Post-Sessional Address.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IX, Issue 59, 11 February 1885, Page 2

Post-Sessional Address.

MR MACARTHUR M.H.R.

(Continuation of Report.) There were some very 'important Bills dealt witli by the House ; among which were -the District Railways Bill, the East anil West Coast Railway Bill, the Beetroot Sugar Bill, anil the South Sea Trading Bill. The District Railways Bill was a scheme for buying up all the railways which had been constructed by Companies. These were nearly all m the South Island. Some rtf them were legitimate undertakings. . He Mr (Macarthur) thought that if the railways could be got as a bargain for the colony it would be a good thing, and he voted for the second reading of the Bill and met the Government half way. There was a provision m the Bill, however, as to relief for rates which he did not quite understand. Some who had bought land from the Companies refused to pay rates, and he could not see his way to relieve, them of the liability. It was '" that 'm one coinpaiiy Sir Julius Yogel had three thousand pounds worth" of shaves. He (Mr Macarfchur) voted for the rescission of the clause and it was . not carried out. In the case of tti© Dan-

,.-oon railway, there was some g.vKial ' (rrelief. If the Minister of the Crown ;.»11 the land un-ler false pretences, the mi'chaser ought to be relieved. The Bill passed the Lower Housa and was eventually. 1 thrown out by the Upper ffonss. The whole matter woulil come up again next session. The East and West Coast Railway Bill was to enable a company to construct a line over to the West Coast of the South Island. The route was left an open question. He . felt that the principle of the Bill was sound enough and that it would be un- ; just to refuse his assent to itr-- -He voted I for the Bill on its second reading under the understanding that certain amendments would be introduced. ments were introduced tfifaT no land should be #old for less than ten shillings per acre. He knew that a great quantity of the land was not worth so much and •' •he thought * that" if the company, constructed a railway, .there they deserved all the land. The government proposed to give power to the Governor to take over the railway giving the company £35,000. From evidence it was shown that the railway would only just pay expenses. The clause was therefore modified to the effect that the railway should jpot be handed over until all expenses were paid. It differs from our • WellingtonManawatu Railway; 30 per cent, waa given on ours,and 50'per-cenfc.iwas given to the' other. The Bill made the Canterbury members content. ; There was a great deal of jockeyship displayed on the part of Sir Julius Vogeland the Government at this time. In reference to the Westport and Greymouth Harbour Bills, the Government guaranteed loans of .£150,000 each. They were to be floated for less that six per cent. Sir John Coode reported favourably on the Harbours. If we fostered an industry • like'coal it was enablingitbe cpuntry to become prosperous. .Regohrdjiig^the Government Insurance, the whole colony demanded that policy holders should have a- voice m the [management. It was proposed that if members of Parliament should be elected members ; pf the Board they should be paid. He (Mr Macarthur). voted against the proposal. There was a Bill m reference to the Education Act." With regard to cummulative voting, it worked unfairly, and Mr Steward endeavbred'io remedy the matter,, and he. (Mr Macarthur) supported the measure." ; Private? s nfembers had very little influence m the House, and the Bill did not Tpass.' 'The licensing laws were deemed more - strict- m • some parts and more lax m others; and at the time the Act was passed it was thought better to- get i the law consolidated and get the Act amended afterwards as circumstances would' suggest. If Parliament could not amend an Act they had no" business to pass it. He gave the •matter his best attention. The -Beetroot Sugar Bill was a fad of Sir George Grey's. He (Mr Macarthur) thought the Bill would be inoperative, but being a free trader, he supported it. Referring to the Civil List BiU which he objected to m some particulars, Sir Julius Yogel did not press the Bill arid it :flid not pass. The last matter thati was dealt with during tbe session was-the Annexation Bill. He (Mr Macarthur). . voted with the Government proposals to- defer the matter. ,It would entail a'claim on New Zealand of about' '.£2OOO, and it was thought better to iet the iaatter 'be m abeyance. In some respects he thought we would gain some benefits by, annexation and federation. Many matters would be decided if we could have some general Council ;to ; .settle them. Sir George Grey_ ajtid others Ithought that 'federation , .was » untenable. t lia iaving" the fifcgbst" ' population would naturally' retsitiJa-fleet there, and for defence purpose it would be better to remain as we were; , This,most\iinportant matter will have to be <&&£ with. If war were declared, we should, m all probability '"have cruisers around New Zealand, whatever was demapded we . should have to pay, and New Zealand would be crippled. -If shej cColpny, could be protected for £400,000* lie thought it would be a very goo& thing, and he had given this subject bis support. Concerning the West Coast • Harbours we knew that m these days of steam, coaling stations ought to be protected. If they once fell into the hands of an enemy it would be a bad thing for the Colony. If this Colony were attacked, and if Great Britain could not proi<ect it, we should be at the mercy of ttfe foreign Government who took possession. One could imagine what would -he the case. If .£400,000 would ensure us against such a certainty it would- be a good thing. With regard to the Gorge Railway, he (Mr. i Macarthuri ; supported^ t]H§^natter almost as soon as he got to Wellington. There was a meeting of the t Representatives interested m the master, and it was urged" that tbe through the Gorge should be the first consideration, and that the Gorge Eailway should be ;let during, theyrecesp typul couyajepeed at : Palmerston. * - warned to have the whole line opened at one time. ; It was preferred to. leave, the J^almerston one and get the other starfeS'first. The I electors knew what he, had done with regard to the College' Reserves; he got something like 140 acres of rural land near Bnnnythorpe. He applied for a vote; on the' -.•Estimates- for the * Gorge Bridge. He consideredithe colonial Government ought to make thebridge.but he could not get the. vote, ami, he was advised not to press it, tut" to rely on the application made ithder " The Roads and Bridges Construction Act." He considered the bridge a' colonial work, and he had seen several Members of the Government on the subjocUbuk- had a very faint hope at present of getting the whole of the money for the work. Only half of. the amount applied for under the Act had been grated. However, he still hoped- that it may be possible to get the work done. He hoped that the report that Government- would give £2000 more 'towards Jihe^)!^ was true. As to the'MaungatariioiifßTock he asked for a ! road tojbe made from Palmerston, and through hi| exertions? the Government had promised to lay off the road. Corn-j-O-ing to the subject of tbe Marton and New v Plymouth Railway, he Said tlia| after a committee had gone into the question a majority of tbe committee were averse to the Marton junction. He voted and took some acfapivHi getting the South Island Couimitteb, *and the junction at. Marton was carried by a large majority. In the matter of the Kairanga . Block, he got something pr^mjsed for drainage. A sum was promised to be put .on the Estimates next ,year for the purpose. The Surveyor-General thought .£6OO would be sufficient for .the work. He (Mr Macarthur) reviewed a number of small matters, which he supported or opposed, according, as he thought them wise or impolitic. So ■ fair/las 'the past policy of the Government, he supported the Atkinson party, besides independent, ly supporting many moasures of the Government. During the Session tha Atkinson party took up a sort of neutral position, which forced him and a number of others into a .sort of independent member, who telt free to vote as each thought proper. When he, voted, he voted as he thought judicioW s&netiines for > the Government < stad * sometimes against it. When our -leader did not lead us, we voted as we ; thought best. The policy of the Stout- Vogel Government was, he. thought, ..a good one. Of course, there was this to be said, and he held the opinion before his election ; that he should have liked to have seen a coalition between Major Atkmson and Sir Julius Vogei. Sir Julius Yogel really is the Ministry; he is the teal spirit of it. Even Mr. -Stout admits that. Everyone must be struck with Sir Julius Vogel's ability. ,. He (Mr tyacarihur) had seen him writhing' m agony' during a debate, but at the . vrtcr cry #ould °be

