GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2619, 29 August 1882, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

[PHB PBBSS ABBOOIAXTOIT.] LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL,

Mowday, August 28. BILLS.

The Native Beserves Bill was read a first time.

The Mines Aot, 1877, Amendment Bill, Lyttelton Harbor Board Bill, Employers Liability Bill, and Protection of Telegrams Bill were read a third time and passed. The Native Lsnd Division 811, Native Land Act Amendment Bill, ard Otago Harbor Board Bill were read a second time. TKLBPHONIO OOMMCIfICATIOK.

The following resolution, moved by the Hon. Mr Chamberlain, was passed, the Government aieenting to it:—"That in the opinion of this Council it is desirable that telephonio apparatus be utilised in the public gaols, prisons, hospitals, and luuatio asylums of the oolony." h. n. waed, juk. On the motion of the Hon. Mr Bbynoxbs all further papers connected with the case of E. Pf. Ward, jun., were ordered to be laid on the table. The Council adjourned from 5 till 7 30. EVENING SITTING. The Council resumed at 7.30 p.m. The following Bills were read a second time:—Public Health Aot, 1876, Amendment Bill; Patents Aot Amendment Bill; Gold Duties Amendment Bill; Gold Duties Act Amendment Bill i Babbit Nuisanoe Bill. The Imprest Supply Bill (No. 4), and the Timaru High School Bill were read a third time. The Land Act Amendment Bill, Mining Beserves Bill and Bssumption of Land for Mining Purposes Bill were received from the House, and read a first time. The Council rose at 9 SO.

HOUSE OF KEPSESENTATIVE3. Monday, August 28. The House met at 2.30. BIXIB. The Special Powers and Contracts Bill was read a second time. The Legislative Council's amendments in the Gas Companies and Consumers Liability Bill were agreed to. The Private Bills Costs Bill was committed, reported, road a third time and passed. LAND AOX AMENDMENT BILL. On the motion for the third reading of the Land Act Amendment Bill, Mr MoKßNsrtß moved its recommittal for the purpose of moving the followisg new clauses : —" No original transferee or other person occupying any pastoral lands, either by himself or jointly with any other person under license or lease from the Crown, oapable of carrying on fihe whole 20,000 sheep or more, or 4000 head of oattle or more, shall be entitled to beoome the purchaser or transferee of any pastoral license or lease after the ooming into operation of this Act, and should any original holder, transferee, or other person so ocoupyirjg any pastoral lands as aforesaid become the purchaser of any run hereafter exposed at auotion, all payments of rent made in accordance with the conditions of sale shall be forfeited to the Crown, and any license or lease issued shall be deemed to have been void and of no effect from the date of issue." The motion for the third reading was put. Ayes, 29; noes, 50. The motion for the recommit! al was put and carried. In oommittee, the motion for the addition of tre above new olause was put and carried. The Bill was reported, read a third time, and passed. dibbot btbam communication. In oommittee of the whole House, the Hon. Mr Johnston moved the following : " (1) That it is not expedient that an attempt should be made for the present to establish a direet steam postal service between England and New Zealand, as the large subsidy which would necessarily bo required would more than oounterbalanoe the advantages. (2) That the San Franois o mail servioe now in operation should be extended for two or three years, if the cost of extension does not exceed the present cost to the colony. (3) That it is of importance that there should be a monthly passenger and mercantile steam service established between E gland and New Zealand by suitable steam vessels. (4) That the length of the voyage eaoh way should not exceed fifty days. (5) That any oontraot should not be for more than three years. (6) That the cost of such servioe to the colony should not exceed £40,000 per annum. (7) The Government are hereby authorised to take the necessary measures to give effect to these resolutions." He aaid that a resolution had been passed last session affirming the desirability of establishing a direot service. In conformity therewith he had opened up communication with the Agent-General, and_ it was in oonsequence of Jhis report the motion had been tabled. It was shown that to establish a mail servioe that would be at all suitable to tho oolony would require £160,000 per annum. That was deemed too muoh for the colony, and he had no doubt the House would confirm that opinion. With regard to the recommendation asking power to continue the San Franoisco servioe, he explained that it would be done, subjeot to any arrangements that could be made with New South Wales to contribute a part of the subsidy. He asked the power, subject to the understanding that the prioe would not be greater than formerly. With regard to tho power asked to establish a mercantile servioe, he explained that, with a monopoly of the New Zealand trade, there was good reason to suppose that the trade would be sufficient in a very few years to warrant the subsidy being dispensed with. He argued that such a servioe would be of great use in developing the trade and encouraging the passenger traffic It would enable the Government to decide upon a scale of fares for, say, intermediate and steerage passengers, who were a desirable class to encourage, as they brought out, as a rule, small capital. In reply to a question put, The Hon. Mr Johnston said he had reason to believe that the oontraot time for the San Francisco servioe should bo reduced by at two days. Mr Holmes said the cost of the Sin Francisco servioe was £5350. The service was of sufficient importance to grant even larger powers to the Government if it was found that a greater sum would be required. Mr Letin spoke in favor of the service being renewed for a longer period than that sought, viz.—three years. _ _ Mr Dabgavillb conourred in that opmioD, and moved as an amendment that five should be substituted for three years. Mr Maoandbew held by the original motion. When it was firet proposed it was done with the view of getting the service started, and if it did not beoome self-sup-porting within a reasonable period, then it should be dropped altogether. Mr HuBST said it was evident, from the tone of the recent utteranoes that New South Wales did not intend to share in the subsidy. In that oase it was necessary they should have as large powers as possible. Mr Montgomebx spoke in favor of extending the amount, so that if New South Wales withdrew other arrangements might be made. He would countenance any extension of the period. The debate was interrupted by the 5 30 adjournment.

