PARLIAMENT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1319, 16 July 1880, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

Wellington, July 18. In the Legislative Council to-day, I After a very little formal business the Council adjourned, having sat only five minutes, on the motion of Mr. Whitaker,j out of respect to the Hon. Mr. Edwards, ,j one of its oldest members, news of whose i death at Nelson had just been received. : In the House of Representatives today, Mr. Reeves gave notice that he would move that Resident Magistrates and Wardens be removed at least once in every three years. Replying to Mr. Jones, Mr. Hall said the Government did not think it would be of any use calling for tenders from colonial printing offices for the supply of telegraph forms for a period of five years, as he did not believe they could compete with the Home market. He would, however,' give the matter, further consideration. \ - In introducing the Maori Prisoners Bill, which was read a first time, Mr. Bryce said, to meet the circumstances of the ; case, he would-ask it to be passed through all its stages to-morrow. The following Bills were read a second time : Port of Molyneux Reserves Leasing. Act 1876 Amendment, Tarauaki ;Iron : Smelting Works Land Act 1874 Amendment, O&maru Waterworks Act 1875 Amendment, and the Public Healthy Act 1876 Amendment Bill. j Mr. George moved that in future during this session the House sits on Monday. Mr. Hall acquiesced in the motion, 1 adding that in view of the great amount of work to be got through, the Government were considering the propriety of . asking the. House to sit at noon on Wednesdays. The motion was put and carried. , Sir G. Grey moved that a Select Committee be appointed to enquire and report upon the petition of Louis Trenfold, of the Thames, complaining of the manner in which licenses have been' refused to be renewed, to certain public-houses in the Thames district; such- Committee to consist of Captain Colbeck, Messrs. Hirst, Macandrew, M'Donald, M'Lean, Reeves, Whitaker, Reader Wood, and the mover. Mr. Hall objected, stating that a Select Committee was unnecessary, and that the l Public Petitions Committee ;vas the proper tribunal. Mr. Tole said the Petitions Committee had already decided the point in connection with a petition from Christchu'rch. In these circumstances he thought a different tribunal should be chosen. Mr. Stewart urged that the petition before the House showed the necessity that existed for provision being made in the Licensing Bill for giving licensees a right to appeal from the decision of the licensing Commissioners. Sir W. Eos spoke against that view, contending that in Scotland a right of appeal was provided for, and it was found to work unsatisfactorily. . Mr. Reader Wood supported the motion. On a division, after a long discussion, the motion was lost by 27 to 32. Mr. Jones moved, "That all correspondence connected with the appointment of Mr. Henry Houghton, of Dunedin, to a position in the Government Life Assurance and Annuities Department be laid before this House."—Carried. The adjourned debate on the second reading of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Endowment Bill was resumed. Mr. Turnbull suggested that the Bill be read that day . six months. Mr. Hall said he intended to support the second reading. He denied that it ■ would clash with the Bill on this subject introduced by the Government. Mr. de Lautour said the Bill wonld have to be altered before it could possibly pass ■ through Committee. Mr. Stewart spoke in favor of the Bill. Sir G. Grey said the whole system proposed in this Bill was adverse to the public interest. It would be prejudicial to the • poor of New Zealand, and the funds would • be badly administered. He would allow ■ residents of localities to choose persons to administer charitable aid and levy rates requisite for that purpose. Mr. Gisborne said he thought the Bill would be highly beneficial to the community at large. Mr, Sheppard also considered the principle of the Bill to be sound, and would . support the motion. t Mr. Stevens replied, and on being put, ? the second reading was carried on the . voices. The House went into Committee on the Otago Harbor Board Empowering i Bill. i Mr. Macandrew opposed the provision . to borrow L 250,000, and contended that a i Bill of this magnitude ought to have been introduced by the Government. A large • sum had been already wasted by this . Board. Sir John Coode's report had not been very satisfactory as regards : the Upper Harbor. What should be done ' was to look after the entrance. He : moved that the amount he reduced to LIOOjOOO, and he stipulated that one-half that sum should be expended on improving the entrance. 