GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1995, 16 July 1880, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

I[PBB PBBSS ASSOCIATION SPECIAL WIBB.J LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Thubsday, July 15. The Legislative Council, after a very little a formal business, adjourned, having only sat 1 five minutes, on the motion of the Hon. E. Whitaibb, out of respect to the Hon. Mr , Edwardß, one of its oldest members, the news of whose death at Nelson had just been received. t ■ r HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. ' Thttbsday, July 15. ' The House met at 2 30 p m. NOTICES OF MOTION. Mr Rbbvbs gave notice that he would ' move that Resident Magistrates and Wardens be removed at least once in every three years. QUESTIONS. Replying to Mr Jones, The Hon. J. Hall said the Government did not think it would be of any use calling for tenders from colonial printing offices for the supply of telegraph forms for a period of five years, as ho did not believe they could compete with the heme market. He would, however, give the matter further consideration. Replying to Mr Murray, The Hon. Major Atkinson said he had arranged that a sum of £350 per annum should be paid for the use of the premises by the Government Life Assurance Department. Replying to Mr Ireland, The Hon. R. Olivbb said that the first section of the Tapanui railway had not been opened in consequence of some small matters not being completed by the contractors. Replying to Mr Shanks, The Hon. R. Olitbb said that Government could not comply with the petition to remove certain obstructions caused by the railway in Leet street, Campbelltown. MAOBI PBISONBBS' BILL. In introducing the Maori Prisoners' Bill, which was read a first time, The Hon. J. Bbyob said thot to meet the circumstances of the case, he would ask that it be passed through all its stages to-morrow. NEW BILLS. ,' The Education Reserves Amendment (Hon. I W. Rolleston) and the Wanganui Rivers ' Conservators Board Grant (Mr Ballance) Bills '■ were introduced and read a first time. Replying to the Hon. W. Gisborne, I The Hon. Major Atkinson said that all ] gurchasers of reclaimed land at Wellington •! ad paid their instalments, with the exception 1 of one, who had become insolvent, and his i deposit had been forfeited. i SECOND SHADINGS. < The following Bills were read a second I time :—Port Molyneux Reserves Leasing Act, 1876, Amendment; Taranaki Iron Smelting 1 Works Land Act, 1874, Amendment; Oamaru i Waterworks Act, 1875, Amendment; and ' Public Health Act, 1876, Amendment Bill. 1 bills passed. f In Committee, the following Bills were > considered and passed:— Invercargill Drill Shed Site ; Sydenham Borough Council Em- , powering, and Bluff Harbor Foreshore Leasing 1 Bills. l DAYS OP SITTING. i Mr Gkobgb moved —" That in future ] dnring this session the House sit on Mon- t days." ( The Hon. J. Hall acquiesced in the j motion, adding that, in view of the great j amount of work to be got through, Govern- ] ment were considering the propriety of t asking the House to sit at noon on Wednes- i days. t The motion was put and carried. MISCELLANEOUS. c Sir G. Gbby moved—" That a Select Com- j mittoo be appointed to inquire and report j upon the petition of Louis Ehr en fried, of the \ Thames, complaining of the manner in which { licenses have been refused to be renewed to certain publio houses in the Thames district; t suoh committee to consist of Captain Colbeck, Mr H. Hurst, Mr Macandrew, Mr j McDonald, Mr McLean, Mr Reeves, Mr Whitaker, Mr Reader Wood, and the mover." The Hon. J. Hall objected, stating that a E Select Committee was unnecessary, and the c Publio Petitions Committee was the proper j tribunal. j Mr Tolb said that the Petitions Committee r had already decided the point in connection with a petition from Ohristchurch. In these j circumstances he thought a different tribunal { should be chosen.

Mr Stbwabt urged that the petition before ] the House showed the necessity that existed for provision being made in the sew Licensing Bills for giving licensees a right of appeal from the decision of the Licensing Commissioners. Sir W. Fox spoke against that view, contending that in Scotland a right of appeal was provided for, and it was found to work unsatisfactorily. Mr Kkadee Wood supported the motion. On a division, after a long discussion, the motion was lost, by 27 to 32. i The following were put and carried : £ By Mr Jonbs—"That all correspondence t connected with the appointment of Mr Henry t Houghton, of Dunedin, to a position in the t Government Life Assurance and Annuities i Department, be laid before this House." ) By Mr Lttndon—" That the report of the 3 Waste Lands Committee on the petition of 1 Joseph Hastie be referred back to the Com- i mittee for reconsideration." < By Mr Tpbnbull—"That there be laid i before this House all papers connected with 1 the pardon of Edward Jamea, who was con- i victed for forgery at Timaru in December l last." The House adjourned at 5.30 p.m. 1 EVENING SITTING. i The House resumed at 7.30. notice or motion. Mr Shbimski gave notice that he would ask the Government if they were aware that the faulty railway wagons alleged to have been built at Dunedin, were in reality built at Oamaru by Messrs Brogden and Son, and if Government intend to make further inquiry into the case. CHABITABLE AID BILL. The adjourned debate on the second reading of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Endowment Bill was resumed by Mr Ttjenbuxl, who suggested that the Bill be read that day six months. The Hon. J. Hall said he intended to support the second reading. He denied that it would clash with the Bill on this subject introduced by the Government. Mr DbLatottb said that the Bill would have to be altered before it could possibly pass through. Committee. Mr Stewabt spoke in favor of the Bill. Sir G. Gbet said that the whole system proposed in this Bill was adverse to the public interest. It would be prejudicial to the poor of New Zealand. The funds would be badly administered. He would allow residents of localities to choose the persons to administer charitable aid and levy the rates requisite for that purpose. The Hon. W. Gisbobne thought that the Bill would be highly beneficial to the community at large. Mr Shephahd also considered the principle of the Bill to be sound, and would support the motion. Mr Stevens replied, and on being put the motion was carried on the voices. OTAGO HABBOB BOABD. The House went into Committee on the Otago Harbor Board Empowering Bill. Mr Macandbbw opposed the provision to borrow £250,000, and contended that a Bill of this magnitude ought to have been introduced by the Government. A large sum had been already wasted by this Board. Sir John Coode's report had not been very satisfactory as regards the upper harbor. What should be done was to look after the entrance. He moved —" That the amount be reduced to £IOO,OOO, and it be stipulated that one-half of that sum be expended upon improving the entrance." Mr Babbon proposed that the amount bo £125,000. The Hon. J. Hall thought that the sum of £IOO,OOO should be agreed to. Mr Stewabt spoke in favor of the amount being retained as printed. The Hon. B. Oliveb hoped that the amount would be fixed at not less than £150,000, He said that unless the Board was allowed to exercise borrowing powers to a reasonable amount the work in an incomplete state would be ca9t on the hands of the 1 colony. The Board originally estimated that this work would cost £600,000. Already a sum of £250,000 had been spent, and he believed that some good effeots had resulted from that expenditure. At first he was of opinion that they should have devoted themselves to improving the entrance and afEordb ing good shipping facilities for Port i Chalmers. Now, however, that they had y gone into the expense, and a sum of £250,000 hod been spent on the upper harbor works,

