HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 239, 29 September 1876, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

m. TT "Wellingtox, Thursday. 1 lie House met at 2,30. to-day. Mr Pyke gave notice to move for £200 bemg placed on the Estimates to defray the cost of a flying survey of the Clutha River. Mr Laruach asked the Government whether taey would introduce a Bill to enable the Governor iu Council to fix a season during which the various kinds of game in the colony may be hunted, shot, taken, or killed. Mr Bowen said he believed hares were becoming a great nuisance and a serious danger to new plantations in the colony but il was competent for the Government by proclamation to exclude hares from the operation of the Protection of Animals Act and as there was no danger of exterminating them now, that would be preferable to introducing fresh legislation at present. Mr Larnach asked the Government— (l) What Government buildings, stationery, and furniture throughout the colony are insured; and, if so, for what sum, and in what offices? (2) Whether the Government accept any of the above risks on the Government account; and, if so, in what manner is the account for such kept in the books of the Government. The Premier said the Government insured the large buildings to a limited extent, but not throughout the colony. The House they were in, the new buildiug on the reclaimed land, the Library, and Public Works, were insured. Practically however, the Government were their own insurers, thougli they kept no account. He would however, instruct that an insurance account be opened at once in the Treasury. Mr Dignan asked whether the Government are taking or intend to take measures for extending the Auckland Railway from the present terminus at Britoinart Point to Queen-street Wharf at its junction with Custom House-street. Mr Richardson said they would, consider the matter as soon as they had funds for the work at their disposal. At present they could not undertake the works. Mr Brown (Tuapeka) asked the PostmasterGeneral if the name of Havelock, Otago, would bu allowed to be changed to Waitahuna? Mr Whitaker explained that the Post-master-General had not the power to change the name, though he had the power to name the post offlce, and if he understood the hon. gentleman to be expressing the wish of his constituents he had no objection to call the post office at Havelock the Waitahuna Post Oiliee. In reply to Mr Barff, Mr Richardson said the Superintendent of Westland had taken steps for the erection of a courthouse and police barracks at Kuuiara. Mr Fitzroy moved, " That in the opinion of this House it is expedient that better provisions than at present exists in the harbor of Wellington should be made for lauding and shipping mails to and fron the 'Frisco mail steamers." Mr Whitaker said it was the contractor's business to laud the mails. The PostmasterGeneral knew nothing of the mails until they were delivered. There never had beeu any difficulty but on one occasion, and then the mail was a very small one. The motion was negatived. On the motion of the Premier it was ordered that Government business should take precedence for the remainder of the session. Mr Button gave notice to move that the House sit on Saturdays for the remainder of the session, and that after to-morrow no new business be taken. Mr Lumsden moved that it is desirable that all railway bridges over main rivers contiguous to main road lines, where bridges have not been previously constructed, should be made available for ordinary traffic under such regulations as the Government may from time to time see fit to enforce. Mr Richardson said there were great objections against doing what was asked but the chief one was on the score of expense. Experience too, had shown that these combined bridges were a mistake. It was better and actually cheaper to have two bridges, a skeleton one for railway purposes and a substantial one for road traffic. The motion was agreed to on the vocics. On the motion of Sir George Grey, it was ordered that the original draft of the Polynesian scheme be laid before the House. Mr Barff moved, "That, having in view the vast undeveloped mineral wealth of the colony, and the necessity of obtaining the fullest possible information concerning themetals aud minerals with whicli the country abounds, this House is of opinion that it is advisable to establish a School of Mines." The hon. gentleman said that though the number of miners in Kew Zealand had not decreased lately, the yield of gold had decreased very sensibly. In Victoria, on the other hand, while the number of miners fell oif very largely, the yield of gold liad increased; and this result was felt, to those capable of giving an intelligent opinion upon the matter, to be entirely due to the School of Mines, the foundation of which was laid iu 1809 in a very humble way. He did not think it would bo necessary to go to the expense of an erection for the purpose. The most economic plan would be to establish the School of Mines in conjunction with some of the scholastic institutions of the colony. He was uot very particular as to what part of the colony the school was in. He thought a beginning could be made if the Government would put a very small sum on the Estimates. From what was known of the resources of the colony, he ventured to predict that if the House affirmed his resultiou, greater benefits would be derived in this colony than had been the case in Victoria, and there they had been very great. Mr Bowen had no objection to agreeing with the motion in so far as the expression of an opinion-, but all they felt prepared to do at present was to take the earliest opportunity of communicating with those at the head of the scholastic institutions both in Canterbury and Otago, iu each of whicli there were gentlemen well qualified to impart all the branches of knowledge required in connection with a School of Mines. Tlie motion was agiced to. The Speaker left the chair at 5-30. Tlie Waste Lands Committee of the Assembly amended the Bill, and advocated the cutting into small blocks of 5000 acres, and it > sell them at twenty shillings per acre on deferred payments, with a resident clause. Friday. The House resumed at 7*30. Mr Macfarlanc moved the second reading of the Forest Act Repeal Bill, with a view to stopping the present expenditure on forestry. Tlie Premier did not oppose it, but announced that in committee he would convert it into merely an amending Act for the present, leaving the useful portion to be availed of at a future tinje. While every speaker agreed in condemning Lhe Forest Act as wild, inapplicable to the wants of all parts of the colony, and unnecessary, the majority appeared to be of the same opinion as the Premier. The Bill was read tlie second time. Mr Larnach moved for 4:2000 being placed on tlie Estimates lor Die Otago Museum, but withdrew it on (lie assurance of the Premier that he would in the meantime provide for the support of the Museum out of the land . fund of the province, and next session bring down proposals of general application.

The Rahhit Nuisance Bill was read the second time. A long discussion was resumed upon the second reading of the Diseased Sheep Bill, tlie penalties imposed in the first part of the 15x11 De "ig considered monstrous by some members, while those interested in wool raising said that stringent measures were absolutely necessary iu the interests of the country. The Harbor Bill will be taken thi3 afternoon. The House adjourned at 1 a.m.