PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5414, 3 August 1878, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE'COUNCIL. Friday, August 2. The Hon. tha Spkaker took the chair at the usual hour. NOTICES, ETC. Some notices of motion were given aud papers laid ou the table. TUB IUWBA. The Hon. Colonel BRUIT desired permission to ask a question without notice. Considerable nnxiety was felt about the Hawea. Ho would ask the Colonial Secretary if the Government had taken any action in the matter, to ascertain her safety or otherwise ? The Hon. Colonel WHITMORE said he was glad to be able to give on the part of tho Government satisfactory information. Tho Government were at that moment doing their utmost to obtain the services of the H ymphe, and it was intended that as soon as tho Hiuemoa could .be got rea iy she should proceed to sea. Unfortunately the engines of that vessel had been taken to pieces, but she would be despatched as early as possible. (Hear, hear). Later on 'the Hon. Colonel Whitmore communicated to the Council the news of the safety of tho Hawea.. QUESTIONS. The Hon. Mr. CHAMBERLIN asked the Hon. the Colonial Secretary,—lf the Government will lay on the table at an early period a return showing the amount of money paid as compensation for cattle destroyed on the railways of the colony since 1870? —The Government would comply with the request. The Hon. Mr. Hall asked the Hon. .the Colonial Secretary,^-Whether surveys have beeu made of the railways enumerated in the Canterbury Railways Laud Reservation Bill of 1876 ; and whether he will lay on the table copies of any reports which have been made on the subject of these railways? Tho Hon. Colonel WHITMORE replied in the affirmative. The H«n. Mr. LAHMANN asked the Hon. the Colonial Secretary,—Whether the Go- ' vernment are in possession of Sir Johu Conde’s report on the harbor works of Grejmouth ; and, if so, whether the said report will be laid on the table of this Council ? The Hon. Colonel WHITMORE replied that the Government had not yet got tho report iu question. Tlie Hon. G. R. JOHNSON asked the hon. the Colonial Secretary,—Whether applicatiou had beeu made to the Government to place the public cemetery at Makaraka, in Poverty Bay, under the control of trustees; and whether it is the intention of the Government to do so ? The Hon. Colonel WHITMORE said that application had been made and trustees appointed. The Hon. G. K. JOHNSON asked the Colonial Secretary,—Whether it is true, as was stated at the time the Patutahi Block was offered for sale by .auction, that the Government have undertaken to carry out drainage works on the block mentioned; and, if so, why uo steps have beeu taken to carry out this work ? In reply, Colonel Whitmore informed the hon. member that the Government had so promised. The Hon. Mr. HART asked the hon. the Colonial Secretary,— Whetherit is the intention of the Government to introduce a Bill to amend the Leases and Sales of Settled Estates Act 1863 ? —lt was not the intention of the Government to introduce such a Bill. The Hon. Mr. HART asked the hon. the Colonial Secretary,—Whether it is the intention of the Government to introduce a Bill- to amend the Stamp Act, 1875 ? The Hon. Colonel WHITMORE : Yes ; such a Bill would be brought iu. HARBOR ACT.' The’Hon. Colonel WHITMORE introduced a Bill to amend the Harbor Act, 1875. The Bill was read a first time. RETURNS. The Hon. Mr. HALL moved, —That there be laid upon the table a return of the amount of land revenue received iu the several provincial districts during the six months ended 30th June, 1873, distinguishing the.amount received on account of sales of land, rents, receipts on account of land sold on' deferred payments,, and other heads of receipt; and showing the amount of such revenue paid to the several local bodies in each provincial district. . Also, a similar return with regard to gold fields revenue for the same period.—Agreed to. The Hon. Mr. HALL moved,—That there be laid upon the table a return showing the amount of Crown laud sold, but not surveyed, in each proviSoial district ou the 31st December last.—Agreed to; BRANDS REGISTRATION BILL. The Council then went into committee ou this Bill. There was considerable discussion on clause s—“ The Council of every County Council may from time to time appoint such persons as they shall think fit to be registrars of brands, and regulate the payment of such persons. The Council may alio remove any such persons as they shall think tit.” The clause was passed as printed. Clauses 6 and 7 passed without amendment, and clauses 8 and 9 were postponed. Clause 10 was verbally amended and agreed to. Clauses 11 and 12 passed. On clause 13 Colonel Whitmore thought the clause should bo amended so as to confer the right of transfer. It was altered to that effect and agreed .to. Clause 1-1 was passed, and clause 15 postponed. Clauses 16, 17, and 18 were passed as printed. Progress was then reported. The Council adjourned at 5 p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Friday, August 2. The Speaker took the chair at 2.30 p.m. NEW MEMBER. Mr. Feldwiok, introduced by Hon. Mr. Stout and Mr. Wood, took the oaths and his seat. 