THE ESTIMATES.

Mt Benger Mail, Volume 17, Issue 854, 5 September 1896, Page 3

THE ESTIMATES.

Fkom the Stab's Parliamentary Repobteb.

WELLINGTON, August 26. The Estimates were again under review yesterday, both at the afternoon and evening sitting?. When progress was reported a week ago the Justice Department vote was under consideration.—Mr Tanner now resumed the debate on the Hokitika prison. He said that no language on his part could adequately stigmatise the state of things existing in this prison. The expenditure there was simply extravagant.—Mr G. J. Smith moved to reduce the salary (£300) of the gaoler by £loo.—This provoked, .from the Premier the remark that if the district is which this gaol was situated had been represented by anyone but. himself they would have heard very little about it. He promised that if the matter were left to the Government arrangements would be made by which full use would be made of the gaoL He ventured to say that when this matter came up next session there would be no ground for complaint. The Leader of the Opposition contended that a saving of £6OQ, a year would be effected by striking out this vote, without injustice to the officers or injury to the district.—After much debate, the motion to reduce the salary of the gaoler by £IOO was carried by 25 to 24.—Mr G. J. Smith then moved to strike out the item on the same vote, " Surgeon, £SO" (Dr Macandjrew). The Premier explained that the doctor was under engagement to attend to the asylum and gaol for £2OO a year. If this £SO were struck out, it meant only that the doctor would get £2OO a year for his asylum work.—Mr Earnshaw pointed out that the rate of pay was £lO per head for medical comforts for each prisoner. He urged that the money which was being lavishly expended on this gaol should be spent on the esplanade at St. Clair.—The item was retained by 32 to 19.—At the evening sitting the debate on the Hokitika gaol vote was continued. Strong opposition was shown to the amount proposed to be expended on the maintenance of this institution. Several amendments to reduce the vote were proposed, but in every case they were negatived. Ultimately the Premier moved to reduce the vote for the principal warder of the gaol (£150) by £SO, which was finally agreed to.—A motion by Mr Earnshaw to reduce the item (£1,500) contingencies for the Prison Department by £1 as an indication of the displeasure of the House at the laxity in administration of the Justice Department was negatived, after a very long discussion, by 34 to 19.—The whole vote for the Prisons Department Was then agreed to, subject to the reductions carried in the vote for the Hokitika gaol. The vote for the office of and Commerce (£925) provoked another lengthy discussion.—Mr G. J. Smith said he understood that the operations ci this department had been very small, and he did not think that the colony had got enough for its money.—The Hon. T. Thompson, who was in charge, said that the whole of this contingent vote had been spent in exporting timber to London to test the market there.—Dr Newman said he understood that the timber was badly chosen and green; indeed the whole thing was a discredit to the department.—: The Minister said all the timber sent Home was passed by experts. —Several members urged on the Government the necessity of doing more to encourage the timber industry than had hitherto been done. The vote passed as printed. At 12.30 a.m. the Postal and Telegraphic Estimates were tackled, and members made preparations for a late sitting.—The Post-master-General assured the Leader ot the Opposition that, despite recent concessions, there was a substantial increase in the year's telegraphic revenue.—Complaint was made by Captain Russell and Mr Duthie that the departmental report had not been laid on the table. Mr Duthie said that the telegraph service was very unreliable at present. Some telegrams came through with fairly good despatch, but others took hours to come through.—Mr Allen asked how it came about that, whilst the revenue increased by £70,000 in 1891, it dropped down to £30,000 in 1895.—The Postmaster-General said they could not have their cake and eat it. Concessions could not be made to the public and the revenue maintained as well.—ln reply to Mr M'Nab the Postmaster-General said all the departments should be classified or none. The Railway Department was preparing a classification scheme which was not yet complete.—The vote passed on the voices.

Telegraph cable subsidies, £3,909. Carried. Conveyance of mails by sea, £38,292. Mr Buddo aaked whether the PostmasterGeneral considered the San Francisco service a serviceable route. He thought a portion of the money should be given to the Vancouver service, as no trade resulted from the San Francisco route.—Mr Meredith took a similar view. If a direct line of steamers were run between New Zealand and Canada, a large trade would result.—Mr Montgomery called attention to the report that in the event of war the steamers that carried our mails would be placed at the disposal of America. He hoped that was not true, and Baid it was not desirable we should pay large subsidies to people who were hostile to us. —The Postmaster-General said the Government would introduce a Reciprocity Bill, and on that Bill would depend the course to be taken by the Government respecting the Vancouver service. His own opinion was that the colony should have, as far as possible, both services. With respect to the remarks attributed to Mr Spreckels, that gentleman denied having used the words referred to by Mr Montgomery. —Captain Russell aaked what would be the good of the Vancouver service. The only trade resulting from it would be pickled salmon. He thought their chief object should be to get the quickest service to England, and if it could be shown the Vancouver service was quicker than the San Francisco that would be a great point in its favor.—Mr G. W. Russell asked how long the San Francisco service had to run. (The PostmasterGeneral : " Till November, 1897.") He (Mr Russell) thought the best course for the colony to pursue would be to get a cheaper ana better service for the purpose of carrying our produce to the Mother Country, and he was of opinion that the Government should affora the House an opportunity this session of discussing the whole question of the mail service to England. It would be too late next year, as the contract expired in November, 1897. —Mr Crowther thought the expressions of opinion on this question should be straight from the constituencies.— Mr G. J. Smith urged that more expedition should be used in despatching the San Francisco mail South from Auckland.—Mr Buddo thought that New Zealand could obtain as good a service as the San Francisco at a less cost by taking the route via Australia and the Suez Canal. —The Postmaster-General thought that the colony should encourage trade with the Islands as much as possible, and he believed that, with a little nursing, a large trade could be developed in that direction. He agreed that there was room for improvement in the class of steamers employed in the San Francisco service. The Government would make every inquiry on the subject, and early next session would bring down proposals to the House covering the whole question of mail services.—The item was agreed to, and the total vote for the department passed without alteration. On the item of Customs and .darine

Departments Mr Diithie said that there had

been several complaint* of late of excessive vigilance on the part of the Customs officer* He had heard one tonrist say that the Customs officers in New Zealand were the Most exacting of any in the world with the exception of those* of New York*—The Postmaster-General said he would make.

inquiries in the matter. It was the first hri< had heard of this complaint, and perhaps itwas exaggerated. He looked upon the Customs service as a credit to the colony.—' The whole vote was passed without altera- ■ srfJ .?*♦!.« .'.'Mi*-"'.' s3®

The vote Stamp and Deeds Department' was also agreed to without alteration. > Progress, was then reported) the House risjlgat&&«LW. I*VM 7*Hl