WELLINGTON.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 189, 10 August 1881, Page 2

WELLINGTON.

(From oar own correspondent ) [By Telegraph.] "Tuesday, io p.m. Much leas interest than usual is manifested in the Public Works Statement to-night, probably owing to the fact that so large a portion of the principal works proposed to bs carried out are now contemplated to be undertaken by private enterprise assisted by Government grants. All the galleries were only partly filled, especially that devoted to Legislative Councillors, of whom only three were present at first, all Otago men, namely, Mesßr3 Holmes, Reynolds, and Paterson, and one or two dropped in later. Mr Hall on rising to deliver the Statement waa received with applause. He read the Statement very clearly and distinctly, and was listened to with close attention. The first applause was elicited by the announcement of the precise amount of net profit yielded by the railways, and still more by the statement of the excellent results given by the New Zealand coal, and that it is now solely used as fuel on the railways. On the whole, however, there was almost total rilenoe until reference was made to the roads in Taranaki, which was received with cheers and counter cheers of a somewhat ironical natuie and much laughter and tome idUovoce "chaff" of Taranaki members who endeavored to look stolidly unconscious. Each allusion to the roadi projected produced applause from the representatives of the district! affected. There was a good deal of merriment over the limited proposals for public bnildioge, especially at the promise given to increase the accommodation in the Lunatic Asylums, which members seemed to consider somewhat personal. All, however, wa3 in perfect good humor, it being well known that the funds are limited, and therefore that no excessive works could be undertaken during the current year. The Premier's announcement of the Ministerial policy in regard to the limitation of futore borrowing was very well received, and heartily applauded. Mr Hall concluded at 8*45 amid loud; applause from both Bides of the House, having spoken just one hour and a quarter. The question was just about to be put for going into Committee of Supply when Sir George Grey rose and opposed it on the ground that further information was wanted before proceeding with the Estimates These persistent obstructions to going into Supply are becoming a serious obstacle to business. Bat for this system now constantly adopted by the Opposition, good progress would have been made this afternoon, bat they deliberately talked against time, and Sir George Grey is doing the same thing to-night. The rtsult is that the question is under consideration whether it may not be necessary to adopt some modification of the Parliamentary rules to check this unreasonable impeding of business. Every motion for going into Supply is now a signal for along debate, aad an almost total stoppage of progress in consequence. More will be heard of this later. The present condition of the Order Paper is as follows:— 82 Bills in various stages; 55 notices of motion, and 22 questions. There have been 297 petitions presented, and 157 papers laid on tne table. This Day. The Colonial Industries Committee have made another interim report impressing upon the House the necessity of giving effect to the previous report relative to the duty on maizd They also recommend that the practice of leasing considerable areas of kauri gum land to individuals with the. exclusive right to dig for gum be discontinued, and that licenses to dig gum on Crown lands be issued on payment of a reasonable fee under a system similar to that on the gold fields . The Goldfields Committee have presented a report advising that the gold duties be entirely abolished. The Public Accounts Committee reported to-day on the Controller* memorandum relative to the payment of £300 to Mr Reea. The report is aa follows:— "The Committee having again carefully considered the question remitted to it by the House decides that further action devolves on the Government either to proceed against the Ministers who authorised the payment, or to place the amount on the Estimates as unauthorised expenditure."