PARLIAMENTARY

Kumara Times, Issue 2806, 18 September 1885, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. (FROM OUIt OWN CORRESPONDENT.] MINES ACT, 1877, AMENDMENT BILL. STRUGGLE FOR REDUCTION OF MINERS' RIGHTS. Wellington, September 17. Tlie Conference ou the Mines Act, 1877, Amendment Bill, sat yesterday afternoon. There was considerable discussion. The Conference broke up without coming to terms. The Managers for the House refused to accept the I .ill unless the miners' lights wore reduced to ton shillings ; find the Managers for tlio Council refused to ilie reduction. Each set of Managers reported that they could not agree.

On the House meeting at half-past seven, Mr Pyke gave an of the Conference of the two Houses on the Mines Act 1877 Amendment Bill. He stated that every year the wishes of the House had been frustrated by the other branch of the legislature, and the bills brought in by himself, the hon. member for Kumara, and the hon. member for Greymouth bad been thrown out. Their only object had been the emancipation of labour; bat the other chamber would not agree to any compromise. He was told that a member of the House had gone to members of the Legislative Council and told them it would be indecorous to agree to a compromise, as the vote was hanging in the balance. A political economist had told him that the depiession all over the world was caused by the scarcity of gold ; yet they found the legislature hampering the goldmining industry, and crushing it. He moved (and it was for the Government to say whether they would take the matter up or not; he did not care) — " That a fresh Conference be appointed, consisting of the Premier and Messrs Bevan and Guinness." The Premier seconded the motion. Mr Seddon said the Government had given the Managers of the Conference the assistance which they had a right to expect. Seeing the bill was a Government measure, where was the special attention to the mining industry promised by the Government last session 1 Where was the reduction of miners rights? It was hung up, like Mahomet's coffin, between the two branches of the legislature. If the industry was to have fair play, it would need to have representation in the other Council. There were about 12,000 engaged on the goldfields, onehalf of whom were employed by companies, the the other half working under miners'rights. The Government had not taken such steps as they ought to do to relieve the miners from taxation. The Premier said that what the Government had attempted to do that session was what no other Government had done, and he did not think it was fair to accuse the Government of any want of sincerity. Taking away the gold duty from the local bodies at the present time was a very grave step. He did not believe in abolishing it, and he had told the miners on the West Coaet that he did not believe in it. But he had sunk his own views in that respect. The motion was carried on the voices. PROSPECTING AND DISCOVERY OP NEW GOLDFIELDS. In the House Mr Seddon stated that at great trouble he had framed regulations for prospecting for gold and for rewards for the discovery of new goldfield. The Goldfields Committee had recognised their being accepted ; Would the Government adopt the recommendations ? The Premier replied that these regulations would be adopted by the Government. Copies would be sent to local bodies, and a sum of money would be placed on the Supplementary Estimates to defray the moiety payable under them. SPECIAL POWERS AND CONTRACTS BILL. In committee the two clauses struck out were, one giving Te Kooti 30 acres of land at Alexandria, and one giving Thomns Russell 8000 acres of land at Thames. There are two clauses affecting Westl:iiid—one to enable the Greymouth High School Board to grant aid to the Greymouth School for higher and technical education ; the other vests the Government House, Hokitika, iu the Hokitika High School Board. DISTRICT RAILWAYS PURCHASING BILL. The District Railways Purchasing Bill was passed through Committee. The passing of this bill is one of the greatest pieces of political immorality that ever disgraced a New Zealand parliament. RAILWAY AUTHORISATION BILL. The Railway Authorisation Bill provides that the Harbour Boards of Greymouth and West-port might extend the present railway and pnrclia.se rolling stock, and so facilitate the catriagc of coal from the mines. Mr Seddon opposed this power being given, and stated that under this cover, a bridge might be built above the present bridge at Brunnerton, under the guise of extending the railway. A railway seven miles long might be constructed to the Mokinui coal mine, thus benefiting persons who were very anxious to get this bill through. The moneys had been borrowed for harbour woiks, and in improving the harbouis showed the moneys be expended. The construction and completion of the har-

bour works was the first care; afterwards, if there was any money left, then it might be expended on railways, soiling stock, and coal stages. He was surprised at Government encouraging Harbour Boards to do wrong. The Minister for Public Works said that these clauses of the bill would be postponed, so as to be amended in such a manner as would prevent that happening that the member for Kumara had pointed out. The bill was then committed, and all the clauses except 7 and 8 passed. The bill is to come on again this day. The House adjourned at 3 a.m. September 16. The third conference on the Mines Act Amendment Bill sat yesterday, and were again unable to agree. The managers for the Council refused to allow the miners' rights to be reduced to 10s. The bill will now be abandoned. On the third reading of the District Railways Purchasing Bill, Mr Seddon moved that it be read that day six months. Considerable discussion ensued, and the amendment lost by 33 votes to 28. In Committee on the Railway Authorisation Bill, Mr Seddon moved in clause 7 to strike out ten words—- " extended existing railways to mines on the coal reserves." A lengthy discussion took place, and nltimately the words were struck out, and the words " additions and sidings " were inserted in lieu thereof. The clause as amended will now empower harbor boards to construct sidings, purchase rolling stock; also to construct railways only that are necessary to facilitate the construction of harbor works. Mr Guinness agreed with the amendments. Mr O'Conor strongly objected. Considerable discussion took place over the immigration vote. The vote " ten thousand pounds, to assist in bringing out crofters," was struck out. The House adjourned at 2 a.m. The principal business will conclude to-day, aud the prorogation takes place on Tuesday next.