EVENING BITTING. The Houae resumed at 7 30. In Committee oa the Direot Steam Servioe resolutions, Sir John Hah would be very sorry to see the San Francisco uervice discontinued. The proposals of the Government were very remarkable. The renewal of the cantraot was surrounded by very many difficulties. It might be possible to get the company to keep on running for a few years, but it would not be possible to enter into a new contract without the co-operation of New South Wales. If neceßsary, the Government could come down next session for further anthonty, but the amendments went, further than the House in hi» opinion ws* juitifled in doing. Mr Mostgombbx entirely approved or. the ' motion.

Motions 1 and 2 were then pnt and agreed to.

Oi No. 3 motion, The Hon. Mr JohhStok, in reply to a question pnt, stated that, if passed, the tenders for the service would be called for. Mr Lbvestah moved, as an addition—- " That any distriot desiring advantages from the service should be specially taxed for its maintenance."

Bir Johh Fall moved, as a further amendment, that, inttead of a monthly service, it be made a two-monthly one. He believed that nothing wonld do more to pro* mote the prosperity of the colony than k direct steam service running regularly, conducted by means of vessels of established character. To obtain thet tbey would hare to offer liberal encouragements. If entablished on a proper basis, he believed a large stream of the present immigration from Great Britain would be diverted to New Zealand. Then the trade would not in the flVst inetanoe be sufficient for the monthly service ; it would, so to speak, have to grow, and if found euffi-ieni they could easily double the service.

! Mr Levin spoke of getfinu the proposal | oarried out without delay. Ucleis they had some kind of eervioe like this he expected they would find themselves outmatched im the raoe for colonisa'ion. He disagreed with the opinion that a bi-monthly service wonld be sufficient. The length of time between the trips would be sufficient to cause the service to be lost sight of altogether. Moreover, he gave it es hie opinion that the import and eiport trade was quite sufficient to a monthly service.

Mr Ptkh said that sccorcing to his rendering of the phrase bi monthly meant twice ■ month, and he was astonished to hear it made applicable to a two monthly service. The latter he altogether disapproved of, and would rather give his support to a twioe a month service. The proposals of the Government were perfectly fair.

Mr Macandbbw also spoke of the impropriety of the two montblr service. He would more readily support it. He had no doubt but that it would be a weekly service before very long. The motion as it stood ought to be passed.

Mr Sheehak suggested that the proposal meant a step towards killing the San FranCisco servioe, and the landtag of the colony in an expenaiva direct (team service. The proposed rate certain for the expense of the proposed service was to his mind a fair one, and that service was undoubtedly intended for the benefit of a particular district of the colony. The San Francisco service had been all along a cheap and efficient ons. The great feature of the trade would lie between Port Chalmer« and Lyttelton, and all the rest of the colony would bo in a great measure left out, and for that the colony was to pay £40,000 a year. Then if they established the proposed direct trade, it would bo necessary to keep up the San Francisco line, and he was sorry that more direet instructions had not been given i in reference thereto. ' 1 Mr W. O. Buchanan aTgued that the m service would be of as great importance to M the North Island as it was to the South. He jfl knew of his own knowledge that it was looked forward to most anxiously by residents in the North Island, and that consequent upon its establishment the frcran meat trade would receive a great impetus, not only that, but dairy produce would also- become a large trade in the place. He hoped they would not allow the session to close without doing something dr-fioite. Mr Sbddon admitted that it was desirable there should be direct steam communication, but it vas undesirable to pay £4O 000 per annum for it. It simply meant that they were to mate a great sacr.fice for direct communication to Otago. That waa what it meant. Since the frozen meat trade came into operation they had had the price of butcher's meat raised again. It would hare the effect of discouraging agricultural pur- . suits in favor of pastoral ones, and he argued that that was not a desirable change. By that means labor would be reduced, and Industrial pursuits generally would be hampered.

