HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 277, 22 November 1877, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wellington, Wednesday The House met at 2-30 this afternoon. In reply to a question from Mr Rowe, Mr Macandrew said it was intended to set apart certain lands as eadowments for the Borough of Thames as soon as the native title is extinguished. The following new Bills were introducedMaori Real Estate Management Act Amendment Bill (Mr Sheehan), Wyndham Show Ground Reserves Bill (Mr Wood), Whangarei Point Endowment Bill (Sir R. Douglas) Mr Manders moved to go into Committe on a future day, to have £1000 placed on the tistiinates to remove obstructions at the emrance to Martin's Bay. This was agreed to. Mr Manders' motion to set aside 200,000 acres for a railway from Queenstown to Cromwell, was withdrawn, the Govnrnment promising to make enquiries about the line in the recess.

Mr Stout s motion to recoup the Dunedin City Council £300, being part cost of drafrlug the Dunediu Municipal Corporations Bill or last session, was negatived. Mr Woolcock's motion for going into Committee on a future day to have £10,000 granted for a bridge over the Grey River between Cobden and Greymouth, was agreed to, the Government promising to consider this and similar cases during the recess.

The debate on. Me Murray's motion with reference to endowments to counties and boroughs was resumed.

On Mr Giaborne's motion the first resolution was altered so that the endowment to each county should be from lands within the provincial district.

The discussion on the second resolution was interrupted by 5-30.

The Committee on Railway Management reports, that it is expedient that the management of railways open for traffic should be under separate management to the railways under construction ; that there should be a permanent Commissioner of Railways : that New Zealand coal be used on the railways ; that the block system he used on all lines where there are long tunnels ; that it is inpedient at present to lease the railways, but as an experiment it is desirable to lease the Auckland : Waikato Railway for seven years; that sufficient trains be run on Sundays to meet the public requirements; that railway tickets should be purchasable at shops like postage stamps, or; at the railway stations at any time during office houra. I he following recommendatiens were made :- -1 hat .the system of rendering railway accounts should be rendered monthly instead of weekly, bat that weekly accounts be rendered to the public as heretofore. That the audit of the railway accounts should be so arranged that there will be no necessity to bring the original sub-vouchers fco Wellington. That as the House has fchia aes3ion expressed a definite opinion that aa far as possible railway material should be obtained in the colony by public tender, the Committe considers it unnecessary to do more than express its concurrence in that decision, me Committee recommend a distribution of the schedule for railway supplies, where practicable, in preference to their being obtained from one contractor. That with reference to the classification of goods etc., the Committee consider a classification necessary, subject to revision from time to time, absolute uniformity of traffic charges being impossible, but a discriminating charge having regarded to distance and other local circumstances, should be made. The Committee recommend that increased facilities should be given at reduced rates for the use of special trains, the railway managers of the different sections to have discretionary power. < The Committee recommend that the Government should only weigh goods for their own purposes, and that the issue of weigh notes to the public be discontinued. The Committee consider it expedient that a scale of allowances for railway employees in cages of fatal accidents and accidents resulting in permanent incapacity for work be adopted, independently to railway benefit societies, the allowance to be arranged according to the pay received in the service. The Committee recommend that wherever the Government consider it neceasary for the effectual working of the traffic to adopt a system of town delivery, power shall betaken by the Government to put a delivery rate on all goods, and charge the same to the consignee. The Committee consider that it is not the duty of the Government to provide storage for grain wool, or merchandise, and that such a rate for storage, where forced unon the railway be adopted as will act as a 'prohibitory one! The Committee consider that every facility should be granted for the erection of private stores, with sidings to the railway, at the sole expense of the applicants, or upon such other terms as may be agreed upon. The Committee consider that however desirable it may be to have a uniform mileage for passenger fares, absolute uniformity cannot be adopted and a discretiouary power must be left in the hands of the Ministry to alter the rates in regard to distance, competition, and other local circumstances. The Committee strongly recommended that all tickets, excepting return and excursion, should be available until used, irrespective of the date of their issue. MORE NURSERY SQUABBLES. _„ _ , Thursday. Ihe Local Option Bill was discharged from the Order Paper. The following Bills passed through all their remaining stages." -Public Health Act Amendment Bill, Foxton Harbor Board EudowmeDt and Borrowing Bill, Tinaaru Harbor Bill, Wyndham Recreation Reserve Bill Lytteltpu and Heathcote Recreation Reserve Bill, Milford Harbor Bill, Taranaki Smelting Works Land Bill, Jackson's Bay Road District Bill, Hutt, Waikatane and Palmerston Bill, Domicile Bill, Peninsula County Bill Canterbury Railways Land Reservation Bill! Monnt Cook Road District Bill, Hokonui Education Reserve Bill, Mastertonand Greytown Board Management Act Amendment Bui.

• The Forest Trees Planting Encouragement tfill was further considered ia Committee. The motion for tha Chairman to leave the chair was lost on a division, and ultimately progress waa reported and leave obtained to sit again.

The Lotteries and Art Unions Bill was thrown out in Committee by 27 to 28 The Riverton Public School Bill was withdrawn m Committee.

Addresses were agreed to for the following sums to be placed on tha Estimates:— For works uorth of Auckland £5500 (Sir E Douglas); extension of telegraph to Catlin's Kiverand the Nuggets Lighthouse, £2000 {JSlt otout). Mr Gibbs' motion for reserving 20,000 acres in the Aorere Valley for a tramway to Colhngwood was also agreed to on the understanding that the Government should enquire into the matter during the recess At about 1 1 -30 Mr Sheehan moved the suspension of Standing Orders so that new business might be taken after 12-30 am. in order to enable private members to gat their Bills through. Messrs Hunter, Ormond, Beetham, and several others left the House so as to reduce the numbers below that required to be present before the motion could be put. It therefore lapsed.

After they came back a rather disorderly discussion ensued. Mr Hunter complained of insulting language having been used to him outside.

Mr Reynolds warned Wellington members if they obstructed those who came from a distance that the seat of Government might be removed. B

Mr Orniond said they had gone out because many members had gone home quite sore that the motions in- which they were interested would not come on. A warm altercation then took place, lasting nearly half an hour, Messrs Stout, Rees. Rowe, Swanson, M'Lean, Eeid, and others taking part in it.

Ihe acting Speaker, Mr O'Rorke, interfered several times, ruling that the discussion was quite irregular, bat it still went on. At last it was dropped, andbuaiaess was proceeded with. l

The House rose at 1 -20a.nl