PARLIAMENTARY.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2294, 10 August 1881, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY.

[PBBSB ASSOCIATION TBLBOBAM.J LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Tuesday, August 8. The Oounoil met at 2 30 p.m. The St. Paul's • Presbyterian Church Trustees' Incorporation Bill was read a second time. The report and evidence of the Civil Service return inquiry committee was ordered to be printed. The Public Domains Bill was read a third time. The Real Property Limitation Bill was read a second time, after a short debate, by 19 toll. The remainder of the afternoon sitting was spent in committee on the Licensing Bill, and at 5 p.m. the Oounoil adjourned till 7 30. EVENING SITTING. Tho Council resumed at 7 30. The committal of the Licensing Bill was continued. Numerous amendments were made in the club clauses, and at 10.30 the Bill was reported with amendments, and ordered for the third reading on Thursday, the Bill to be then recommitted, the Hon. J. N. Wilson giving notice of a number of now olauses re clubs. The Oounoil then rose. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Tuesday, August 9. The House met at 2 30 p.m. THE PAYMENT TO MB BEES. The public aocounts committee, on tho letter from the Controller and AuditorGeneral relative to the £3OO paid to Mr Rees, reported that the committee, having again carefully considered the question remitted to it by the House, decides that further action devolves on the Government, either to proccod against the Ministers who authorised the payment or to place the amount on the estimates as an authorised expenditure. Mr Shbehan desired that an opportunity would be • given to diacuss the recommendations of the report. The late Ministry cortainly had a right to be tried by their peers. The Hon. J. Hall said that the matter of the report had come under the notice of the Government for the first time now, and they were not prepared to say what oourse would be pursued in the circumstances. He promised to consider the matter and inform the House what oourse Government would take. GOLD DUTY BILL. The goldfields committee reported on tbe Gold Duty Abolition Bill, recommending the total abolishing of the duty and that this Bill should be taken up as a Government measure.

The Hon. W. Bolleston declined, alleging that, despite what hod been said in the Honse to the contrary, they were not disposed to think that the districts more direotly interested wore by any means anxious to see it carried. Mr Seddon said that the remarks just made had simply confirmed a report that members who had voted for the Bill had waited on Ministers stating that they did not desire to see it carried. The Bill was ordered to be committed on Thursday. THB SQTJADBON. The Hon. J. Hall laid on the table a copy of the correspondence relative to the Flying Squadron, and on doing so, contradicted a report circulated that the alteration in the programme by which the Squadron could not visit New Zealand was due to the interference of Government. He begged most emphatically to oontradiot that statement. The change was due entirely, he believed, to the serious illness of the Earl of Olanwilliam and the accident to the Bacchante. QUESTIONS. Replying to Mr Richardson, The Hon. J. Hall read an official memorandum, stating that the accident which occurred in Septembor last on the Bimutaki line was due solely to the force of the wind, and not to any cause arising from the arrangement of the train with the engine placed in the middle thereof. That was the opinion given by all the experts conneoted with the working of our railway lines. Replying to Mr Bain, The Hon. J. Hall said that Goverament would undertake to have provision made for fencing and improving grounds attached to the publio buildings in Invercargill. Replying to Mr Levin, The Hon. W. Johnston explained that the landing of kerosene oil came under the operations of the Dangerous Goods Act, the enforcement of whioh was left solely in the hands of the Municipal Corporations, and the checking of irregularities in the landing therefore rested with these bodies, not with the Customs. Replying to Mr Weston, The Hon. T. Dick said that the High School Commission recommended that no school should be established in any place where the inhabitants did not exceed 6000. The township of Greymouth did not contain that number of inhabitants, still Government recognised the exceptional circumstances of the West Coast. In fact, Government recognised that good grounds existed for claiming that provision be made for the establishment of a high school in that part of the colony, but at this period of the session it would be hopeless to expect that a Bill for that purpose could be oarried through Parliament. The subject, however, would be kept in view. Replying to Mr Weston, The Hon. J. Hall said that the Government would enquire into the probable cost of a bridge to connect Greymouth with Oobden, and if the amount was at all reasonable a sum would be asked for its construction. Replying to Mr Ballance, The Hon. T. Dice said that Government considered it very desirable that provision should be made in the various centres of population for supplying persons wishing to take out patents with information and facilities, and the best means for forwarding the purpose would be carefully considered. Replying to Mr Andrews, The Hon. T. Dick said tfcst Government would oauso to be advertised in the publio newspapers the name and residence of registration officers, also the hours and days for transacting registration business. Replying to Mr Beid, The Hon. J. Hall said that the claim of Jas. Thomson, Arahura, Westland, had been reported upon by various Governments as being wholly untenable. Replying to Major Harris, The Hon. J. Hall said that Government had not seen its way to make pecuniary provision for a road to be opened into crown lands in the northern part of Raglan county, near Tuake, and he would consider the application for tho use of the punt formerly at Terore, at the crossing place selected in Wai - '■ kato river.