Mr OoKOLLY was of opinion that the time had come when direot steam eommunicatica Bhould be established. He thought with Sir John Sail that a bi-monthly service would be sufficient. At all events, if the service waa onoe establithed, he believed it would become self-supporting, and the subsidy might be done away with. Mr Mobs aEked where this £40,000 was to come from. They htd no surplus revenue, consequently they would have to take it out of loan. It was a sort of bonus to be given to tho development of a particular class of trade.

Mr Lbvbstam argued that the very fact that a subsidy was needed showed that the trade was not sufficient for the purpose. The meat trade and the particular districts benefited should be made to pay for its development,

Mr M. W. Queen cordially supported the motion as printed. Mr "hephbed disapproved of the motion. The question was put that the monthly service remain as printed. Ayes, 52 ; Noes, 22. The question was put that the subsidy Dt defrayed by taxation imposed on districts desiring to benefit from service. Ayes, 4 ; Noes, 64. Resolution No. 4 was put and t arried on the voices. Resolutions Nos. 5 and 6 were then considered.

Mr Shbimsei moved that they be struck out.

Mr Montoombbt laid it wai a well known faot that the New Zealand Shipping Company was going into the steam trade If they allowed the trade to foster and develope itself, it would be mnoh better lhan if they tried force it by meant of a snbsidy. Mr Maoaudbhw said that what waa desired was a good efficient passenger serrioej and that could only be done in the first in* gtanoe by subEidy. The committeo divided. Ayei—44; noes —23

In reply to a question pat by Mr Stevens, The Hon. Mr Johnston said that Government would lake oare that every vessel employed in the service should have a freezing chamber, Clause 5 was carried. On resolution 6 being put, Mr Shbimbki proposed that the subsidy be reduced from £40,000 to £20,000, Replying to a question put by Mr Wetto*^-. The Hon. Mr Johnston eaid that tb*SJ& Government proposed to call for tenders. It was true they had received a propossl from the New Zealand Shipping Company for £30,C03. That was accompanied by conditions and stipulations Government WM not disposed to agre2 to. They therefore thought it better to take authority to pay £40,000 i£ necessary rather than undertake such conditions. The vessels would come to such port or ports as they got the beet inducement in the way of cargo. Mr Seddon moved an amendmont that the £40,000 be appropriated as an inducement to encourage the various colonial pursuits likely to increase the export trade. The Chairman ruled that, as this was an appropriation of public moneys, he could not accept this.

Mr Holmbs supported the proposal to reduce the amount to £20,000. He quoted in support of the argument a clause from the Agent-General's communication on the subjeot Mr Rtjthbbfobd moved that the eubsMfor the three years be £BO,OOO, to be distributed as follows:—first year, £35,000; seoond, £25,000 ; and, third, £20,000, after »niob all subsidies should ceite.

After considerable dieonssion, the words £40,000 wore atruok out by 48 to 30. Mr Shrimeii's amendment to reduce the amount to £20,000 was carried by 58 to 18. Mr DeLatjtoub then moved an addendum that unle6« it be a forty-five days' service the amount be £30,000. Lost by 44 to 31. Clause 6 was then carried as amended. On clause 7, the Hon. Mr JoHBiSON socapled Mr Fish's addition requiring the oontrsot to be submitted to publio competU ton. Mr BraVEKS moved the insertion of word* requiring the vessels to have a freezing chamber to contain 250 torn of meat or dairy produce. Lost on the voices. . . Mr Skddon moved an addition requiring Parliament to approve of any contract. Lost on the voices. Clause 7, as amended by Mr Fish, was then l The House resumed, and the roßolutiom &sM a whole were repartod, and, oa s division ofm 82 to 9, were agreed to. H The House rose at 2 a.m. H