TIMARU HARBOR BOARD ENDOWMENT.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2612, 4 August 1881, Page 2

TIMARU HARBOR BOARD ENDOWMENT.

A GRANT OF 50,000 ACRES . In the House of Representatives last night, the Timaru Harbor Board Endowment Bill introduced by Mr Turnbull, was considered in Committee of the whole House. Mrßolleston opposed clause 3 providing landed endowments. Mr Wakefield defended the clause, contending that the work was of colonial and not of mere local interest. Mr Hall said that some two years ago the House was perfectly inundated with with Bills of this kind, and it was then decided these landed endowments would not be listened to at all. Other places had taken the hint, and they had been troubled with no more of these applications. If they were now going to depart from that determination, then the course was for them first to affirm the principle by following that course. They would all be enabled to start fair and Timaru would get no advantage over the other harbors. The House divided —Ayes 35, Noes 19, and the clause passed. On the question that the schedule be adopted, Mr Whitaker protested against the public estate being disposed of in this way, He said it was evidently the idea of those who had supported this Bill, that they would be able to introduce and carry a Bill for a similar purpose. He asked them to remember what would be the effect which a wholesale scramble for harbor endowments wo.uld bring about. He hoped they would pause before repeating a demoralising proceeding of that kind. On the suggestion of Mr Sheehan, Mr Tnrnbull, who vas in charge of the Bill, agreed to accept the first part of the schedule alone, reducing the endowment from 100,000 to 50,000 acres.

The schedule was amended ac cordingly, and on the question being put that the second part of the Bill be adopted, the house divided—Ayes— 33, Noes 22.

The Bill was reported with amendments, and ordered to be considered on Wednesday.