Replying to Mr Kelly, The Hon. J. Hall said that a copy of the despatch from the Governor to the Secretary of State re commuting the sentence passed on Wharepa, the Chatham Island murderer, would be laid on the table shortly. Replying to Mr J. B. Fisher, The Hon. "W. Rollbston said that long service pay had been given to men in the Otago police force, but Government did not consider it necessary to make the practice general throughout the police force. NOTICB OF MOTION. Mr Moss gave notice that on the second reading of the Representation Bill he would move as an amendment that it was undesirable that the proportion of the representation between the two islands should be disturbed, and that any redistribution of seats should be internal as regards each island. NEW BILLS. The following Bills were introduced and read a first time : —Prisons Act, 1873, Amendment (Hon. T. Diok) ; to provide for tho better abatement of tho rabbit nuisance (Hon. W. Rolleston) ; to shorten the duration of Parliaments so that members may be elected yoar by year (Dr. Wallis) ; to amend the law of divorce (Mr Wakefield). The Government promised to consider whothor they would take up the latter Bill as a Government measure, the object being to give to one Judge the power now eieroised by three. The Government refused to give its consent to the introduction of a number of harbor and other endowment Bills, which accordingly dropped. Mr Whitakbb gave notioe that he would ask Government to explain why they withheld their consent to the introduction of these Bills, while they gave consent to the introducing of similar Bills for endowing the Timaru Harbor Board and Gisborne Harbor Board. THE ESTIMATES. On the motion for going into Committee of Supply, Mr Mubbay moved as an amendment that the estimates bo reduced £50,000.

The Hon. W. Boixebtok said that it wm unfair to table an amendment of this kind without indicating the direction in which it was proposed the reduction should be made. He admitted that the expenditure of the colony for sorvices was too large, and out of all proportion to those of other colonies. Beoognising these facts, Government had made reductions, and were still [anxious to do so. He did not think the proposal in its present shape should be entertained. Mr Tubnbuxi. spoke in favor of the amendment, and indicated various directions in which reductions could be made. The debate was interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment. EVENING SITTING. After the delivery of the Public Works Statement, the debato was resumed on motion for going into committee of supply. Sir G. Grey said that they had not got the public works estimates or the report of the Civil Service Commissioners. They had called for returns neoessary to elucidate the finances of the colony. In these circumstances he asked that the estimates should be gone on with slowly, so as to enable those various matters to be supplied. If the Government were put in possession of money as they were getting it voted they might be sent about their business at any moment and nothing further be done. If the Government continued to push the estimates through as they were doing, it would be their duty to resist the passing of any further items. Hon. John Haul said that by following the courao proposed time would be most unnecessarily wasted. The estimates had been in their hands long enough to enable members to understand them. He denied that the returns asked for were essential to understand these proposals. Their plan of reorganisation was to bring every department of the service under review, to ascertain if it was overmanned, if it could be amalgamated or abolished altogether, so as to bring the whole financial outlay within the smallest possible compass. Mr Jones moved the adjournment of the debate. Sir G. Grei said tho intention was to push the estimates through by sheer fatigue at untimely hours of the morning, and then, without further ceremony, to send them about their business. Savings of upwards of £400,000 could be made, and it was but fair they should bo allowed time to think the matter out. The time need not be wasted, as the important measures on hand could be gone on with. Mr Jones withdrew the motion for adjournment. Mr Moss and Mr Thompson supported the amendment, the latter stating that if the Legislation met in any other town than Wellington, where a properly oonducted newspaper existed, they could do away with " Hansard," which cost £5400. After further discussion, the question that the House go into committee of Supply was put and the House divided. Ayes, 40 ; Noes, 36. Division list: —

Ayeß—Messrs Allwright, Atkinson, Bain, Bowen, Brandon, Bryce, Bunny, Oolbeok, Collina, Diok, Gibbs, Gisborne, Hail, Hamlin, H. Hint (Wallaoe), Hursthouse, Johnston, Kelly, Konny, Levestam, Lovin, Mason, McGaughan, McLean, Oliver, Eoid, Bolleston, Seddon, Seymour, Shanks, Sheeban, Stevens, Studholme, Sutton, Tomonna, Trimble, Wakefield, Weston, TRhitaker, and Whyte. Noes—Messrs Andrews, Ballance, Barron, Bastings, Brown, DeLautour, J. B. Fisher (Buller), J. T. Fisher (Heathoote), Fulton, George, Sir G. Grey, Messrs W. J. Hurst (city of Auckland west), Hutohison, Jones, Lundon, Macandrew, McDonald, Montgomery, Moss, Murray, Ormond, Pitt, Richardson, Saunders, Shephard, Shrimski, Speight, Stewart, Swanson, Tairoa, Tawhaio, Tewheoro, Thomson, Tole, Turnbull, Wright. The House went into Committee of Supply. Clause 2—Colonial Secretary'* vote for the Government Statistics Department, £7109. Mr Saundbbs proposed to reduce the item of Government statistics, £550, to .£4OO. He complained that the information supplied was invariably behind hand, and was otherwise rendered useless when it came to hand. The amendment was negatived, and the item agreed to. The vote as printed was passed. Geological and Meteorological, £3403 10s. Mr Lbvistam proposed a reduction by £BOO. The House divided—Ayes, 17 ; noes, 30. Mr Andrews proposed the reduction of the vote by £450, which was negatived, and the vote as printed was passed. Agent-General, £3115 17s 63. Mr Shkbhan complained that a letter from the late Agent-General had been suppressed, and that most improperly. The Hon. J. Hall explained that the letter in question was a most improper one, and containod offensive and untrue statements. It was of no practical importance, and was returned to the writer. At the time the letter was written Sir J, Vogel had ceased to be an officer of the Government. The Hon. W. Gisbobne complained that while the letter was suppressed, the fact of the letter having been written was communicated to the newspapers. The Hon. J. Ham denied that any information had been given to the press. Mr Shbbhan argued that the Government in this matter had acted very improperly _; it might have contained a serious charge against the Government, and it might have been of service to the colony in exposing improper practices. Then, again, they had to remember that the writer of this letter was an experienced one, who had founded the public policy, and his influence governed all the existing interests of the colony. He would ask the Government to lay on the table a copy of the letter written to Sir J. Vogel when returning the letter. The vote as printed was carried. Charitable Aid, £39,796—passed. Lunatic Asylums, £35,288 —passed. Progress was reported, and the House adjourned at 1.15 a.m.