1 Mr. Barron proposed that the amount : be L 125.000. Mr. Hall thought the sum of LIOQ,OOO should be agreed to. Mr. Stewart spoke in favor of the r amount being retained as printed. Mr. Oliver hoped the amount would be , fixed at not less than L 150,000. He said that unless the Board was allowed to exercise borrowing'powers to a reasonable amount, , the work, in an incomplete state, would be cast on the hands of the colony. The Board originally estimated that this work would cost L 600,000. Already a sum of L 250,000 had been spent, and he believed that some good-effects had : resulted from that expenditure. At first he I . was of opinion that they should have devoted themselves to improving the entrance, and affording good shipping facilities for Port Chalmers. Now, however, that they had gone into expense, and a sum of L 250,000 had been spent on the Upper Harbor, he thought they might make such further reasonable allowances as would enable the Board to make the Upper Harbor fit for large shipping. Mr. M'Lean hoped they would sanotioh the L 150,000 without any condition. Mr. Macandrew disputed the statement that Government would have to take the work if it waa found that the Harbor Board could not carry on. Nothing drawing, over 14ft. of water could go up to Dunedin, and they had that depth in the upper harbor years ago, long before the Board had anything to do with it. He would agree to L 125,000 rather than divide the House. Mr. Hurst felt quite certain that the other branch of the Legislature would not consent to these large borrowing powers. The time had come when they must cease exercising.these borrowing powers, and ao strongly did he feel on the subject that he would take the Vote of the House. - Mr. Dick said the .Board had a revenue of L20,0q0, ,a portion of which, at all evehts, would go, towards providing for interest 1 on the loan. He would like the sum made L 150,000. : Mr. Stewart argued that it would be a Reproductivevrork, and the .proposal to limit the borrowing powers would have | the effect of defeating that prospect. ! Sir-'G; -Grey- said iio one could doiibt k that a the .progress of Dunedin within the " next 15 or 20 years would bo quite sufficient to warrant the He felt certain-a--fair these Workstwoulii •b&' recouped tcuo ■thslCQlonyiixrii.-;'./rj;.,,r.>l ,«;xai£vitaaH: I Mr. thought if the original borrowing power—had been limited to

made of it; The jwhole thing grand mistake. They attempted " to' .do/work in six months which ought to have extended over six years. j i; The question was then put that the words L 150,000, in clause 2, stand as part o£ the question. The House divided: Ayes, 26; noes, 24. Mr. Macandrew. moved that half of tho amount be expended oh the entrance to the .lower Harbor. Mr. Hall hoped it would be most distinctly understood that the Colony was in no way responsible for loans contracted by Harbor Boards or any other bodies. If they repudiated their debts, he-would be no party to advocate the propriety of the House stepping in and defraying tho amount. The lender could see for himself that the Government of the Colony was in nowise to be held responsible for the amount. Such being the case, he saw no reason why they should restrict the Board in the expenditure ;of tho money. > ' ' / ■ ' Mr. ; Driver said he did not dispute the legality of what had been said by the Premier, still he for ope would never think about Bitting there and" clothing these bodies with borrowing |Jdwer6, Unless he thought that in , the event of repudiation the House would step in for the relief of the bond-holders. v Major Atkinson said they allowed, theso local bodies to pay an extra interest Which of itself showed that the' Colony never contemplated any responsibility. ■" He apprehended that if they found a locality inclined to repudiate its debts they would step in, or cause a rate to be levied, so as to provide for the debt. That was all ho apprehended the Government would bo asked or even expected to do. Mr. Moss said if that was the case, why not allow these lodies ing powers ?' Why' Restrict them if it was not from a sense that they desired to keep them within such bounds as they - were disposed to face 1 . • The clause was carried On a division of 28 to 23. ■ , ./• Mr. Hursthouse moved that progress be reported. The House divided : Ayes, 23; noos, 3&. On clause 4, authorising a. grapt of ten acres to the BorOugh of South'Dunedin, on a division that the clause be struck | out, the ayes were 18, and the noes 18. I. The Speaker gave his casting vote to retain the clause, as printed. , Mr. Murray moved that progress be reported. He denounced tjie clause as a fraud on the part of the Otago members. The motion was put and carried, and the House rose at 1 o'clock.