The Weekly Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. MONDAY, AUGUST 17, 1868. PARLIAMENTARY.

Hawke's Bay Weekly Times, Volume 2, Issue 85, 17 August 1868, Page 199

The Weekly Times. Nullius addictus jurare in verba magistri. MONDAY, AUGUST 17, 1868. PARLIAMENTARY.

We continue out-abstract of Parlia,-., OF^PBESENTATIVES.' >fMajor *iHeaphy asked the hon, the Colonial l-jSejcretaty^WhetheritWaeNtke'

i.foj' on gold, in .accordance with the rasped’tive values of ~flae metal exported ’When-thefffiity r ctf 25 :, 6d r^er: dUiiC6’'W£is 'golS' 4 ,V S '^rdtty un||rmv^uepf^ r 3' ; tfW 4 .gC‘ taj-d- tjie quality at the ; T:hamesr fliuch gold worth much r dess<—about - J&2 - I;6S 'pejr 'b%ing''more difficult of extrhdtion;

Mv ( Staffbrd' .admitted the hardship A B . gdld-4elds, but did -not think such/.a measure :desirable. - He thought .'Special -action should be taken ' With reference to ’thje 'TKa'mes 1 district,' .and a 'lower rate : oi tlufy 'there. To that end! : a Bill wpnM probably be passed. REPRESENTATION BOR THE : THAMES. f Major Heaphy asked - whether it was intended to provide for the representation of the Thames district.; A large population had become located there since ■ the last adjustment of representation, and the population was rapidly increasing. .

Mr Stafford skid there was no such intention at present. Neither Otago nor Westland had special representation granted until there had been a' population there of 20,000 or 30,000 for 18 months or 2 years—and that also an addition to the original population. The population of the Thames was principally a removal from already represented districts ; but if the population should greatly iucrease during the session, something might be done to provide for additional representation. . TELEGRAPHIC CHARGES. Mr Burns asked whether the Government had any objection to permit the addresses and signatures of telegrams to pass free of charge. He thought a reduction of the charges desirable, .even if it. did not take the precise form he had proposed, and that it would be felt as a boon to the public. He always thought it strange the date and address should be charged for, and thought the revenue would not .suffer if they were made free. Benefit had accrued in other places from a reduction of the tariff of telegraphic charges. Mr Hall suggested. that the subject be allowed to lie over until the report of the Telegraph department was laid on the table. He thought the charge for addresses was ; made to check the unnecessary length they were often made—uften lunger in fact .than the message itself. The. telegraph was not a source of revenue, and the tariff 'if charges .was already lower than in •ttber. colonies; still the Government trusted to be able ultimately to make a reduction. APPROPRIATION. On the motion of Mr Hall it was agreed that the House to-motrow resolve itself into Committee of Supply to grant .£IOO,OOO to enable the service of the country to be carried on until the usual Appropriation Act could be passed,—r.the public chest having been closed against; all expenditure, by the Pitblic Eevenud T Act,' since the 30th of last' nioiithl ; ' ' ' " ' SUPREME COURT. Mr Travers moved; for copies of correspondence between the Colonial Secretary and 'the Registrar of the Supreme Court' ‘relative J to a 1 proposed reduction of the officers frff that Coiirjt • at Wellington, lie hoped there wjere good reasons for dispensings with, jthe Deputy {Registrar 1 ;;i add ’ Gl6!rk 'i ' but thought if economy, !and not likely to be productive l of

.. Mr -Stafford-, had pLO phjoctiou to rWere,/}lamoiiripg4fbr iii the public sfervice; but tM‘> mbment a !re-

d'ffijtidh was made fault was found, and A.ueklan3. . If the Begistrar thought .without a clerk, others -could he found who would do it. No Government officers did less work.than,the Registrar, and the proposed reduction was one" that could be well made. '.s

Mr Butns would support the Government on all"possible reductions.. He was not aware of the merits of tins case, but supposed it to be parallel to one that-had occurred in another province, where a hue .and ,cry had been made against a x eduction which time had prpved .to be right,' - Mr Borlase said that the .Supreme 1 Court in Wellington paid its own expenses, and the government had not to assist it. The sums saved .would fall upon the clients, and he did not believe -if the reduction were made the department would be worked effectually. Mr Travers said that the District Court was about to be abolished, and the work of the Bankruptcy Court it had hitherto performed' would fall onthe Supreme Court. All the work connected with the Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Act would fall upon the: Registrar, who was also Registrar of the Court of Appeal. Extra clerical, assistance might be needed and found to be more expensive than the employ?* ment of a clerk. Motion agreed to. .. ■ DISTILLATION. , Mr Richmond moved for the house to go into committee to-morrow to consider of leave to bring in a Bill to regulating distillation in New Zealand, and for granting a duty on spirits distilled in the Colony. He said several measures had already been- passed of a kindred nature, granting to the Executive Government larger powers than they cared to exercise, and it was thought best to bring the matter in detail before the House, An agent had been employed to obtain the necessary information from the neighboring colonies, and the Bill had been framed upon such information—being, in fact, modified from the Acts of Victoria and. the United Kingdom. Mr-J. O'Neill thought the duties on both spirits and tobacco should be reduced. Such reduction would increase the business of merchants and check smuggling, which was ext.en*, sively carried on in- the bays and harbors of the northern'part of? the .Colony. He could not see why license fees and duties on spirits and tobacco could not be made less. Mr Richmond said the Government were aware ol the smuggling carried on; but he doubted whether tion of the duty, would check it; and a time'when the Treasurer could hardly make the revenue coyer the expenditure was J not one to propose such a reduction. , It was advisable to liberally reward' and the proceeds ,of the seizure had el ways been divided 1 amongst the captors. Motion agreed to/• -v BILLS INTRODUCED.

' On the motion of ,‘Mf Hall a bill was brought in and read a first-time, to enable the ; Government to piirchase land for "the ligb|;house pt'Pencarrpw Head, which it seems bad been 'erected on natiye laud. = on,the riiodpp. of the -same gentleman,.a Eerriea and Bridges Bill was brought iiitand, read'.R“"first ttime ; asn:aiso*.was*dpiie with a’ 'P uii’ce Offences BilL r iColonei 1 HaiAtiiip | an Interpretation of Acts Biil, whickwyas wad A tinio. , 'VAij[-^S l «|ipye'fwe3c«! orderied tn < the. read i A second.? time; on ;’ r-■,.-'-TheTlouaa adjourned at 5 p.m.,