. Fox objected to clause 26 providing that the Minister for Public Works may grant licenses at the Railway Stations. It was a temptation thrown in the way of guards and drivers, to whose care and management life and property were entrusted. It was both a bad and dangerous system. Mr Macandbew hoped tho committee wonld agree in striking the clause out. These places were quite unnecessary, as public houses were always erected near these stations. The Hon. T. Dick said that a good number of leases were in existence at present for railway stations refreshment rooms. The Hon. E. RiohabPSON trusted that the clause would not be struck out. He argued that they were a great convenience for the travelling public. If they compelled passengers to go from a station to get reasonable refreshments, it would entail extra delay for trains, and make the journey more tedious than it was. It was bad enough as it was, and he hoped nothing would be done to make it worse. Mr Thomson spoke against the system. Mr Bowen said that these places were greatly abused. Parsons not travellers frequented them. They were unnecessary, and hotels were generally erected close to tho railway station. Mr Saundebb said 'that they were making efforts to prevent licenses being granted for the establishment of public houses. It was to be regretted that this power should be vested in the Minister for Public Works. It# effect would be in many instances to neutralise the effects of the proposed local option. He hoped that the power would not be granted. Mr Anubbws also supported the motion for striking out the clause, stating that an engine driver and railway officials had been seen rolling drunk in consequence of the facilities afforded for drinking by these places. The amendment for striking out the clause was put and carried on the voices. The Hon. T. Dick moved, on clause 27, to omit the first two paragraphs thereof, and substitute in lieu thereof the following:— “No brewer or spirit merchant shall be entitled to carry on his business of brewing or the sale of spirits, notwithstanding he may be registered under the Distillation Act, 1868, unless he shall obtain a wholesale licence under this Act. The license fee payable under the Distillation Act, 1868, in respect of the registration of brewers and spirit merchants is hereby abolished. Henceforth spirit merchants shall not be required to register themselves under the said Act, but brewers shall be registered thereunder as heretofore, except that no feo shall be charged for male registration.” And in paragraph 3to omit the words “ or spirit merchant.” The clause was passed as amended. The House rose at 12.30.