ready for the occasion and display of extraordinary talent, courage, and m _ all he undertook. He (Mr Macarthttry would not feel disposed next session to vote against the Stout'-Togel Ministry, on the lines of their p>ast'pohcy. It" is now proposed to bring. in a local Government scheme. In that matter he held himself free to vote "as he shall think best. A great many of 1 that body represent large cities, and do not know what the country districts want and he distrusted them a little. < If you', split up the local Government of the country into local bodies, the best • class of men would not go m for tho matter. He v therefore thought that amalgamation ot the counties would be : preferable. Mr Stout's system is to have a lot of petty bodies lumped together. ; JSe (Mr Macarthur) said that the tend- . .<ency was to split up rather than to amalgamate. So long as there was that jtenclency to split up it is a healthy one ''and ought to be encouraged.; There '.were the Hospital, Charitable Aid, and VSfasto Lands Board matters which received his earnest attention. With re- .: .gard to police matters he thought it un- .; wise, jto put them m the hands of local '..; bodies.. Hospitals might be dealt with ' locally as it is now. Local bodies might > meet to allocate the amount which eaqh Should pay. Tlie Waste Lands could be •managed -locally. Thero was a disad- - vantage m- the scheme of local Gpvernl. ■ ment: by. makmg the centre . m Wan- ; gattui. . Instead of members givhigtheir : v time, gratis it would .be necessaty^ to have a staff of ofiicials, and they could : hot deal with local matters easily and so" well as at present; what !we want ia some money to make our local bodies more workable. We want more coal for : firing the engine, to make it go.' It the • .^rqvernment would give us morb money :" -under tiie Boads and Bridges Construction Act, we would ret on iniich better. Tbiere was voted this year A - 328,000 to be spent oh roads, &c. If the colony was to progress m colonizing works, means must be devised to facilitate its progression. He stated before his election that he./believed that money must : be*J*©»-s for road works. ". '. : . [To be Continued;] \\