HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 220, 25 October 1878, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wellington, Thursday night. This afternoon Dr Hodgkinsongave notice to a3k the Government whether they will next session introduce a Bill for regulating towns on private lands. Mr Eitzroy gave notice to ask the Government if it is true tbey have declared or intend to declare of New Zealand, and if so when (?) also by what authority they intend to alter the National Anthem by supplying Bracken's Anthem to schools, and what will bi the cost? The Premier laid on the table papers relative to the alteration of reserves in Taranaki aud Canterbury.—The Government also laid on the table further papers relative to immigration; returns of (.rown lands reserved for railways; report of the Civil Service Examination Board; and the report of the Geological Survey Department.—Mr Macandrew laid on the table a report showing the extent of damage to the Clutha railway by the flood, showing the estimated cost of repairs to be £10,300. Mr Macandrew said the Government proposed to ask the authority of Parliament to advance a sum not exceeding £50,000 to the local bodies by way of loan, to be paid by equal annual instalments running over five years, and would distribute the liability according to the financial conditions of those bodies. Mr Macandrew also laid on the table correspondence relating to the New Zealand Railway Wagon Company. Mr Giaborne asked when the Gevernment would state the course they intend to pursue in Mr Barton's ease.—The Premier said it wa-3 so late in the sessifln that he could uot give a definite answer at present. The Premier then moved th.c adjournment of tho House in order to malfe a Ministerial Statement relative to the correspondence oa granting the use of special wires to Messrs G. M. Reed, Ilortou, and Reeves. He so id the question raised was whether free printing was to be allowed or not. The Government 0 -iy £e*jired in granting these facilities to break up ttie monopoly of the Press Agency,

which thoy believed stereotyped public opinion, and was opposed to tha pablic interests, dwarfed public opinion, and prevented public instruction. He contended tbat the evening papers in the colony were allowed greater privileges than in England, while the morning papers were only placed on an equal footing with the English press. The special wires would be granted on the same system as in England. He accused Dr Lemon of resisting the concessions to the press. He denied any monopoly of a special wire, and contended that the same privileges were open to ali. He defended himself from the personal attacks made upon him in connection with that question, and asserted his belief that the action of the Government would receive the approval of the country. Mr M'Lean denounced the arrangement between the Government and three leading papers as infamous, and expressed his surprise that the Premier had acknowledged his assent to the scheme. He accused the Government of granting special privileges to friends, and of a desire to crush the independent section of the press. He accused the Government of allowing Mr G. M. Reed to accompany them in their visits to the Natives for the purpose of manufacturing press telegrams to support the Government policy. He contended that the Government were not in a position to provide special wires for two press organizations, and said that, had the correspondence not been drawn out, the Government would have given a secret monopoly and throttled the independent press of New Zealaud. He accused the lremier of being actuated by motives of hostility to one of the proprietors of the Press Agency. Mr Johnston pointed to that part of the corrrespondence in which Dr. Lemon had condemned the proposed arrangement as a monopoly and said that, in spite of that, the Premier had signed a memo ordering that the concessions should be granted. Mr Eeldwick, as proprietor of a journal, said he was satisfied with the proposed arrangement. Major Atkinson considered that the freedom of Press was involved, and denounced the concessions as designed to create a monopoly. He severely condemned the Premier's referencesto Dr. Lemon as subversive of the Civil Service. Mr Ballance defended the special wire arrangement with three morning papers and contended that the Government was justified in making it, haviug received Dr. Lemon's assurance that facilities were available to the Press Agency. Mr Oliver exonerated the Government, provided the same privileges were granted to the evening journals. Mr Roileston was sure the country would not justify the conduct of the Government. Mr Moss defended the Government, but hoped that equal facilities would be granted to the evening journals. Messrs Bowen, Richardson, Rowe, and Douglas condemned tbe Government. Mr Wakefield defended the Press Agency from the charge of a monopoly, and contended that the only reason they had been unopposed was that the journals of the colony found ifc convenient to receive telegrams from that source instead of employing their own agents. He had examined Parliamentary reports sent by the Press Agency and found them admirably impartial. The debate was interrupted by the adjournment. _ . Friday. Last night the House resolved to ait on Saturday from 2.30 till not later than 10 o'clock. The remainder of the sitting was occupied over the adjourned debate on on the Railways Construction Will. Major Atkinson, in a long speech, blamed the Government for bringing forward so important a Bill two or three days before the close of the session. He thought that no Government should be entrusted with uncontrolled power to spend such an enormous sum as was set down iv the schedule. The present debt of the colony was 22 millions, which would be increased by six and a half millions, and the Government ought to have brought down a Loan Bill with their proproposals. He complained of the treatment of the North Island as compared with that of the South. He hoped the Bill would be withdrawn. He said the Minister for Public Works could enter into contracts for making these lines without coming to the House. Mr Fox considered theßillas unparalleled. Mr Ballance expressed surprise at Major Atkinson, a member of the late continuous Ministry, talking of the present Government spending so much money in the South Island on the construction of railways, and also as to the statement that the Minister was anxious only to see railways constructed ia Otago, because one of the lines he had most at heart was that from the Hutt to Foxton. After considerable discussion, pro and cnn, Mr Curtis' amendment tor reading the Bill that day six months was negatived by 45 to The Bill was then read the second time on the voices, and ordered to be committed to-morrow. The House adjourned at 2.15 a.m.