'PETITIONS. Petitions were presented by Messrs. Outten, Green, Bsetham, Tole, Hamlin. NOTICES. Notices of motion were' given by Messrs. Fox, Wallis, Wakefield, Sutton, Thomson, Moss, and Curtis. LEAVE OF ABSENCE. Leave of absence was granted to Mr. Pyke tor ten days, on urgent private business. MINISTERS’ SALARIES, &0, Mr. JOHNSTON asked the Colonial Treasurer,—The amount of salary drawn by each Minister since tho accession to office of Sir G. Grey, and tho amount each Minister has received beyond his actual salary by way of house allowance, or travelling or other expenses ; also the amount paid by each Minister in occupation of a Ministerial residence for rent ? The Hon. Mr. BALLANCE laid a return on the table. (Tho return will be found in another column.) CONSOLIDATED STOCK ACT, 1877. Mr. STEVENS asked the Colonial Treasurer,—Whether he is prepared to inform this House of the extent to which holders of consolidated stock have availed themselves of the provisions -of tho New Zealand Consolidated Stock Act, 1877; and also to what extent the last loan-issue has been brought under the operation of that Act ? The Hon. Mr. BALLANCE was understood to'nay that the ' Government had not been advised of any actual transactions at Homo, but that the commissioners of various trust funds in tho colony had invested £900,000. With regard to the second part of the question, no information had been received, but a letter, giving information as to the raising c f tho recent loan, was in the hands of the printer, and would be laid on the table of the House on next sitting day. DOMAINS AND GARDENS. Mr. WAKEFIELD asked the Government, —Whether they intend to introduce any measure this session for placing tho public domains and gardens throughout tho colony on -an uniform and permanent basis as regards maintenance and management; and, if so, whether the mode of maintenance is to be by Parliamentary grants, by local rates, or by endowments ! The Hon.JVfr. STOUT : No. SETTLEMENT OF RAILWAY RESERVES. Mr. WAKEFIELD asked tho Government, —(1) Whether they have taken any steps, iu accordance with the promise given last session, to subdivide and throw open for settlement tho reserves adjacent to the railways; (2) whether, if no steps have been taken, they contemplate taking any at an early date ? , Tho Hon. Mr, MACANDREW said that after tho prorogation steps were taken to ascertain tho position of a largo number of those reserves, and . subsequently instructions were given to have them surveyed into sections, &o. This hud been done, and a Bill was now being prepared to enable tho lands to bo jsoltj, ns well as other reserves. NELSON TELEGRAPH EXTENSION. Mr. GIBBS asked the Commissioner of Telegraphs,—What action .has been taken during tho recess towards carrying oat tho recommendations of the Petitions Committee

ou the petition of certain inhabitants of Nel--son and Golden Bay, for an extension of the telegraph from Motueka to Collingwood ? The Hon, Mr. FISHER replied none. The Government, on enquiry, thought the probable small return did not warrant the necessary expenditure. If the hon. gentleman, could arrange for a guarantee .from the parties interested the line would be constructed MINING COMPANIES ACT. In answer to Mr.'Reeves, The Hon. Mr. STOUT said the Government did not propose to bring in a Bill to amend the Mining Companies Act. They. were not aware of any but trifling defects ;■ but if the hon. member could show the Government tho contrary the matter would be considered. Mr. REEVES said the Act was a mass of contradiction from beginning to end. NELSON SOOTH WEST COALFIELDS. Mr. REEVES asked the Government, —If it is their intention to appoint a locxl assistant commissioner of Waste Lands for the Nelson South-West Goldfields? There' was a great deal of inconvenience owing to head-quarters being at Nelson. The Hon. Mr. STOUT was understood to say the matter would be considered by the Government. NEW BILLS. The following noiv Bills were introduced and read a first time;—Tile Laud Claims I inal Settlement Bill, a Bill to consolidate and amend the Law relating to Courts of Inferior Jurisdiction, a Bill to provide for tho Reprint of Statutes, a Bill to .amend the Debtors and Creditors Act, 1876, and a BUI for the Regula* tion of Coal Mines. TRADE UNIONS BILL. This BUI was reported from committee, and passed through all stages. CIVIL SERVICE ACTS AMENDMENT BILL. The Hon., Mr. STOUT moved the second reading of this BiU. He said it was intended to remove certain doubts which had arisen, and to give effeot to what evidently was the intention of the present law. For instance, when an officer holding office in one department was removed to another department, was that a new appointment ? This question had been raised, in England, and an Act had been passed declaring it was not. It was also raised in New Zealand, and the present Bill proposed to deal with it .as tho matter had beeu dealt with iu England. Tiia third clause of tho Act dealt with that. The fourth clause dealt with another point. Under the Act of 1866 it was provided that persons in tlie Civil Service should be allowed to count as time in the Government service, for the purposes of calculating compensation, the