he thought they might hare the benefit of that expenditure ,by makiDg suoh further reasonable allowances as would make tho upper harbor fit for large shipping. The Hon. G. McLean hoped they would sanction the £150,000 without any condition. Mr Macandbbw disputed the statement that Government would hare to take over the s work if it was found that the Harbor Board t could not carry on the work. No vessel '. drawing over 14ft. of water could go up to r Dunedin, and they had that depth in the 9 upper harbor years ago, long before the - Board had anything to do with it. He would agree to £125,000 rather than divide the House. Mr Hubbt felt quite certain that the other branch of the Legislature would not consent ito these large borrowing powers. The time had come when they must cease exercising these borrowing powera, and so strongly did he feel on this subject that ho would take the vote of the House. The Hon. Mr Dick said that the Board had a revenue of £20,000, a portion of which, at all events, would go towards providing for interest on the loan. He would like the sum to be made £150,000. Mr Stewaet argued that it would be a reproductive work, and the proposal to limit the borrowing powers would have the effect of defeating that prospect. Sir G. Gbby said that no one could doubt that the progress of Dunedin within the next fifteen or twenty years would be quite sufficient to warrant the expenditure proposed. He felt certain that a fair expenditure upon these harbor works would be recouped to the colony. He had had conversations with Sir John Ooode on the subject, and he felt sure that New Zealand, with the rivers it had, would be able to carry out most efficient harbor works. Mr Macandbbw thought that if the original borrowing powers had been limited to £IOO,OOO, a better use would have been made of it. Tho whole thing was a grand mistake. They attempted to do work in six months whioh ought to have extended over six years. The question was then put that the words £150,000 in clause 2 stand part of the question. The House divided—Ayes, 26 j noes, 24. Mr Macandbbw moved that half the amount be expended on the entrance to the lower harbor. i The Hon. J. Ham hoped it would be most distinctly understood that the colony was in no way responsible for loans contracted by Harbor Boards or any other local bodies. If they repudiated their debts he would be no partyto advocate the propriety of the House stepping in and defraying the amount. The lender could seo for himself that the Govern- > ment of the colony was in nowise to be held , responsible for the amount. Such being the , case he saw no reason why they should restrict the Board in the expenditure of the money. ; Mr Dbiybb said he did not dispute the , legality of what had boea said by the Premier; j still, he for one would never think about sitting there and clothing these bodies with ; borrowing powers, unless he thought that in the event of repudiation the House would ■ step in for the relief of the bondholders. ; The Hon. Major Atkinson said that they < allowed these local bodies to pay an extra in- ] terest, which of itself showed that the colony i never contemplated any responsibility. He < apprehended that if they found a < locality inclined to repudiate its debts ', that thoy would step in or cause a rate f to be levied, so as to provide for the debt, i That was all he apprehended that the Govern- i meat would be asked, or even expeoted to do. i E(e wished that to be most distinctly under- i stood. In this case, he thought it would be i wiße for the House to reject the proposal of * the member for Port Chalmers. f Mr Moss said, if that was the case, why not < allow these bodies unlimited borrowing t powers. Why restrict them if it was not < from a sense that we desired to keep them j within such bounds as they were disposed to face. i

Clause 2 was carried on a division by 28 ;022.

Mr Hubbthotjbe moved that progress be reported. The House divided. Ayes, 23 ; noes, 38. On clause 4, authorising a grant of ten acres to the Borough of South Dunedin, a division that the clause be struck out took plaoe. Ayes, 18; noes, 19. The Speaker gave his casting vote to retain the clause as printed. Mr MC7BBAY moved that progress be reported. He denounced the clause as a fraud on the part of the Otago members. The motion was put and carried, and tho House rose at 1 o'clock.