General Assembly.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VI, Issue 379, 21 June 1856, Page 6

General Assembly.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. May 2. Pensions Bill. Mr. Sewell moved thai in schedule A, the sum of £350, opposite the name of Andrew Sinclair, be struck out, and the following words substituted :—" Such sum as shall be fixed by Her Majesty, uuder her sign manual, or signified by oue of Her Majesty's Secretaries of Slate, not exceeding £466 13s. 4d. *' Mr. Lee would not delegate to any other authority the power to put its hand into the public purse of this colony. It would be an act of absolute dishonesty. Major Gbeenwood quite acquiesced in what had fallen from the hon. member. The matter was more like haggling between two Jews. He had no faith in the decision of the Home Government. All this discussion might have been saved had it been distinctly communicated that his Excellency could not sanction less than , two-thirds. Mr. East said there had been haggling, but the only Jew was that house. It knew the price of the article, and ought to pay it. Mr. Hall thought that all things considered, the form in which the hon. member for Cliristchurch had put the matter was the best; although, so far as the amount went, he would Tote for even a lower pension, if the object would not be thus defeated. Mr. Merriman agreed that the amount should be left open, by simply saying not more than a certain sum. He thought this the best couise, accompanied by a strong resolution on the part of the house. Mr. Bell referred to that part of the minute where his Excellency expressed willingness that the conduct of the retiring officers should be investigated, and said that eyery facility ■would be given to such inquiry. It was now sought to evade that inquiry; and he called upon those hon. members who had made charges so freely to come forward now and substantiate them. Mr. Fox said that a committee of investigation had been appointed, and hon. members ■who had made charges were fully prepared to substantiate them. On bis own part there would be no slackness whatever in bringing forward the charges that had emanated from him. Mr. Ludlam thought the clause of the hon. i member of .Christchurch was the best that,un- ( dertbe circumstances, could be adopted. Mr. Domett would venture to assert that, if the committee failed to establish the charges made against the officials, the two-thirds would be fixed by the Home Government. He would therefore have preferred that the halfamount should remain in the schedule. The motion of Mr, Sewell was now put and agreed to. al«o a similar motion with respect to William Swainson, and Alexander Shepherd. Mr. Sewell moved that Schedule 8., as it now stands, be expunged, for the purpose of inserting the words: — "The said. Andrew SJnclair, Alexander Shepherd, and William ISwainpon, each a sum equal to four and a half years' purchase of such annual pension as shall be fixed by the Secretary of State." A verbal alteration was then made iv clause 6ve oOthe bill. Mr. Daldy moved that the Governor's minute be .inserted upon the records of the house.

Mr. Sewell would obviate all difficulty in the matter by requesting bis Excellency to send the minute down in a message. Mr. Daldy was satislied with this and withdrew the motion. The bill, as amended, was then reported. Mr. Sewell moved the suspension s of the Standing Orders, in order that the Pensions Bill might be passed through its subsequent stages. Agreed to. The bill was then read a third time ami passed. Messrs. Campbell and Ludlam were appointed a deputation to convey it to the Legislative Council.

May 21. Seat of Government. The resolution brought forward by Dr Campbell,—"That the agitation of the question as to removal of the Seat of Government from Auckland during- the present session would be inexpedient, ** was, after a long discussion, in which Mr. Daldy, Major Greenwood, Messrs. Brown", Fitzherbert, Merriman, Fox, East, Ludlam, Williamson, Bell, Carleton, Sewell, Stafford, Hall, and Travers took part, carried on the following division : — Ayes, 23 —Messrs. Campbell, Merriman, Henderson, Daldy, Carleton, Beckham, J. Cargill, W. Cargill, Brown, Travers, Macaudrew, East, Richmoud, Curtis, Brodie, Wells, Greenwood, Williamson, Sewell, Stafford, Lee, Eliott, Taylor. Noes, i I—Messrs. Fitzherbert, Cuff, Fox, Featherston, Ward, Smith, Brittin, Bell, Hall, Domett, JLudlam. Mr. Campbell then, pursuant to notice, moved " that it is the opinion of this House the next meeting of the General Assembly should be held at Auckland."

Mr. Williamson seconded the motion. ! A long discussion ensued, ending in the motion being negatived. The following amendments were successively moved and rejected.: By Mr. Fitzherbert—" That the next sitting of the General Assembly should be held at a more central place.'' By Mr. Daldy—•' That the Constitution Act, imposing on the Governor the duty of fixing the place of meeting for the General Assembly, this House does not feel called upon to interfere. " By Mr. Merriman—" That Nelson be substituted for the words 'in a more Central place.'" By Mr. Brown—"That Wellington be substituted for the words 'in a more central place,'" After the above propositions had been rejected, Major Gueenwood moved—"That the next sitting of the General Assembly be held at such place as his Excellency shall deem most convenient." Mr. Sewell then proposed—"That the words ' more central.' be inserted between'such'and ' place' iv the last amendment. This amendment was agieed to on a division. —Ayes 16, Noes 4, after which the House adjourned at an advanced hour.

May 28. Steam Communication. The Colonial Sec. (Mr. Hall) moved the suspension of the standing orders, for the purpose of arranging for the future service of the steamer ' Zingari,' the time of her contract having nearly expired.—Agreed to. The Colonial Secretary—-then moved " That the Speaker do leave the chair,.that the House may go into Committee of Supply, for the purpose of considering the expediency of renewin<r the contract referred to." The House having gone into Committee, — The Colonial Secretary moved that it is expedient the contract with the steamer ' Zingari ' should be renewed for 6 months, from the Ist day of July next. Mr. J. Cargill said that, if it was proposed to benefit five Provinces at the expense of six, he should decidedly oppose the motion. Major Greenwood agreed that no one | Province should b>i cut off. He should protest against an extension of the contract, if Qtago should continue to be excluded from benefit. Mr. Travers said that, last session, it had been agreed that if Otago derived no benefit it should be exempt from its proportion of the payment. The ' Zingari'would not extend its voyages to Otago, unless for s»verj large sum, and.it was notkuowu that any other steamer , could be got.

Major Greebwooo said that there were plenty of steamers in Sydney that would gladly, for the offered bonus, go toOtngo, and perform the duty efficiently. Were the amount to ne voted, be hoped it would be for the shortest possible time. Mr. Macand'kew was perfectly aware that vessels could be got in Melbourne that would go to Otago for a less sum than the ' Ziugtm' received. He really believed, however, that the - ' Zisurari ' would continue in the trade, even were the bonus to be withheld. Mr. Curii" trusted that Otago would not be neglected ; neither should Akaroa. It was a port of rising importance, and its claim should not be ignored. Messrs. East, Ludlam, Merriman, and Elliott supported the motion. The latter, as Chairman of the Inter-provincial Steam .Co.imni.ltee, expressed an opinion that Hie service of the 'Ziugari ' should be engaged for six months, unless the house was prepared to abandon steam altogether. jiTbe Colonial Secretary said that although Otago bad l:een shut out, a sum had been placed on the estimates to keep a sailing vessel between Canterbury and Otago, He hoped the motion would be allowed to pass. Mr. J. Cargill would prefer that the bonus should be given to connect Otago and Melbourne. Mr. Brodie said that, now that the war was likely to be over, there were likely to be plenty of steamers. There was six months' work before the House; hon. members might just as well remain and do it. Mr. Daldy said that six months would be short enough time to communicate with the neighb Hiring colonies, and make arrangements, for another steamer. The motion having been put, was agreed to. Speaker having resumed the chair, the resolution in committee was confirmed.