time they spent iu tlie Provincial" Government or Now Zealand Company’s service. But a question had beeu raised as to whether the provision was confined to persons appointed under the Act of 1866. The ’Government considered it applied to all, whether appointed under the Act of 1866 or that of 1871, and this BUI provided that the .Act should he so construed. Thus all persons would be placed upon the same footing. Major ATKINSON inquired whether the Act would cover the-case of Mr. Daniels, late Commissioner of Crown Lands ? The Hon. Mr. STOUT : Yes. Sir, STEVENS wanted to know whether the Government intended to continue the practice of giving gratuities to widows of civil servants, under section -10 of the Act. He hoped the point would be considered. Mr. KELLY thought the BiU required consideration, as it appeared to give a right which officers did not possess before. There were many questions arising out of a consideration of the Bill, and a little time was wanted. Mr. WOOD thought provision should be made to recognise men who had, owing to recent legislation, been transferred from the Government service to that of Harbor Boards. Were these gentlemen to be entitled - to pensions in the end ? . . . Mr. De LAUTOUR asked that enquiries should be made as to the position of goldfields officers. Resident Magistrates and other officers were shut out from benefits, because they .were paid out of provincial revenue. They were so paid as a matter of convenience, and it was never intended they should be shut out of benefits by reason of that accident. The Hoh Mr. STOUT said the Bill would revive no claims, but would merely continue valid claims. ,As to Harbor Board officers they would if their office under the Board were disturbed receive tho same compensation as if they had remained in the Government service. As to goldfields officers, it must be remembered that the- magistrates ou the goldfields received higher salaries than similar officers under the General Government. That was their consideration, and they could not ha entitled to pensions. He would introduce a new clause to prevent tho revival of any old claims. Bill read a second time. CLASSIFICATION OF PETITIONS COMMITTEE. On the motion of Mr. O’Rorke, the House proceeded to discuss the report of the Standing Orders Committee on the subject of clasification of petitions. Mr. O’RORKE moved that the report be agreed to as follows : —All other such petitions after they shall have been ordered to lie on the table, shall be referred, without any question being put, to the Committee of Oiasifioation, with a view to ascertain whether such petitions are. in compliance with standing orders, and to claaify the same for distribution amongst the several committees of tho House ; but if any such petition relate to any matter or subject with respect to which the member presenting it has given notice of a motion, and tlie said petition has not been ordered to he printed by the committee, such member may, after notice given, move-that such petition be printed. Agreed to. Mr. SHEEHAN then moved, —That a select committee be appointed, to which shall be referred, in the first instance, p.ll petitions presented to this House, in order to ascertain whether such petitions are in compliance with standing orders, and to classify the same for distribution amongst the several committees of the House, according to the nature of the contents of such petitions. The committee to consist of "Mr, Barff, Mr, Outten, Hon. Mr. Gisborne, Dr. Hodgkin.son, Mr. Johnston, Mr. Murray-Aynsley, Mr. Taiaroa, and the mover. Three to he a quorum. Agreed to. FRAUDULENT DEBTORS BILL.. Sir. STOUT, in moving tlie second reading of. this Bill, referred to the Fraudulent Debtors Acts 6f 1875 and 1876, and the Debtors and Creditors Act, 1875, and said confusion had arisen from their being separate enactments upon practically the same subject. This" Bill was intended to consolidate the law merely. There were no new provisions. Bill read a second time. THE HINEMOA. Mr. FITZROY moved, —That a return be laid before this House, showing the total cost of tho working and maintenance of the 60. . vernment steamer Hinemoa, from tho Ist of December, 1877, to tho 30th of Juno, 1878. Also, a return giving the names of those persons, other than" his Excellency and staff, and Ministers, who, during th'e aforesaid period, have travelled in tlie Hinemoa at the expense of the colony. Ho said a feeling had got abroad, justly or unjustly, that the steamer had been too much used during the past seven months, and that the Government had taken their friends about the country in her at tho public expense. Sir GEORGE GREY said there was no objection to the return, provided it was extended to since 1870, and the Luna was included. Mr. GISBORNE thought the return should show who were Government officers and who were not, and that those who had paid the, expenses of their subsistence should bo distinguished from those who had not. ° Mr. FITZROY had no objection to tho amendment. Tlie motion as amended was agreed to. GAOLS COMMITTEE. On the motion of Mr. Sharp, tho name "of Curtis was added to tho Committee on Gaols. The House adjourned .shortly before four o’clock, ,