PARLIAMENTARY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 196, 18 August 1880, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

Wellington, Tuesday night. The House met at 2.30. Replying to a question put, ifc was state! that there was no power to recover afc law the Beer Tax simply on a resolution passed in Committee of Supply, and as the tax still rested on a resolution of thafc kind it could nofc be enforced. So soon as the Bill passed, however, it became retrospective, coverin g the resolution passed, and when the Government had the Bill to acfc on, they would have the penalties enforced, so thafc by refusing, as some had done, they did it at their own peril. — Mr Armstrong, locomotive Engineer on the South Island railway, had got notice that his services would be dispensed with. The reason was it had been ascertained tbat be was nofc a trained engineer but a carpenter, and ifc was on that account be had got notice of dismissal. — The Government had already leased certain sections of the reclaimed land in Kelson, and when the railway was completed they would be able to see what was best to be done with the remainder.— -The Government would, so far as it could, prevent indigent persons in one part of the colony becoming chargeable on another part. They were nofc responsible for afamily in that state being forwarded by fche Hinemoa from Taranaki to Lyttelton. — The reduction in the Education vote would take place from , tbe Ist inst. as in the other branches of the public service, and tbe Boards had been asked, and had consented, to co-operate with the Government accordingly. Provision would be made in the supplementary estimates to cover the amount already paid to the Boards for the past four months.— No special provision had been made for keeping up teachers' salaries to the old rate until notice had been given of the reduction. — Late advices from the Agent-General re- ( ported thafc an Inspector of Prisons for the colony had not yet. been appointed. — In accordance with the recommendations of the Civil Service Commission the engineering staff bad been reduced and further reductions were contemplated. The Public Works Bill was introduced, and read the first time, and the second reading was ordered for Friday. On the motion for reporting the resolutions of the Committee of Supply, Sir G. Grey moved their postponement until the Revenue Bills had been discussed. He apprehended thafc when these Bills bad been discussed ifc would be shown that the finances of the colony were not so depressed as had been made out, and that there would be enough to' justify them in increasing their public works proposals. j Mr Hall opposed the amendment, contending thafc the financial state of the colony had been fully ascertained, and that no amount of further investigation would tend to improve matters. The motion for reporting the resolutions was carried. Mr Masters drew attention to the vote Greymouth to Nelson £70,500 from which £21,000 had been struck off the previous evening in his absence. The Government promised to consider whether or not the deduction was likely to interrupt the work, and if so they would give facilities for its re-consideration by the House. Other members made similar complaints. The House adjourned afc 5.30 p.m. Wednesday. On fche motion- of going into Committee of Supply, Mr Speight drew attention to the item in the Permahent Charges of "Arrears of Pension £1433." This, he said, was uunderr r stood to refer to Dr. Pollen, whose claim to a pension had been disallowed by tbe pre.

viotis Government. He moved that the matter be referred to the Public Accounts Committee for investigation. Mr Dick seconded the motion, saying thafc all the authorities concurred that Dr Pollen waa entitled to his pension and the Government desired the fullest enquiy. Tbe motion was agreed to. Mr Pyke moved as a further amendment, that the reduction of ten per cent in the salaries should not apply to those of £200 and under. Negatived on a division by 41 to 32. Nearly tbe whole night was occupied yi Committee of Supply on the vote for the Otago Central line. Mr Oliver said it waa merely to find work for the unemployed until he could go South and arrange for the men beiug more profitably employed elsewhere. Ultimately the vote was reduced by £20,000. Several other Otago lines were passed and the House rose at 2 o'clock.