GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 202, 17 August 1880, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES. Monday, August 16. EVENINQ*iITTING. The House resumed at 7.30. MISCELLANEOUS. Mr Fyke gave notice that on going into Committee of Supply he would move that the ten per cent, reduction do not apply to salaries of £2OO and under. The Hon. R. Olives gave" notice that he would move to-morrow for leave to bring in the Public Works Bill. Mr Whitakeb moved for leave to introduce the Hamilton-Taupo Railway Bill. The motion was negatived on a division by 40 to 22. The Wellington Foreshore and Railway Wharf Grant Bill passed through all its stages. The Hon. J. Hall gave notice that he would move that in future Thursdays after 7.30 be given to Government business. THE EAILWAY COMMISSION. Mr Shbphaed resumed the debate on the motion re the Railway Commissioners’ report. He spoke against the report of the Railway Commissioners, criticised its recommendations, und said that if carrying the resolution would prevent the appointment of any more Royal Commissions to assume the duties of Government without the responsibility, the House should certainly pass the motion of the member for Dnnstan.

Captain Bussell defended the appointment of Commissions of this kind. Its tendency was to put a stop to that system of log rolling which had been only too prevalent in that House, and which was mainly responsible for the non-prodnotive works they hod constructed. What they required at present was a little more self reliance. In times past they had relied too much upon English gold. Ho believed that it was absolutely important that they should connect the various railways. It was not necessary that they should go on at a great rate but just as circumstances would lermi*. The extension of the Seventy-mile 'Bush Line from Napier was a case in point. The settlers in that locality were in great straits, although no unemployed demonstration had been made on their part. The extension of the line towards Woodville would not involve any extra expense Ifor rolling stock, and he also understood that rails had been provided. Alluding to the West Coast lino as compared with that via Masterton and Woodville, he said that he was wholly disinterested, still he would point out that the West Coast lino ran all along by the coast. Experience had showed that traffic always inclined to the sea, where the carriage was practicable. He could see that traffic in that direction would always go by sea. Then again he reminded them of the danger of frittering away their money, making a lot of small fragments of lines. If they concentrated all their energies to completing through lines they would be paving ths way, as it were, for undertaking fresh works, such as that of the Wellington-Poxton line. Mr Thomson said the appointment of this and other commissions was a mistake. The suggestion by the Commissioners that there should not be a uniform tariff was one he expected the Government to say something about. Then, again, he expected that the suggestion about a Board of Management would be referred to in the Public "Works statement. He referred at some length to the injustice being done to the Clutba district, in Otago, in not completing the line from Balolutha to Gatlin’s river. He went on to show that a sum of £33,000 had been spent on railways in Taranaki over and above what was authorised. Then, again, a sum of £31,000 had been spent within the last twelvemonths in the same provincial district. Had the late Governmont done a thing of that kind there would have been no end to the outcry. It was a Tapanui job on a large scale. Then, again, there was a harbor work going on, which was so much money thrown into the sea. Then there was an armed constabulary kept up for’the benefit of Taranaki, at a cost of £SOO per day. With a state of things like that in their midst, it was quite impossible that the colony could bo prosperous. It was proposed to spend during the current year on roads in that province £26,800. It was not at all wonderful that there was nothing left for the South Island when so much was swallowed up by Taranaki. If the Government had not money to spend it would bo a different thing, but having money, ho had good reason to complain. Mr Geoboe said that his chief objection was that in the future; when they had more money at their disposal for railway works, it would be brought up, and in that way wculd prejudice very necessary works.

Mr Hibsx regretted that the Government had not' provided for the prosecution'of the Orepuke railway, which the Commission had recommended. He spoke strongly of its advantages, and said that it would open valuable coal fields and beds of petroleum shale.

Mr Whitb spoke in support of the report. Mr Jones denied a statement by Mr Pyke that the Livingstone line had been made at the instigation of one of the Railway Commissioners, Mr Reid. It had been made ot the instigation of a joint agitation, at the instance of the inhabitants of Oamaru and Nasoby. The line would not benefit the Messrs Reid. It had been argued that Livingstone was not a populous district, but he had to remind the House that one of the principles on which the railway policy proceeded was that it should open up Crown lands, and by that means promote the settlement of the country. The member for the Dunstan was a noted story-teller. Ho had written a story entitled “ Wild Will Bnderby” that was rich in imagination, but his speech the other night re the Livingstone railway completely eclipsed that narrative in rich romance. Referring to the public works statement, he alluded to the reference to Mr Firth’s efforts to clear the Thames of snags. The fact was that Mr Firth cleared the river for his own purpose, and in so doing he could not help benefitting the district. Mr Firth was not entitled to the very honorable mention made of him by the statement.

Mr Hutchison thought that of the three documents the Railway Commission, the Public Works Statement, and the Civil Service Report, the latter was the most important. He was afraid, however, that that document was buried from the public gaze beneath a heap of replies, reports, and so on. If the gentlemen who made that report were satisfied with the reception it mot with they were very easily satisfied indeed. The report told the truth, and in doing so it had not made a single friend all round. So much for the truth and love of it. He believed himself that he was the only one in that House who had a good word to say of this unfortunate report. Referring to the Railway Commissioners’ Report, ho said that Mr Pearce, one of the Commissioners, should have refused to have anything to do with the judgment passed on the West Coast railway, inasmuch as he had already committed himself unconditionally to an opinion in favor of the extension of the other line. Regarding the Public Works Statement, he said it was not the outcome of a policy. It was simply a thing of patches and shreds. The Government had no policy, and all they were doing was to damage the credit of the colony. They were throwing over a few under-paid clerks, who were compelled to do work in excess of what they were paid. Those men were dismissed, while not a single officerholder of any importance was cut down or dispensed with. The other night he asked what they proposed to do in reference to the recommendation made by their own commission about dispensing with the services of the two railway commissioners, who had cost the country not loss than £20.000, and ho could get no reply. Then, again, the proposal to reduce the Governor’s salary was shirked with equally little ceremony. He referred to the West Coast Railway, and strongly urged the necessity for its construction. Mr Pitt generally supported the recommendations of the Commission, contending that from the impartial manner in which the Commissionors had conducted their inquiries, instead of conveying censure, as the motion is intended to do, the Commission were deserving of the best thanks of the colony. The question was then pub for going into Committee of Supply. Ayes 30. Noes 15. At 1 o'clock the House went into Committee of Supply. In Committee of Supply on the Public Works Estimates the following votes were passed:— Class 2—£14,870. Class 3 —Kawakawa line, £47,000 ; Whangarei Kamo. £39,000; Kaipara-Waikato, £131,000 ; Waikato-Thames, £99,000; Wel-lington-Napier, £37,000. Mr Sbddon moved it he reduced to £20,000. Ayes, 11; noes, 33. The item was passed as printed.

Wellington-Woodville, with branch to Qfeytown, £120,000, Pasted. ; Wellington to Pox ton, £36,000; Poxtori to New Plymouth, £117,000 j Oarlylo to Waitara, £199,000 ; Nelson to Greymouth, £13,500; Greymouth to Nelson, £70,600; Greymouth to Hokitika, £7000; Pioton to Hurunui, £10,000; Hurunui to Waitaki, £178,000; Canterbury Interior main line, £15,600. Progress was reported, and the House rote at 3.50.