Page 4 Advertisements Column 4

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume V, Issue 198, 23 August 1870, Page 4

The Public Works Bill. — As will be seen by the following report from the Wellington Post, the Government are carrying their principal measures through the House with a high hand : — There was a very thin House while tbe Public Works Bill was being pushed through committee iat a speed which the railways which are to be made UDder it will scarcely be able to imitate. Most of tbe members seemed to have made up their mind to accept Mr. Bunney's advice, and swallow the black draught at a gulp, and having done so, adjourned to Bellamy's to take the raste away. A few members, however, remained conscientiously in their places, and foremost amongst them were Messrs. Richmond, Hall, and Rolleston. Mr. Vogel was apparently in a more yielding humour than on Friday evening ; and while intimating his intention of accepting some trifling verbal amendment, which Mr. Richmond had suggested to him, he offered that gentleman the satisfaction of formally moving it — an offer which Mr. Richmond did not avail himself of. On the clause relating to water supply on the goldfields, Mr. Vogel also yielded to the representations of Messrs. Hall, Richmond, and Fitzherbert, by consenting to limit the expenditure of the £300,000 to a sum not exceeding £100,000 per annum. Mr. C. O'Neill tried to get this sum increased by oue half, but he found no support, tbe feeling of the House being decidedly that £100,000 a-year was quite enough to spend in works which at best are somwhat of a speculative character. Mr. Vogel also remarked that the expenditure of this money would probably be the most difficult portion of the whole financial scheme, aud he expressed a hope that it might be found necessary to expeud the actual borrowed money, as the necessary works might, he thought, be best constructed by a system of guarantees. A long discussion took place on an amendment proposed by Mr. Richmond, which would have debarred the Government from buying native land in any province until asked to do so by the Superintendent and Provincial Council. This limitation the Government refused to accept, as it would practically shut them out from buying altogether. Mr. Rollesfcon tried to impose some lestriction as to ascertaining title before buying, but both proposals were negatived, as were also another amendment of Mr. Richmond's to limit the annual expenditure in this direction to £25,000. Mr. Richmond, however, was more successful in another suggestion, which the Government adopted. It was one allowing the Government to grant annuties to natives in payment for land. The clauses relating to the summary taking of land for railway purposes caused a good deal of discussion, some members fearing that private interests might in some cases suffer severely from the exercise of the large powers of road diversion given to the Government, aud others fearing that a great deal of money would be wasted in paying excessive compensation. Various ways of preventing extortionate demands of this kind were suggested, and a very positive determiuation not to be taken in was expressed by the Government. One honorable member thought it, useless to give power to carry lines through " vineyards and parks," as neitl er were very common in New Zealand, luit Mr. Main said there were plenty of vineyards in Otago, and Mr. Bunny suggested that the words should stand, as they really sounded well, and would make people at. a distance think what a grand country this wsis. A large number of new clauses were introduced into the bill, and during the consideration of oue allowing the appointment, of a Board of Works to advise the Minister, Mr Vogel stated that the Government would, next, session, come down with a l>i!l providing for the constitution of the Board, and exactly defiuing its powers and duties. At present they had not. sufficient information to enable them to d<> so. When the last clause was agreed to there was a good deal of cheering, and the occupants of the Ministerial benches looked absolutely radient. It must certainly have been a proud moment for Mr. Vojjel. " Waiter, this bit of turbot is not so good as that you gave us last Sunday." Waiter : " Bep pardon, sir ; it's off the very same fish."